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Should I keep my JBL 150A's?

I want to put a Home Theater together in my new rec room. The area is large enough (20x30 feet) to support a large Big Screen and a 5.1,6.1, or 7.1 surround system.

My delema. Should I start from scratch or should I anchor the system with my JBL L150A's? These are from 1980. They're large 3-way towers with a 12" woofer and base passive radiator. They're rated to handle 300W. I drove them in college (early 80's) with a Yamaha M4/C4. I hooked them up with my M4/C4 after a 10 year break. They are unbelievable. The walnut cabinets aren't bad to look at either. The only knock if you could call it is they seem to want to be played loud where imaging and detail improve as volume goes up.

If you wanted to keep the 150's, what would be a good compliment for a Center Channel, surrounds, and subwoofer?

Is a subwoofer really needed if I have the 150's? (My wife is already complaining that the floors are shaking). Oh yeh, I broke a window in my parents house with one too.
sempaul
jolen1aub
57 posts
 
I use them on my 2nd stereo system (tubes). They sound great especially with tube gear. These were reconed in '96 and been powered with PP-ultralinear 40watt amp.
The original owner tried to buy them back from me at a higher price but I declined.

They just sound right with my system. Considered selling them last year after getting the Martin logans but decided to keep them for obvious reasons.

whatever you decide I wish all the luck. I know that I cant let go with mine...at least not yet.
kdstott8880
1 posts
 
L150A's are the best JBL's ever made - use a amp rated @300 watts to make them sing. The surroundds are subject to foam rot & can be replaced by lbrown sound in Marin County, ca (where I had mine done). You would be a fool to ever get off of those..................
danamc
57 posts
 
I purchased a pair of the 150As when I was stationed overseas in the 80s. Unfortuantely I sold them in '93 when I moved into a smaller appartment. The sound they produced was remarkable for a speaker of that era. I often wish I still had them just to compare them to my present Merlin VSM-MX pair.

I would say that if the size of the 150A doesn't overwhlem your video setup, and your room is large enough to accomodate the large woofer output, than they should work very well. I can guarantee you that my wife would never let them in the TV/video room. I'm presently using a pair of Dave Ellis 1801 two-way monitors built by Jim Salk in my video setup. Sorry to say but these 1801's are light years ahead of the 150As in imaging and accuracy. But I do miss the big "thump" of the bass in the 150As ever once in awhile. Good luck!
foxtrot
211 posts
 
The JBL L150A's were my first pair of decent speakers, if I do buy a new pair of speakers someday, the JBL's will still have a place in my house.
hiend2's avatar
hiend2
381 posts
 
Keep them and connect to Good quailty 300-500 a side amps.
These are the sleepers of the jbl line they Kick ass ive owned much bigger JBL systems and still miss mine. KEEP THEM
You will not regret it.
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