JBL 5671 (1987–1988)
The JBL 5671 is a 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker from JBL's 5600 series, introduced around 1987-1988. The 5600 series was the first line of JBL loudspeakers designed in France, developed specifically for the European market with a second production site there. The 5671 sat between the 5660 and the 5680 in the lineup, and sold for $1,800 each when new.
The driver complement is a 250mm (10″) pure pulp cone woofer with rubber suspension, a 125mm (5″) pure pulp cone midrange, and a 25mm (1″) titanium dome tweeter. The titanium dome is the interesting part. According to The Vintage Knob, titanium was a tricky new material for tweeter domes in the early 1980s, and JBL engineers found success by bonding thin titanium onto a soft textile dome. The woofer and midrange are mounted in die-cast frames. The crossover is 12 dB/octave at 600 Hz and 4.5 kHz, and there's a three-position HF control (-3 dB / 0 / +3 dB) for tailoring the top end. Two pairs of gold-plated 5-way binding posts allow bi-wiring.
The cabinet is a floorstanding bass-reflex design. The baffle uses a drive-in-mounting concept to virtually eliminate diffraction, and the grille is designed to be free of diffraction edges. The speakers came with spike stands that pin them to the floor. Frequency response is rated at 37-25,000 Hz (±3 dB), sensitivity at 93 dB (1W/1m), nominal impedance at 8 ohms, and recommended amplifier power at 10-200W. Dimensions are approximately 1040 × 330 × 355 mm (H × W × D), with weight listed between 25.4 and 27 kg depending on the source.
Documentation on the 5671 is thin. HiFi-Stereo covered the loudspeaker market in its retail mart pages during 1994, but no dedicated review of the 5671 appeared there HiFi-Stereo (1994, p.117). What survives is mostly enthusiast testimony, and it's consistently positive. Owners describe a superb, transparent speaker with a beautiful balance across the range, deep and punchy bass, smooth mids, and clear highs. Some note the bass can run heavy and the midrange slightly recessed, but the HF control helps with the former. A few owners admit the 5600 series styling isn't for everyone, but the sound earns forgiveness. It's also big, heavy and well built, and it has held up for decades of ownership.
- Type: 3-way floorstanding, bass-reflex
- Woofer: 250mm pure pulp cone, rubber suspension
- Midrange: 125mm pure pulp cone, rubber suspension
- Tweeter: 25mm titanium dome
- Crossover: 600 Hz, 4.5 kHz, 12 dB/octave
- Frequency response: 37–25,000 Hz (±3 dB)
- Sensitivity: 93 dB (1W/1m)
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Recommended power: 10–200W
- HF control: -3 / 0 / +3 dB
- Inputs: dual gold-plated 5-way binding posts (bi-wiring capable)
- Original price: $1,800 each
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