Earlier this week, my fellow AV enthusiast Tom Parsons and I spent the day with JBL at their UK offices with an exclusive look at its new range of Modern Audio AV receivers and Stage 2 loudspeakers. Demoing the new systems was, of course, the focus of the day, and we have no complaints about testing out shiny new home cinema kit by watching some of our favourite film clips.
We listened to three systems in total; a 2.1 set-up driven by the cheapest AVR in the range, a mid-range 5.1 system using the MA510, and a flagship 5.1.4 system using the MA9100HP (hands-on review of that system coming very soon). While we'll reserve final judgment for when we get these AVRs and speakers into our own testing room, the bottom line is that we found plenty to like with all three systems.
While the speakers deserve their time in the spotlight, today we're here to discuss the new AVRs. JBL is putting a serious focus on ease of use, aesthetics and musicality with this new series, and from what we've seen so far, it appears to have met those criteria in most capacities. Clarity and spaciousness alongside good rhythmic drive were a few positive attributes that we identified, and we also have to commend how stylish the new units look in their transparent black and white finishes.
Subtle style cues like the underglow light bar that can be set to a range of colours, the "safe to turn it up to eleven" easter egg on the volume knob that is a cheeky nod to This Is Spinal Tap, and the full-colour display on the two most expensive models are all appreciated design motifs.
Moreover, JBL has positioned these AVRs in a rather sweet spot when it comes to pricing and features, which has me thinking that this new range could be a good competitor for the current AVR kings. Denon's range of X- and S-series amplifiers have models at a wide range of prices, with differing features to match, and while this new JBL range might not compete at every level, it should have Denon slightly worried at the very least.
JBL has priced these aggressively, with the range starting at just £499 / $399, which puts it in direct competition with the Denon AVR-X1800H, while the new flagship model goes toe-to-toe with the Denon AVC-X3800H at £1399 / $1199. There are options in between that target different price demographics, making this range practically the only competitor to Denon aside from its sister brand Marantz.
While we haven't heard these new AVRs directly alongside the existing Denons (almost all of which we really like), I'm personally looking forward to pitting them against each other in some head-to-head comparisons. While sound is, of course, the most important factor, I feel like these AVRs have some character and are perhaps taking a more fun and light-hearted approach to home cinema sound.
However, only time will tell if they are true competitors, but at least Denon finally has some direct competition for much of its dominant AVR lineup.
MORE:
Read our full JBL Synthesis SDR-38 review
As well as our picks for the best AVRs