JBL 4508A (circa 1994)
The JBL 4508A is a bass reflex floor-standing enclosure built to house two 38 cm (15-inch) woofers, specifically the JBL 2226H. It's a professional cabinet from the 4600 series of speaker systems, and it was sold as a single unit, not a pair. The original price was ¥116,000 per enclosure, around 1994.
The design is plain and heavy. The enclosure is 1-1/8" industrial-grade particle board covered in vinyl. It measures 667 mm wide, 1,012 mm high and 439 mm deep, and weighs 49 kg. Internal volume is roughly 4 cubic feet per driver, about 8 cubic feet total, with dual ports, one of which is stuffed. The cabinet is tuned to 40 Hz, and JBL's spec sheet claims a minimum regeneration frequency of 35 Hz. The design goal, per the period documentation, was flat response and high sound pressure up to 45 Hz by pairing two 38 cm drivers in a reflex alignment.
Not much else survives on this model. It appears to have been a long-running design. Forum chatter suggests the 4508 cabinet "has been around forever" with various driver options, and it was used as the low-frequency component in larger JBL systems like the 4648A and the 4675A. Enthusiasts on diyAudio and the Film-Tech forum talk about it mainly as a kick drum cabinet for live sound. One user notes that "2226 reflex are my favourite kick" and another calls the cabinets "total overkill for my needs really... they are actually subs." There are no formal reviews, no production year confirmation beyond the pricing date, and no current market data.
The available documentation treats it as a no-frills professional enclosure.
- Type: Bass reflex floor enclosure, dual 15" woofers
- Compatible driver: JBL 2226H
- Minimum regeneration frequency: 35 Hz
- Dimensions: 667 × 1,012 × 439 mm (W × H × D)
- Weight: 49 kg
- Original price: ¥116,000 (1 unit, circa 1994)
- Construction: 1-1/8" particle board, vinyl covered
- Tuning: 40 Hz, dual ports (one stuffed)
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