JBL 6011
Little is officially documented about the JBL 6011 — there's no surviving spec sheet or product page in the JBL archive, and everything known about it comes from reseller listings and working sound engineers who kept using them. What the record shows: it was a two-way PA speaker built for the road, with a 12" woofer for bass and a compression driver on a horn for the highs, crossed over at 2.5 kHz. JBL Professional marketed loudspeakers for the professional audio marketplace during the period Sound and Communication (November 1989, p.65). Power handling was rated at 150 watts, impedance at 8 ohms, and each cabinet weighed in around 50 lbs with approximate dimensions of 24" high, 16" wide, and 12" deep. The enclosures were covered in the black carpet or vinyl that was standard issue for touring gear of the era.
The 6011 appears to date from the 1990s, part of JBL's professional live-sound line. It was commonly sold and used in matched pairs, and several listings specifically note "matched pair" conditions — suggesting JBL or dealers verified pairs together. The cabinets were built heavy-duty, with Neutrik Speakon connectors on at least some examples. In practice, users describe them as clear and loud, with good low end for small to medium venues and a clean mid-high response — though one forum user noted the horn can get harsh if pushed too hard, and nobody mistakes them for subwoofers below about 60 Hz.
The most common age-related issue, cited across multiple sources, is foam surround rot on the 12" woofers — a near-certainty on any pair you find today. The carpet covering also tends to wear at the corners after years of hauling, and Speakon connectors can work loose on road-worn examples. Used pairs have appeared in the $200–$400 range, though those figures are from listings without confirmed dates and shouldn't be read as current market values.
No original retail price, production years, sensitivity rating, or dispersion specs are documented anywhere I could find. If you have a pair, the drivers are worth checking — and if the surrounds are gone, that's the first thing to address.
Known specs, as documented across multiple auction listings:
- Type: Two-way PA speaker, 12" woofer + compression driver/horn
- Crossover: 2.5 kHz
- Power handling: 150W
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Dimensions: approx. 24" H × 16" W × 12" D
- Weight: approx. 50 lbs each
- Connectors: Neutrik Speakon (on some examples)
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