jbl 140 15 speaker info

You can get information at the JBL Professional site. WinISD Beta has it in its database.

 

Browse through my site in the link below. I have tons of JBL reference material, including their cab recommendations (EBS) for all their drivers.

My spread sheet will show you the standard vented alignments.

 

I too have two E-140-8s & am looking for the right cabs. The problem I'm having is that in a single 15" configuration, JBL suggests 4.86' cu v to to get all the bass out of this speaker. That's a big cab. Maybe Bill could offer some smaller cab size suggestions. Two in one cab is more than I want to lift right now.

Here's some info from the 2000 JBL Pro Full Line Catalog that might help you.

Nominal Diameter : 380 mm (15")
Nominal Impedance : 8 ohms
Power Capacity : 400 W
Sensitivity 1 W, 1 m : 100 dB SPL
Frequency Range : 40 Hz - 2.5 kHz (-10 dB)
Voice Coil : 102 mm (4")
Voice Coil Material : Copper
Flux Density : 1.35 T (13,500 gauss)
Half Space Reference Efficiency : 4.9%
Baffle Cutout Front Mount : 355 mm (13.968")
Rear Mount : 343 mm (13.5")
Net Weight : (22.25 lbs)

 

I used to run 140s and the truth of the matter is that if you want to go real low the 140 won't do it unless you do put it in a very large box. When you've got a Qts less than .20 that's an inescapable fact. As good as the 140 was in its day that day was 20 years ago. Time to move on, IMHO.

 

What constitutes "real low?" Can it go down to 40hz in an 80s Sunn 215B cab?

 

Not flat, not even -6dB. Guestimating maybe 6 cu ft net tuned to get the most out of them that box probably has an f3 around 60 Hz. At 40 Hz response is probably down at least 12dB, quite likely more like -18dB. There's nothing wrong with that, it's quite competitive with most bass cabs, but doesn't justify the size and especially the weight of the Sunn.

 

The JBL recommended enclosure is EBS, 4.0 cubic feet tuned to 40 Hz. WinISD says response at 41 Hz is -7dB. Like all simulations, this may/may not be accurate.

Link to plot of E140 in EBS

 

With the roll-off starting at 500 Hz and f3 at 150Hz it's nothing to get excited about, especially from 4 cu ft net per driver. I think JBL went this route so that they could rightly say that system response -6dB went to 45 Hz. Considering that the D130 that sired the E140 predated T/S by twenty odd years, and considering what was available during its production run, it certainly wasn't a shabby driver by any means. But today a Kappa Pro LF beats it in a lot smaller box.

 

I need a vintage Fenderish 2x15 cab. I'm probably going to go with Weber California 15's instead of JBL 140's. I'm planning to have Don at Low Down Sound build a vintage style cabinet to spec for these drivers.

If you're not familiar with Weber: Weber California alnico 15's

 

Here's a related question -- Is there a good replacement for a JBL D140 that weighs about the same, sounds good and handles more power?

I just put a QSC 3402 power amp (700 watts per channel @ 8 ohms) into my bass rig and while it sounded great with my D140s last weekend, I'm not sure how long they'll put up with that much power.

Sound and weight (and of course reliability) are the big factors for me.

Thanks!

 

They will not put up with that much power for long.

I like to wax nostalgic as much as the next guy, but the truth is: Better speakers are made nowadays. The D140F ruled the realm because they were efficient back when big tube amps made 100 watts. But we blew a few of them even back then.

Check out the Eminence Delta and Kappa lines. You will have a better-sounding and more reliable speaker for not that much money. If you want even lighter weight, look at neodymium-magnet speakers from Eminence or Beyma.

 

The JBLs were the best we could get back then, but i blew quite a few of them in those years. Altecs too.

I agree the modern Eminence Kappa Pro is a much better and more reliable speaker.

 

D & K 140's are good for maybe 100 watts of clean power. They will make a whole lot of noise with that though. The Alnico JBL's are very efficient. They had to be. We were pushing them with 80 to 100 watt tube amps ...

If you're a 4 string guy, the 140 in a 4 foot vented box will do just fine. They have a great vintage kind of tone and a very sweet high end. There is an undeniable JBL tone. You either dig that sound or not... Those of us who really like JBL's use them for their tone not their power handling. They do roll off pretty early. I would guess that the 60 hz number is pretty accurate. I'm OK with that in my band as I don't like a lot of low end in my sound anyway.

I ran a pair in a Sunn 200s cab. That was the one with vents in the center of the cab and was I believe a reflex horn design. That was a nice sounding cabinet and pushed a lot of air. I ran it with a 200 watt GK (early 400R) and it was a workhorse rig. I would not want to be lugging that thing around now though... my JBL's are sitting in various rehersal/recording spaces a this point so I don't have to lug them around. My live rig is Bag End 2x10's. Small, portable and capable of burying cab's 2 or 3 times their size.

I also picked up a couple of Steel Sound PA trapazoid cabintes with horns and x-overs for $180 delivered of EBay. I dropped a pair of K140's in there and they work fine on stands. I run 1 or 2 for the duo thing and if we go big where we have to mic the instruments, I have a pair of sub's I can use. I figure those PA cabs get down to 70 or so, which for a smallish PA cab isn't bad at all. So if you get frustrated trying to come up with the right cabinet, that is a nice alternative use...

The Eminence will handle considerably more power but tonally - they aren't in the same league at all.

 

What is the difference between the 140 and 130 models?

I see there is a reconed 140 on ebay for $145 and it also says there are 3 abailable... I would like to scoop those up and make a copy cab of the old Fender 215... There is also a 130 for the same price but I don't know the difference.

 

I believe the 130 was a guitar speaker, the 140 the bass version. At one time I found a website where the original speaker designer explained his design changes for the 140, but I can't seem to locate the article now.

 

The 140 has a lower fs, longer xmax, a few other differences that make it better for bass. The 130 was originally a hi-fi woofer, and in its day was one of the best, which shows how things have changed since the '40s. It's still prized by high efficiency afficionados as a midbass.