I am fortunate to acquire a pair of JBL M9500 speakers in top condition. Originally intended as studio monitors, there are more of these in Japan than anywhere else and they rarely come up for sale anywhere. JBL produced a low quantity of them from 1993-1997; the M9500 was the JBL flagship model as part of their Professional Series. In 1994 a pair ran ~3650000 Yen.
The M9500 is an enhanced version of the
JBL K2 S9500 in a larger industrial enclosure. Its size limited soffit mounting in studios and the speaker was actually more successful in the consumer market. It is a two-way design with dual 14" woofers (1400nd) over-under a bi-radial horn (475 nd). The woofer cabinets have different volumes. For JBL afficiandos, the cross-over, horn and enclosure were designed by Greg Timbers, with Doug Button developing the bass and Francher Murray high-frequency driver. The small boxes in the picture are the external cross-overs.
This particular pair has excellent provenance. They were owned by a JBL production manager. The woofers were re-coned at JBL by Greg Timbers who also hand applied the Aquaplas. Production run speakers came with a Nextel outer coating - a soft suede like finish which tended to deteriorate over time. This pair was never coated, surfaces are excellent.
Some specs:
2-Way, 3-Speaker, Bass Reflex System, Floor Type
For low band : 36 cm cone type (1400 nd) x2
For High Frequency : Horn Type (475 nd)
Frequency characteristic: 35 Hz to 20 kHz -6dB
Output sound pressure level: 96dB/2.83V/m
Nominal input impedance 4 Ω (when dedicated network is used)
Maximum allowable input 400W (i.e. C Shaped noise with dedicated network)
Crossover frequency 650Hz(-18dB/oct)
Speakers can be bi-wired, tri-wired and bi-amped.
Although they can handle hi-wattage amplification (max 400W), their efficiency aso accomodates low wattage amps. I am driving them with either my 110W Class A Lamm M1.2 amps or my 18 Watt Lamm ML2.2 SET amplifiers. The ML2.2 is my preferred pairing.