JBL L100 Century
1970 - 1978
The JBL L100 Century is arguably the most successful speaker in JBL's history. When JBL discovered that musicians, engineers, and audio professionals were purchasing their studio monitors for home use, they created the L100 - acoustically identical to the 4310 studio monitor but with consumer-friendly styling including the iconic Quadrex foam grille.
Specifications
| Type | 3-way, 3-speaker, Bass Reflex, Bookshelf |
|---|---|
| Drivers | Woofer: 12" 123A, Midrange: 5" LE5-2, Tweeter: LE20 |
| Crossover Frequencies | 2.5 kHz, 7.5 kHz |
| Nominal Impedance | 8 Ω |
| Power Handling | 50W (continuous program) |
| Sensitivity | 91 dB/W/m |
| Frequency Response | 45 Hz - 15 kHz |
| Dimensions | 362 x 597 x 330 mm (W x H x D) |
| Weight | 22.7 kg (per speaker) |
Drivers Used
- Woofer: 123A - 12" (30cm) cone woofer with Alnico V magnet
- Midrange: LE5-2 - 5" (13cm) cone midrange
- Tweeter: LE20 - Cone tweeter
Variants
- L100 (Original): 1970-1972 - LE20 tweeter
- L100A: 1972-1978 - LE25 tweeter replaces LE20
- L100 Century: Marketing name emphasizing the 100th anniversary of JBL's founding
Historical Context
The L100 Century became the best-selling speaker in JBL history, with production continuing for nearly a decade. Its popularity stemmed from the accurate, uncolored sound inherited from its studio monitor lineage, combined with the distinctive Quadrex grille that became a design icon of the 1970s.
The speaker was available with grille cloth in black, blue, or orange, allowing consumers to match their décor - a novel concept at the time for high-fidelity equipment.
Related Models
The L100 shared its driver complement with the professional 4310 studio monitor and influenced the later L166 Horizon and L112 designs.