Vintage JBL 4700 Sound Power Series
Printed From: Speakerplans.com
Category: General
Forum Name: Show Off Your Sound System
Forum Description: Show of your gear. Post pictures of your Sound System here...
URL: https://forum.speakerplans.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=81783
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 7:09pm
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Topic: Vintage JBL 4700 Sound Power Series
Posted By: shaun1264
Subject: Vintage JBL 4700 Sound Power Series
Date Posted: 06 September 2013 at 12:42pm
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About two weeks ago I purchased an old community Hall sound system from West London at a very cheap price because they needed the space ASAP. The speakers were stored under the stage in a small store room. I was told three drivers were not working but all were original stuff except the horns in the 4750's were upgraded 2446's I believe the 4700 series was popular in the 90's. I remember Butlin's in Bognor Regis had a system installed with the 4788 TCB's under the stage. Im still yet to hear bass like those things produced. So smooth, tight and deep low but certainly not overwhelming. The stuff I bought consisted of the early 90's JBL 4700 series original Sound Power Series vintage stuff. Real heavy thick ply cabs. Two JBL 4750 Two JBL 4730 Two JBL 4785 TCB's And a JBL crossover I used to own a pair of the Triple Chamber Bandbass speakers many years ago. Very low smooth bass. I set out stripping to see whats blown. Found two 2225's blown in one of the 4785's. One of them was seized solid, no movement of cone. The other had very bad voice call rub. I shall replace with a pair of 2226's which I believe are a direct replacement that I have spare. The other 4785 were perfect. All had the four rods inside and grills over the ports. The grills normally get kicked out. The 4730's had one 2118h 8" mid open circuit with no ohm readings, also coil rub so I will recone it. All the others including baby bums were spot on. The 4730's are passive with three way crossovers. The 4750's had two 2206's in each which were fine, but one the 2446's compression drivers is open circuit. Checked the diaphragms which seemed to be original genuine diaphragms. The one that was not working doesn't show any burn's. I guess the windings is broken somewhere.  TCB's with a pair of JBL Concert Series 4825's which I brought a few months ago. Horns are from 4750's   Dismantling for testing and refurbishment     |
Replies:
Posted By: shaun1264
Date Posted: 12 September 2013 at 6:39pm
| When I have some time, i'll start refurbishing. A good rub down and re-paint. Then get a local sign shop to reproduce the JBL side wall logos as they are one those things that are hard to track down. |
Posted By: oldskool
Date Posted: 12 September 2013 at 6:49pm
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Nice job you have there. I have 8 sound power cabs to refurb once the main system is done and will need 16 of those logos too, or a decent stencil. ------------- Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies |
Posted By: shaun1264
Date Posted: 12 September 2013 at 7:21pm
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Thanks, was a bargain price too. I was lucky to find all original drivers. No silly any old driver replacement. I'd like to eventually find one more pair of JBL 2404 baby bums to install in the 4750's. I have one pair spare ready to go in, just need another. They will replace the blanking plates in the 4750's. There was a very nice refurbished pair of 4755's on eBay that sold for £600. I asked the man how he reproduced the logos on the side walls and he said a local sign company did it, so thats the route i'll go down.
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Posted By: mk2_ginger_biscuit69
Date Posted: 18 September 2013 at 12:09pm
hairdressers landrover.... for shame  is there any rough internals of those TCB subs, and spec's with original drivers? Seen them floating around all over the place, heard they are meant to be pretty nice also. Cheers ------------- ''Remember that the object of a subwoofer is to enhance the output of your main speakers, not overpower it'' ''Dubstep - an elongated electronic fart'' |
Posted By: djeddie
Date Posted: 18 September 2013 at 8:45pm
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I'm sure the TCB plans were shown on the forum a couple of years ago Pat. They're not bad but... their delay is measured in weeks rather than milliseconds! I did an install a couple of years ago in an indoor paint-ball place playing 'war sound effects' and they certainly made everything shake including the stock in a warehouse up the road. ------------- Chas n Dave : it's like Drum and Bass but with beards. E=mc² ±3dB |
Posted By: shaun1264
Date Posted: 19 September 2013 at 6:28pm
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JBL made three different variants of the 15'' loaded TCB subs: http://www.jblpro.com/pub/obsolete/4685.pdf" rel="nofollow - http://www.jblpro.com/pub/obsolete/4685.pdf The original and first produced version. Loaded with 2225. http://www.jblproservice.com/pdf/Sound%20Power%204700%20Series/4785A.pdf" rel="nofollow - http://www.jblproservice.com/pdf/Sound%20Power%204700%20Series/4785A.pdf Different cabinet dimensions, 100 dB sensitivity, loaded with 2225 http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=audio-heritage.jp/JBL/speaker/4785a.html&prev=/search%3Fq%3Djbl%2B4785a%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1199%26bih%3D1249" rel="nofollow - http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://audio-heritage.jp/JBL/speaker/4785a.html&prev=/search%3Fq%3Djbl%2B4785a%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1199%26bih%3D1249 Slightly different size cabinets, again loaded with 2225 but higher sensitivity and with different freq response. Goes down lower. The 18'' version which JBL made three different variants are true beasts. |
Posted By: KonanSS
Date Posted: 21 September 2013 at 11:01pm
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Hahaha yes! Perfect thread for me, I have a pair of jbl 4788a subs. Le those but with bigger ports, here's the spec sheet. Exept I loaded mine with b&c 18sw115, bow powered by a matrix class a/b xt10000mf, sounds incredible, haha these CBS get hate but I cannot find another cab that does 25hz comfortably,with such power and holds it like a beast! http://www.jblproservice.com/pdf/Sound%20Power%204700%20Series/4788A.pdf I'll put pictures up when I know how! They made literally so many of these subs, not sure if allot of them were just tests but I have seen too many! And there all different, still have yet to see a model that comes close to mine. But hey, I was going to replace them with other subs but they have the best acoustic responce I think I've ever heard out of a sub. :) ------------- KSS - Devon based always wanting to learn more |
Posted By: fat_brstd
Date Posted: 24 September 2013 at 2:07am
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Hey mate, can you let me know where abouts you are getting your paint from for this refurb? trying to find a tub or 2 of martin grey ------------- Melbournes Rootical Warrior Roots - Dub - Steppers http://www.facebook.com/adrians.wall" rel="nofollow - facebook page |
Posted By: luton_soundman
Date Posted: 24 September 2013 at 2:27am
Nice find. Was trying to get hold of those tops for quite some time 
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Posted By: shaun1264
Date Posted: 24 September 2013 at 5:53pm
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Hi, If you mean the Concert Series 4825's, I bought these from a guy in Chichester, West Sussex in the summer. Got the pair for under £200 so was quite happy with them. They are in near perfect condition with original drivers. He couldn't understand why the compression drivers were louder than the woofers when he was trying to drive them in a passive mode. lol Luckily the compression driver have a capacitor across them to protect them. They still have the original ITC8 Cannon sockets. (so hard to find the connectors these days!) i've got speakon plates to fit instead. There was a load of these 4825's complete with flightcases that sold earlier in the year in Manchester. The other speakers I bought are from a Community Centre. Two of us had to lift them above our heads to get them out of a store room! Im not sure of the paint colour yet, it looks like it's a slate grey. Just trying to source one more JBL 2225 woofer and a pair of 2204's.
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Posted By: ollie80
Date Posted: 26 September 2013 at 4:59pm
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I remember these speakers. Early 90s and yes Butlins used them. Still like the old JBL stuff. Far better looking than todays cabs. Look much more mighty back then!  Ollie ------------- Ollie K Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible' |
Posted By: Haschatan
Date Posted: 05 September 2021 at 11:57pm
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Hello. Sorry but i tried to post in the for sale stuff but i am not allowed  If somebody wants two unloaded 4785. I am relocating, they need to go. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165055208833
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Posted By: shaun1264
Date Posted: 07 September 2021 at 7:42pm
Hi Ollie, they were very well built cabinets. I still have the TCB subs but sold others. The only Sound Power Series speakers I have left are two pairs of the the 4726's with the 12' 2206 and large bi-radial horns, two pairs of the smaller 4716 with the 10' and the 4785 subs. Also a pair of absolute mint condition of Concert series 4851's True work horse speakers. It's strange to think back then Butlins in Bognor in the early 90's had just two pairs of the 4755's and a pair or 4785 TCB subs under the stage and Centre Stage was bigger than it is now. 80's saw them use EV, early 90's JBL Sound Power, mid 90's to around 2007 EAW KF series. I remember when I was a kid they were in the process of switching to EAW, they had four arrayed each side of the stage but the four subs each side of stage against the far wall and not yet installed/connected up and still relying on JBL TCB subs! That old EAW KF650e installation was a killer when ramped up. Amazing clarity and power.
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ollie80 wrote:Posted By: colint
Date Posted: 07 September 2021 at 10:30pm
I have a working 2118 here in fact I have a pair but one got ate buy some bugs on the cone area but it still works, the better one of the two works just dandy and is in OK condition if they are of any use to you? A bottle of Jameson would be nice for an exchange for the pair I'm based in Lewisham South London. ------------- Never criticise another man until you've walked a mile in his shoes. Once you have, call him what you like, you're a mile away and you've got his shoes! |
Posted By: Speaker4
Date Posted: 04 October 2023 at 8:18pm
| JBL 4716 were very good just trying to remember Hf |
Posted By: ChrisWard
Date Posted: 30 November 2023 at 8:38am
here is a sales pic |
Posted By: boots-hifi
Date Posted: 03 June 2024 at 11:31pm
| Currently refurbing 4 x 4770 with the uhf baby cheeks. I'll post some pictures up soon... |