JBL L100 Classic MkII Speaker Review

JBL’s L100 Classic MkII Speaker is a full-range wide cabinet model with a 12-inch woofer, 5.25-inch midrange and a 1-inch tweeter with an acoustic lens waveguide that plays up to 40 kHz. An updated crossover network includes midrange and high frequency attenuators adjustable by the user. The cabinet is finished in a walnut veneer with a Quadrex foam grill that’s available in three different colors. A large front port extends bass down to 40 Hz.

My first pair of speakers were Fisher Three-Ways. That has almost nothing to do with this review except for their shape and driver complement. In the days before tall skinny towers, we had wide cabinets that could be compared to the shape of a mini fridge. You’d get a large woofer, 10 or 12 inches, a five- or six-inch midrange and a one-inch tweeter, usually made from doped fabric. A front port extended bass down to maybe 60 Hz. And the grill was permanently affixed.

Now that you have that picture in your head, Google it if you don’t, consider JBL and its history dating back to 1946. It made speakers in that same shape, size and layout. Except they never stopped making them. The L100 Classic has existed in some form for decades. It was reborn a few years ago and today, there’s an upgraded version, the MkII, that brings a new crossover and driver performance enhancements to that same Classic mini fridge cabinet design. You get the same 12-inch woofer, 5.25-inch midrange, one-inch tweeter and large front port as before but the new sound is more precise, and the sound stage is even wider. Let’s take a look.

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I’m going to get this out of the way up front, the L100 Classic MkIIs are in no way, shape or form, bookshelf speakers. It says this on JBL’s website, and it’s printed on the box in big letters. But the only bookshelves they will fit on are at the top of a beanstalk seen only by a giant and a dude named Jack. I’d rather go with a more precise term, Studio Monitor.

The cabinet size and shape have sufficient volume to be a full-range speaker, and the 12-inch woofer certainly advances that design agenda. The cone is made from paper pulp and in its light color, reminds me of the Celestion speakers seen in guitar amps. JBL’s version is much more precise than that and with an accompanying five-inch port, it delivers bass down to 40 Hz (-6dB) with clarity and presence. The cone has a dual spider keeping things together and is firmly bolted down with a metal retaining ring.

The midrange is also pulp but coated with polymer for a bit more rigidity. It’s 5.25 inches across with a butyl rubber surround. The tweeter is a one-inch titanium dome with an acoustic lens waveguide. It is quite deep and almost qualifies as a horn.

In the upper left corner of the front baffle are attenuators for high and midrange adjustment. The dials have subtle and very fine detents but only the 0dB neutral point is marked. There is no indication of how much boost or cut is introduced when turning them, but I made an improvement in my room when I put both knobs at 12 o’clock for a small cut.

The cabinet is made from thick MDF covered in a high-quality walnut veneer. The foam Quadrex grille comes in orange, blue or black and has a wood frame that snaps onto plastic lugs. Today’s fashion tends more toward magnets, and I thought the snap lugs were an odd choice for a $2,400 speaker.

Around back is a large well for the connectors which are very overbuilt. They would look right at home on a McIntosh product. You get two pairs with jumpers included so you can bi-wire or bi-amp if you wish.

To get the L100s tweeters to eye level, you’ll need the special JBL stands which are sold separately. I got a pair of JS-120s that retail for $330. They are very well made, all metal finished in a crackle textured powdercoat. They have plenty of padding to prevent scratches and rubber feet to keep them from sliding or marring your hardwood floors. They hold the speakers at a seven-degree back angle.

The L100 Classic MkIIs are much heavier than they look. My perception is likely affected by memories of those Fishers from my youth that were made from thin plywood and probably no more than 20 pounds apiece. The JBLs have a closer relationship to Earth’s gravity at 63 pounds apiece. I got them up onto the stands and placed them eight feet apart with a toe in angle that crossed about a foot behind my head. This the same angle I use with my reference skinny towers, Axiom LFR1100s.

To drive them, I used two channels of an Emotiva XPA-5 power amp with an Anthem AVM 70 surround processor. I set up two configurations, one with a sub (Axiom EP800), and one without. Music was streamed to the AVM 70’s integrated AirPlay input from an iPhone 12. All the tracks were either lossless, Dolby Atmos or Spatial Audio.

Right off the bat, I noticed that the L100 Classic MkIIs sounded different than what I’m used to. What is that, you ask? I am a fan of the Canadian sound. These are speakers from the Dr. Floyd Toole school of design. You’ll find them sold by Axiom, PSB, Revel, Polk and a few others. The JBLs sound nothing like my Axioms so I had to spend some time retuning my senses. I realized that many speakers today either follow or use elements of the Canadian school, so it’s hard to find something truly different.

The first thing I noted was the sound stage, it’s huge. The L100s have a tremendous width and depth. I say this about a lot of speakers, but these are on another level. They disappear instantly and never call attention to themselves, ever, like, never ever. If you want surround sound from two speakers, I can think of nothing I’ve heard that can do it as well as these. They achieve height as well and create a true concert hall feel and a perfect center image.

After a few hours shakedown time, I was finding upper mid and high frequencies to be a bit harsh. I’m not using any room eq here and the sub is out of the mix. Though there is plenty of low end with clean tight bass, it wasn’t enough to take the edge off. I turned the two attenuators to 12 o’clock which seemed to do the trick. I don’t know how much cut that represents but, in my room, for my ears, it was just right. This adjustability is something that should come with all full range speakers.

I also experimented with sub versus no sub. For all classical and most rock listening, the L100 Classic MkIIs earn the descriptor of full range speaker. Bass is very present, clean and well controlled. But if you plan to play very bass heavy music, we’re talking about lots of content below 40 Hz, you’ll want a sub. And it’ll need to be a big one to properly compliment the JBLs. A small sub won’t provide enough extra juice to make its presence worthwhile. The L100’s 12-inch woofer is very capable, especially when you can drive it with a powerful amp that has the extra headroom.

The JBL L100 Classic MkII Speakers are a worthy update. Their vintage style and expansive sound are a welcome alternative to today’s skinny towers.

The JBL L100 Classic MkIIs were something of an acquired taste for me. As someone used to the Canadian sound and skinny towers filled with lots of drivers, the L100’s vintage engineering and single large woofer delivered a very different experience. And it was one I thoroughly enjoyed. They disappeared instantly into my room and expanded their sound, and my perception, far outside the walls. Club, arena and concert hall were equally well represented, and I could hear layered sounds and individual instruments. They are very capable of full range playback, so a sub is just optional. If you listen to a lot of bass-heavy music or watch movies, then a sub is warranted but make it a big one. The L100’s 12-inch woofer plays clean into the depths and spreads bass around the room like frosting on a cake.

If you’re looking for modern engineering, loud dynamics and clean sound, and you’re into retro style, the JBL L100 Classic MkIIs are as good as it gets.