JBL 6230 Power Amplifier

Name: JBL 6230
Brand: JBL

The JBL 6230 is a professional two-channel power amplifier from the mid-1980s. JBL was well established in both studio monitoring and touring reinforcement by then. Not much is documented on this model. No production years, original price, or detailed design information has surfaced.

The 6230 delivers 100 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms. Frequency response is rated at 20Hz-20kHz (±0.5dB) and THD is 0.05% at rated power. Signal-to-noise ratio is better than 100dB. The damping factor is a high 200 at 8 ohms, which suggests tight, well-controlled bass. Modern Recording (July 1984, p.2) ran a JBL advertisement in this era about the precision of the company's transformer manufacturing, including a vacuum-based air expulsion process. JBL clearly paid attention to the power supply.

The 6230 was part of a small family of JBL professional amplifiers of the period. DB Magazine (March 1986, p.35) listed it alongside the 6215 (35W/ch) and the 6260 (190W/ch). The 6230 shared the 6215's feature set, a mono/stereo bridge switch and 5-way output binding posts, but it had no headphone jack. The same listing gave dimensions of 5.25 × 19 × 10.5 inches, a weight of 26 lbs, and a price of $618.00.

Known specifications:

- Power output: 100W RMS per channel into 8 ohms

- Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz (±0.5dB)

- THD: 0.05% at rated power

- Signal-to-noise ratio: >100dB

- Damping factor: 200 at 8 ohms

- Dimensions: 5.25 × 19 × 10.5 inches

- Weight: 26 lbs

Beyond these figures, little else is documented. There are no owner reviews, no service manual details and no production timeline. It appears to have been a straightforward, well-specified professional amplifier.