In this review, we will be comparing L100 Classic MKII and L100 Classic, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL L100 Classic MKII and JBL L100 Classic first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL L100 Classic MKII | JBL L100 Classic |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 12" Pulp | 12" Pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-40k Hz | 40-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 28.60kg / 62.9lbs | 26.70kg / 58.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 25.0" x 15.3" x 14.6"
636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm | 25.0" x 15.3" x 14.6"
636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm |
|---|
L100 Classic MKII and L100 Classic are members of JBL's L Classic series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
JBL L Classic Series
History
What size room are the JBL L100 Classic MKII and JBL L100 Classic speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
JBL L100 Classic |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both L100 Classic MKII and L100 Classic are 3-way speakers.
JBL L100 Classic MKIIJBL L100 Classic
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
JBL L100 Classic |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
1 x 12-inch
|
L100 Classic MKII features a 1" Titanium Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 3500Hz. On the other hand, the L100 Classic features a 1" Titanium Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 3500Hz.
Frequency Response
L100 Classic MKII and L100 Classic has exactly the same frequency range of 40-40k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
L100 Classic MKII and L100 Classic have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 90 dB.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the L100 Classic MKII and the L100 Classic MKII can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
L100 Classic MKII and L100 Classic have the same power range of 25-200 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
L100 Classic MKII features Five-way gold-plated binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. L100 Classic has a Five-way gold-plated binding posts which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
JBL L100 Classic MKII's Five-way gold-plated binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
JBL L100 Classic's Five-way gold-plated binding posts terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both L100 Classic MKII and L100 Classic have front firing ports. front ported speakers offers more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls&surfaces compared to rear ported speakers.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare JBL L100 Classic MKII's and JBL L100 Classic's external dimensions. JBL L100 Classic MKII has external dimensions of 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm (25.0 x 15.3 x 14.6inch) whereas JBL L100 Classic has external dimensions of 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm (25.0 x 15.3 x 14.6inch).
In this case, we can see that JBL L100 Classic MKII and JBL L100 Classic have the exact same height, width and thickness.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL L100 Classic MKII and JBL L100 Classic in scale.
Comparison image of JBL L100 Classic MKII and JBL L100 Classic Size and External Dimensions
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the JBL L100 Classic MKII is approximately 1447.4cm2 / 224.3inch2 and base area of the JBL L100 Classic is approximately 1447.4cm2 / 224.3inch2.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The JBL L100 Classic MKII weighs 28.60kg / 62.9lbs and the JBL L100 Classic weighs 26.70kg / 58.7lbs. This makes the L100 Classic MKII 7% heavier than the L100 Classic.
Here is a comparison of how L100 Classic MKII and L100 Classic's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of JBL L100 Classic MKII?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L100 Classic MKII:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owner's Manual
What's in the Box of JBL L100 Classic?
Here are the items that come with the L100 Classic:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owner's Manual
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
4400USD
vs
4800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
JBL L100 Classic |
| Brand |
JBL |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-40k Hz |
40-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Pulp |
Pulp |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 3500Hz |
450Hz and 3500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
636.5mm (25.1") |
636.5mm (25.1") |
| Width |
389.6mm (15.3") |
389.6mm (15.3") |
| Depth |
371.5mm (14.6") |
371.5mm (14.6") |
| Weight |
28.60kg (62.9lbs) |
26.70kg (58.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Genuine walnut veneer |
Genuine walnut veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
18" |
18" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in JBL's L Classic series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (40Hz vs 40Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | JBL L100 Classic MKII: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($4,800 vs $4,400 a pair). |
A JBL L100 Classic MKII B JBL L100 Classic
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
JBL L100 Classic MKII has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.