I tried JBL’s new Dolby Atmos and Xbox-friendly AV receivers and Stage 2 speakers, and it’s high-end sound without the high-end price

Not surprisingly, nan entrances to New York City’s euphony signaling studios are almost ever unmarked. That was nan lawsuit connected October 16, 2024 erstwhile I visited Republic Studios, successful nan city’s Chelsea district, for nan motorboat of JBL’s Modern Audio AV receivers (AVRs) and Stage 2 speakers. Luckily for me, adjacent to Republic’s beforehand doorway connected nan time of my presence was a ample “JBL” motion decked retired successful nan company’s trademark burnt orangish color.

The Modern Audio AVRs and Stage 2 speakers are not aimed astatine deep-pocketed high-end audio enthusiasts. Rather, they target nan latest procreation of euphony and movie lovers, galore of whom haven’t upgraded from nan best wireless speakers, best headphones, and best soundbars owed to nan costs and complexity of getting amended sound.

Suggested unit pricing for nan Modern Audio AVRs, 5 models successful all, ranges from $399 (around £310 / AU$600) to $1,599 (around £1,230 / AU$2,420). The 8 different Stage 2 speaker models scope successful value from $299 (around £230 / AU$450) to $1,195 (around £920 / AU$1,800) per pair. This intends that $1,700 tin bargain a complete 5.1-channel audio system. Both merchandise lines are disposable successful Espresso (black), which galore will find appealing for a darkened TV room, and a modern, clean-looking Latte (white).

Entering done nan studio’s reception, I recovered myself successful a very ample unfastened room containing stylish lounge and barroom areas. I later learned that nan room is utilized by Republic’s unit and its guests for parties, euphony merchandise events, unrecorded performances by artists for illustration nan Jonas Brothers, and imaginative meetings.

I was past escorted on pinch respective different property members into a ample theatre wherever we were shown a video position and heard from JBL, Dolby Laboratories, and Republic Studios representatives astir nan Modern Audio AVRs and Stage 2 speakers. A generous action of some merchandise lines was group up successful nan theatre and elsewhere successful nan workplace for two-channel and multi-channel Dolby Atmos demos, which I will talk momentarily.

Modern Audio AV receivers

The Modern Audio lineup are nan first JBL-branded AVRs and they stress simplicity and style. Their faceplates person full-color displays and a clean, minimalist, Apple-esque business creation that is said to supply only what nan customer wants – controls for volume, input, and situation sound mode. They are not made to link to different audio-only components, but alternatively devices specified arsenic 1 of nan best TVs and gaming consoles via HDMI connections.

Each AVR features built-in “EZ-Set EQ” app-based calibration to optimize nan sound to nan user’s room and nan apical 2 models are besides Dirac Live ready. Each AVR besides integrates pinch IoT smart location products specified arsenic lighting and model shades. Further, nan AVRs are said to beryllium easy to run and link to a Wi-Fi web and Bluetooth devices quickly and pinch nary fuss. Their distant controls are said to beryllium elemental and non-imposing. And successful a characteristic that’s inspired by immoderate gaming devices, nan 2 upper-level AVRs athletics color-changeable LED lighting nether their chassis.

As you spell up nan Modern Audio AVR line, you get, among different things, higher performance, accrued powerfulness to accommodate larger rooms, much audio channels, and nan expertise to decode Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive audio formats.

Stage 2 speakers

The 8 Stage 2 speaker models dwell of floorstanders, bookshelves, and subwoofers (two of each type), a halfway channel, and an Atmos-enabled tallness module. Optional stands for nan bookshelf models unit astatine $249 per pair.

The creation and building of nan Stage 2 speakers show tons of technological know-how. To heighten efficiency, dynamics, and off-axis response, nan bookshelves and towers characteristic anodized aluminum tweeters successful a recently designed horn waveguide. Each of nan line’s speakers has Polycellulose ribbed woofer cones for what is said to beryllium deep, accurate, room-filling bass. Finally, premium inductors, capacitors, and different components successful nan speakers’ crossovers are besides said to amended performance.

For nan Stage 2 speakers, nan higher-end models let for accrued performance, often successful nan bass and precocious bass frequencies, and nan expertise to activity good successful larger rooms.

Stereo demos

The attraction of nan Modern AVR and Stage 2 cogwheel successful nan theatre was connected two-channel audio, pinch a JBL Spinner BT ($399) Bluetooth-enabled turntable pressed into action for nan occasion. Various exemplary configurations were demoed, but sloppy of configuration, nan takeaway was that these days, upgraded sound is not retired of scope for nan younger generation.

With tracks from artists specified arsenic nan Beatles, Shaed, Rihanna, Lizzo, Owl City, and Ariana Grande, instruments were cleanly delineated from each different pinch plentifulness of aerial betwixt them. The sound level was low, physics instruments and sounds were crisp and punchy, and acoustic ones were lukewarm and tonally connected nan mark. Bass notes sounded extended and deep. Take for, example, Rihanna’s Love nan Way You Like (Piano version), wherever nan singer’s sound was silky and without fatiguing sibilance. On Lizzo’s About Dam Time, nan bass notes were deep, tuneful, and had my caput bobbing up and down. Bluetooth capacity from nan Spinner BT ‘table was very satisfying.

Home theatre demos

We past headed done 1 of nan signaling studios towards Republic’s artist’s lounge for multi-channel Dolby Atmos demos successful a Modern AVR/Stage 2 speaker transmission system. On nan measurement there, we passed striking music-related creation and an unthinkable action of guitars hanging connected nan studio’s walls.

With a segment from nan movie Ghostbusters: Afterlife, nan sounds of pounding thunder and a motortruck smashing done a gate, many times flipping complete successful a woody area and smashing done trees, were detailed, clean, and impactful. With Top Gun: Maverick, the gunfire and rocket strikes were conscionable arsenic visceral. Even nan sound of aerial rushing astir nan planes while they traveled astatine Mach velocity was elaborate and convincing.

Audio for nan modern era

They opportunity that nan high-end audio business is doomed arsenic nan younger procreation is unwilling to upgrade their location audio cogwheel owed to nan costs and inconveniences of abstracted components. With nan Modern AVRs and Stage 2 Speakers, JBL has made getting amended sound painless, some for consumers and their wallets. Since these products are from a azygous brand, they will almost surely activity good together and present great-sounding music. For movie and gaming fans, conscionable adhd a video root aliases console and you’re bully to go.

You mightiness besides like...

• 6 awesome location theatre installations you won't believe
• Man cave to media room: nan improvement of location theater
• I saw a Dolby Atmos location theatre room utilizing a reference Bowers & Wilkins strategy and it was mind-blowing