JBL LE14A (1960s–1970s)

Name: JBL LE14A
Brand: JBL

The LE14A was one of JBL's most popular replacement woofers through the 1960s and 1970s. It was sold as a raw-frame driver for hobbyists building or restoring their own systems. It was based on the earlier 1500C woofer design, with a cast aluminum frame, a 4-inch aluminum voice coil, and an alnico magnet structure. The spec sheet lists a 14-inch woofer with a 50 Hz to 5 kHz frequency response, 8-ohm impedance, and a 50-watt power rating. One source also references a "15 inch cone," an ambiguity that appears in the source itself.

The LE14A was the service replacement for the earlier LE14B, and it was used in the JBL Aquarius IV speaker system. It also dropped in as a replacement woofer for the L100, L110, and L26 models, which is why collectors still know it well. A 1971 listing in Audio (1974, p.34) shows the LE14A at $135.00 and notes it was designed for cabinets as small as 1.5 cubic feet. Contemporary documentation describes it as a coaxial design, though the source contradicts itself on that point.

The LE14A earned a strong reputation for bass and transient response, particularly with kick drum and bass guitar. It was considered best suited to sealed enclosures. Original replacement parts are discontinued, and surviving units commonly need foam surround replacement, a job most audio techs handle routinely. Vintage enthusiasts still go looking for the driver, though current market prices aren't documented in the available record.

At least one source credits the LE14A to James B. Lansing himself. That can't be right. Lansing died in 1949, and this driver dates to the 1960s. Treat that attribution as a website error rather than fact.

Type: 14" woofer, raw frame
Frequency response: 50 Hz – 5 kHz
Impedance: 8 ohms
Power rating: 50 watts
Voice coil: 4" aluminum
Magnet: Alnico
Frame: Cast aluminum
1971 price: $135.00