JBL SV500 (c. 2004)

The JBL SV500 is a tall-boy floor-standing speaker from JBL's SV series. It was sold in Japan around 2004 at ¥76,000 for a pair. Documentation is thin - nearly everything known comes from a single Japanese equipment database - but the specs that survive show a compact, AV-oriented tower.

It's a 2-way, 3-speaker bass reflex design with two 13.3 cm cone woofers and a horn-loaded tweeter. The tweeter uses a 1.9 cm semi-hard dome with titanium laminate processing for added diaphragm rigidity. The woofers have pure pulp white cones with accordion-pleated edges, chosen for large-volume playback, and sit in aluminum die-cast frames. A horn/equalizer combination on the front controls directivity toward the listening position. The enclosure is 12 mm MDF with a wood-like finish, and it ships with a fall-prevention foot bar for stability. The whole thing is anti-magnetic, using a cancel magnet and shield cover system - a hint that JBL intended it for placement near a TV.

Rated frequency response is 55 Hz to 20 kHz. Output sound pressure level is 93 dB/2.83V/m, impedance is 6 Ω, and allowable input is 100W (music). The crossover sits at a high 7 kHz, so the twin woofers handle most of the range. Dimensions are 170 × 880 × 206 mm (including grille, excluding foot bar), and each speaker weighs 10.6 kg.

One brief owner comment found online says it's "no less suitable for hi-fi use, but seems optimal for AV use" - which lines up with its design priorities. The same owner noted their pair was in "same as new" condition. Beyond that, no period reviews, production run details, or market history have surfaced.

Type: 2-way, 3-speaker, bass reflex, tall boy
Woofers: 13.3 cm cone ×2
Tweeter: 1.9 cm semi-hard dome, horn-loaded
Frequency response: 55 Hz – 20 kHz
Sensitivity: 93 dB/2.83V/m
Impedance: 6 Ω
Power handling: 100W (music)
Crossover: 7 kHz
Dimensions: 170 × 880 × 206 mm (W×H×D, incl. grille)
Weight: 10.6 kg