JBL Control 3 Pro (1987)
The JBL Control 3 Pro is a compact 2-way bookshelf monitor released in 1987 at ¥55,000 for a pair. It was positioned as a step up from the well-known Control 1. JBL's own literature described it as further enhancing the sound quality achieved with that model. It's a bass reflex design with a 13 cm cone woofer and a dome tweeter, rated at 165W max (50W RMS) into 4 ohms, covering 70 Hz to 25 kHz with an 8 kHz crossover. Each speaker measures 152 x 232 x 140 mm and weighs 2.5 kg.
JBL put the effort into the drivers. The woofer uses a diaphragm JBL called "SuperBKP" - a pulp base with a special reinforcement coating - and a long pure aluminum voice coil. The tweeter is a pure titanium dome. Both drivers got serious anti-magnetic treatment: a cancel magnet and shield cover on each. That made the Control 3 Pro suitable for placement near CRT televisions and video monitors, which was a real selling point in 1987. The enclosure is molded polypropylene with a special foam material to add internal damping and suppress resonance.
The Control 3 Pro was sold as a system. JBL offered a range of mounting accessories: one-touch brackets for walls and ceilings, desk brackets, and a dedicated adapter (MTC-1) that let you mount them on a desk stand or even a commercial camera tripod. A professional grille with the large JBL logo, designed for both the Control 1 and Control 3 Pro, was also available separately. The speakers came in black or gray.
Surviving information on the Control 3 Pro is thin beyond the spec sheet. The most detailed documentation comes from Japanese and Southeast Asian sources, where the model clearly found a following. One Thai forum user praised it - "sound is good, mids are better than Rondo by Audio Concept" - and another noted he still fondly remembers its sound. A Japanese owner used a pair as subwoofers, and the same blogger noted that first-generation Control 1 units are still common on the used market, while the Control 3 Pro is less frequently seen. The same forum thread that carries the praise also carries a warning: counterfeit copies exist. One user reported a fake pair selling for 2,700 baht and noted the sound "probably can't match the original."
The most common maintenance issue is urethane foam edge rot on the woofers. Re-foaming services and aftermarket edge kits are available. A rare dead-stock pair with warranty card, original box, and manual surfaced on the Japanese market, described as new and unused.
Known specs:
- Type: 2-way, 2-speaker, bass reflex, anti-magnetic design
- Woofer: 13 cm cone (SuperBKP diaphragm, pure aluminum voice coil)
- Tweeter: Dome type, pure titanium diaphragm
- Frequency response: 70 Hz - 25 kHz
- Impedance: 4 Ω
- Crossover: 8 kHz
- Power handling: 165W max / 50W RMS
- Dimensions: 152 W x 232 H x 140 D mm
- Weight: 2.5 kg each
- Price: ¥55,000 per pair (1987)
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