JBL 2202A

The JBL 2202A is a professional 12-inch low-frequency driver. It has a cast aluminum frame and a ribbed paper cone with chemical doping and waterproofing. DIY speaker builders picked it up later on, most often as a woofer swap in Acoustic Research AR-2ax cabinets. Playback described it there as delivering taut, punchy bass with smooth, open midrange when paired with a compression driver in a two-way configuration.

Documentation on the 2202A is thinner than its popularity might suggest. No exact production years are recorded, and the two main sources disagree on several key specifications. Lansing Heritage's reference page lists a 4-inch voice coil, 42 oz. magnet, and 100 W continuous program power, with a frequency response of 60–6000 Hz. Playback's retrospective, however, cites a 3-inch edge-wound aluminum ribbon voice coil, 57 oz. ferrite magnet, 150 W RMS handling, and a 55 Hz–4.5 kHz response. The discrepancies are unresolved — the Playback piece is a 2011 retrospective and may describe a different revision. Where the two sources agree: it's a 12-inch driver, nominally 8Ω, with a ferrite magnet and a cast frame. Lansing Heritage also gives a DCR of 5.5Ω, a net weight of 10.25 lbs., and mounting dimensions of 12.2 in. front diameter on an 11.75 in. bolt circle.

For enclosure use, Playback recommends a minimum of 1.5 cu ft sealed or 2.0 cu ft vented. An Audio Engineering Society convention paper also references the driver, but the contents of that paper are not readily available. Replacement parts are scarce. Original voice coils are hard to find, and foam surrounds deteriorate with age. The paper cone is reportedly brittle, so handling by the frame only is advised. The 2202A is often discussed alongside the later 2202H, but the exact relationship between the two is not documented.

Known Specifications (Lansing Heritage unless noted)

12" low-frequency driver, cast aluminum frame, ribbed paper cone
Frequency response: 60–6000 Hz (Lansing Heritage); 55 Hz–4.5 kHz (Playback)
Power: 100 W continuous program (Lansing Heritage); 150 W RMS (Playback)
DCR: 5.5Ω; nominal impedance 8Ω
Voice coil: 4 in. (Lansing Heritage); 3" edge-wound aluminum ribbon (Playback)
Magnet: 42 oz. (Lansing Heritage); 57 oz. ferrite (Playback)
Net weight: 10.25 lbs.
Mounting: 12.2 in. front diameter, 11.75 in. bolt-hole circle