174.130.40.166
In Reply to: RE: JBL Holy Grail find posted by Victorymoto on June 15, 2009 at 10:50:54
Really nice find. The 4311 is the later version in the evolution of the 4310 and 4310A Control Monitors. These were professional speakers designed for wall mount in a recording studio control room. As such they had high power handling.
The super-popular L-100 and L100A were home versions of the 4310 and 4310A. JBL wanted to drop the L-100, and dealer and customer outcry kept them from doing it. Finally, JBL solved the problem by allowing dealers franchised for the consumer line to handle the 4311WX, which was the walnut veneer version of the 4311.
A JBL engineer I once met claimed that although the L-100 was not JBL's most accurate speaker, it was their best sounding speaker. I modify that by saying it was the prototypical rock speaker - the one everyone tried to copy. It was great for rock and popular, and nice for folk music and jazz. However, it was not ideal for presenting a symphony orchestra or even a chamber orchestra. But for Santana or the Stones...
The crossover on the L100 was two capacitors. I don't think the 4311 is much different. In any case, they need to be replaced with something similar, and if they don't already have them, add some 0.068 uF bypass caps.
As to what they were voiced with, probably pro level gear that JBL made. (show some respect for these, they were not a product for big-box stores.)
An anecdote about the 4310. When JBL introduced them, they noted that there were multiple repeat sales to the same recording studios. Wondering what was going on, they found the recording engineers were buying them and taking them home. Figuring they might have a good home speaker, they made up a number of pairs in a consumer version with walnut veneer and sold them in the LA area. It was a runaway best seller, and the L-100 was born. At one time, the L-100 was the highest dollar volume speaker in history with over 100,000 pair sold at $550/pair. That might still be the case.
In short, you have a legend on your hands. And yes, I'm jealous.
Jerry
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