JBL Control 1X

The JBL Control 1X is a compact bookshelf speaker sold in 1999 as a renewed version of the Control 1, a model that reportedly sold over a million units worldwide. The 1X keeps the basic speaker type, size, and enclosure of its predecessor and aims for a tighter, more energetic sound. It's a 2-way, bass-reflex design with magnetic shielding for multimedia use. It was sold in pairs at a discretionary price.

The low end comes from a 13 cm poly-laminated cone woofer, which is a pulp base laminated with a high-polymer composite material. The highs go to a "balance drive" tweeter that combines a cone section with a center dome to optimize response directivity. A network with a built-in protector guards the drivers against excessive input. The enclosure measures 157 × 233 × 143 mm and weighs just 1.8 kg, so it fits nearly anywhere. Optional wall- or ceiling-mounting brackets (the MTC 201) were sold separately.

Specs as documented: frequency range of 70 Hz to 20 kHz, 4-ohm impedance, 87 dB/2.83V/m output, and 125W RMS allowable input. One owner on Carousell Singapore reported running a pair off a custom vacuum tube amplifier for years and called the experience "a dream come true." That's about as close to a period review as the surviving record gets.

Little else is documented about the Control 1X. There are no production years beyond the 1999 sale date, no crossover frequency, and no detailed critical reception. No review or user reception information has turned up beyond that single owner description.

- Type: 2-way, 2-speaker, bass-reflex, bookshelf

- Woofer: 13 cm poly-laminated cone

- Tweeter: Balance drive (cone with center dome)

- Frequency range: 70 Hz - 20 kHz

- Impedance: 4 Ω

- Sensitivity: 87 dB/2.83V/m

- Power handling (RMS): 125W

- Dimensions: 157 × 233 × 143 mm (W×H×D)

- Weight: 1.8 kg