JBL 2386 Constant Directivity Horn Driver

The JBL 2386 is a professional 2-inch throat constant-directivity horn driver from JBL's cinema and sound-reinforcement line. It was sold as part of a family that included the 2360 and 2365 Bi-Radial horns, and was commonly paired with the 2380A horn as a matched assembly. The 2386 is the driver, the part that actually makes the sound. It bolts onto those larger horn flares.

The 2386 is built around constant directivity. db Magazine (October 1983, p.48) described the Bi-Radial Constant Coverage Horn as giving uniform on- and off-axis response from 500 Hz to 16 kHz in the vertical plane, with a nominal 40 x 20 degree coverage angle. The same piece noted that computer-aided techniques were used to derive the horn contours. That gave smooth response and low distortion, and it kept lobing and comb filter effects down. The flat-front design was meant to simplify cluster installations, since cinema and live-sound rigs often stack several horns close together.

The 2386 itself is a big piece of hardware. It measures 10.6 inches in diameter and weighs 34 pounds. Its usable crossover range is listed at 250 Hz to 8 kHz, with a frequency range of 300 Hz to 14.5 kHz. Dealers described it as a "very powerful" mid-frequency driver. It saw use in commercial cinema installations, and one Mix article from 1990 mentions a Mexican studio installation using custom cabinets with JBL 2386-A drivers.

Production years aren't documented, and no original MSRP has surfaced. The record is thin on sensitivity, power handling, and impedance, which are the specs you'd normally expect for a driver. It was professional gear, not a consumer product, and it was built to be driven hard in rooms full of people.

Known specs:

- 2-inch throat constant-directivity horn driver

- Frequency range: 300 Hz - 14.5 kHz

- Usable crossover range: 250 Hz - 8 kHz

- 10.6" diameter, 34 lbs

- Commonly paired with the 2380A horn

eBay Listings

JBL 2386 Horn

$190

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