JBL D50
The JBL D50 is a 2-way bookshelf loudspeaker from the mid-1970s, introduced as an anniversary model. The exact anniversary year is muddled in the record. Stereo Review called it a "30th Anniversary" model in its spec sheet. The Vintage Audio Reissue Project dates it to 1976 and calls it a 40th anniversary piece, since JBL was founded in 1936. Either way, it sat above the D40 and below the D60 in JBL's D-series bookshelf line, and all three models shared the same tweeter and crossover components.
The driver complement is a single 8-inch woofer with JBL's "Symmetrical Field Geometry" magnet structure (which reduces flux modulation distortion) paired with a 1-inch dome tweeter. A +2dB/−2dB presence switch adjusts tweeter level, and the crossover sits at 2.5 kHz. The cabinet is a vented (bass-reflex) design with a "Polyswitch" protection device in the crossover and provisions for wall-mount brackets. Impedance is 8 ohms, sensitivity is a healthy 90 dB (1W/1m), and maximum power handling is rated at 100 watts. Stereo Review listed frequency response as 52Hz–21kHz (±3dB), while Audio Database gives 50Hz–20kHz; take your pick. Dimensions are 16⅞"H × 10½"W × 9"D, weight 18 lbs., in walnut veneer, polished oak, or black ash. Inputs are dual banana jacks.
Period reception was warm. Stereo Review praised the "well-balanced, open, and unstrained sound," and Audio Database noted "excellent imaging and depth." Enthusiasts on forums describe it as "a very musical, refined speaker." The common failure points are well known. The woofer foam surrounds rot and need replacing, and replacement surrounds are reportedly hard to source now. The tweeter presence switch can oxidize and cause intermittent distortion. Cleaning it with DeoxIT or bypassing the switch is the usual fix.
No original price or production run dates have surfaced, and current market values are unverified.
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