JBL D130F 15 inch speaker are they any good?

[cajunbass1985]

So I traded a Squier Affinity Strat for a Rogue 120BT bass amp to mess around with. I got the amp home decided to pull the speaker out because the amp sounded alot better than I thought it would. I figured the speaker had to have been changed out. Sure enough there is a JBL Signature D130F speaker in it. I know the speaker sound real good just dont know what the quality is. The speaker is a 8 ohm according to the back of it. On these speakers isn't the red the ground and black the positive if so it wasn't hooked up properly. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[BillyIVbass]

That's a really nice bass speaker. Sounds great, but it doesn't handle too much power so you need to be careful.

Most times: black is ground and red is positive. It shouldn't work at all if they are switched. I guess anything if possible if someone modded it though.

[cajunbass1985]

Thanks for the reply. I put it back in and connected it correctly it sounds awesome. I may have to pull it out and throw a cheap speaker in the amp. I don't want to blow out the speaker. Whats the most watts i should put through this speaker? I might sell it once I check into the value of the speaker. I might find a lower watt amp to put it in.

[BillyIVbass]

There are much more experienced guys than myself to answer this, but I'd say no more than 120 watts at 8ohms.

[cajunbass1985]

That's what the amp its in is. I like the sound even though its a Rogue amp guess the speakers making the difference.

[Stumbo]

Check this out: VINTAGE JBL D130 15" INCH ALNICO SPEAKER 8 OHMS | eBay

IME, the D130 was used for guitar, the D140 for bass.

If you keep the volume reasonable and don't boost the bass much(keep the bass tone clean/no distortion), it should sound pretty good and not blow up. Great home practice amp or low volume rehearsal.

[cajunbass1985]

If this is a guitar speaker I may just get rid of it. I'm not sure it sounds good just hate to mess it up running bass through it. If i keep it I will be careful to not mess it.

[1n3]

That's a full-range speaker, developed in the 50s for hi-fi. It's very sensitive, but doesn't have much excursion. Max power is probably more like 50-75 watts, and less down low. I've used two of them for bass, and they will sound good in the right setting, but that's not the best use, IMO.

It's remarkable to find a D130 in a Rogue amp... must be a good story there somewhere. These are sort of collectors items now. If it's in good condition (especially if the cone is original), it's worth well over $100. Pedal steel guitarists love them, as well as some guitarists and audiophiles. I'd sell it, and use the money to buy something better for bass.

[JimmyM]

B-15's used to have the D130 as an upgrade speaker, but even the B-15 would prove too much for them. Many have been reconed, and they usually get reconed to D140 specs, which is a more stout speaker. Sounds awesome, but I don't blame you for not wanting to use it. I'd throw an Eminence Beta 15 in it. Cheap enough, handles pretty high power, sounds vintage.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by BillyIVbass

That's a really nice bass speaker.

It's actually a guitar driver, and while it has great tone it's displacement limited to about 40 watts input before farting out.

That's a full-range speaker, developed in the 50s for hi-fi.

The F version is a musical instrument driver, the F stands for 'Fender'.

[staindbass]

take a 9v battery. disconnect the speaker from the amp. apply the 9v battery to the speaker terminals. notice which way the cone moves. one way it will suck in, the other it will push out. whichever way makes the speaker cone push "out" means that is the correct polarity for + & -

[username1]

Most times: black is ground and red is positive. It shouldn't work at all if they are switched. I guess anything if possible if someone modded it though.[/quote]

JBL uses the opposite phasing from what most speakers do, i would wire the positive to the black and negative to red if you ever plan to use an extension speaker with the amp, otherwise it doesnt matter how you wire it, it will work fine both ways. Its not true that it wont work wired black to positive, it only reverses the phasing.

[lbwdog]

Originally Posted by BillyIVbass

Most times: black is ground and red is positive. It shouldn't work at all if they are switched.

The OP was correct when he said:
On these speakers isn't the red the ground and black the positive if so it wasn't hooked up properly.

JBL has reversed polarity on many of their loudspeakers. This has caused considerable confusion over the years.

And yes, any speaker will work if hooked up backward. The cone will move in rather than out, when signal is applied. It will be a problem only if using in conjunction with another speaker that's connected the other way. You would notice a large reduction in bass output.

[Codger]

The D130 was the stock speaker in Standel guitar amplifiers, among others. It would be wanted today by someone restoring an old guitar amp or building a clone of one that used this driver. While it is an extended range driver and can produce the guitar's high frequencies, the beaming must be horrific.

[Bassmec]

Originally Posted by staindbass

take a 9v battery. disconnect the speaker from the amp. apply the 9v battery to the speaker terminals. notice which way the cone moves. one way it will suck in, the other it will push out. whichever way makes the speaker cone push "out" means that is the correct polarity for + & -

Yup the JBL 130 was wired unconventionally, So with + applied to red terminal the cone moves backwards toward the magnet.
Of course you can just unscrew the push terminals and screw
them on the other way, which in all this time might have happened, so its best to check with a 9 volt battery or it will be out of phase with most other speakers you connect to it.
They do sound spectacular up to a certain volume and where considered to be about the best 15" speaker rich people could buy.
So its odd to find one in a cheap amp.
The Grateful Dead used to use quite a few of them:

Don't blow it up with too much low! Use it in studio or sell it for big bucks to a guitarist.

[BassmanPaul]

Originally Posted by lbwdog

The OP was correct when he said:
On these speakers isn't the red the ground and black the positive if so it wasn't hooked up properly.

JBL has reversed polarity on many of their loudspeakers. This has caused considerable confusion over the years.

And yes, any speaker will work if hooked up backward. The cone will move in rather than out, when signal is applied. It will be a problem only if using in conjunction with another speaker that's connected the other way. You would notice a large reduction in bass output.

Thanks for saving me from typing the same statements into a post.

+1

[cajunbass1985]

Thanks guys. I thought the hook ups were opposite. I like the sound but I will sell the speaker. I would hate to mess up this nice speaker. I honestly don't know how it ended up in a Rogue I can also buy a Crate b150 with a JBL K130 in it for like $50. Is this a bass or guitar speaker might still buy it as I see the K130 is decent in value.

[cajunbass1985]

What do you guys think is a fair price for this D130?

[1n3]

Originally Posted by cajunbass1985

What do you guys think is a fair price for this D130?

I missed that it was a D130F. That will change your market a little. Someone restoring a Fender guitar amp/cab would be more interested. And I'm less familiar with the value of Fender JBLs, but it will still depend a lot on the cone condition, and if it is original. I'd guess a range of $120-$190.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by 1n3

I missed that it was a D130F. That will change your market a little. Someone restoring a Fender guitar amp/cab would be more interested. And I'm less familiar with the value of Fender JBLs, but it will still depend a lot on the cone condition, and if it is original. I'd guess a range of $120-$190.

It would actually be worth more if it was a hi-fi D130, but only to a vintage hi-fi buff.