JBL Speaker Project

[Duffinator]

A few months ago I bought some JBL speakers which consisted of LE14A's, LE20's, LX8's all mounted in Barzilay cabinets. After a few trips to ZilchLab I decided I would upgrade the HF, build new xovers, and modify the cabinets so they would fit and sound proper. I decided to get a pair of JBL 2452H-SL compression drivers mated with some JBL composite waveguides PT-F95HF and build some Zilch designed xovers.

I've been working on this for over a month and the project is finally coming together. Zilch has been a great help in guiding me through my first speaker project. I also have a friend of mine helping with some of the wood working and he's building the xover. Below are some pictures of the baffles, rear panels, and cabinets awaiting both of those parts. The xovers are still not finished and I need to assemble the cabinets with the speaker components. For reference the xovers will be mounted inside the rear panel between the l-pads and cable terminals. These will be laid out similar to JBL 4430's with mirror imaged baffles and dual 3" ports.

I refinished the cabinets and added stands to them. I built a 2x4 frame and mounted legs which were purchased at IKEA. The speakers sit on top of the frame and you can only see the legs. My goal here is to have the look of the speakers fit into my quasi mid century modern living room and I'll be making new grills for them with a vintage looking grill cloth. I've been careful not to make any modifications that will compromise the Barzilay cabinets and I will be able to put them back to their original configuration should I ever decide to do so.

Anyway I should be listening to them for the first time by next Sunday.

 

[Zilch]

WHOA!

Your cabinets came out more beautiful than I imagined, Duff. :thmbsp:

[And you KNOW I'm into legs.... : ]

 

[Snade]

Wow. Duffy.

Those cabs are amazing.

Can't wait for your next report.

 

[kfa888]

Awesome. Love them. You should build some nice box stands for those, and fill them with sand. I have to think real solid stands would be important for bass reproduction on a system like that. Those legs look cool but :scratch2:

On the other hand I could be talking out my ass.

Oh, more talking from the posterior...

Next time you make baffle boards use a router and a fence (for the horn cutout) and circle cutting jig for a perfect finish.

 

[Duffinator]

Awesome. Love them. You should build some nice box stands for those, and fill them with sand. I have to think real solid stands would be important for bass reproduction on a system like that. Those legs look cool but :scratch2:

On the other hand I could be talking out my ass.

Oh, more talking from the posterior...

Next time you make baffle boards use a router and a fence (for the horn cutout) and circle cutting jig for a perfect finish.

Yeah the holes in the left baffle didn't come out as clean as I hoped. I have a new jigsaw and it's got lots of adjustments on it. Once we figured it out the second baffle came out a lot cleaner. You won't see that when the waveguides are mounted.

As for the bass I don't think there's going to be a problem with the almost 5 cubic feet cabinets and the LE14's. Zilch, what's the tuning target?

 

[Tom Brennan]

I like the legs, they look properly old-time JBLish.

 

[Zilch]

As for the bass I don't think there's going to be a problem with the almost 5 cubic feet cabinets and the LE14's. Zilch, what's the tuning target?

30 Hz....

I like the legs, they look properly old-time JBLish.

AK member Mxlews first found those at IKEA and put them on the vintage JBL C36 cabs pictured in his avatar.

I very much like that '60s look.... :yes:

 

[Duffinator]

I like the legs, they look properly old-time JBLish.

Thanks, those legs come in 4,6,and 8" heights and are less than $30 for eight of them. I've bid on a couple of sets of JBL stiletto legs but they get pretty expensive. I'm still looking for a pair and if I can get a pair they will go on the speakers.

Kelly, also these will be crossed over around 1,000 Hz which should eliminate much of the muddiness the LE14A's are known for.

 

[GordonW]

Man, the 8" height legs would be PERFECT for a Seeburg DDS-1 cabinet! Would put the horn right up there at sitting head-level for an average person...

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[dc270]

You might look at making the baffles a full i" thick and including some serious internal cabinet bracing- be a real shame to make such nice cabs as they are already and have them ring and breathe!
Great Work!!!
DC

 

[spartanmanor]

Very nice! I love the finish on those cabinets. Looks like we are working on similar projects. I am doing the same to a pair of Valencia's:

http://audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1480691&postcount=97

 

[usedto]

I'm still trying to figure out where the "Radio Flyer" part fits in...............

 

[Duffinator]

You might look at making the baffles a full i" thick and including some serious internal cabinet bracing- be a real shame to make such nice cabs as they are already and have them ring and breathe!
Great Work!!!
DC

The original plan was to use 1" baffles but they won't fit. You can't really see if from the photo but there's a recessed lip and only 3/4" will fit. I'm also planning on doing some cross bracing in the cabinets but that will be the last step. I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to do it yet. Battens were also suggested for the sides. These are standard Barzilay kit cabinets and while a nice kit they are not quite up to current speaker cabinet bracing standards.

Spartanmanor, nice work there and I've been following your purchase/project.

 

[onepixel]

Lookin reaaal nice Duffy! Hopefully I'll get to hear them at the Sacto AK Fest.

Cheers,
Carl

 

[dc270]

Well it seems I am in the LE 14A business now! After completion and sound checks I too would be interested in how this turns out!
Thanks DC

 

[gonzomeep]

That is a sweet lookin' pair of speakers! I'm very interested in your impressions of the 2452SL's Amazing driver by the looks of it. The new Neo. drivers are quite the feat of engineering from the folks @ Northridge. I had a pair of the 2435HPL's with the 435Be. backcaps. I couldn't believe that such power could come from something lighter and smaller than a ring radiator. I've been in love with the LE14 series from the day I first experienced them. Superb woofer. Does everthing you ask of it, and it does it well. Keep up the good work!

 

[Duffinator]

That is a sweet lookin' pair of speakers! I'm very interested in your impressions of the 2452SL's Amazing driver by the looks of it. The new Neo. drivers are quite the feat of engineering from the folks @ Northridge. I had a pair of the 2435HPL's with the 435Be. backcaps. I couldn't believe that such power could come from something lighter and smaller than a ring radiator. I've been in love with the LE14 series from the day I first experienced them. Superb woofer. Does everthing you ask of it, and it does it well. Keep up the good work!

Thanks. I've heard the 2452H-SL's at Zilch's. I was going to use the BMS option but I was blown away by the 2452's. With the price the used one's are selling for from the guys in So. Cal. it was an easy upgrade for me. I have not heard my LE14's since they have new foam. Originally I was surprised by their lack of bass. But the original surrounds were very stiff so I'm expecting a little more bass tomorrow when I fire them up. :yes:

 

[gonzomeep]

LOTS more bass Brother! I use the L250's-LE14H-1's in my heavily modded L220's. AWESOME... You are using the LE14 in the big cu.ft. install. Should be suprizingly low and tight. 30hz is not a problem for them at all. Most people look at a speakers spec sheet and judge it by the -3db @ XXhz point. Real-world LF is what these babies do very well. And midbass/midrange? Well, 1khz-1.2khz is no problem either. I run my 14's up to 800hz, and then hand them off to big slant plate/ellipticals with 2441's on them. KILLER!!
I really appreciate your mix of the old school looks and modern/current technology. Perfect marriage there. If they sound half as good as they look, you'll be in Hog Heaven. Git-R-Done :thmbsp:

 

[Duffinator]

Cool. Zilch has assured me that bass will not be a problem. Because mine are a two way I think they are being crossed over close to 1,000 Hz. My living room is done in a quasi mid-century modern so I wanted something similar looking to JBL C-36 cabinets. I haven't figured out the grills yet and what I was originally going to do may not work as planned. Once they are functional I'll post about the problems I'm having and seek suggestions on how to resolve it.

 

[Zilch]

4" Aquaplas-damped titanium-diaphragm JBL 2452H-SL:

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=185313#post185313

"This ain't no party,
This ain't no disco,
This ain't no foolin' around...."