JBL 4893 (mid-to-late 1990s)

The JBL 4893 is a professional two-way, full-range sound reinforcement loudspeaker. It's essentially the distribution version of the JBL 4892, with the same trapezoidal enclosure and driver complement. It's built for arraying, and the 60° x 40° rotatable horn lets you orient the coverage pattern to match the room or venue.

The drivers are simple: a 2226H 15-inch low-frequency driver and a 2426H 1-inch exit compression driver on the horn, crossed over at 1.2 kHz. The trapezoidal cabinet suits tight array configurations. Input is via two Neutrik Speakon connectors wired in parallel for easy daisy-chaining. It's rated at 400 W continuous (800 W program), with a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. JBL's official spec sheet lists sensitivity at 99 dB SPL (1W @ 1m) and a frequency response of 60 Hz - 18 kHz (±3 dB), with a maximum SPL of 125 dB. (A period review in Sound & Communications listed sensitivity at 100 dB, 1W/1m, and a frequency response of 60 Hz to 19 kHz, ±3 dB.)

Sound & Communications reviewed the 4893 and came away impressed, noting that it exceeded its stated specifications in testing and recommending it for sound reinforcement work where high SPL and audio quality matter most. The review also highlighted the improvement over earlier JBL systems in terms of power capacity and lower distortion. Sound & Communications, December 1992, p.80.

Surviving documentation is thin beyond that. Production years aren't precisely documented - a forum post places it in the mid-to-late 1990s - and no original price has surfaced. It's a professional-grade box, not a consumer hi-fi speaker, and it's solidly built and high-output for installed or touring sound.

Type: 2-way full-range loudspeaker, trapezoidal enclosure
LF Driver: 2226H 15"
HF Driver: 2426H 1" exit compression driver
Crossover: 1.2 kHz
Coverage: 60° x 40° (rotatable horn)
Power: 400 W rms / 800 W program
Impedance: 8 ohms
Sensitivity: 99 dB SPL (1W @ 1m) (period review: 100 dB, 1W/1m)
Frequency Response: 60 Hz – 18 kHz (±3 dB) (period review: 60 Hz – 19 kHz, ±3 dB)
Max SPL: 125 dB
Connectors: Two Neutrik Speakon, parallel
Dimensions: 693 x 470 x 400 mm (27.3" x 18.5" x 15.7")
Weight: 32 kg (70.5 lbs)