Grateful Dead Music Forum

So I'm reading that the 2130 is the "professional" version of the K120. It seems these can be had for a little less than the k120. What are the differences if any? Has anyone compared the two for guitar use?

All you have to do is carefully compare the specs for both and you will find out what you want to know. Then you can tell us all about your findings and that would be a good contribution.

im getting my amp modded by shakedown amps. We've talked a lot about speakers. In my twin reverb cab, we've gone with a weber neomag 12" 75 w, but with a paper dust cap (as opposed to aluminum) and a vintage E120. Joe from Shakedown keeps saying the neomag with the E120 "opens up correctly, not like a k120" next to another strong JBL speaker, providing an awesome tone. Thats all the input that I have. If you're running one jbl already, the weber neomags are awesome, plus they're far lighter.

The jbl 2130 is the professional version of the k120. All of the specs are identical other than that the shape of the magnet enclosure in the back is slightly different.

Source : much reading on Lansing heritage website and other internet sources.

Mithrandir wrote: ↑Thu Mar 01, 2018 8:49 am im getting my amp modded by shakedown amps. We've talked a lot about speakers. In my twin reverb cab, we've gone with a weber neomag 12" 75 w, but with a paper dust cap (as opposed to aluminum) and a vintage E120. Joe from Shakedown keeps saying the neomag with the E120 "opens up correctly, not like a k120" next to another strong JBL speaker, providing an awesome tone. Thats all the input that I have. If you're running one jbl already, the weber neomags are awesome, plus they're far lighter.

What does that mean? That using an e120 with a much lower wattage speaker in the same cab positively affects the e120? I would think that the e120 would just overpower the weber in the same cab.

I'd love to find some convincing arguments for using e120s over k120 or d120 considering they are typically way less expensive but so far my understanding is that they won't sound as good unless played at higher volumes than most bar bands can achieve.

For Jerry tone the speaker should be fed its capacity wattage...imo

hippieguy1954 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:53 am All you have to do is carefully compare the specs for both and you will find out what you want to know. Then you can tell us all about your findings and that would be a good contribution.

What is it with you and Waldo telling people who post a Jerry Tone question on a Jerry Tone message board to go get their answer somewhere else?

I think it might be something like this: give a dude an old fish and he'll smell bad. give a dude.... no no thats not it... teach a guy to be chill and he might get cold. oh crap that aint it either...... give a guy a word and he might be confused.... er.. uh.......give him a book and he might dig it, especially if its Mims III.

8-6-71 for me wrote: ↑Tue Nov 27, 2018 5:29 pm

hippieguy1954 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:53 am All you have to do is carefully compare the specs for both and you will find out what you want to know. Then you can tell us all about your findings and that would be a good contribution.

What is it with you and Waldo telling people who post a Jerry Tone question on a Jerry Tone message board to go get their answer somewhere else?

In theory, theory and practice agree. In practice, they often don't.

FWIW, and I think we've been over this here before, specs are useful, but they can only tell you so much. It's a fair request, on a Dead gear forum, to ask for practical, experience-based input.

I have no personal experience with a 2130 so I can't comment on how close or not it sounds to a K120. I can, though, offer these brief further thoughts based on personal experience.

(1) Don't overplay "hold out" in the context of seeking a K120. They're not unobtanium. I see them all the time on eBay, for example (indeed, I just checked, you can find some there right now). Admittedly, the eBay examples may or may not be pristine and/or all original but there are some pretty damn good folks out there skilled on reconing or restoring JBLs.

(2) I do own an example @ of a D120, K120, and E120. The K and E, while not identical sounding, each sound far closer to the other than either does to the D. I have my K and my E in identical SSP 1X12 cabs. Everyone probably knows by now that I'm not nearly as obsessive about my tone as some others here so take - or discount, depending on your bent - my comments as such, but if your playing is up to Jerry standards, I believe virtually no one in your audience will enjoy your band's experience more or less on the basis of whether your rig includes one or more K120s versus E120s.

This being said, if you play very loud with high wattage, the E120's specs do answer your preference question then.

Good luck with your tone quest!

All in good fun, '71.
my question is this...
i am currently playing through 2 teletubby PH. I LOVE THESE SPEAKERS!!! They are not, however, K's. EQ'd like Ks and one can hear that, but not JBL. I started w these, because I wanted a lower volume situation to slowly put together that Jerry thing. I still plan to get a Jblk120, as I know thats where a lot of the magic comes from in the mix.... back when i was researching speakers, I read a lot about the ks needing to be opened up a bit to get past the dustcap highs. Can anyone tell me roughly what this means in dbs? i an lucky in that there are many trees, deer, elk and blackbears between me and my closest neighbors... i get to play loud at home.I also play small cafes in town ..... no trees and the only bears are dancing in my head. So for someone trying to make a decision on speakers... what does a k look like in terms of volume? not a low volume speaker,no, but say.... if you live in an apt, no but a house yes... or db's...or venue size? I remember not really being able to get a sence for HOW loud these need to be played when researching this topic about a year ago...

All in good fun, '71.
my question is this...
i am currently playing through 2 teletubby PH. I LOVE THESE SPEAKERS!!! They are not, however, K's. EQ'd like Ks and one can hear that, but not JBL. I started w these, because I wanted a lower volume situation to slowly put together that Jerry thing. I still plan to get a Jblk120, as I know thats where a lot of the magic comes from in the mix.... back when i was researching speakers, I read a lot about the ks needing to be opened up a bit to get past the dustcap highs. Can anyone tell me roughly what this means in dbs? i an lucky in that there are many trees, deer, elk and blackbears between me and my closest neighbors... i get to play loud at home.I also play small cafes in town ..... no trees and the only bears are dancing in my head. So for someone trying to make a decision on speakers... what does a k look like in terms of volume? not a low volume speaker,no, but say.... if you live in an apt, no but a house yes... or db's...or venue size? I remember not really being able to get a sence for HOW loud these need to be played

I own both k120’s and a 2130. I believe they sound identical. I also own a several e120’s. The e’s are louder, punchier, but still have the nice textured decay on the notes that we all love so much. The k120 and the 2130 are rounder and a seem to break up earlier in a good way - they add more color sooner. I play these through a Jerry modded twin reverb.
As for your volume question, I think the k’s Or 2130 would be a fine choice for playing at lower volumes, though so much of the Jerry tone that we love comes from all the equipment being played loudly.
I also have both k and e 110’s and I can recommend sticking with the 12 in speakers if you are looking satisfaction overall - though I really enjoy mixing the 10 and 12 jbl’s - the 10’s are more responsive and cut through the mix at lower volumes. Good luck with your search!