JBL A820 Vecchio (c. 1995–1998)

The JBL A820 Vecchio is a bookshelf speaker from JBL's Vecchio series, sold in Japan in the mid-to-late 1990s. It is a 2-way, 2-speaker bass reflex design. The woofer is a 20 cm polymer-coated fiber cone. The tweeter is a 2.5 cm pure titanium dome with a diamond-pattern edge meant to suppress split vibration. The enclosure is front-ported and finished in real wood veneer. JBL applied what it called "Voicing" - sound quality tuning by ear - across the Vecchio series, aimed at preserving the fine nuance of music.

Specs as documented: frequency band of 40 Hz to 20 kHz (−10 dB), 4 Ω impedance, 91 dB/2.83V/m output, 150W continuous program input, and a 1.7 kHz crossover. Dimensions are 270 × 500 × 333 mm (W×H×D) and each speaker weighs 12.2 kg. A matching JS-82 speaker stand (set of two, real wood finish) was sold separately for ¥18,000. The A820 was priced at ¥45,000 per unit around 1995, later listed at ¥49,000 around 1998. It was made in the USA.

The record on this model is thin. No period magazine reviews have surfaced, and most of what's known comes from Japanese database listings and secondary market posts. Russian marketplace listings praise it as detailed and rich-sounding for its size, and at least one Japanese YouTube owner documents a purchase. Replacement soft rubber edge kits for the woofer are available from parts sellers, which suggests the original surrounds are prone to age-related deterioration. Related models in the Vecchio line include the A520 and A620.

Known Specifications

• Type: 2-way, 2-speaker, bass reflex, bookshelf
• Woofer: 20 cm cone (polymer-coated fiber diaphragm)
• Tweeter: 2.5 cm dome (pure titanium, diamond-pattern edge)
• Frequency band: 40 Hz – 20 kHz (−10 dB)
• Impedance: 4 Ω
• Output: 91 dB / 2.83V/m
• Allowable input: 150W (continuous program)
• Crossover: 1.7 kHz
• Dimensions: 270 × 500 × 333 mm (W×H×D)
• Weight: 12.2 kg
• Made in USA

eBay Listings

DDP Rare JBL A820 Vecchio 2-Way Bookshelf Speakers Pair Serv

$1,947

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