At CEDIA Expo 2008, at the Colorado Convention Center, Booth 580 (September 4 - 7),
JBL, Inc., is exhibiting an expanded lineup of custom-installation products and systems. The JBL Control NOW• indoor and JBL Control NOW AW outdoor loudspeakers will be featured in an exhibit that displays their variety of installation possibilities.
JBL is also introducing its LS Series loudspeakers; its ES250PW and ES150PW wireless subwoofers; its WEM-1 Wireless Expansion Module, which adds wireless capability to any loudspeaker; and its Performance• Series AV2 preamp/processor.
Also debuting is the JBL Synthesis® SDEC-4500 digital equalizer/crossover, a component that operates in conjunction with the newly developed Harman• Audio Test System to provide calibration accuracy in a Synthesis® multichannel audio system.
Following are highlights of the products and systems that JBL is exhibiting at CEDIA 2008.
JBL Control NOW Loudspeakers: Offering Installation Flexibility
The JBL Control NOW indoor and JBL Control NOW AW outdoor loudspeakers feature a unique quarter-round shape, and can be corner-mounted between a ceiling and wall or between two walls, or placed either horizontally or vertically on a shelf. JBL Control NOW speakers can be joined to create half-round, three-quarter-round or round configurations, and they can be hung from a ceiling using an optional pole-mount bracket and standard ceiling-fan hardware.
Both models feature a tweeter mounted in a JBL® Bi-Radial® horn, complemented by dual 4-inch woofers.
The JBL Control NOW (black finish) and JBL Control NOW AW loudspeakers (white finish) are currently available at suggested retail prices of $249 each and $279 each, respectively.
JBL LS Series
The LS Series includes a compact bookshelf loudspeaker (LS40); two floorstanding tower speakers (LS60, LS80); and a center channel loudspeaker (LS CENTER). LS Series loudspeakers combine advanced compression drivers with dynamic drivers to achieve the sonic qualities of both.
The loudspeakers all feature a high-frequency compression driver that employs a 2-inch pure-titanium diaphragm. The driver operates in conjunction with a Bi-Radial horn and is complemented by a ring-radiator ultrahigh-frequency driver mounted in an Elliptical Oblate Spheroidal• (EOS) waveguide.
LS Series woofers utilize proprietary PolyPlas• polymer-coated-cellulose-fiber cone material. In addition, the crossovers in the LS80 and LS60 employ a 3-1/2-way crossover network that allows the woofers to operate in different frequency ranges.
LS Series loudspeakers will be available in fall 2008. Suggested retail prices range from $999 to $1,999 each.
ES250PW and ES150PW Wireless Subwoofers
The new ES Series ES250PW and ES150PW wireless powered subwoofers can be used with a custom-installation, home theater or music system without running any connecting wires through walls or under floors. The ES250PW and ES150PW are available in either a black or cherry finish accented by charcoal center panels.
Both subwoofers include a transmitter module that connects to an audio/video receiver or other source and operates in the 2.4GHz frequency range for signal transmission to the wireless receiver unit that is built into the subwoofers.
The ES250PW incorporates a built-in 400-watt amplifier and 12-inch PolyPlas woofer; the ES150PW features a 300-watt amplifier and 10-inch PolyPlas woofer. Both models incorporate JBL FreeFlow•-port technology, which utilizes a specially shaped bass port that is tuned to the woofer and enclosure. The ES250PW and ES150PW can be used with any floorstanding, bookshelf, in-wall or on-wall speakers to create a complete multichannel speaker system.
The JBL ES250PW is currently available at a suggested retail price of $729, and the ES150PW is currently available at a suggested retail price of $599.
JBL On Air WEM-1 Wireless Expansion Module: Making Any Loudspeaker Wireless
The JBL wireless-products lineup is further expanded with the introduction of the JBL On Air WEM-1 Wireless Expansion Module, a home entertainment solution that adds wireless capability to any loudspeaker and eliminates the need to run speaker wires across a room or through walls, floors or ceilings.
The WEM-1 includes a transmitter module that connects to an audio source, a receiver/amplifier unit that connects to a pair of speakers, a remote control, wall-mount brackets and accessories. It allows a user to add multiroom capability to an existing audio system, add surround speakers to a home theater system without running speaker wires from the audio/video receiver, or connect to a computer to distribute a listener's music library to anywhere in the home. The WEM-1 is ideal for use in many other applications where installing speaker wires is impractical.
The WEM-1 utilizes the 2.4GHz frequency range for transmission with an operating range of up to 70 feet. It provides a variety of connection options, including line- and speaker-level outputs, to accommodate a wide range of audio source components and A/V receivers and readily fit into a home entertainment system.
The receiver/amplifier unit includes a 50-watt-per-channel amplifier and has a subwoofer output that enables connected speakers to be used as part of a 2.1-channel satellite/subwoofer audio system. The receiver/amplifier offers five equalization curves that are tailored for use with select JBL loudspeakers, including the JBL Control NOW• speaker and other models; it also provides an unequalized bypass setting.
In addition, the receiver/amplifier features a local input, allowing the user to directly connect a portable device, gaming source or other audio source to it at a remote location; the WEM-1 can switch between main and local audio sources using its remote control.
The JBL On Air WEM-1 Wireless Expansion Module will be available in September 2008 at a suggested retail price of $359.
Synthesis SDEC-4500 and Harman Audio Test System
The JBL Synthesis SDEC-4500 digital equalizer/crossover making its debut at CEDIA 2008 is the most advanced digital equalizer ever offered by the brand. It operates in conjunction with the newly developed Harman Audio Test System to improve calibration in a JBL Synthesis custom-installation multichannel audio system.
The SDEC-4500 optimizes the performance of a JBL Synthesis system in any room, using more than 200 bands of fully parametric digital equalization that can be adjusted from 1/100 octave to 4 octaves wide at +15dB to - infinity, between 20Hz - 20kHz, to correct dips and peaks throughout the frequency range.
In all rooms, there are powerful resonances that emphasize some frequencies and attenuate others. The SDEC-4500 compensates for these irregularities.
Because no two rooms are alike, the Harman Audio Test System, which interfaces with the SDEC-4500 (and other JBL Synthesis equalizers), allows a JBL factory-trained-and-certified technician to custom-fit the sound of a Synthesis system to the room in which it is installed.
The Harman Audio Test System is a 16-channel audio analyzer optimized for measuring loudspeaker and room interactions. It uses multiple microphones (eight for a JBL Synthesis system) to measure different locations in a room, and applies proprietary digital-signal processing to automatically achieve flat in-room frequency response, or frequency correction to any desired target curve. Additional functions include loudspeaker-level calibration and a newly developed sound field management algorithm that minimizes the seat-to-seat variation in bass response in a home theater system.
JBL AV2 Preamplifier/Digital Surround Processor: A Flexible Home-Theater Control Center
The new JBL Performance Series AV2 is a 7.1-channel preamplifier/digital surround processor that features a complement of digital and analog audio and video connections, including HDMI• inputs and outputs, to accommodate complex home-entertainment systems with multiple high-definition program sources. The preamp/processor incorporates DCDi• by Faroudja digital video processing to provide upscaled and enhanced 720p or 1080i output from all video sources.
The AV2 can connect directly to a computer via its USB port, enabling users to enjoy playback of streaming audio files and to access the music files on their computer via the AV2 and its remote control. In addition, the AV2 includes an interface for the iPod that enables enhanced playback and control capabilities when a compatible iPod (not included) is connected using an available optional docking station for iPod.
The AV2 incorporates a host of additional features, including independent multizone operation; RS-232 ports, multiple DC trigger outputs and an IR input for integrated system control; automatic speaker setup and calibration; and proprietary Logic 7® surround-enhancement technology for enhanced sonic realism from matrix-encoded and stereo audio sources.
The JBL Performance Series AV2 preamplifier/digital surround processor is currently available at a suggested retail price of $2,000.
Project Everest DD66000 Loudspeaker
The JBL Project Everest DD66000 loudspeaker utilizes the brand's most advanced materials, components and technologies, and combines combining classic JBL design elements with contemporary styling and a choice of wood finishes.
The Project Everest DD66000 incorporates a host of innovative loudspeaker technologies, such as ultrahigh- and high-frequency compression drivers with pure-beryllium diaphragms operating in conjunction with exclusive JBL Bi-Radial horns; dual 15-inch Aquaplas-treated pulp-cone woofers; and a crossover network that employs a DC-battery bias system that keeps the capacitors operating in Class A mode.
The JBL Project Everest DD66000 loudspeaker is available at a suggested retail price of $30,000 each for a rosewood finish, and $35,000 each for premium wood finishes.
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