JBL LX50 (1985)
The JBL LX50 is a 2-way bass reflex bookshelf speaker introduced in 1985. Three independent sources agree on the essentials. It uses two 200mm bass drivers and a single 25mm dome tweeter, crossing over at 3,000 Hz. The cabinet measures 520 × 250 × 240 mm and weighs 9.5 kg per speaker. Rated impedance is 8 ohms, sensitivity is a healthy 91 dB/W/m, and power handling is spec'd at 25-100 watts. Frequency response is listed as 55 Hz to 25 kHz.
The sources disagree on one name. Hifi-Winner calls the two 200mm drivers "bass-mid" units, while HiFi Engine calls them "woofers." That's a difference in terminology, not in the specification. All sources agree on the numbers.
Past the basic specs, the paper trail goes quiet. No original price has surfaced, and no period reviews of the LX50 appear in the usual audio press archives. A single classified ad from 2025 describes the pair as being in good working condition with "very good sound quality," and secondhand prices in that listing ranged from €149 to €349. Nothing is known about the crossover components, cabinet construction, port tuning, or terminal types. Period catalogs from HiFI-Stereo (May 1997, p.86) list the Yamaha RV-501 and Sony STR-G3 receivers, but no LX50 review appears in those pages.
- Type: 2-way bass reflex bookshelf speaker
- Drivers: 2 × 200mm bass/woofer, 1 × 25mm dome tweeter
- Crossover: 3,000 Hz
- Frequency response: 55 Hz – 25 kHz
- Sensitivity: 91 dB/W/m
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Power handling: 25 – 100 W
- Dimensions: 520 × 250 × 240 mm
- Weight: 9.5 kg each
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