JBL 4508 (1984–1986)
The JBL 4508 was the smallest and least expensive member of JBL's "G-Series" of professional studio monitors, introduced in 1984. It's a two-way, bass-reflex, floor-standing design built around an 8-inch polypropylene woofer and a 1-inch titanium-dome tweeter, with a crossover at 2500 Hz. The cabinet is 3/4-inch particle board covered in vinyl (walnut finish), with a removable grille and a "U-shaped superstructure" meant to add rigidity. A continuously adjustable tweeter level control sits on the front baffle. JBL's 1984 catalog positioned these as wide-range control-room monitors, noting the bass extends to 45 Hz (–3 dB) and that in-room third-octave response reaches 39 Hz to 26 kHz.
Specs are consistent across the sources: 8-ohm nominal impedance, 90 dB sensitivity (1 W/1 m), 45 Hz–20 kHz (±3 dB) response, and a suggested amplifier range of 10–200 watts. Dimensions are 26.1" H x 14" W x 11.9" D, and each speaker weighs 32 lb. The 1984 catalog price was $200 each; by 1985 it had risen to $240. The crossover is simple — 6 dB/octave high-pass on the tweeter, 12 dB/octave low-pass on the woofer. The 4508 was succeeded by the JBL Control 5.
Mix magazine (November 1988, p.95) noted the 4508 enclosure being paired with 2225 low-frequency drivers and 2360 Series horns in professional sound reinforcement setups, confirming its presence in the working audio world of the late 1980s.
Production years are a bit murky — one source says 1984–1986, another 1984–1988 — but the 1984 introduction is consistent across the record. The claim that the 4508 was based on the JBL 4408 design appears in only a single source and isn't corroborated elsewhere. Common collector issues include foam rot on the woofer surrounds, fragile tweeter diaphragms, and drifted crossover capacitors. Current market price for a good pair runs roughly $150–$300.
- Type: 2-way bass-reflex studio monitor
- Drivers: 8" polypropylene woofer (107A-1), 1" titanium dome tweeter (033Ti-1)
- Frequency response: 45 Hz–20 kHz (±3 dB)
- Crossover: 2500 Hz
- Impedance: 8 ohms · Sensitivity: 90 dB (1W/1m)
- Power: 10–200W suggested
- Dimensions: 26.1" H x 14" W x 11.9" D · 32 lb
- Price: $200 each (1984), $240 each (1985)
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