JBL LE12C
The JBL LE12C is a 12-inch, two-way loudspeaker system aimed squarely at the do-it-yourself crowd. Period sources describe it as a "compact" or "bookshelf" design, and it was even marketed for wall installation. The drivers are an LE12C woofer and an LE20 tweeter, with a built-in crossover and a tweeter level adjustment so you could set the highs to taste. It also had two sets of input terminals, handy for bi-wiring or daisy-chaining.
The design is credited to Bart Locanthi, a significant figure in JBL's engineering history. The fact sheet lists a price of $69.95, which made it an accessible way into JBL ownership. It appeared in the loudspeaker mechanisms roundup in Audio (August 1968, p.68), though that listing is a catalog entry, not a full review.
Known specifications are as follows:
- **Type:** 12-inch, two-way loudspeaker system (bookshelf/compact)
- **Drivers:** LE12C woofer, LE20 tweeter
- **Crossover:** Built-in, with tweeter level adjustment
- **Frequency response:** 38 to 17,000 cycles
- **Power rating:** 25 watts
- **Impedance:** 8 ohms
- **Dimensions:** 13-1/2 x 24 x 11-1/2 in.
- **Price:** $69.95
No production years, weight, or sensitivity figures have surfaced in the available documentation. No period reviews with measured performance have been found either. The LE12C is known more through its parts than through any extensive written record.
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