JBL S143 (2006)

Name: JBL S143
Brand: JBL

The JBL S143, also called the 60th Anniversary 143, was a limited-edition floorstanding loudspeaker built in 2006 to mark JBL's sixtieth year in business. It sat in the Studio Series and was one of JBL's top models at the time. JBL designed and built it specifically for the anniversary. A period advertisement from Audio (January 1957, p.61) noted that the best available high-fidelity equipment was being brought to a peak of refinement unthinkable only a few years earlier.

The S143 is a three-way design built around a 1" pure beryllium tweeter (also given as 20mm in the same listing), a 4" midrange, and an 8" woofer with an aquaplas-treated paper pulp cone and rubber surround. JBL noted that the midrange cone material came from the same family used in the company's flagship K2 series. The crossover reference points are given as 1200 Hz / 4 kHz, and the speaker offers bi-wire/bi-amp capability via its binding posts, with magnetic grilles and a tuned foam port. Frequency response is rated at 38 Hz–40 kHz, sensitivity at 90 dB, and nominal impedance at 8 ohms.

The cabinet came in high-gloss cherry and measures 13.8"W x 42"H x 16.5"D. Each speaker weighs 74 lbs. One listing calls the enclosure "book shelf size," which doesn't fit the floorstanding designation used elsewhere. That same listing also calls it floorstanding, so the record is a little muddled.

Documentation on the S143 is thin beyond seller listings. The original price is reported at $5,998. A used price of $1,066 appears in aggregator data, though the year and condition behind that figure aren't specified. One owner listing mentions upgraded crossovers and describes the sound as having excellent performance and imaging, with the drivers in good condition.

Type: 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker
Tweeter: 1" (20mm) pure beryllium
Midrange: 4"
Woofer: 8" aquaplas paper pulp cone, rubber surround
Frequency response: 38 Hz – 40 kHz
Sensitivity: 90 dB
Impedance: 8 ohms
Dimensions: 13.8"W x 42"H x 16.5"D
Weight: 74 lbs each
Finish: High gloss cherry