Speaker clone possible ?

[LouB]

Hello, I'm new here been lurking for a bit trying to figure out if I could build a pair of speakers that would sound very close the the JBL L82's. Budget would be up to 1200 bucks if it gets much more than that I'd just buy a pair.
I've done a few speaker builds that came out OK but I just built to a set of plans not trying to get a very particular end result. My knowledge of drivers/crossovers cabinet design is near nothing, I do know there is a ton of variables in speaker design that I'll never really scratch the surface of & have no problem paying for someones expertise in putting together a kit that would get me there.
So am I dreaming or is it possible for someone to be able to look at a speakers specs & measurements and come up with the parts to copy that speaker ? Appreciate any info. on this or any suggestions on which company or individuals that may be able to help. I've seen Madisound & CSS kits but none of there 2 way book shelf designs have an 8" woofer I'm thinking it would be hard to get that L82 sound without it.
Thanks

 

[RayDunzl]

If this a hobby project, I have no advice.

Otherwise...

JBL L82 Classic Bookshelf Speakers; Black Pair | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for JBL L82 Classic Bookshelf Speakers; Black Pair at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Ruhled]

You already seem to know the answer. Whatever you come up with won't be the same, probably not even close. Anyone who claims they can come up with some sort of diy recipe for exactly the same thing is either ignorant or dishonest.

 

[JSmith]

JBL L82's

JBL L100 Century

JSmith

 

[LouB]

Oh well......Looks like I'll keep kicking the speaker decsion around for awhile than break down & order a new pair of L82's sooner or later !
I did see a kit that they offer to reproduce an old Advent speaker so I was hoping someone had done it or had the skills to do it for the L82's
Thanks for advice & links, those ebay speakers looked like they were dropped on concrete or something really damaged one of em. I'd pass on any used gear looking like that. I never heard the L100's but it looks the cabinets are bigger than what I'm after but the site is interesting & some good info there..
Thanks again.

 

[Chrispy]

Oh well......Looks like I'll keep kicking the speaker decsion around for awhile than break down & order a new pair of L82's sooner or later !
I did see a kit that they offer to reproduce an old Advent speaker so I was hoping someone had done it or had the skills to do it for the L82's
Thanks for advice & links, those ebay speakers looked like they were dropped on concrete or something really damaged one of em. I'd pass on any used gear looking like that. I never heard the L100's but it looks the cabinets are bigger than what I'm after but the site is interesting & some good info there..
Thanks again.

Got a link to that Advent kit?

Did you check to even see if the drivers used in the L82 are still available? I'd suspect not but....

 

[LouB]

Got a link to that Advent kit?

Did you check to even see if the drivers used in the L82 are still available? I'd suspect not but....

The L82's I'm referring to just came out in 2020 I think, I have no idea what drivers there using but I believe there making the speakers in China I was thinking the drivers or something very simialar would be easy to get.

JBL L82 Classic (Black Grilles)

Bookshelf speakers

www.crutchfield.com

I was mistaken, it's a kit for reproducing the Dyncao A25 for some reason I had Advent stuck in my head.

Seas A26 10" 2-way Kit Pair (based on the classic A25)

Seas A26 10" 2-way Kit Pair - a new spin on a true classic! Price is for a PAIR Designed by Håvard Sollien & Diego Ivars at the SEAS R&D laboratory. Seas of Norway and Madisound are excited to provide the A26 speaker kit. This kit utilizes the A26RE4 10" classic paper cone woofer and new...

www.madisoundspeakerstore.com

 

[Chrispy]

The L82's I'm referring to just came out in 2020 I think, I have no idea what drivers there using but I believe there making the speakers in China I was thinking the drivers or something very simialar would be easy to get.

JBL L82 Classic (Black Grilles)

Bookshelf speakers

www.crutchfield.com

I was mistaken, it's a kit for reproducing the Dyncao A25 for some reason I had Advent stuck in my head.

Seas A26 10" 2-way Kit Pair (based on the classic A25)

Seas A26 10" 2-way Kit Pair - a new spin on a true classic! Price is for a PAIR Designed by Håvard Sollien & Diego Ivars at the SEAS R&D laboratory. Seas of Norway and Madisound are excited to provide the A26 speaker kit. This kit utilizes the A26RE4 10" classic paper cone woofer and new...

www.madisoundspeakerstore.com

My brain went to the L82s that came out in my youth I see now the L82 Classic. Different drivers and crossover most likely too I'd think in any case. JBL I think does sell drivers still thru dealers/repair shops. Looks like the current spec is the woofer JW200PW-6 and tweeter JT025TI1-4 altho I don't see anything with the crossover specs....

Thanks, was curious about the Advents, those were the speakers way back then that I chose over JBL (L100s, tho).

 

[Wolf]

My Zingers have 8" woofers, and there is a revamp version coming...

 

[LouB]

My Zingers have 8" woofers, and there is a revamp version coming...

Nice, I didn't see that kit & nice write up on Meniscus site. At such an affordable price maybe this will turn into another "hobby" & keep me off the streets. The site shows out of stock, what plans do you have for revamp ? My vote is shoot for the L82 sound & I'm all in.
Thanks

 

[JSmith]

Oh well......Looks like I'll keep kicking the speaker decsion around for awhile than break down & order a new pair of L82's sooner or later !

Unsure if you opened the link I posted above? It's very detailed... the L100 is very similar design, although a 3 way instead of 2 way.


JSmith

 

[Wolf]

Nice, I didn't see that kit & nice write up on Meniscus site. At such an affordable price maybe this will turn into another "hobby" & keep me off the streets. The site shows out of stock, what plans do you have for revamp ? My vote is shoot for the L82 sound & I'm all in.
Thanks

Basically, just a tweeter swap to the Seas 27TBFC/G. The price will be a tad higher as the tweeter is more money. However, the response does not change enough to warrant anything else. HD is lower than with the DA25 tweeter. Yes, I have already done the legwork, and it's just up to Meniscus to update the project to Zing2.

I have no idea if it sounds like the L82 or not, but for the outlay of cost, it sounds pretty good.

 

[LouB]

Unsure if you opened the link I posted above? It's very detailed... the L100 is very similar design, although a 3 way instead of 2 way.


JSmith

I saw the cabinet size I think it was 30" tall I was trying to get around same size as L82 at about 20"
I'll take another look
Thanks

 

[beagleman]

SR measurements of the L82 are here:

JBL L82 Classic: Spinorama and Measurements

It's been a while! I've had the JBL L82 for some time now, and as far as I know, there are no published measurements for it yet. So here I am =] An incomplete post for now. Full suite of measurements and interpretations once I've published my review and formatted all the data, but in the...

www.audiosciencereview.com

You'll notice that JBL boosted the bass at 100 Hz. This is a common design trick to make the bass seem more potent than it really is. If that is the "sound" to which you refer, then I would suggest you get it by using equalization. That way, you have total control no matter which speaker you end up using.

Good luck! Jim

Yeah a boosted mid/upper bass and a relatively weakish Deep bass. Specs show -6db at 44 hz, so maybe -3db at 50hz, not bad, but not great for their size.

 

[beagleman]

You already seem to know the answer. Whatever you come up with won't be the same, probably not even close. Anyone who claims they can come up with some sort of diy recipe for exactly the same thing is either ignorant or dishonest.

I am not sure I would be that bold.

I have done DIY projects and in full honesty, while it may be fairly hard to replicate the literal "Exact" same thing for sure, I agree, it can be relatively easy to make something fairly similar and in the case of this JBL speaker, probably a slightly better version is quite possible.

I have never heard this speaker, but in 15 minutes looking over stuff about it, it seems to do nothing that is out of the ordinary or truly hard to replicate at least to a fairly similar degree.

But, again totally agree with you, an exact copy next to impossible.
Similar kinda/sorta, somewhat easy, better (in some ways) also somewhat easy.

 

[fpitas]

I'll be very surprised if you can get the L82 drivers. JBL isn't really good about that sort of thing.

 

[beagleman]

Basically, just a tweeter swap to the Seas 27TBFC/G. The price will be a tad higher as the tweeter is more money. However, the response does not change enough to warrant anything else. HD is lower than with the DA25 tweeter. Yes, I have already done the legwork, and it's just up to Meniscus to update the project to Zing2.

I have no idea if it sounds like the L82 or not, but for the outlay of cost, it sounds pretty good.

Your speakers seem to excel deep bass wise for sure, but also remove the mid bass bump of the JBL.

When I sold audio many years ago, not sure I heard THIS exact speaker, but we sold several JBL speakers and overall they had a very powerful strong bass sound on rock music, but obviously lacking some on the deep bass end. Deep bass substituted for more "pounding bass" type of sound.

 

[fpitas]

Your speakers seem to excel deep bass wise for sure, but also remove the mid bass bump of the JBL.

When I sold audio many years ago, not sure I heard THIS exact speaker, but we sold several JBL speakers and overall they had a very powerful strong bass sound on rock music, but obviously lacking some on the deep bass end. Deep bass substituted for more "pounding bass" type of sound.

The midbass bump was a thing back in the day. I like a little bit of it, even now. If you don't have EQ, maybe you could play with the port tuning of a design and get a little rise there.

 

[LouB]

I am not sure I would be that bold.

I have done DIY projects and in full honesty, while it may be fairly hard to replicate the literal "Exact" same thing for sure, I agree, it can be relatively easy to make something fairly similar and in the case of this JBL speaker, probably a slightly better version is quite possible.

I have never heard this speaker, but in 15 minutes looking over stuff about it, it seems to do nothing that is out of the ordinary or truly hard to replicate at least to a fairly similar degree.

But, again totally agree with you, an exact copy next to impossible.
Similar kinda/sorta, somewhat easy, better (in some ways) also somewhat easy.

That's what I hoping to hear, I never considered of trying to to end up with the "exact" sound. I believe that would be next to impossible but something close or even slightly better would be fantastic. My first look at the L82's & my very limited knowledge of speaker design I thought the 2 way front ported L82 & cabinets were a fairly "simple" design (simple being very relative term). And thought that getting an 8" woofer into a small cabinet (I think the L82's are aprx 30L) was the trick. Obvisouly way off base on that assumption.
My skill set is building (just not speakers) I made a living working with wood & have a full shop so any cabinet design I can build. Maybe there's hope ! I send you a PM, if you have the time & willing to provide a little help/knowledge on a build I'll gladly pay for it.
Thanks

 

[Mr. Widget]

That's what I hoping to hear, I never considered of trying to to end up with the "exact" sound. I believe that would be next to impossible but something close or even slightly better would be fantastic. My first look at the L82's & my very limited knowledge of speaker design I thought the 2 way front ported L82 & cabinets were a fairly "simple" design (simple being very relative term). And thought that getting an 8" woofer into a small cabinet (I think the L82's are aprx 30L) was the trick. Obvisouly way off base on that assumption.
My skill set is building (just not speakers) I made a living working with wood & have a full shop so any cabinet design I can build. Maybe there's hope ! I send you a PM, if you have the time & willing to provide a little help/knowledge on a build I'll gladly pay for it.
Thanks

As a long time DIY speaker builder, I'll say the journey may be long but it is a rewarding one. If you get your feet wet in this area you will learn a lot. You will learn what you like, you will learn it is much harder than it looks.

Keep an open mind and be prepared to let your design evolve as you dial it in... start out with test enclosures. Do not build your final masterpieces until you have worked out the kinks. If you allow your design to grow as you learn, you will be rewarded by a great pair of speakers that will bring years of joy.

Have fun!