JBL 4333B / 4333BWX (circa 1981)
The JBL 4333B is a three-way studio monitor from the early 1980s, sold as the successor to the 4333A. It was essentially the 4331B with a 2405 slot tweeter added for the top end. JBL offered two cosmetic versions: the 4333B in a gray finish and the 4333BWX in walnut. In Japan the price was ¥510,000 per unit for the gray version and ¥530,000 for the walnut, both listed around 1981.
It's a large, bookshelf-type bass reflex design. The 38 cm (15") 2231H cone woofer handles the bottom. The midrange is horn-loaded, using the 2312 horn, 2308 acoustic lens, and 2420 compression driver. The 2405 horn tweeter sits on top. The 2231H used newly developed cone paper and an edgewise-wound copper ribbon voice coil, which JBL claimed allowed excellent low-frequency reproduction even at high input levels. The crossover points are 800 Hz and 8.5 kHz, and the network can be switched from the rear for bi-amplified operation at 800 Hz. The cabinet has iron reinforcing fittings so it can be suspended if needed.
The specs are solid for a monitor of this class: 35 Hz to 20 kHz ±3 dB, 93 dB/W/m sensitivity, 8 ohms nominal, and 75W allowable input through the network (75W below 800 Hz, 30W above). The enclosure is 156 liters, and each speaker weighs 60 kg. The directional characteristic is rated at 60° x 30° at 16 kHz.
The record on the 4333B is mostly technical. No production years have been confirmed beyond the circa-1981 price date, and no professional reviews of this specific model have surfaced. A user review on Audiofanzine for the earlier 4333 noted it favored impact and clarity in the midrange, with excellent overall balance. That review covers the 4333, not the B revision, so treat it as general family character. One forum thread mentions a pair taken to a specialist who suspected a crossover fault, the kind of age-related issue you'd expect on a forty-year-old monitor. Current asking prices in the used market have ranged from roughly $7,500 to €8,250 for restored pairs.
- Type: 3-way, 3-speaker, bass reflex, bookshelf
- Woofer: 38 cm cone (2231H)
- Midrange: horn (2308 + 2312 + 2420)
- Tweeter: horn (2405)
- Frequency response: 35 Hz – 20 kHz ±3 dB
- Crossover: 800 Hz, 8.5 kHz
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Sensitivity: 93 dB/W/m
- Dimensions: 619 x 778 x 497 mm (W x H x D)
- Weight: 60 kg
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