Collection History & Provenance

This collection represents more than 25 years of acquiring, using and maintaining professional audio equipment, with the earliest pieces dating back to 1971 and my first touring band.

The first system included JBL 2440 compression drivers on large horns along with Cerwin-Vega 15-inch horn-loaded cabinets. I still have the JBL drivers and horns, as well as two of the original Cerwin-Vega cabinets. It was awesome stuff at the time—and still is.

In 1979, I added EV 12Ls in Sentry IV cabinets, JBL 2482 compression drivers and JBL 2402 bullet tweeters. That system remained in use through approximately 1986. The equipment was then retired and stored, and those components are still part of the collection today.

Original JBL 2440 horn assemblies from 1971 — Original JBL 2440 horn assemblies from the 1971 touring system.

Los Angeles — AVHQ and Electro Tec

In 1987, I moved to Los Angeles with the band. Like most musicians trying to make the rent, we took production jobs. I ended up working at Audio Visual Headquarters (AVHQ), one of the major audiovisual companies in Southern California at the time.

Several of my bandmates went to work for Electro Tec, a major professional touring sound company with extensive JBL equipment in its systems and a close working relationship with JBL. Electro Tec became the primary source for much of the JBL and other professional audio equipment in this collection.

Over time I became friends with “Binky,” the nickname of Electro Tec's primary JBL speaker repair person. My understanding at the time was that she was also involved in training people in JBL speaker repair.

Touring systems were pushed hard, and damaged drivers were simply part of the concert business. This is when I began acquiring many of the JBL speakers and drivers that are in the collection today. A number had been freshly repaired and were never subsequently put back into service. Many still have Binky's original pieces of tape on them, including handwritten dates and repair notes. I have intentionally left those markings in place.

Part of the vintage professional audio collection — A working inventory view showing part of the JBL and professional-audio collection.

The AVHQ JBL Concert System

During my years at AVHQ, the company continually upgraded its professional audio inventory and sold off older equipment. Eventually I acquired its complete JBL concert system: 12 upper cabinets and four double-18 bass cabinets.

That system is the source of a substantial group of components still in the collection, including six JBL 2445 compression drivers, twelve JBL 2404H high-frequency drivers and twelve 12-inch drivers. Over the same period I also acquired miscellaneous JBL K- and D-series speakers, Emilar compression drivers and numerous other professional audio components.

Electro Tec, Lab Q and TAD

By the late 1990s, changes were underway at Electro Tec as the company moved toward its eventual merger with Sound Image and newer generations of touring systems. Older Lab Q equipment was being retired, including upper cabinets, bass cabinets, wedges and specialty enclosures.

Through that transition I acquired four Lab Q upper cabinets, four Lab Q bass cabinets, five 15-inch two-way wedges and additional speaker components.

Those wedges have an interesting history of their own. Electro Tec had experimented with TAD compression drivers in the cabinets. They liked the TADs, and so did I. To our ears they were noticeably brighter. The problem was economics. At the extremely high levels at which touring systems were being operated, drivers eventually needed repair or replacement, and the considerably higher replacement cost of the TADs was difficult to justify. JBL drivers remained the practical choice.

Two of those TAD drivers eventually came to me in the wedges. I never put them into regular service because I didn't want to risk damaging them—and, frankly, I didn't need them. They remain part of the collection today.

JBL compression drivers from the collection — JBL compression drivers, including units retaining original service and inventory markings.

Back to Ohio

In 2000, I brought the equipment back to Ohio, where it has remained in my warehouse/studio. Portions of the Lab Q front end and the JBL concert system were used occasionally between approximately 2003 and 2008. The equipment has not been in regular service since.

Condition Today

I recently went through the collection and individually tested the components represented in the current inventory and photographs. Everything listed is working unless specifically noted otherwise.

Repairs or replacements made during the equipment's working life were done using OEM parts to the best of my knowledge. Many of the components removed from the original concert cabinets are very likely still their original components.

This is not a collection assembled recently from auctions, online purchases or miscellaneous used equipment. It accumulated naturally over many years of professional audio work, touring systems, AVHQ and my connection with Electro Tec.

After carrying this equipment with me for all these years, I've decided it's time to move it on and make it available to people who will use, restore or preserve it.

There is a lot of history here—and some of the best professional audio equipment ever made.