Drumroll, Please: JBL's Classic L100 Speakers Return

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It’s 1970. A man sits alone in a chair, at one with his music, holding on for dear life. And though he’s the subject of what would soon become a historic ad for Maxell cassette tape, the real star of the ad was the vintage JBL L100 speaker in the room — the one appearing to rewrite physical laws. How so, you ask?

JBL L100 classic speakers from maxell ad return

At the time, bands like Zeppelin, Queen, Yes, AC/DC, and others were shredding concert halls and stadiums with dozens of Marshall amps stacked high… and the holy grail for music lovers was any sound system that could do the same at home. This was where JBL’s L100s shined, and Maxell knew it. “Want to hear how awesome our cassette tapes really sound? Want to know what it’s like standing next to John Bonham’s kit or SRV’s Dumble amplifier? Then fire up a couple of L100s — and brace yourself.”

This was not hype. JBL’s L100s went on to become both the best-selling speakers of the 1970s —worldwide — and a rock legend equal to Les Paul’s guitars or Robert Moog’s synthesizers. All of which makes JBL’s latest news very, very exciting.


Even better than the originals? Oh yeah.

That was the buzz at this year’s CES, and World Wide Stereo was there for the announcement: JBL’s Hall of Fame L100s are not only back, they’ve been updated to include almost 50 years of acoustic advancements, both analog and digital, by way of JBL’s award-winning audio engineers. And to the question, "Why bring the L100s back now?" — we say, "Why not?" Customers long relegated to shopping eBay for the old 1970s originals have been asking for a re-issue for years. They should have never left in the first place.

JBL’s L100 Classic Tech Specs: Impressive.

On the outside: The new L100 Classic speakers are identical to their famous grandparents, from walnut veneer cabinetry to iconic 1970s orange foam grille, which now comes in blue and black as well. (The new grille uses a superior poly Quadrex meant to last far longer than the original.) On the back: a pair of gold-plated terminals.

Under the grille: The same three-way speaker configuration as the 1970s originals, but with the benefit of decades of industry-leading JBL expertise built-in.

Inside: A 12” 1200FE woofer plus JBL’s newly developed 1” titanium dome tweeter, paired with a waveguide to better blend with the 5” mid-range speaker below. (Full specs right here.)

Floor Stands: These are optional. If you’re putting your L100s on the floor, the stands give each speaker an upwards tilt. (So they look fittingly aggressive.)

Bookshelf Design: At 25.1″ H x 15.3″ W x 14.6″ D, the L100s are large for bookshelf speakers, but you can seat them vertically or horizontally.

Pedigree: JBL Acoustic Systems Engineer Chris Hagen led the new L100 team in Harman's Northridge, California design center.

What else?

You got to love it… the company that leads the world in home theater surround sound technology (via the JBL Synthesis SDP-75 surround processor)… a company that built what just may be the world’s finest cinema anywhere – the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills – is now making headlines for the re-release of a 50 year-old stereo speaker. (Rock on, right?)

See and hear the new L100s right here in PA. (And bring an extra pair of socks.)

Why? Because we’re going to blow yours off. (Our little reward for stopping by.) Right now, JBL’s new L100s are on display at both of our showrooms in Montgomeryville and Ardmore. And though we can’t sell them through our online store just yet, you can still snag a pair if you stop by.

Just remember: we expect our stock of L100 Classics to go fast, especially with World Wide Stereo’s Happiness Guarantee and award-winning support.

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