(January 29, 2026) If you were building a serious hi-fi system in the 1970s, there’s a good chance the JBL L100 was on your shortlist. With its bold styling, studio-inspired roots, and muscular sound, the L100 became one of the most recognizable loudspeakers of the era and a symbol of JBL’s rise as a dominant force in home audio. Now, as the company celebrates its 80th anniversary, JBL is drawing on that history with the launch of the L100 Classic 80, a limited-edition speaker that blends the visual DNA of the original with modern materials, updated drivers, and contemporary acoustic tuning.
Rather than treating the anniversary model as a museum piece, JBL is positioning the L100 Classic 80 as a heritage-inspired refresh. The idea is to preserve the character that made the original famous while aligning performance with what today’s listeners expect from a premium loudspeaker. According to Jim Garrett, Senior Director of Product Strategy and Planning at HARMAN Luxury Audio, the L100 represents more than just a successful product. It reflects JBL’s broader role in shaping how people experience music at home. “The JBL L100 Classic 80 honors that legacy," says Garrett, "while reflecting the engineering standards and listening expectations of today. It’s a celebration of where we’ve been and how far we’ve come.”
Visually, the L100 Classic 80 leans heavily into its retro roots. The cabinet is finished in natural oak veneer and paired with a brown Quadrex foam grille, complete with a gold-and-black JBL logo that closely mirrors the original aesthetic. JBL has also selected a black cone woofer for this edition to complement the warmer wood tones and grille color. Additional details include a black satin wood baffle frame and anniversary badging on both the front and rear of the enclosure. The result is a speaker that looks intentionally vintage and dated for all the right reasons.
Under the surface, the design reflects JBL’s modern acoustic approach. The L100 Classic 80 is a three-way, front-ported bookshelf loudspeaker built around a cast-frame 12" pure pulp cone woofer. Midrange duties are handled by a 5.25" polymer-coated pure pulp cone driver, while high frequencies are produced by a 1" titanium dome tweeter coupled to JBL’s acoustic lens waveguide. This waveguide design is used to control dispersion and improve consistency across the listening area, helping maintain tonal balance beyond the narrow sweet spot.
One of the original defining elements of the L100 design remains intact on the Classic 80: front-panel level controls for the midrange and high-frequency drivers. These attenuators allow listeners to tailor the speaker’s presentation to personal taste. It’s a nod to JBL’s studio monitor heritage and a reminder that the L100 was always meant to be both individually expressive and adaptable.
Beyond performance and styling, the L100 Classic 80 is very much positioned as a collector-focused release. Production is capped at 800 matched pairs worldwide. Each set includes an individually numbered commemorative plaque signed by principal system engineer Chris Hagen. JBL is also bundling JS-150 speaker stands and shipping each system in a custom wooden crate, reinforcing the premium and limited-edition nature of the release.
From a system integration standpoint, JBL has kept the L100 Classic 80 flexible. The speaker is rated at 4 ohms and includes dual sets of gold-plated binding posts that support both bi-wire and bi-amp configurations. This gives owners the option to build traditional two-channel systems or explore more advanced amplifier setups depending on room size and listening preferences.
If the JBL L100 Classic 80 feels like your kind of groove, it will be available in limited quantities beginning in February 2026 Retail pricing is expected to land at with $7,499 per pair.
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