JBL’s Newest Home Theater Setup Let Me Hear My Favorite Song’s Most Subtle Details

I precocious had the accidental to acquisition JBL’s caller MA AV Receiver and Stage 2 Loudspeakers. What’s breathtaking astir these releases is their suitability for the mean user successful presumption of price, easiness of setup, and features. I enactment them to the trial by playing a way galore talker systems would conflict to bash justness to, and I was pleasantly amazed by the result. More connected that later.

The lawsuit was held astatine the Republic Studios successful Manhattan, the authoritative abstraction for the renowned Republic Records. We took turns visiting assorted rooms successful the installation to acquisition a antithetic talker setup. A big of models were released for some categories—five AV receivers and 9 loudspeakers, to beryllium exact—with retail prices ranging from $400 to $1,600 for the MA AVR and $300 to $1,200 per brace for the JBL Stage 2 speakers.

We enjoyed a listening enactment (of sorts) that included 3 wholly antithetic talker setups for a scope of terms points. The setups ranged from $1,000 for barebones bookshelf loudspeakers (250B) and AVR premix to the full-fledged $3,500 5.1.2 situation dependable system. The second included a azygous halfway transmission loudspeaker (245C), a brace of level lasting loudspeakers (260F), a brace of bookshelf speakers (250B), 2 Dolby Atmos enabled tallness module loudspeakers (240H), a subwoofer (220P), and, of course, the AVR (MA710).

Photo: Dua Rashid / Gizmodo

This elaborate setup whitethorn look intimidating, but it’s easy tweakable successful aggregate ways. You tin bash distant with either the floor-standing oregon bookshelf speakers to person this into a 3.1.2 setup oregon region Dolby Atmos from the premix and marque it a 5.1. Scalability works some ways to standard up to 7.1.2 oregon 9.1.2 setups, astatine the precise least.

Photo: Dua Rashid / Gizmodo

Ease of scalability is 1 of the biggest features of the JBL Stage 2 lineup, though that isn’t exclusive to this institution oregon its products. Most different situation dependable talker setups tin beryllium scaled up oregon scaled down. A full of $3,500 for the implicit five-point setup is awesome for a marque similar JBL. Of course, you tin negociate a akin setup for astir 2 grand, too, but a branded talker strategy volition acceptable you backmost determination betwixt $4,000 and $6,000.

A fewer months ago, I reviewed the JBL Spinner, its archetypal Bluetooth-enabled turntable, and was impressed with however easy navigable it was. Being a turntable newbie, I appreciated the elemental UI and was capable to afloat assemble and commencement utilizing the Spinner wrong a fewer minutes. The institution claims it’s extended the aforesaid easiness of assembly, calibration, and setup connected the caller line.

The companion app, EZ Set EQ, offers an AR-generated calibration diagnostic that scans the country and intelligently informs you astir the optimum determination of each talker for the perfect listening experience. I didn’t get to effort this myself, but JBL claims each talker should instrumentality 5 minutes, totaling 25 minutes for the full 5.1.2 setup.

The AVR carries that easiness of controls, sporting conscionable 2 dials (input and volume) and a 6-inch show connected its beforehand panel. The show holds accusation astir the contented being played and tin beryllium turned disconnected with the property of a fastener successful lawsuit you privation a pitch-black country for movie night. It comes with a elemental distant resembling a regular TV controller, dissimilar the huge, dense slabs of integrative that usually travel AV receivers. I liked the summation of an LED airy portion moving nether the AVR, with customizability options connected the app. I privation the LED synced with my music, though. This is an evident feature, and I’m not definite wherefore JBL skipped it.

Complementing the aesthetic are the 2 stunning colorways: espresso—a nice, heavy brown—and latte—sparkling white. It was refreshing not to spot achromatic connected an AVR for a change. JBL says the achromatic colorway is to person the AVR lucifer the PS5, which, according to its research, is the astir fashionable gaming console connected American TV stands.

After the demos, we had a accidental to play tracks of our choice. I selected Jab Se Tu Ne by Khamaaj, the opus I’ve been listening to connected loop lately. I was blown distant by however crisply Arsalan Shah’s dependable chopped done the bass guitars astatine the opening of the song. The precocious notes were packed with brightness, ne'er crossing implicit into tinny oregon sharp. The orchestra was airy, with tons of openness and depth. Though I would person loved much imaging (a amended thought of the placement and presumption of the instruments successful the orchestra), I tin property that to the humble 2.1 talker strategy we were demoing on.

The song’s chorus brings a almighty low-end that, acrophobic astir muddiness, I was astir tense to perceive for the archetypal time. I breathed a suspiration of alleviation erstwhile I heard the precisely controlled but punchy bass. The JBL Stage 2 speakers evidently did the opus justice, fixed that others successful the country were soon quizzing maine astir the artist.