In this review, we will be comparing SourcePoint 10 and L100 Classic, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from MoFi and JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MoFi SourcePoint 10 and JBL L100 Classic first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MoFi SourcePoint 10 | JBL L100 Classic |
|---|
| Brand | MoFi
United States · founded 2016 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25" wide roll soft dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 10" Paper-pulp | 12" Pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-30k Hz | 40-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-200 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.00kg / 46.2lbs | 26.70kg / 58.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 22.5" x 14.5" x 16.6"
572.0 x 368.0 x 422.0mm | 25.0" x 15.3" x 14.6"
636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm |
|---|
What size room are the MoFi SourcePoint 10 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* |
MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that SourcePoint 10 is a 2-way design whereas the L100 Classic 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.
MoFi SourcePoint 10JBL 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 |
MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
JBL L100 Classic |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 10-inch
|
1 x 12-inch
|
SourcePoint 10 features a 1.25" wide roll soft dome Tweeter and 1 x 10" Paper-pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1600 Hz. 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
SourcePoint 10 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz whereas L100 Classic has a frequency range of 40-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the L100 Classic can go slightly deeper then the SourcePoint 10's min frequency of 42Hz.
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
SourcePoint 10 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the L100 Classic 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 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. SourcePoint 10 sensitivity is rated at 91dB and the L100 Classic's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MoFi SourcePoint 10 a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL L100 Classic, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though SourcePoint 10 is rated 30-200 watts and L100 Classic 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
SourcePoint 10 features Five-way gold-plated binding posts type posts and L100 Classic has a Five-way gold-plated binding posts type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MoFi SourcePoint 10's 5-Way post terminals
JBL L100 Classic's Five-way gold-plated binding posts terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
SourcePoint 10 has a rear firing port whereas L100 Classic has a front firing ports. JBL L100 Classic's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to MoFi SourcePoint 10 with its rear-firing port.
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 MoFi SourcePoint 10's and JBL L100 Classic's external dimensions. MoFi SourcePoint 10 has external dimensions of 572.0 x 368.0 x 422.0mm (22.5 x 14.5 x 16 inch) whereas JBL L100 Classic has external dimensions of 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm (25.0 x 15.3 x 14.6inch).
MoFi SourcePoint 10 is 21.6mm narrower and 64.5mm shorter than JBL L100 Classic but it is also 50.5mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MoFi SourcePoint 10 and JBL L100 Classic in scale.
Comparison image of MoFi SourcePoint 10 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 MoFi SourcePoint 10 is approximately 1552.0cm2 / 240.6inch2 and base area of the JBL L100 Classic is approximately 1447.4cm2 / 224.3inch2. The SourcePoint 10 requires 7% more surface area than the L100 Classic which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 MoFi SourcePoint 10 weighs 21.00kg / 46.2lbs and the JBL L100 Classic weighs 26.70kg / 58.7lbs. This makes the L100 Classic 27% heavier than the SourcePoint 10.
Here is a comparison of how SourcePoint 10 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?
Here are the items that come with the L100 Classic:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owner's Manual
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
572mm
vs
636mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
3699USD
vs
4400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Base Surface Area |
1447cm2
vs
1552cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
JBL L100 Classic |
| Brand |
MoFi |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
6.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
42-30k Hz |
40-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper-pulp |
Pulp |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
wide roll soft dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1600 Hz |
450Hz and 3500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
572.0mm (22.5") |
636.5mm (25.1") |
| Width |
368.0mm (14.5") |
389.6mm (15.3") |
| Depth |
422.0mm (16.6") |
371.5mm (14.6") |
| Weight |
21.00kg (46.2lbs) |
26.70kg (58.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
real wood veneer |
Genuine walnut veneer |
| Available Colors |
Satin Walnut, Satin Black Ash |
Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
18" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A generation apart: MoFi SourcePoint 10 is the newer design, against a 2018 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (42Hz vs 40Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | MoFi SourcePoint 10 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | A | MoFi SourcePoint 10 is cheaper - $3,699 against $4,400, about 16% less. |
A MoFi SourcePoint 10 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?
MoFi SourcePoint 10 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, MoFi SourcePoint 10 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.