JBL Model L110 Three - Way Speakers C. 1978—refoamed 10 " Alnico Woofers—superb Cond
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:64537344 | Model: L110 |
| Brand: JBL | Country/Region of Manufacture: United States |
Offered for your consideration is an outstanding pair of JBL Model L110 speakers, USA-manufactured c.1978. The L110 feature a bass-reflex three-way design with 10” Alnico magnet long-throw woofers, 5” midrange drivers, and 1” dome tweeters housed in heavily-braced thick MDF cabinets covered in furniture-grade real walnut veneer. They integrate beautifully with just about any décor.So, please take a look at my large photos, the JBL brochure excerpts, and read th...e remaining description to decide whether these superlative vintage JBL speakers should join your collection! This pair of Model L110 is in clean, excellent condition. The cabinets have no dings or noteworthy scratches on the walnut veneer, just a few very small marks from the years and the practically unavoidable minor scuffs on the bottoms. Also, the veneer is a bit dry, so it could stand an application or two of tung oil (or some other wood-nourishing product) to really come alive! Plus, the grilles are in great shape with no holes, runs, or stains noted on the black fabric, and both metal JBL grille emblems are present. The grille frames are solid, but have some light marks on a few edges. What’s more, the locking +/- input terminals function correctly and can hold bare speaker cable up to 14 gauge in addition to pin connectors and even small diameter banana plugs. These JBL speakers present exceptionally well overall. The L110 have top-quality JBL-designed and manufactured drivers—the LE111A 10” low range driver with heavy Alnico magnet, cast basket, and huge 3” voice coil, complemented by the LE5-10 5” midrange and 033 1” high frequency driver (both with the kind of large magnets that you’re more apt to see on a strong 8” woofer)—crossed-over from the bass driver at 800Hz and 4kHz, respectively, by the precisely-engineered dividing network. All six drivers are basically perfect, especially the voice coil dustcaps and domes which have never been damaged by curious children (or idiotic adults). Plus, the crossovers have attenuators for the mid and high frequencies, but I always left them on the factory reference (middle) setting. Front-firing bass reflex ports in those very rigid cabinets complete the ensemble. The main drawback to most American-made speakers from the early 1970’s to mid 1990’s was the use of foam surrounds for woofer cone suspension. Though foam offers better excursion than coated linen, even rubber, it invariably rots and/or disintegrates in 10-20 years no matter what climate you live in—light, especially sunlight, tends to erode polyurethane foam over time. These stalwart JBL LE111A woofers were no exception; the surrounds had dried out, fell apart, and sidelined these terrific speakers for nearly 20 years.Some of you have replaced speaker surrounds before, so you know that it’s a time-consuming process that takes a great deal of patience and a steady hand. First, I removed the rubber perimeter trim rings and carefully cleaned the cone edge/basket flanges to remove the old gummy foam and stubborn factory adhesives, which takes some time to do thoroughly, and glued the inner surrounds to the cones. These woofers have a narrow mount flange, so I sourced the correct, JBL-specific thin roll surrounds for a perfect fit.Also, on this woofer design, the inner surround lip sits under the cone edge instead of on top the way most do. Since the glue must be applied first, stretching/tucking the surround under the cone, and adjusting a precise fit, can make a big mess on the cone edge if not done with the utmost of care. Luckily, I’ve had lots of practice. Next, I glued the outer surround lips to the basket flanges after careful centering to verify no rubbing or distortion during play. Lastly, the rubber trim rings were neatly reapplied and the woofers installed back in the cabinets after preliminary testing. Now these woofers are in great shape once again—perhaps even better than new with the improved polyether foam surrounds of today.The first time you hear some vintage JBL speakers, the impression is immediate and significant. I’ve auditioned many JBL over the years and really enjoyed the Model L110, especially when listening to them through my Counterpoint SA-3000 hybrid preamp driven by ADCOM’s mighty GFA-555 II amplifier. The level of musical detail the L110 is capable of, when fed by quality components, is truly astonishing—fast, well-detailed midrange, with strong low-end, and sparkly highs far exceeding the limits of audibility doesn’t even begin to describe how great they sound. Yes, folks, these are the real deal. So, if you’ve been looking for a pair of the highly desirable, hard-to-find JBL Model L110, you’ve found the right listing! As pictured and described, this splendid pair of L110 speakers is offered to the discriminating audiophile at a competitive price. In return for this handsome investment, they’re sure to please the new owner with their remarkable sound, build quality, and timeless appearance for many years to come! Terms of Sale:I encourage prospective buyers to ask any questions they may have about this pair of JBL L110 speakers as there are no cancellations, returns, refunds, or claims considered for this listing. These are very high quality speakers, but also ones that are some 44 years old. There’s an inherent risk to buying pre-owned audio equipment, even from the most respected companies, as some parts can suddenly fail with no warranty recourse. What’s more, I have no idea in what manner the new owner will be putting these speakers to use, what degree of experience they have with audio equipment, or the quality/condition of the equipment the speakers will be connected to. Also, I pack items very securely, and full insurance coverage will be included in the shipping/handling cost, but will not be held liable for rough/negligent handling in the shipping process nor fall prey to a “parts switching” scheme of any sort. These are extremely well-built speakers, so I don’t foresee any problems, but nevertheless needed to state the above. If this makes you skeptical, please take a look at my feedback pages and you won’t be. I’ve been an eBay member for over 22 years and have served thousands of satisfied audio customers. And, I’d like you to be the next one! A note on shipping: At some 50 pounds each, and sporting a substantial footprint, it will take me several days to devise and implement a plan to get these JBL L110 speakers to the new owner safely. They will have to go in two separate oversized boxes, each lined with dense foam panels and/or other protective materials I deem fit to ensure no disappointments upon arrival. And, I should mention that when a package exceeds a certain length + girth figure, UPS, FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service all charge based on “dimensional weight.” The quoted shipping cost is for two packages and will cover carrier charges, full insurance coverage, and materials cost.Local pick-up is fine, actually preferred, for those in the Chicago-Milwaukee metro area (or farther if you’re willing to make the drive). We’re located about 35 miles north of downtown and some 20 miles south of the WI State line at Kenosha. For those interested in pickup, please contact me so that I can discuss that option with you.Payment is due at checkout by PayPal or other accepted methods. U.S. lower 48 mailing addresses will pay $150.00 for very carefully packed shipping via FedEx with tracking, delivery confirmation, and full insurance coverage. AK, HI, PR, APO & U.S. Territories must pay additional charges for U.S. Postal Priority Air Mail (even though checkout might still show FedEx Ground, a service not offered to those destinations for obvious reasons). Lastly, no International purchases for this listing, USA only.Thanks for looking, and I look forward to doing business with one of you!
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