JBL 2426H/2426J
The JBL 2426H and 2426J are 1-inch throat high-frequency compression drivers. JBL made them in 8-ohm (2426H) and 16-ohm (2426J) versions. You would find one bolted to a horn in a club, a cinema, or a serious home system. They were JBL's standard top end for many professional and DIY loudspeaker builds.
The diaphragm is pure titanium with a diamond-surround structure. The voice coil is an edge-wound aluminum ribbon. Rated frequency range is 500 Hz to 20 kHz, with a recommended minimum crossover of 800 Hz. Sensitivity is 110 dB (1W/1m, measured on a 2370A horn). Power handling is rated at 70W continuous program above 800 Hz, or 100W above 1.2 kHz. JBL also plated the pole piece with copper to lower voice-coil impedance and boost high-frequency output.
The 2426H has a removable flange that exposes a 1⅜"-18 threaded snout. That lets it mount to screw-on horns as well as the more common 3-bolt pattern. The 2426J shares the same diaphragm and voice-coil assembly. It differs mainly in impedance and magnet weight (9.5 lbs. for the J version). Both models use a 1.75-inch voice coil.
If you are shopping for one today, know that the diaphragm is a shared, replaceable wear item across several JBL models. The 2425, 2426, 2427, and 2445 all use the same installation procedure. Genuine JBL and aftermarket replacement diaphragms (including aluminum-membrane versions) are widely available. The 2426HPL is a current part number for a new genuine 8-ohm driver, so these are still serviceable decades after release.
Japanese sources describe the 2426 as a standard 1-inch-throat high-frequency compression driver, widely used with many horn systems. Enthusiast forums back that up. DIY builders regularly pair the 2426H with JBL's 2206H woofer or with Selenium HL14-25 exponential horns. At least one measurement comparison on audioheritage.org showed the 2426 with titanium and aluminum diaphragms side by side. Titanium is the original spec. The aluminum swap is an aftermarket tuning option.
Little is documented about the 2426's exact production years or original MSRP. A Japanese price listing shows ¥58,000 for a single unit in 1988 (¥59,850 with tax by around 2007), which suggests it was a current catalog item through at least the late 1980s. Used prices vary wildly. eBay listings range from about $40 to over $2,000, depending on condition and on whether it is a single driver or a matched pair.
Common age-related problems to check on a used unit: cracks or perforations in the titanium diaphragm, broken or deformed voice-coil windings, dust or foreign material inside the driver, and oxidized or intermittent terminals.
- Type: 1-inch throat high-frequency compression driver
- Impedance: 8Ω (2426H) / 16Ω (2426J)
- Frequency range: 500 Hz – 20 kHz (-10 dB)
- Sensitivity: 110 dB (1W/1m, on 2370A horn)
- Power handling: 70W continuous program (>800 Hz), 100W (>1.2 kHz)
- Diaphragm: 44mm pure titanium, diamond surround
- Voice coil: 44mm edge-wound aluminum ribbon
- Magnetic flux density: 1.8T
- Mounting: 3-bolt (removable flange exposes 1⅜"-18 snout)
- Dimensions: 147mm dia. × 105mm depth
- Weight: 4.3 kg (2426J magnet: 9.5 lbs.)
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