JBL 4860 (1984–1988)

The JBL 4860 is a three-way, bass-reflex floorstanding loudspeaker produced from 1984 to 1988. It's part of JBL's professional-leaning lineup from that era, and while the documentation on it is thin, the specs that survive paint a picture of a capable, high-power home or studio monitor.

The driver complement is a 250 mm woofer paired with a 100 mm dome midrange and a 25 mm dome tweeter, crossed over at 1,500 Hz and 6,000 Hz. Sensitivity is rated at 92 dB, impedance at 8 ohms, and the frequency range extends from 40 Hz to 20 kHz. Recommended amplifier power is 10–200 watts, though the speaker itself is rated to handle 200 watts. The cabinet measures roughly 395 x 700 x 235 mm and weighs somewhere in the 17.8–19.5 kg range, depending on the source — the typical discrepancy you see when different references weigh the raw driver complement versus the finished cabinet.

In period use, the 4860 showed up in serious touring applications. Recording-Engineer (April 1986, p.52) documented the Neil Diamond arena tour's sound system, which used six 4860 down-fill boxes in the rear cluster alongside 4873 and 4866 cabinets — a testament to the 4860's ability to handle professional reinforcement duty, not just living-room listening.

Beyond that, the historical record is sparse. No original price, no owner reviews, and no detailed design documentation have surfaced. What's known is consistent: this was a serious, well-built JBL three-way from the mid-1980s, used both at home and on the road.

Type: 3-way, bass-reflex, floorstanding
Drivers: 250 mm LF, 100 mm dome MF, 25 mm dome HF
Crossover: 1,500 Hz / 6,000 Hz
Impedance: 8 ohms
Sensitivity: 92 dB
Frequency range: 40–20,000 Hz
Power handling: 200 watts (recommended amp: 10–200W)