In this review, we will be comparing L82 Classic MKII and L100 Classic MKII, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by JBL
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL L82 Classic MKII and JBL L100 Classic MKII first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
JBL L82 Classic MKII Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 8" Pulp Woofer
- 44-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-150watts
- Weight:12.80kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 472.8" x 11.0" x 12.4"( 472.8 x 281.0 x 315.5mm )
JBL L100 Classic MKII Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 12" Pulp Woofer
- 5.25" Midrange
- 40-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:28.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 636.5" x 15.3" x 14.6"( 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm )
L82 Classic MKII and L100 Classic MKII 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 L82 Classic MKII and JBL L100 Classic MKII 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 L82 Classic MKII |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the JBL L82 Classic MKII and JBL L100 Classic MKII compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that L82 Classic MKII is a 2-way design whereas the L100 Classic MKII is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
JBL L82 Classic MKII |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 12-inch
|
L82 Classic MKII features a 1" Titanium Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1700Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
L82 Classic MKII has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz whereas L100 Classic MKII has a frequency range of 40-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the L100 Classic MKII can go slightly deeper then the L82 Classic MKII's min frequency of 44Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
L82 Classic MKII is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the L100 Classic MKII which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the L100 Classic MKII can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. L82 Classic MKII sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the L100 Classic MKII's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the JBL L100 Classic MKII a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL L82 Classic MKII, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
L82 Classic MKII can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas L82 Classic MKII has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the L100 Classic MKII.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both L82 Classic MKII and L100 Classic MKII features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
JBL L82 Classic MKII's Five-way gold-plated binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
JBL L100 Classic MKII's Five-way gold-plated binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both L82 Classic MKII and L100 Classic MKII 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
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 L82 Classic MKII's and JBL L100 Classic MKII's external dimensions. JBL L82 Classic MKII has external dimensions of 472.8 x 281.0 x 315.5mm ( 18.6 x 11.0 x 12.4inch) whereas JBL L100 Classic MKII has external dimensions of 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm ( 25.0 x 15.3 x 14.6inch) .
JBL L100 Classic MKII is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 108.6mm wider, 163.7mm taller and 56mm deeper than JBL L82 Classic MKII.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL L82 Classic MKII and JBL L100 Classic MKII in scale.
Comparison image of JBL L82 Classic MKII and JBL L100 Classic MKII 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 L82 Classic MKII is approximately 886.6cm2 / 137.4inch2 and base area of the JBL L100 Classic MKII is approximately 1447.4cm2 / 224.3inch2. The L82 Classic MKII requires 39% less surface area than the L100 Classic MKII which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.