JBL C48 Madison

Documentation on the JBL C48 Madison is thin, and what exists is a little contradictory. The model shows up in period equipment directories. HiFI-Stereo (1963, p.112) listed it as a "miniaturized version of the JBL 'Ranger Paragon'" enclosure, priced at $126.00, described as a radial diffraction system with a single enclosure available in all woods and finishes. The same directory noted it would accommodate an LE8T or S5 system. An earlier listing in HiFI-Stereo (1961, p.153) shows the same enclosure at $120.00, though that entry references the Model C43 and LE8. So the model number and pricing shifted slightly between those two years.

Beyond those directory entries, the record is mostly database listings. The most consistently cited figures are a 6-ohm impedance, 75-watt power handling, 87 dB sensitivity, and a frequency response of 43-25,000 Hz. The crossover is at 2,500 Hz, and dimensions are given as 300 x 635 x 245 mm at 13 kg. The cabinet was offered in walnut veneer, and at least one dealer listing describes a white finish. The sources conflict over whether this is a 2-way or 3-way system. Some list a 12" woofer and 1" tweeter, which fits a 2-way. One database calls it a "3-way, 3 driver loudspeaker system" but lists only a single 2,500 Hz crossover point. The crossover listing supports a 2-way design, so that seems more likely, but the record isn't clean enough to state it definitively.

No production years, original price beyond the 1963 directory listing, or market context have surfaced. There are no owner impressions, no common-failure notes and no driver model numbers. The C48 Madison is primarily known through those early-1960s directory appearances as a compact take on JBL's Ranger Paragon concept.

Impedance: 6 ohms
Frequency response: 43–25,000 Hz
Power handling: 75 W
Sensitivity: 87 dB
Crossover: 2,500 Hz
Dimensions: 300 x 635 x 245 mm (W x H x D)
Weight: 13 kg
Finish: walnut veneer (white also seen in dealer listings)