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JBL L-96 speakers

173.189.218.74
Posted on April 2, 2015 at 18:10:54
vinnie2
Audiophile

Posts: 4481
Location: North Carolina
Joined: September 28, 2013
 I found a pair of these at a local estate sale. They need new surrounds on the woofers, but all drivers appear to be working ok.
I have taken out one of the woofers to start cleaning it up for the new foam, and I am wondering about the crossover capacitors. I think the speakers were made in the 70's, so the caps are getting old, but is it as critical with speakers as with amps? Is just the age enough to make it advisable to replace them? They couldn't have had to much strain on them.
There are about 5 caps in each unit of varying sizes. I know it's a good idea to change them while I have them opened up, but how likely is it that the sound will be altered? Is it always for the better?
If so, suggestions for replacement caps would be appreciated.

 

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with speakers, it is MORE important IMHO~nT, posted on April 2, 2015 at 19:08:34
Cleantimestream
Audiophile

Posts: 7550
Location: Kentucky
Joined: June 30, 2005
 ~!
The Mind has No Firewall~ U.S. Army War College.

 

RE: JBL L-96 speakers, posted on April 3, 2015 at 07:49:27
Hornlover
Manufacturer

Posts: 2529
Joined: March 8, 2002
 If the caps are electrolytic, then they should be replaced. If they are film caps, they should be fine.

 

RE: JBL L-96 speakers, posted on April 3, 2015 at 07:54:41
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
 An upgrade to the x-over will benefit. Look for sales on caps and resistors you could save a lot. Sonicrafts site has some deals and lots of choices.

E
T

ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

RE: JBL L-96 speakers, posted on April 3, 2015 at 08:01:26
Hornlover
Manufacturer

Posts: 2529
Joined: March 8, 2002
 Here is a schematic. Scroll down a bit. C1, C2 and C3 should be a film type. C1A, C2A and C3A are useless, and are of no value. They are such a small value, they will have no effect in the audible range.

 

RE: JBL L-96 speakers, posted on April 3, 2015 at 08:18:47
vinnie2
Audiophile

Posts: 4481
Location: North Carolina
Joined: September 28, 2013
 They are all film caps, so I am going to take a shot at leaving them in and see how everything sounds after the refoaming.

 

RE: JBL L-96 speakers, posted on April 3, 2015 at 08:26:18
vinnie2
Audiophile

Posts: 4481
Location: North Carolina
Joined: September 28, 2013
 Thanks for that. I will save it in case I need it later. Want to hear how they sound with the original caps first.

 

RE: JBL L-96 speakers, posted on April 3, 2015 at 08:35:13
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 I haven't heard these, but I have heard some close relative. From doing a search on the web, they are well thought of and not a colored speaker like the L100 (which I am not fond of). These should be great sounding speakers. You should be able to get a surround kit specifically for your woofer. JBL really knows how to make a 10" woofer. Base should be excellent on these.

Even though this is a home speaker, their are serious pro drivers in them. You can get by with new surrounds, but to play their best, the probably need a full re-coning buy an experienced professional, which can be expensive. I had this done to my L110 woofers, but I have a friend in the business, so I traded a pair Jensen alnico guitar speakers for the re-coning.

If it were me, I would do the surrounds and if I subsequently fell in love with the speaker, I'd consider the full re-coning. However, if they really sounded great with just the surrounds, I would be tempted to not mess with a good thing. (JNHO, YMMV!)

Dave

 

RE: JBL L-96 speakers, posted on April 3, 2015 at 08:36:32
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 - C1A, C2A and C3A are useless, and are of no value.

What are they there for?

Dave

 

RE: JBL L-96 speakers, posted on April 3, 2015 at 08:41:19
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 Nice!

Dave

 

RE: JBL L-96 speakers, posted on April 3, 2015 at 08:57:11
Hornlover
Manufacturer

Posts: 2529
Joined: March 8, 2002
 Someone added 'bypass' caps. However, adding bypass caps of such a small value have absolutely no effect in the audible range. The Z of the larger caps is so much lower at any frequency of concern, that virtually no current flows through caps that small (remember, voltage takes the path of least resistance). If you want to add a bypass, it must at least be a value that is useful in that particular situation.

 

RE: JBL L-96 speakers, posted on April 3, 2015 at 11:25:28
vinnie2
Audiophile

Posts: 4481
Location: North Carolina
Joined: September 28, 2013
 Sounds like we have similar philosophies on the subject. : )

 

update, posted on April 3, 2015 at 17:58:57
vinnie2
Audiophile

Posts: 4481
Location: North Carolina
Joined: September 28, 2013
 I got the new foam surrounds in the mail today so I got them installed by late afternoon. Man what a sweet little pair of speakers! I can see why they got good press most places I looked on the web.
They are clean and accurate and easy to listen to, and for only a 10" woofer they do ok in the bass department too.
I don't think I will be using them for major orchestral works, but as a spare set and for small group jazz and acoustic music they are quite nice. They even work ok with my 45 amp at about 3/4 volume, but they really sing with the 300B amp.
I think I will have to play with the tweeter and mid controls a bit though as they are a tiny bit sharp on the upper end. I will wait until I have played them a while and everything has had a chance to get up to speed.
Thanks for the help folks, I really appreciate it. It feels nice to have saved a pair of classic speakers from a sad fate and end up with something pretty cool in the process.

 

Thanks! (nt), posted on April 6, 2015 at 09:38:28
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001

 

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