JBL L100 Classic 80 Celebrates 80 Years of an Iconic Loudspeaker

JBL has released the L100 Classic 80 ($7,000/pair), a limited edition of its iconic L100 speaker designed to celebrate the brand’s 80th anniversary. This release is the first in what we suspect will be a string of product launches during the yearlong global celebration. JBL is rightly proud of its “eight decades of audio innovation, engineering excellence, and cultural impact,” according to the announcement. First introduced in the 1970s (and then relaunched in its current form in 2018), the original JBL L100 became one of the most recognizable loudspeakers of the 20th century. The L100 Classic 80 pays tribute to the original while delivering the refined acoustics, materials, and build quality expected of a modern luxury audio product, according to JBL

The JBL L100 is more than a loudspeaker. It’s a symbol of JBL’s role in shaping how people experience music at home. The JBL L100 Classic 80 honors that legacy while reflecting the engineering standards and listening expectations of today. It’s a celebration of where we’ve been and how far we’ve come.

— Jim Garrett, Senior Director, Product Strategy and Planning, HARMAN Luxury Audio

Our own James Larson reviewed the JBL L100 Classic in 2021, giving it high marks for its effortless, open sound, its exceptional dynamic range, and its vintage styling. The new 80th anniversary edition is even more “swish,” as my British friends would say, thanks in part to a beautiful, natural oak wood veneer that adorns not just the top and sides of the speaker, but also the front baffle. The wood is complemented by a vintage-inspired brown Quadrex foam grille sporting a gold-and-black JBL logo. The black cone of the 12-inch woofer was reportedly chosen to coordinate with the warm oak finish, brown grille, and black satin wood baffle frame. The speaker proudly displays anniversary edition badging on both the front and rear.

Under this stylish facade, the JBL L100 Classic 80 is a large, three-way bookshelf loudspeaker engineered for “powerful, dynamic stereo playback,” according to the company. It features a cast-frame 12-inch pure pulp cone woofer in a front-firing bass-reflex design, a 5.25-inch polymer-coated pure pulp cone midrange driver, and a 1-inch titanium dome tweeter installed in the brand’s custom acoustic lens waveguide. The carefully-tuned crossover can be tweaked via the front-panel attenuators that control the levels of the mids and/or high frequencies, allowing the user to make adjustments to suit room acoustics and personal preferences. Around back you’ll find dual sets of high-quality, gold-plated binding posts. JBL says the speaker offers “amplifier-friendly performance,” with a 4-ohm impedance.

Only 800 matched pairs will be produced worldwide, with each set identified by an individually-numbered commemorative plaque. The system includes a pair of JS-150 speaker stands and is delivered inside a specially-crafted wooden crate. The JBL L100 Classic 80 is available in limited quantities available at authorized dealers.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.