JBL L100 Century vs 4311
Both currently list around $1,850 in working condition. Below: specs, values, price history for both, and which one to buy.
Side by side
| JBL L100 Century | JBL 4311 | |
|---|---|---|
| Years produced | 1970–1978 | 1974–1980 |
| Original MSRP | $546 | $600 |
| MSRP in today’s dollars | ~$4,450 | ~$3,800 |
| Working value today | $1,850/pair | $1,850/pair |
| Restored / serviced | — | $2,374.05/pair |
Values are trimmed medians of current eBay asking prices, updated daily. Full data on each model page: JBL L100 Century · JBL 4311.
Price history, head to head
Daily asking medians; days without a fresh sync are not plotted.
Which one should you buy?
Same bones, different clothes. The 4311 is the studio version: utility cabinet, front controls, and usually the lower price because it skips the walnut-and-grille glamour. The L100 is the consumer legend, and its value rides heavily on cosmetics, original Quadrex grilles above all. Buyers who want the sound with the smallest outlay should hunt a clean 4311. Buyers who want the icon, and the appreciation that has come with it, want an original L100 pair with the grilles that make it one.