JBL 2205H/2205J (c. 1981)
The JBL 2205H/2205J is a professional 38 cm (15-inch) cone woofer. It was listed at ¥58,000 per unit in Japan around 1981. It's a straightforward, high-power driver from JBL's professional line, and the name covers two impedance versions: the 2205H is 8 Ω and the 2205J is 16 Ω.
The voice coil is edge-wise wound copper ribbon. JBL intended the driver for horn-type enclosures and specifically cited the 4560 BKA. The recommended enclosure volume is 142 to 227 liters, which is big. This was not a bookshelf woofer. Sensitivity is rated at 97 dB/W/m, with a usable frequency band of 30 Hz to 2 kHz and an fo of 28 Hz. It handles 300W of continuous program material. It weighs 10.1 kg and is 13.7 cm deep. The magnetic flux density is 12,000 Gauss.
Not much is documented about the 2205H/2205J beyond those specifications. There's no production history, no comparison with other JBL woofers of the era, and no period reviews in the mainstream audio press. It appears in Japanese vintage audio databases and now and then turns up on the secondhand market, where it's described as rare and is sometimes used in electric bass guitar amplifier setups. One DIY audio forum poster has asked about recone options, but no definitive answer is recorded.
So it's a professional 15-inch woofer, offered in 8 Ω and 16 Ω versions and built for horn enclosures. The historical record past the spec sheet is thin.
- Type: 38 cm (15") cone woofer, professional use
- Impedance: 2205H — 8 Ω; 2205J — 16 Ω
- Allowable input: 300W continuous program
- Sound pressure level: 97 dB/W/m
- Frequency band: 30 Hz – 2 kHz (fo 28 Hz)
- Magnetic flux density: 12,000 Gauss
- Recommended enclosure: 142 – 227 L, horn-type (e.g., 4560 BKA)
- Weight: 10.1 kg; depth 13.7 cm
- Voice coil: edge-wise wound copper ribbon
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