JBL 2118H/2118J (circa 1984)
The JBL 2118H/2118J is a 20 cm (8-inch) cone-type midrange/woofer. JBL developed it for mid-low range duty in professional sound reinforcement and musical instrument applications. It is probably best remembered as the low-frequency driver in the 4612 and 4612B Cabaret series SR system speakers, where two 2118H units handled the low band in a 2-way, 3-speaker bass reflex design. The driver was introduced around 1984, priced at ¥40,000 per unit in Japan.
The 2118 comes in two impedance variants that are otherwise identical in performance. The 2118H is an 8 Ω design and the 2118J is a 16 Ω design. JBL built the driver around its low-distortion SFG magnetic circuit, a long voice coil, a newly designed suspension, and a die-cast frame. The manufacturer rated it at 97 dB/W/m sensitivity, with a usable frequency band of 70 Hz to 7 kHz and an allowable continuous program input of 50W (100W continuous sine wave per the Thiele-Small data). It weighs 3.9 kg and measures 230 mm in diameter by 98 mm deep. JBL recommended enclosure volumes of 14 to 28 liters.
The Thiele-Small parameters are fs of 85 Hz, Qts of 0.35, Vas of 14 liters, and Xmax of 3.0 mm. That Qts and fs make it a fairly low-Q driver. One forum user noted that modeling the specs in enclosure software suggests a 0.5 cu ft box, though JBL's own recommendation of 1 cu ft yields more low-end extension. Enthusiast discussion of the 2118 has noted its low distortion and authority when crossed in the 250 Hz region, and the driver has seen use in car audio crossed from 80 to 160 Hz with good results. In the Cabaret 4628B system, the 2118 was crossed at 500 Hz with a 6 dB/octave slope.
Documentation on this driver is thin beyond the manufacturer's spec sheet data. There are no production run dates beyond "around 1984," no official JBL datasheet PDF, and no crossover specifications for standalone use have surfaced. What record exists comes from Japanese audio directories and the enthusiast community that has kept these drivers in service. A used 2118J recently sold for $55 in "for parts or not working" condition, while working examples of the 2118H have appeared on Reverb in very good condition. Aftermarket recone kits for the 2118J (16 Ω, with a 2-roll cloth edge and 2.0-inch voice coil opening) remain available.
Known Specifications
- Type: 20 cm cone midrange/woofer
- Impedance: 2118H — 8 Ω; 2118J — 16 Ω
- Frequency band: 70 Hz – 7 kHz
- Sensitivity: 97 dB/W/m
- Allowable input (continuous program): 50W
- Power handling (continuous sine wave, Pe max): 100W
- fo: 85 Hz
- Magnetic flux density: 10,500 Gauss
- Recommended enclosure: 14 – 28 liters
- Dimensions: 230 mm diameter × 98 mm depth
- Weight: 3.9 kg
- Thiele-Small: fs 85 Hz, Qts 0.35, Qms 2.4, Qes 0.40, Vas 14 L, Xmax 3.0 mm
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