sandsarchitecture

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.25 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00 from ??

Summary:
Well what can I say - I got my JBL 100's as and "hand me down" from my Dad who originally bought them in the late 70's. I've had them since 1984 when I enticed him into buying some Bose system he had his eye on (which he regretted in a matter of days) but there was no way I was giving them up!!

I've upgraded the binding posts and crossover myself - courtesy of a company in Denmark called Jantzen-Audio - they produce a kit you can install yourself. As most of these speakers have lost the foam etc after 30 or so years they need a bit of work to restore them. I stumbled across this audio company specialising in components to JBL!!!! and I thought why not - cost me £190 for the kit and I spent £75 on new speaker cloth and foam for the tweeters as well as some sound insulatiing foam for inside the cabinets as recommended by Jantzen Audio.

Wonderful sound - very much improved in the mid range and tweeters - no need to replace them as many of the other reviews have stated. Have a read of Jantzen Audio's testing etc here http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/JBL_L100.htm

Strengths:
Pure quality in every respect (with the new crossover and binding posts)

Weaknesses:
absolutely none - it'll cost you £3000 for an equivalent sound today and alot more for something better.

penny lane

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
1.17 of 5, 6.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Hi,

I have a pair of JBL L100t3 speakers and looking to sell them. I'm not a audio person and have no idea what to ask for them. An friend gave them to me b/c they were too big for their apt. After reading some reviews, I'm getting a general idea of what they might be worth but there is a huge price discrepancy for one review to another.

Can anyone help?

Thank you.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I recieved these speakers from my grandparents when they no longer had need for them. Their hearing aids made the speakers virtually unlistenable and I was slated to recieve the speakers.

I already had a custom pair of JBLs manufactured from a Bozak cabinat housing LE-14A's and rather large JBL horns, the names of which elude me at the moment.

The Century L-100's sound fantastic. Mated to a McIntosh MA-6100 Integrated Amp and a Bang & Olufsen Beogram 1800 Turntable fitted with an MMC-1 cartridge the speakers yield a warm tone that recalls the era from which they derive. The speakers are certainly suited to playing music of a louder sort.

My one complaint about the Century is that the details of the highs are lost in a sea of lows and mids. Taking into consideration the technologies at the time and the sheer care in construction of the speakers they come highly reccomended by myself.

I was lucky enough to recieve a pair that had intact the original grilles (in chocolate brown) that perhaps affects the sound.

I do hope that if the opportunity presents itself the you do listen to this piece of audio history.

Strengths:
Strong bass and realistic soundstage. A true contender in replicating the sould that defined 1970's high-end audio.

Weaknesses:
Occasionally tubby bass that tends to drown out high frequencies.

Big Dave

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 6.00 votes

Price Paid:  $350.00 from local used equipment

Summary:
These were the speakers I lusted after 30 years ago when I was a much poorer and listened mostly to rock & roll. They excel at putting out a LOT of sound with a lot of "punch," and that's what I wanted at the time. Plus the burnt-orange "egg crate" grills were just so cool! Unfortunately they cost about a month's pay for a pair, so I wasn't about to acquire a ny.

A couple of years ago I ran across a pair at a local used gear shop. The original grills were long gone, but the driver were all intact and the walnut veneer on the cabinets was too. The store wanted $500 for the pair, but I talked them down to $350. I took 'em home, replaced the binding posts, oiled up the cabinets, and hooked 'em up to an old Rotel receiver from about the same era.

Well, I have to say that for $350 they're a fair bargain, but I don't love them as much as I expected to. Their sound is too "in your face" for my present tastes, and while they play loud without straining, the bass isn't really all that deep. I'm glad I bought them,. just to indulge my long-ago dream, but I really wish I could put them in a time machine and send them back to my younger self.

Strengths:
They play loud without straining. Good for rock & roll and other high-energy music. Nice cabinets!

Weaknesses:
No real deep bass. Rolled-off high frequencies. Crappy cheap binding posts.

Similar Products Used:
Aztec Picassos (a direct copy) and ESS speakers with the Heil Air Motion Transformer

Fred Fischer

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.67 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $760.00 from Harvey radio Garden

Summary:
WOW what more can i say. I bought mine in the early 70's my bad boys are JBL L 100A CENTURY #73609a & 73611a. This was the best purchase that I made in my lifetime. Houses and nice cars have come and gone but I have been in sound haven for the last 35 years. I have told my son when I die and he gets them to NEVER sell them and when he is a old man if he see his great grandson or granddaughter huging the JBL's its me and to give back. The JBL L100 were given the award as best speakers of the decade I would have voted for best for the century. Mine were bought by accident I had Ecolets speakers 4 ft columns with advent speakers on top in my bedroom. My parents told me they had to go so I traded them in for some speakers that sounded good at the showroom but like crap at home. Went back the next day to return them and get my columns back but he sold them. He said why don't you take the JBL 's home and give them a try. Ran back the next day and paid in full. Mom and Dad were happy for about a day when he told me things were falling off the walls and the roof would come off soon. I am sure the neightbors in Hicksville, Mineola, North Centereach and Commack on long island just loved them as much as I did. Now the people on the South west coast of Florida get to hear them and maybe over in Texas as well. I could go on and on how great they are but I know you know that from reading you posts. I have gone thru 3 grills and now have the cloth one for the last 15 years. I blew one of the tweeters the first year I had them and JBL fixed it for free. Had them serviced in 2002 for new speakers posts and foam for the around the speakers

Strengths:
The best speaker you can own dollar for dollar. You might find a better one if you want to clean out your bank account. Just close your eyes when listen and you will think the group is in the room with you. Great with Rock ,Jazz or anything you put into them. God bless James B Lansing.

Weaknesses:
Grills and speaker posts.

Similar Products Used:
Advent, Epi,