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Thread: JBL L26 - any opinions?

  1. #1
    Join Date: Aug 2012

    Location: Eton wick

    Posts: 1,695
    I'm Philip.

    Default JBL L26 - any opinions?

    As per title?

    Any thoughts?

    Anyone heatd them?

    It must be a disease.
    I’m listening to a 15wpc marantz receiver with ms pageant 2.
    Stevie Ray vaughn sounds great.

    And...i’m thinking jbl for some reason.

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,625
    I'm Geoff.

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    I heard these ages ago. They're OK, quite fancied a pair myself. Trouble is, the foam cone surrounds didn't last and needed replacing every ten years or so. I guess most have gone to the tip.

    The same likely applies to the L16 and L36.

    If you want something equally dynamic, try and find a pair of Tannoy DC 1000's. They won't fall apart.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Aug 2012

    Location: Eton wick

    Posts: 1,695
    I'm Philip.

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    Ah yes.
    Tannoys....now i did contemplate those.
    A safe investment as well.

    I maybe am being a bit daft with rhe jbl think.

    What does 5-600 get n the world of v tage tannoys
    .

  4. #4
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,625
    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by philv View Post
    Ah yes.
    Tannoys....now i did contemplate those.
    A safe investment as well.

    I maybe am being a bit daft with rhe jbl think.

    What does 5-600 get n the world of v tage tannoys
    .
    A pair of DC1000's should be around £150 these days. They are great fun.

    However, the entry level into 'pepperpot' dual concentrics is I suppose the Ascot and the rest of the 'T' series. Ascots tend to have asking prices of around £300 to £400 now. Despite the first generation plastic cones, they sound rather good.

    £600 may get you the HPD series Eatons or Devons. My preference is for the Eatons, despite the smaller ten inch driver. It punches well and is reliable (rubber cone surrounds, not foam).

  5. #5
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: gone

    Posts: 11,519
    I'm gone.

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    Vintage JBL and Tannoys.

    Very different beasts, imo.

    I love vintage JBLs .....
    .

  6. #6
    Join Date: Aug 2012

    Location: Eton wick

    Posts: 1,695
    I'm Philip.

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    Different beasties in what way?

  7. #7
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,932
    I'm Martin.

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    JBL is more up front, some might say a little cruder, some might say a little more fun.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: gone

    Posts: 11,519
    I'm gone.

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    I hate Tannoys dual concentrics with a passion. Fatally coloured to my ears with hashy honky resonances. Each model has a different set!
    Paul RFC manages to reduce the Tannoyness with his bespoke crossovers and other mods. But they still do sound like Tannoys to a degree.
    I couldn't tolerate them, others love them. Some folk hear the same issues as me but it doesn't matter to them, others don't hear anything wrong at all!
    To each their own.

    I love vintage JBLs for their energy, clarity, openness and the ability to pass through the excitement of the music. JBLs rock - and they rock on classical music, too, my preferred genre. I had a pair of JBL L110 for quite a while, cost me about £150 and they replaced (and imo improved on) £5k rrp of Kharma Ceramique 3 speakers.

    To my ears JBLs and Tannoys have a totally different presentation.
    Have a listen and decide for yourself. It can take up to several hours before I get thoroughly sick of Tannoy DCs, but it's usually much quicker than that, a few 10s of seconds before the upper mid hash drives me crazy. It's like the soft 'ch' in a scottish loch overlaying everything. Unbearable for me.
    But fair do's, if you don't mind or don't hear that then Tannoys do a lot that is impressive.
    .

  9. #9
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,625
    I'm Geoff.

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    Nothing is perfect. But after forty plus years of using Tannoys, little else sounds quite right to me.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Aug 2012

    Location: Eton wick

    Posts: 1,695
    I'm Philip.

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    It does seem like i will have to be patient and try both.

    Thanks very much ofr all the replies.

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