At a swanky rooftop launch event at the top of Hollywood’s historic Roosevelt Hotel last night, JBL pulled the veil off a shiny new lineup of affordable AV receivers and speakers that it hopes are easy enough to use and full of accessible features that even the component-phobic “next generation” of users will appreciate.
JBL’s new MA (Modern Audio) series of AV receivers and Stage 2 series loudspeakers abandon the the mix-and-match mentality of building a home theater system and are designed and engineered to work together, JBL says, right down to their matching “Espresso” and “Latte” finishes.
“They offer consumers a unified and cohesive system that combines simplicity, design, quality, and scalability — all at an affordable price,” JBL says. And the company is hoping that this simplicity will coax younger home theater enthusiasts into exploring beyond what their soundbars are capable of.
The MA lineup is dizzying, and features five new AV receivers that range in price from $400 to $1,600. They all have increasingly modern features and connectivity as you move up the range, including support for 4K and/or 8K, HDMI 2.1, Dolby Audio and DTS (in the lower models), Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and passthrough support for HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. They also range in power from 60 to 140 watts-per-channel.
At the top end of the range sits the “HP” (High Performance) models, the 7.2-channel Buy at JBL ($1,200) and the flagship 9.2-channel Buy at JBL ($1,600) that both feature large, bright color LED screens and can be outfitted with Dirac’s Live calibration software if the user wants to graduate to really dialling in the sound of their home theater.
Among the features that JBL hopes will lure would-be soundbar buyers are a companion EZ Set EQ mobile app that makes system calibration a much easier process and “Works with SmartThings” integration for automated routines that control their other Internet of Things devices. Other features include Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, Bluetooth, and Spotify Connect.
Here’s a rundown of the full MA range of products. They’re all available starting July 18 from jbl.com.
MA Series AV receivers
- Buy at JBL : 60 watts, 5.2-channel 4K, HDMI 2.0 (4K/60Hz): $400
- Buy at JBL : 75 watts, 5.2-channel 8K, HDMI 2.1 (4K/120Hz): $600
- Buy at JBL : 110 watts, 7.2-channel, 8K, HDMI 2.1 (4K/120Hz): $800
- Buy at JBL : 125 watts, 7.2-channel, 8K, HDMI 2.1 (4K/120Hz), Dirac Live ready: $1,200
- Buy at JBL : 140 watts, up to 9.1 channels, 8K, HDMI 2.1 (4K/120Hz), Dirac Live ready: $1,600
Stage 2 Series home theater speakers
- Buy at JBL ($500/pair) and Buy at JBL ($600/pair) floor-standing models
- Buy at JBL ($300/pair) and Buy at JBL ($400/pair) bookshelf models with separate floor stands
- Buy at JBL center channel speaker: $400
- Buy at JBL Dolby Atmos enabled height module: $300/pair
- Buy at JBL : 10-inch driver, 300 watts: $500
- Buy at JBL : 12-inch driver, 500 watts: $600
