JBL 3182A
The JBL 3182A is a two-way passive crossover, built for high-power professional use. It crosses over at 800 Hz with a 12 dB/octave slope and is rated for 250W continuous program input. Impedances are 8 Ω on the low-frequency section and 16 Ω on the high-frequency section. High-frequency attenuation is adjustable in 2 dB steps from 0 to 8 dB with a strapping bar, and the amount is clearly marked on the unit. It weighs 5.5 kg.
JBL specified carefully selected parts for this network: high-voltage non-polar capacitors, low-loss inductors, and resistors. One French-language source describes it as a high-power network designed for cinemas and auditoriums. That fits the 800 Hz crossover point, which is a classic two-way cinema/theatre split and not a home hifi frequency.
The record on this model is thin. All core specifications trace back to a single Japanese database entry, with corroboration from a handful of secondhand listings. That same source gives two original prices with different year labels: ¥57,000 around 1981 and ¥74,000 around 1983. Both are kept here since no higher-authority source breaks the tie. No production years, dimensions, or frequency response data beyond the crossover point have surfaced. No period reviews have been found; Audio, High Fidelity, and other whitelisted publications have nothing on this unit in the available record.
What does exist confirms it was a professional-grade component. SoundHeritage, a French vintage audio dealer, listed a tested, functional pair described as “vintage ultra rare.” A Japanese buyout site and a Russian retailer have also carried the model, and the Russian retailer paired it with JBL LE15A woofers in a combined listing. Survivors appear to be scarce and sought after by cinema-sound and large-format JBL enthusiasts.
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