JBL 2155H (Early–Mid 1980s)

The JBL 2155H is a 15-inch, two-way professional loudspeaker system built for sound reinforcement: clubs, discos, portable PA, and wedge monitor duty. It succeeded the JBL 2150H, and JBL positioned it as a louder, more efficient version of that earlier model. It was a pro product, not a home hi-fi speaker, so it doesn't show up in the usual enthusiast magazines. The trade press covered it as part of the broader pro-sound market. Sound and Communication (March 1991, p.42) noted its recent introduction alongside the 2152H as a bid to challenge the Altec 604 with a lower-priced option.

The system paired a 15-inch woofer with a compression driver on a horn, crossed over at 1200 Hz. The high-frequency section was typically a 2425H driver on a 2350 or 2370 horn. The woofer was generally an E-155-8 or similar JBL 15-inch unit. It was sold as a factory-built enclosure and as a raw component kit - woofer, horn, and passive crossover - for building into custom cabinets. The crossover was simple, with either 6 dB/octave or 12 dB/octave slopes depending on the source.

Documentation on this model is thin. No official JBL datasheet with verified specs surfaced in the record, no original retail price, and no definitive production years. The early-to-mid 1980s is an approximation based on catalog references and forum discussions. Owners and pros who used them consistently cite 8 ohms nominal impedance, 99 dB sensitivity (1W/1m), 200 watts continuous program power, and usable response from 45 Hz to 16 kHz. These figures come from informal sources, not JBL documentation, so treat them as owner knowledge rather than factory truth.

Owners describe the 2155H as a very loud, punchy system for its era, with good output for its size. It saw frequent use as a compact front-of-house speaker and as a wedge monitor. The common criticisms are just as consistent. The 1200 Hz crossover point can make the upper mids harsh when the system is driven hard. The original crossover capacitors are now decades old and often drifted out of spec. Foam rot around the woofer surround is the other typical failure point.

Known Specs

Type: 15-inch, two-way professional loudspeaker system
Impedance: 8 ohms nominal
Crossover: 1200 Hz
Sensitivity: 99 dB (1W/1m) — per owner/forum sources
Power handling: 200 watts continuous program — per owner/forum sources
Frequency response: 45 Hz – 16 kHz — per owner/forum sources
HF section: 2425H compression driver on 2350/2370 horn
LF section: E155-8 (or similar) 15-inch woofer

Replacement diaphragms for the 2418/2425 compression drivers are still available aftermarket, and re-foam kits for the woofers are easy to find. Original JBL parts like the E-140 and 2425H are long discontinued and increasingly rare. Untested units have been listed on eBay and classifieds in the $150-$400 range per speaker depending on condition. No confirmed completed sale prices were found in the record.