The End of the Century (Speakers)

[@morrisonAV]

I'm watching this video while sitting here awaiting a pair of my favorite a/d/s speakers to arrive from Texas so this video really hit home with me. One of my closest friends in high school had a pair of L100s and I remember sharing and discovering new music with him. I totally understand the nostalgia aspect of speakers. You can usually connect them with where you were living, who you were dating, what car you were driving and what new music you were discovering. Good luck with your new setup, Mazzy!

[@mazzysmusic]

Thank you for your comment. It was easier to let go of them then I thought but the memories are still solid ✌🏽

[@solice8844]

I’m 70 and bought my JBL L100s in 1974 as a college graduation present to myself along with a Marantz 2270 receiver. Yesterday, I bought a 2nd set of JBL L100s to go with the originals. With all the music now on KZbin I need an enhancement of my gear to keep up.

[@lorieandpatrickdavies7483]

Enjoyed this. I have a pair of the new L100 Classics, and they are wonderful speakers. I was very fortunate to get them at a great price (demo models) with the black foam grills (and subsequently purchased both the blue and orange grills just for nostalgia). They are not an exact copy of the original L100 Century (which I also have), despite their obvious nearly identical appearance. They are notably larger, have completely different components, and completely different cross overs. I currently have mine powered by a Sony TA-N80ES/TA-E80ES combo. I've had a lot of JBL's over the years (starting back in 1987), and the new Classics are among my favourites (tied with the Synthesis Performance Series, which are in our living room).

[@brucevair-turnbull8082]

'Boomer's Story' is my personal favourite of Ry Cooder's and 'Dark End of The Street' the best track, so thanks for that. I have a Garrad 401 (British early 70s) turntable that's been siting in a state of disrepair for 7 years. Your post has inspired me to get off my ass and continue the project. Thanks again, Mazzy.

[@LanceB1960]

I could feel your passion for these speakers and I'm sure they were hard to let go. But someone else will get joy out of them and isn't that what music is all about? Sharing the love and passion. Hope the B&W's work out in the room and good luck with the new equipment. This was a great video.

[@mazzysmusic]

So far the other sordid sound Fabulous. Very different. More midrange

[@KenJencks]

Hi, I bought a pair of the L88P JBL'S back in the early 70's from Pacific Stereo in Torrance, CA. Soon after I purchased the mid range adapter kit and still enjoy them to this day. Thanks for your videos. Very enjoyable to watch.

[@keithwalker8090]

Pacific Stereo and Rodger Sound Lab were great places to hang out for an hour so, in the day. I just found out Rodger Sound Lab still sells speakers on the web. How's that for a shot from the past?

[@mazzysmusic]

Mine were purchased at Pacific Stereo in SF ✌🏽

[@zeppearl]

Nice tribute Mazzy , really amazing sound on You Tube I am sure in person they must be incredible. I need to revamp my entire system and really need to start researching what I like to get. These sound great and love the look. If I was in Seattle I considering buying them.

[@mbt1955]

Great tribute and interesting story to the JBLs. I bought 4 of the JBL L100s in '75 along with a Pioneer-749 Quadraphonic receiver and Pioneer turntable for the crazy price of $2000. The turntable and receiver have been long gone but I can't let go of the speakers. Thanks for the video.

[@zem1272]

Great video Mazzy…. Great stories and wonderful Country Joe & Ry Cooder tracks to bookend the vid.

[@mazzysmusic]

Thank you Zach ✌🏽

[@alm5693]

L100s really are the kind of speakers that you need to do a nostalgia-filled "farewell" video for. I bought a pair with blue fronts on 09/10/1973. I'm looking at the store receipt and product brochure right now. I bought them with a Dual 1229 turntable and a Stanton 681EE cartridge for $634 + $25 sales tax. Right before the Covid shutdown I took them into a local professional speaker shop to have the crossovers rehabbed with new pots, caps, and 5-way binding posts, and I bought blue fabric grills made just for the 100's. The Dual was rehabbed 3 years ago. Like you, I have them on my secondary system in the living/dining room using some 90's Marantz gear. I got the price for the speaker/turntable combo from a pre-internet mail order hifi warehouse out of San Luis Obispo, CA (can't remember the name). I took the letter that I got from CA to my local hifi chain store (Schaak Electronics), and they decided that they'd meet the price. In hindsight, I was doing my early part to take the profit out of retail hifi and kill the stores where we could go listen to stuff.

[@therevrockinrollin]

I too thought about selling mine but family members get such a kick out of them - they love hearing their fav rock songs on them. I have them next to some high end hand made stand mounts from Europe - fancy pinky in the air stuff. They aren’t impressed at all with those. It’s hysterical. I’m sure the new owner will get hours and hours of joy from them. Enjoyed this.

[@DeAudiofilosyLocos]

Beautiful and soulful video. I get it man! I just ordered a pair of the new L100 Classic... and also have B&W 801fs, but these sound great. Thanks for your time making this great video.

[@pov_music]

Absolutely love those speakers Mazzy, especially the blue grills. Real great setup for a music room. Must be damn hard to say goodbye.

[@unevensteven5221]

Beautiful. I had a pair of JBL 110s that I'd bought in '79 as a young airman in Japan at the BX for, I believe, $440. Loved the sound they put out. Sadly, had to sell them in '93. Hate to think what they'd cost now, lol.

[@brianlewis5042]

Great speakers. I remember them as a young pup. Always loved the look of them. JBL was a speaker I loved and my uncle had a pair of them in his living room. My dad was a Wharfdale guy so that was the speakers I grew up listening to. As far as your new amp, I have heard nothing but great reviews on the Hegel integrated amps. Happy listening

[@earl007]

Cheers for that. Nice to see what you were using for hi fi and the history about them.

[@David-Ellis]

Hey Mazzy - its hard saying goodbye to audio equipment that has delivered so much joy... and those JBL's are so iconic too. Sometimes these objects can be viewed as industrial art I think. I remember that Maxell advert so well. Many years later I bought that Le Corb armchair having admired it for years. I'm sure you'll enjoy the Hegel Amp - I have the same one and it sounds excellent. D

[@jjquinn2004]

Nice, nostalgic video. I remember looking at those speakers around the same time, 1975, but they were too pricey for me. I was working as a tech in a Chevy dealership and the price would have been the equivalent of almost 4 weeks of take-home pay.

[@reidsvinylrecords]

Great Video! Brought back some good memories for me, good friend in my neighborhood had these in the day. Good times man!

[@Af1st1]

Just been left a set from my late friend Mick!He died a few weeks ago! They came with an AR XB turntable and quad amps!They really do sound great! I will treasure this stuff!RIP Mick !A really great friend!

[@mindopenband]

Love that opening track! Country Joe? Nice stereo panning. Love your videos! Very fun. My favorite VC channel. Take care..

[@heribertovalentin1563]

Wow !!!!...I remember going to a house party around 1978 and hearing and seeing these speakers with the orange grils...it sure brings back memories....Ed in New York....🏙🥁🎷🎺🎹🎶🎵

[@poetryonplastic]

These speakers are incredibly gorgeous to look at. I never had the L100s, but I had a few classic JBLs back when I dabbled in vintage gear, including the studio sisters to these speakers, the 4311, and also the L80T (which I really liked). They were like classic corvettes, beautiful pieces of art that are about more than just how they perform. I would really like to hear some of the modern high end JBL stuff, the new L100s look interesting but so do the big horn models, I bet they could give Klipsch a run for their money.

[@psychedelicpunkster6840]

Wow love the introduction music ... Jefferson Airplane?? Quick Silver Messenger Service ???

[@mazzysmusic]

Country Joe & the Fish ✌🏽

[@CapitolForest]

Loved this video. Paired perfectly with my morning coffee. Hello from Olympia.

[@bartvanransbeeck1341]

Great demo and share, thanks a lot , these jbl' s play still among the best...even with 'old' papercone tweetets that lots prefer over titanium dome...just putting new high quality pots and caps can rejuvenate this masterpiece speaker

[@billshreeveable]

There’s a guy here in Atlanta that’s selling 2 pair of these on Facebook Marketplace for a $1000 a pair, there not as beautiful as yours but they are original. I so see where you are at selling yours, it’s not about the moving on it’s about the real nostalgic memories they’ve gave you. The younger generation is all about the next best greater thing made, they don’t even get a sense of pride in something they worked hard to own. Love watching your videos and really appreciate your experience. ✌️

[@seabisquit2]

Love these. I have three pair of 4311b’s and a new pair of L100’s and love them all!

[@baddavis75]

I Still own these JBL Century 100 I purchased in 1976 for $480 for both while serving in the army in Germany and they still rock! the orange grills have deteriorated

[@Lobishomem]

Great video, great speakers, great song, great artist! Thanks for sharing it all.

[@stevedundee866]

Funny that while you have parted with them, I am slowly saving up for a pair. Hope your next speakers are just as good Mazzy👍

[@rdmeenach]

I saw Ry in the mid 70’s at the U of Washington in a small auditorium, perhaps 150 people there sitting on the hardwood floor and he was on stage probably 4 feet up. Solo show, and his PA consisted of 2 Altec Voice of the Theater A7 speakers on either side of him, he was seated on a Samsonite folding chair. Mandolin and guitar. Red arqyle socks and mocasins. Great.

[@bobdarlington4634]

Wow, I haven't seen a pair of those JBL's in years ! First time I saw them was at a hi-fi show in Manchester England.They were in one of the demonstration rooms and they totally, almost literally, blew me and my mate away, great rock speakers. They were the ones with the orange grills as well, they looked and sounded amazing, the best speakers we heard whilst we were there.We went into one of the demo rooms and there were all these blokes with their heads in their hands, heads bowed, shushing us as we walked in. They were listening to classical music through a pair of Quad Electrostatics, we just turned round and walked out as quickly as we could.Thanks for sharing, hope the sale went well and that it was as painless as possible.

[@bartvanransbeeck1341]

The jbl 4310 and their progenitures were conceived as a compact alternatif for the big altec duplex ...which were used even to monitor the great TBM recordings

[@stephenrostkoski837]

Man, I wanted JBLs when I was building my first decent system in the 1970s, but they were way out of my price range. Finally settled on Cizeks and they served me well for a long time. Now I have ADS bookshelves.

[@TheGlawton]

Back in the mid 70s I wanted a pair of these so badly but couldn't afford them - so I settled for a pair of JBL 36s (I think that was the model). They were pretty good but they weren't 100s. And yeah, Mazzy - I had the orange grills.

[@nfaller89]

These speakers have lots of bloom and boom and are sweet sounding. I wouldn't say these are built for electronic music requiring accuracy and speed. But on acoustical recordings the strings sound very good. Rock and jazz speakers they are.

[@JonPickles]

They sound great to me. It’s like saying goodbye to an old friend. I have a pair of Tannoy Mercury Mk II in my lounge (not my main system) and I just can’t let them go. Had them since the 80’s from new.

[@EJSmith-dk3yg]

In 1973 I wanted a pair of these in the Burnt Orange too, but at $300 ... out of my price range 😢 ! Had a McIntosh Power Amp that was stolen, but still have my Thorens TD-160 turntable. They are still on my wish list !

[@arieraaphorst1998]

Hi Mazzy, I saw I. Stravinsky behind your right shoulder. Please do a segment about IS! Thanks, cheers!

[@TRamone01]

Ringo would approve of the drum kit. He'd say it was all you need. Thanks for the video!

[@ericrausch5122]

Panhandle ! lived there too, well NOTPH LOL. S.F. Native /Outer Richmond . Had to move on.. Greetings from the Philippines. Scouting for the New JBL Version very soon :) Klipsch Heresy since '78 !

[@ZoraTammer]

I've had the same L-100's for maybe 50 years, maybe more. I much prefer an "east coast" speaker (acoustic suspension) since they're not as boomy, but somehow I can't let these go, we've been through too much together. I grew up in the haight Ashbury, a young man in the 1960's, going to "state", dropping out, being declared 1A immediately after, leaving the country for England, it goes on and on, and these speakers were always there to comfort me.

[@harrysmusicroom]

Beautiful speakers and great sounding. I replaced the stock speaker terminals with those like on yours. I'll never get rid of mine.

[@robertharker]

If you like rock and roll music from the 1970's, L-100 or the studio version 4311b speakers were what this music was most likely mixed on. So they are absolutly accurate in how they reproduce that music. These speakers where what the musicians, producers and recording engineers listened to at the time. In the late 70's, early 80's double 15" UREI 813 speakers became popular in recording studios. And of corse a pair of Auratone single 5" speakers sat on the mixer meter bridge to check the mix on a car stereo system.

[@recordcollectornews]

Love that little Getsch cocktail set. is that a 18 inch kick drum? White pearl? Beautiful.

[@mazzysmusic]

Yeah 18 inch. One of my closest friends died in 2013 just before I left San Francisco and moved to Seattle. We had played in bands together starting at 12 years old. This was the last set he had and his wife gave it to me as a gift 🥁

[@rEdf196]

I remember in the late 70's when Radio Shack had a cut to size foam speaker cover that looked identical to the 1" squares foam JBL cover. I had it on some vintage1969 Pioneer speakers.

[@syater]

Two great tracks with which to bookend your post.

[@Matasky2010]

When I get out of this condo and into my next house, I'm not sure I can resist a pair of these iconic JBLs. I'd love to get the updated and overpriced new version, but we'll see. Couple different grill colors too lol!

[@marcyfan]

count me as a member of the vinyl community if i had these speakers to play records on! a transistor radio from the era of "father knows best" describes my stereo but it all works out when i play tracks from your byrds parts video.

[@big_burly_bro]

If I had the means I'd buys those speakers. I've always been a fan of them.

[@SDsailor7]

Same here.

[@SDsailor7]

That is why i have two pairs the 4310 and the L100's

[@JBLClassic]

😢I have your old JBL stands that you sent me. Those speakers are amazing and I hope they go to a good home.

[@dboy6896]

You are giving that guy that used to pitch beer on TV as the most interesting man in the world a run for his suds!! I so enjoy those Century L-100's that I stacked 4311's on top. My JBL version of stacked Advents. There may be better speakers out there but I'm your age and love this vintage. They really are at home in my mind. Thanks for sharing, and your wanker lists are hilarious!! Cheers!!

[@lumpygravy52]

Yes those JBL's have the warm "West Coast Sound"! I bought a pair of Decade L-36's back in the mid 70's, and enjoyed them until my divorce happened thirty years later. They also had orange grilles!

[@RonTalksRock]

Totally feel the grip our gear can have as it is a link to our younger days... I am still using my Denon DRA-435R Receiver and my Celestion DL8 speakers I first bought some 30 years ago!

[@djjoeykmusic]

I love JBL Great video! Awesome job my Achi My mobile gigs I used JBL’s or QSC Thank you Mazzy. Have a wonderful one Shavua Tov

[@keithwalker8090]

Getting rid of stereo gear that you love, is like a break-up. I have all my old stereo gear in storage and come to think of it I might have a couple of old lovers there also. 😍Appreciated the Country Joe and fish song.

[@robertmitchell6015]

Hi Norman must be the month for new speakers I’m upgrading my Marten Django XL for a pair of YG Acoustics Hailey 2.2 big upgrade I get them in 16 weeks takes time to make and ship to Australia

[@thomaswery3087]

I have 2 systems.One is a Rotel receiver,Marantz cd player,audio-technica turntable and Cerwin Vega speakers and a Denon subwoofer.My other system is also a Rotel receiver,Marantz cd player with Cerwin Vega speakers

[@billkelley4860]

Mazzy, I feel you! Letting go is like saying goodbye to a longtime lover. I know a shrink in Portland who could help if you have separation anxiety😉

[@mazzysmusic]

I probably know that sane shrink 😵‍💫

[@billkelley4860]

@@mazzysmusic I went to school with him at Duke.

[@Niels133]

I like these more than the B& W's you have.

[@djjoeykmusic]

Awesome job Mazzy Love you bro

[@edwardgonczy3170]

I had a close friend who was very intelligent and an audiophile. He once gave me some sagely advice: "there is no perfect speaker". There are things a pair of Large Advents do on some recordings that are actually much more accurate than the L100's. But the L100's just make some recordings come alive. And sometimes you get an almost perfect synergy between a speaker and an amp. I have a pair of the lowly Advent 3's that were designed by the fellow who departed Advent to form Boston Acoustics. With an Aragon 18K Preamp and Linn LK85 Amp they are perhaps one of the most musical speakers I have heard - and by no means do I mean they even come close to being the most accurate or the best. They just do something I find pleasing. And I have owned probably 80 pairs of speakers ranging from 20 or so pairs various vintage JBL's, Thiel's, Vandersteens's, Spendor's, etc. But for some reason I can't let these go. What I did let go that I really regret were a pair of JBL Athena 99's with that awful Lansaloy surround on the 14 inch woofer that JBL crammed into an L100 sized box. A 14 inch woofer crossed over to a 1 inch tweeter. Just a simple two way, I got them refoamed and I fell in love but alas, we had to move in a hurry and a friend made me an offer.

[@normanbuffett4642]

The drum kit is beautiful. Vintage?

[@mazzysmusic]

It’s a Gretch jazz set from around 2008. It belonged to one of my best friends. We played in bands together from 13 years old. His wife gave it to me when I moved to Seattle from San Francisco.

[@shaunmaloney5415]

Who's playing at the beginning 🤔🇬🇧

[@airwatersun]

Hey Mazzy , just so you know , there are dampers that mute drum heads and cymbals available very inexpensively. I also have drums in one of my listening rooms and they are essential. Good luck with your new gear!

[@MrBluoct]

Nah … Ringo tea towels 🤘 Nice kit !

[@airwatersun]

Ha Ha! You and those dang Beatles!

[@shadowman6595]

I have a pair of JBL Decade 36 speakers in the living room, also six hundred Canadian dollars...very old, both woofers have been replaced. Downstairs I have a pair of Energy Reference RC70B tower speakers. Twenty five ninty nine a pair, purchased this past summer and got them on sale for nine hundred. Your speakers sound great. Later.

[@mikeuk4130]

Eastern Jam definitely not mono, but the rest may be.

[@Claus-CaptainPhoenixCorner]

Thanks for a great video - a bit sad though... I had a pair - orange front of course! - around 1975. My first real set of speakers. I'm still working to understand how you can put "I love these speakers" next to "I will sell them"... I'd rather prefer to keep what I love. How about: "JBL Centuries - Massy loves you"... 😉

[@amosperrine1909]

Back in the day, those and the AR3a were the ones to have. But after hearing the Advents, for much less money when I was unemployed, I went with them. Some years later, when employed, I picked up Magneplannar screens for the main system, and Rogers LS3/5a for the small one. Still have them, and still love me some Cooder, have all of his records.

[@alm5693]

I had a pair of Advents before I sprung for the L100s. The Advents were very good speakers, and I also really loved the AR3as.

[@swinde]

I got the AR-3a speakers in 1970. Still have them. I also have a pair of L100s I got from a yard sale for 15 dollars. The cabinets are rough and of course the grills are not original but they sound great.

[@revelry1969]

AR11s for me. Amazing speakers.

[@mr.george7687]

Would appreciate the name & artist of first song. Thank you.

[@SDsailor7]

I have a pair of the precursor to the JBL Century L100 they were the model control monitor 4310 and i also have a pair of the Century L100's I will never sell them. The model 4310 is what they used in the recording studios back in the day.

[@larshultberg6972]

I used to have a couple of Castle loudspeakers that I loved. I still regret that I sold them.

[@thomashowe5256]

Norman, you did not say what will replace the B&W speakers upstairs, are you moving the rear speakers to the office? By the way the Hegel is a killer, congratulations.

[@mazzysmusic]

The B&W 502s2 main floors are staying upstairs. Just removing the rears and using them downstairs 506s2

[@themoriartys2011]

Those speakers look great. However I do I spot an Epiphone Casino on the wall?

[@mr.george7687]

Anyone know the name & artist of intro?

[@vinylrichie007]

I had JBL speakers in the late 70's with brown foam.

[@twofromthetrunk9932]

It’s funny how we all get attached to our stereo systems. Much like pets, they become part of the family. I bought a set of Pioneer Speakers in the early 80’s HMP 40’s. Not The best but what I could afford. They served me well. I gave them to my oldest son when he went to college. Then in his married life. I got them back 2 years ago. They still played as wonderful as I remember. Thomas Wolf once said You can never go back home. I don’t think that statement applies to speakers.

[@Matasky2010]

I'm still trying to figure out why that intro bass line sounds like it's coming from 3 feet left of my computer. That's really impressive coming from a wired pair of speakers through KZbin lol...seriously what is going on here..

[@mazzysmusic]

The opening Country Joe Fish track is overdubbed and not from the speakers. The closing track is from the speakers

[@Matasky2010]

​@@mazzysmusic My comment was actually tongue-in-cheek lol, I was just stunned when that bass line was playing well to the left of my MacBook Air (using internal speakers!).

[@charleythree]

Rogersound Lab was a Southern California company. They made an L100 clone, the RSL 3600 that was less expensive than the JBL. I'm telling you, they completely smoked the JBLs. All the record stores in LA ran them in the late 70's and early 80's , and for good reason. I'm still running a pair off my Yamaha CR-1020, and they are some of the best rock speakers I've ever heard.

[@billharper7523]

Good morning Mazzy! Ad a pair of L-100’s in the early 70’s with the orange grills and loved them, but sold them in 1980 and bought a pair of Magnepan dipolar speakers which I still love the sound of to this day, but had to sell due to space considerations in my present living situation. There all always trade offs with any speaker. As much as I loved the JBL’s, they lacked midrange detail which I need as I listen to mostly jazz these days. The Magnepans were a beautiful open sounding speaker but lacked base, which is a problem with all panel speaker. Still, I regret selling the L-100’s mostly for nostalgia reasons, especially considering what the new models sell for today. It’s easy to get on a speaker treadmill as there is no such thing as a perfect speaker so in the end, it comes down to picking the one that is most compatible with your current musical tastes. Keep on doing what you do Mazzy. Love your channel! ❤️

[@mazzysmusic]

Yeah totally nostalgic ✌🏽

[@SDsailor7]

I hope you don't regret selling them.

[@mazzysmusic]

I think this was the right time ✌🏽

[@zuni1919]

Terrible about the thievery. Happy you are getting something you really want. Cheers!

[@mymixture965]

You know the joke? A Banjo player drives to the bank, he left his Banjo on the back seat, after he came back, the car windows where broken.....and a second Banjo was lying on the back seat. Maybe today with CD players...???

[@larrymann803]

Hey Mazzy I’m up the street from you. I been interested in a pair if they are still available let me know!

[@mazzysmusic]

These were sold ✌🏽🤷🏻‍♂️

[@CDJF1]

Change the capacitors and they will come to life. worked on my 4311's

[@trevorhunton7526]

Du al? It's Dual, as in one word. I have a pair of sixties Leak sandwich speakers and a Thorens td160, sounds fine for seventies stuff but when it comes to today's vinyl releases I much prefer my pair of French triangle floorstanders and my project rpm 5.

[@mazzysmusic]

I used to think it was Dooool too. It is not 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@trevorhunton7526]

@@mazzysmusic that means everyone I know has been pronouncing it wrong since the seventies.

[@mazzysmusic]

@@trevorhunton7526 Wikipedia sez: "Dual (pronounced do-AL) is a brand name of audio and video electronics. "In 1927, a German gramophone power supply manufacturer called Gebrüder Steidinger adopted the name Dual in reference to the dual-mode power supplies it pioneered. The power supplies allowed gramophones to be powered from mains electricity or with a wind-up mechanism. Soon thereafter, Dual began producing turntables of its own."

[@trevorhunton7526]

@@mazzysmusic I know all that. I've had a few du - als over the year's which us English always called Doools. Do - Al is the German pronunciation so I'm staying with doool.

[@trevorhunton7526]

@@DaleRC75 obviously I know that. We English call London London, french call it londres. We English call a Dual turntable a Doool turntable whearas the Germans call a Dual turntable a Du - al turntable. French call a Citroen a Cit tro en whearas us English call it a Citren. Such is life.

[@Onteo1]

They sound really nice, even through an iPad. I remember those when new, everyone wanted them. We are at the same stage in life looking around at all this stuff making decisions.

[@Williamgarity]

I believe JBL still has L-100"s at $2k each. I have a set of L-200's in custom cabinets. I have them bi-amped. My wife would rather have something smaller. LOL

[@rickytricky6507]

i remember my bose speakers from the early 70's. cool!

[@bobbybrooks4826]

Bought time

[@mrhoffame]

Dont do it MAZZYYYYYY!!!!!!! :)

[@alb8390]

JBL Junk But Loud ;)