JBL Announces The L150 Classic Loudspeaker
All Image Credit JBL
Sitting at the top of the Classic Series JBL have announced the L150 Classic. It is their first floorstander in this series and comes with a huge 15: bass driver. With its timeless retro design, angled front and vintage quadrex foam grill, it looks like it is has come straight out of the 1970’s. Arriving in a Walnut veneer and priced at $9,999 a pair.
This new L150 tops out the Classic Series, above the L100 Classic MKII, L82 Classic MKII and L52 Classic and looks straight out of the 1970’s. However, what underpins its technical design according to JBL is not, having modern drivers and crossovers with a cabinet that is acoustically tuned to match its driver components.
Leading the charge is a 15-inch (380mm) Pure Pulp Differential Drive woofer with a cast frame. The cone design offers a favorable combination of low mass and excellent intrinsic damping, affording better controlled break-up behavior. First acoustic break-up mode is measured at around 1.1 kHz – well beyond the 300 Hz crossover point implemented in the L150 Classic. This Differential Drive woofer doesn’t just rely on its size to move more air. JBL’s motor technology also improves control and manages heat under demanding conditions. The company claims that this arrangement gives the L150 Classic the dynamic headroom and bass authority associated with its larger loudspeaker designs.
The bass driver is supported by a dedicated 6.5-inch (165mm) polymer-coated Pure Pulp midrange driver midrange driver, again with a cast frame. Like the woofer, the natural damping and low mass properties of paper afford well controlled breakup behavior with excellent sensitivity. By then applying a polymer coating, the stiffness of the design is increased, helping to push these well controlled breakup modes higher in frequency, well beyond the crossover point of 1.8 KHz.
High frequencies are handled by a 28mm titanium dome tweeter working with an acoustic lens and waveguide. Its larger diameter gaving the power handling and lower crossover point flexibility that this new design required.
The Classics crossover points are set at 310Hz and 1.8KHz and JBL has also included front-panel high and low frequency adjustment controls. The design implemented what is termed a capacitor assisted or passively assisted bass reflex alignment rather than a simple resistive attenuator for bass level adjustment, offering -2dB, 0dB and +2dB level adjustments. With the low-frequency setting increased by +2dB, the company specifies bass extension down to 30.5Hz. HF adjustments provide five positions between -2dB and +2dB in 1dB increments.
The cabinets bass-reflex design uses two front ports with large radii at both ends in order to minimise air noise. The cabinet is manufactured from 1 inch (25mm) thick MDF throughout in order to mass-load the structure and create an very stiff environment to mount all 3 drivers. The mid-range is isolated in its own sub-enclosure so that no energy generated from either woofer or mid-range may interact, ensuring that the low frequency response of the mid-range is appropriately controlled. Bracing amount and locations were optimized through simulation in order to create a maximally stiff and inert structure. The enclosure has an angled profile with a sloped front baffle to aim the drivers at the listening position and black Quadrex foam grille attaches magnetically. Low-frequency extension is rated down to 33Hz with a rated 88dB sensitivity of 2.83V/1m and a nominal impedance of 4 ohms.
Finally connectivity is provided using two pairs of speaker binding posts allowing for bi-wiring and bi-amplification.
Features At A Glance:
- High-performance 15-inch (380mm) Differential Drive woofer system delivering powerful, precise bass
- 6.5-inch (150mm) Polymer-coated, Pure Pulp woofer with cast frame
- 28mm titanium dome tweeter mated to constant directivity waveguide and phase plug for an enhanced soundstage
- High-frequency and Low frequency level attenuators
- Angled cabinet profile with a sloped front baffle designed to direct sound toward the listener
- Advanced Crossover Network with separated HF/LF sections for bi-wiring/bi-amplification, finished with gold-plated dual binding posts.
- Timeless retro design with iconic JBL styling and vintage Quadrex foam grille
Specifications:
- Type: 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker
- Low Frequency Driver: 15-inch (380mm) Pure Pulp Differential Drive® Woofer with cast frame
- Mid Frequency Driver: 6.5-inch (165mm) Polymer-coated, Pure Pulp woofer with cast frame
- High Frequency Driver: 28mm Titanium dome tweeter mated to constant directivity waveguide and phase plug
- Input Type: Dual sets of gold-plated binding posts for bi-amp/bi-wire capability
- Controls: Attenuation for HF and LF
- Recommended Max Amplifier Power: 250 Watts RMS
- Enclosure Type: Vented (Bass-Reflex)
- Finish: Natural Walnut veneer with Black Quadrex Foam Grille
- Frequency Response (-6dB): 32 Hz – 22 KHz (0dB LF switch Position)
- Sensitivity (2.83V@1m): 88dB
- Impedance: 4Ω nominal
- Crossover Frequencies: 300 Hz, 1.8 KHz
- Dimensions (Speaker with Grille): 36.8-inch H x 18.5-inch W x 21.2-inch D (935mm x 470mm x 540mm)
- Product Weight: 129 lbs (58.5 kg) Each
- Finish: Walnut veneer
Pricing (pair):
- UK: TBA
- US: $9,999
- EU: TBA
For more information visit the US JBL web site.
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