JBL K2 S9500 (1990s)
The JBL K2 S9500 is a rare and ambitious floorstanding loudspeaker from the early 1990s. It was the flagship of the K2 Sx500 range, which comprised four models. Bruce Scrogin, then President of JBL International, defined the concept and assembled a team to execute the design. According to a French forum discussion on leforum.audiovintage.fr, the engineering department was given carte blanche to develop the S9500 "whatever the final cost." The cost was considerable: 120,000 French francs per speaker in 1991 (240,000 francs a pair, roughly €36,587 at the time).
The driver lineup is unusual. Two 14-inch woofers sit above and below a high-frequency horn, with a 4-inch midrange and a 0.75-inch pure titanium compression super-tweeter. The woofers use Aquaplas-coated pulp cones, and the crossover points are 250Hz, 2.2kHz, and 15kHz. Nominal impedance is 8 ohms, sensitivity is rated at 98dB, and allowable input is 300W. Frequency response is specified at 38Hz - 50kHz (-6dB). The cabinet measures 1362 x 548 x 489mm and weighs 199kg per speaker.
The S9500 is demanding on amplification. A Russian forum post on soundex.ru said the K2-S9500 requires "welding machines," meaning very powerful amplifiers, and that McIntosh units "simply are not" that. One Swiss owner on leforum.audiovintage.fr reported excellent results pairing them with Halcro DM68 monoblocks, describing the sound as "very lively, very detailed, but never aggressive." He also acknowledged that some listeners find the S9500's rendering "cold" and "clinical," though he disagreed. Another forum user described the sound as "extremely elegant, very, very pleasant to listen to."
Documentation on this model is thin, and some details conflict. The spec sheet from soriaudio.com lists a 15-inch (380mm) woofer, while a Korean forum post describes two 14-inch drivers. The latter matches the physical description of two woofers flanking a horn. Production years aren't confirmed for the S9500 specifically (the often-cited 1993-1997 figure applies to the related M9500). A mint-condition pair was offered for 10,000,000 KRW in a classified ad, with recently replaced woofer suspensions.
- Type: Floorstanding loudspeaker, 4-way
- Woofers: Two 14" Aquaplas-coated pulp cone (some sources cite 15")
- Midrange: 4" Aquaplas-coated pulp cone
- Tweeter: Horn-loaded titanium
- Super tweeter: 0.75" pure titanium compression driver
- Crossover: 250Hz / 2.2kHz / 15kHz
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Sensitivity: 98dB
- Power handling: 300W
- Frequency response: 38Hz – 50kHz (-6dB)
- Dimensions: 1362 x 548 x 489mm
- Weight: 199kg each
- Original price (1991): 120,000 FF each / 240,000 FF per pair
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