Wide Range of Innovative Products and Home Entertainment Solutions From JBL and Audioaccess Are Featured at CES 2005 Exhibit
The CES 2015 JBL exhibit features the premiere of JBL’s expanded Performance Series lineup, which encompasses a full range of high-end, turnkey home theater audio systems that includes electronics and loudspeakers.
In addition, JBL is announcing the introduction of its ultrahigh-end K2 S9800 Special Edition loudspeaker, the finest loudspeaker ever created by JBL. It incorporates significant improvements over the original K2 S9800 to achieve an extraordinary new level of musical realism. The company is also premiering its first-ever in-wall subwoofers — the JBL Synthesis S4S and HTi Series HTI88s, two high-performance models that offer the convenience of in-wall mounting along with exceptional sound quality.
Also on exhibit is a wide selection of products and systems from JBL and Audioaccess, including the JBL Cinema Vision complete, integrated home theater audio and video system, and the groundbreaking Audioaccess W.H.E.N. (Whole-House Entertainment Network) advanced-technology home theater and multiroom audio/video system for custom residential installation.
Paul Bente, president of JBL Consumer Products, noted: “At CES 2005, JBL and Audioaccess are continuing to expand into new categories with products and systems that deliver greater performance and functionality than ever before — while remaining true to our heritage of bringing to home listeners everywhere the same level of professional-quality JBL sound that is heard in concert halls, recording studios and movie theaters. From compact speaker packages to state-of-the-art home theater systems and whole-house audio/video installations, JBL and Audioaccess continue to set the standards in high-performance audio, video and multiroom home entertainment solutions.”
Following are highlights of JBL’s products and systems featured at CES 2005:
JBL Performance Series: A Complete Lineup of High-End Home Theater Audio Systems
At CES 2005, JBL is broadening its high-end Performance Series lineup to encompass a full range of complete home theater audio systems that includes loudspeakers and electronics. Six complete multichannel home theater audio solutions are offered in the JBL Performance Series, ranging from the 5.1-channel JBL Performance System 7 package to the JBL Premier Performance 7.1-channel on-wall and in-wall systems. All are designed to offer extraordinary sonic realism, along with unmatched operational flexibility and ease of use, in rooms ranging in size from 3,000 to 5,000 cubic feet.
Each JBL Performance Series system is based around the new Performance Series AV1 Surround Processor/System Controller and AVA7 7-Channel Power Amplifier. In addition to the AV1 and AVA7, each system includes a specific 7.1-channel or 5.1-channel loudspeaker and subwoofer complement, meeting a wide range of customer installation requirements.
A variety of loudspeakers is available to create a broad range of on-wall- and in-wall-based systems. Available models include the Performance P941 and P81 advanced-technology in-wall speakers, as well as the Performance PT800 tower main/surround loudspeaker and Performance PC600 center channel speaker. Rounding out the lineup are the Performance PS1400 14-inch, 400-watt powered subwoofer, and JBL’s HTPS400 12-inch, 1000-watt powered subwoofer.
The JBL Performance Series AV1 is a state-of-the-art, software-upgradeable 7.1-channel surround processor/system controller that utilizes the most advanced digital technologies to achieve the highest possible resolution and fidelity. The AV1 is compatible with all popular surround sound decoding formats and incorporates Harman International’s exclusive 7.1 Logic 7 processing for enhanced surround sound realism. Along with extraordinary audio performance, the AV1 offers exceptional connectivity, including high-bandwidth, HDTV-compatible component-video switching, and multiple RS-232 ports for facilitating integrated system operation.
The AVA7 7-channel power amplifier is designed for superb sonic performance in every respect, and delivers a generous 120 watts into each channel (into 8 ohms, <0.03% THD). The AVA7 includes connections that interface with the AV1, enabling sophisticated automatic control capabilities. Its ventilation design routes air from the rear and through the sides, rather than through the top of the amplifier, enabling it to be stacked directly on top of or underneath other components to save installation space.
The on-wall models in the JBL Performance Series include the Performance PT800 tower loudspeaker (1-inch tweeter, 4-inch midrange driver, 8-inch woofer), Performance PS1400 powered subwoofer (14-inch woofer, built-in 400-watt amplifier), and Performance PC600 center channel (1-inch tweeter, dual 6-inch woofers, 4-inch midrange driver). In addition, JBL’s HTPS400 powered subwoofer (12-inch woofer, built-in 1000-watt amplifier) is now available as part of the Performance Series. The HTPS400 features a compact enclosure that enables it to be readily placed in a wide variety of room locations.
The speakers’ modular design allows the PT800 tower to be stacked atop the PS1400 subwoofer, mounted separately on a wall or installed on optional available stands, providing maximum installation flexibility. All the speakers utilize a unique shallow-profile enclosure that allows them to occupy a minimum of floor space, making them ideal for use in home theater installations using flat-panel display monitors or projection screens. All models are constructed using professional-quality JBL drivers and components and the company’s most advanced technologies, such as inverted titanium-cone mid-bass and midrange drivers, and pure-titanium tweeters operating in conjunction with JBL’s unique Elliptical Oblate Spheroidal (EOS) waveguide for precise imaging over a wide listening area.
The Performance Series P941 and P81 in-wall speakers are ultrahigh-end designs that utilize woofers and midrange drivers made from an advanced-technology aluminum/ceramic multilayer diaphragm material. This material is far more rigid and lightweight than other types of cone materials, dramatically reducing distortion and eliminating the sonic colorations caused by cone breakup in conventional speakers. Complementing these drivers, the P941 and P81 both employ pure-titanium tweeters for detailed and extended high-frequency response. The P941 (9-inch woofer, 3-1/2-inch midrange driver, 1-inch tweeter) and P81 (7-1/2-inch woofer, 1-inch tweeter) incorporate a host of additional refinements, including front-panel listener axis, high-frequency contour, high-frequency level and low-frequency boundary compensation controls that allow precise sonic tailoring in any installation, to achieve exceptional sound quality.
JBL will also introduce its innovative JBL BassQ Automatic Room Mode Correction (RMC) Processor later in 2005, which can be added to any Performance Series system. The BassQ RMC processor is a low-frequency-response correction component that utilizes supplied measurement microphones and advanced DSP equalization to compensate for the peaks and dips in frequency response that are inherent in every room, and achieve smooth, accurate bass response.
Pricing for JBL Performance Series systems ranges from approximately $15,000 for the JBL Performance System 7 5.1-channel in-wall system to $30,000 for the JBL Premier Performance 7.1-channel on-wall and in-wall packages. Availability for the JBL Performance Series will be announced.
K2 S9800 Special Edition: JBL’s Ultimate Loudspeaker
CES 2005 marks the introduction of the flagship K2 S9800 Special Edition, the finest loudspeaker ever created by JBL. Successor to the company’s award-winning K2 S9800, the K2 S9800SE incorporates significant improvements and is designed entirely without compromise to achieve extraordinary musical realism. The K2 S9800SE is featured at the DTS (Digital Theater Systems, Inc.) booth in one of the most spectacular home theater exhibitions at CES 2005 — an all-out, large-scale demonstration of DTS multichannel audio, featuring K2 S9800SE loudspeakers in a cinema-style setting. The K2 S9800SE is also featured at the THX exhibit at CES.
To achieve its improved sound quality, the JBL K2 S9800SE utilizes audiophile-grade Solen polypropylene film capacitors, which replace all of the capacitors previously used, throughout its crossover network. Solen capacitors employ premium-quality materials to provide superlative sonic transparency and resolution of inner musical detail. Their performance is complemented by the use of a glass-epoxy circuit board to mount the parts of the crossover network. The glass-epoxy board eliminates the subtle distortions introduced by the circuit board material originally used, yielding a higher degree of sonic purity and musical refinement.
The K2 S9800SE features a 435Be beryllium midrange compression driver and 045Be ultrahigh-frequency beryllium compression driver, both mated to specially designed horns made from SonoGlass, a resin material that can be precisely molded in an optimum configuration for an accurate, natural midrange and smooth high frequencies, along with wide dispersion. A 15-inch Aquaplas-treated-cone woofer complements the midrange and high-frequency drivers. This advanced-technology woofer features a heavy-duty edge-wound aluminum ribbon voice coil utilizing JBL’s Symmetrical Field Geometry (SFG) circuit, a die-cast aluminum frame and other refinements, for articulate, musically accurate low-frequency response. The speaker’s Bi-Amp, LF Damping and HF Level switches enable its response to be tailored to the room, the listener’s preference and the amplification used.
The result is sonic performance that is nothing less than astonishing. Movie soundtracks and music are conveyed with true-to-life presence and scale, and clarity and resolution are truly without equal. The K2 S9800SE faithfully reproduces the width, depth and height of the sonic environment present on the original recording with precise image placement and tonal balance.
The JBL K2 S9800SE loudspeaker is now even more striking and elegant in appearance. It is available in a metallic-gray high-gloss finish, complemented by curved trim panels in a choice of two new finishes — a rich, dark-red mahogany or a distinctive “black pinstriped” wood finish with contrasting grain patterns.
The JBL K2 S9800 Special Edition will be available in January 2005 exclusively through selected JBL dealers. Suggested retail pricing is $30,000 per pair.
JBL’s First In-Wall Subwoofers: the Synthesis S4S and HTi Series HTI88S
The JBL Synthesis S4S and HTi Series HTI88s are JBL’s first in-wall subwoofers — two high-performance models that offer the convenience of in-wall mounting along with exceptional sound quality.
The JBL Synthesis S4S is an ultimate-performance in-wall powered subwoofer designed to deliver dynamic, articulate low-frequency reproduction all the way down to 24Hz. It utilizes dual high-excursion 10-inch woofers, which incorporate refinements such as lightweight, yet highly rigid, aluminum cones and high-temperature voice-coils with Kapton formers, to convey the low frequencies of the most-demanding movie soundtracks and rock music with extraordinary presence and authority, even at high volume levels.
The Synthesis S4S is used in conjunction with its supplied external 2 x 350-watt power amplifier. The amplifier provides a full complement of connection options and controls, including JBL’s exclusive Room Mode Correction feature, which incorporates a single-band parametric equalizer to achieve more accurate low-frequency response. The S4S is voice-matched for a seamless sonic blend with the main-channel in-wall loudspeakers in a Synthesis multichannel audio installation.
The JBL HTI88s in-wall subwoofer combines superb sonic performance with outstanding installation flexibility, making it ideal for a wide variety of custom-installation home theater applications. The HTI88s features dual high-power 8-inch aluminum-cone woofers with cast-aluminum frames, heavy-duty voice coils with Kapton formers, and additional enhancements, to deliver outstanding clarity and definition down to 35Hz. An optional, external 2 x 120-watt amplifier, which incorporates the identical JBL Room Mode Correction functionality included with the Synthesis S4S amplifier, is available for use with the HTI88s.
The S4S and HTI88s are designed for ease of installation. Both have enclosures that fit inside the standard 16-inch spacing that is used between most wall studs, so no cutting of the studs is required. The S4S is supplied with a rear-panel back box, which helps direct the drivers’ audio output into the room, and an optional back box is available for the HTI88s.
The HTI88s is ideal for use with all HTi Series and SoundPoint in-wall and in-ceiling speakers, including the recently introduced HTI55 (SRP: $349 each), a premium-quality two-way in-wall speaker that can be mounted either horizontally or vertically, and the SoundPoint dual-tweeter SP6CS (SRP: $249 each), which provides two-channel audio from a single-speaker configuration. In addition, the HTI88s can be added to an existing in-wall-speaker installation to provide extended low-frequency capability.
The JBL Synthesis S4S powered in-wall subwoofer, HTi Series HTI88s subwoofer and optional Model HTI88A two-channel amplifier will be available in the first quarter of 2005 at pricing to be announced.
Audioaccess W.H.E.N.: Advanced Whole-House System Flexibility
Audioaccess is featuring its recently announced W.H.E.N. (Whole-House Entertainment Network) system in active demonstrations during CES 2005 show hours. Winner of an Innovations 2005 Design and Engineering Award, W.H.E.N. is the company’s first integrated home theater and multiroom audio/video system designed exclusively for custom residential installation.
The system is based around the W.H.E.N. AVR21EN Audio Video Receiver/System Controller, an innovative 7.1-channel A/V receiver and multiroom controller that offers a wide range of features and connectivity options, making it the heart of an advanced whole-house control system. The system controls outboard A/V sources via dedicated IR outputs, a proprietary digital signal transfer bus and three RS-232 ports that enable two-way control of specific high-capacity DVD/CD changers. The AVR21EN provides an extensive complement of advanced features such as five wide-bandwidth, HDTV-compatible component video inputs, an HDMI-compatible digital-video output, seven source trigger inputs and IR outputs, and two built-in FM/AM tuners.
The AVR21EN connects to an outboard W.H.E.N. AVH21 Audio Video Hub via a single Cat. 5 cable. The AVH21 also distributes video using coaxial cable and audio and control signals to remote locations via Cat. 5 cable, utilizing state-of-the-art digital signal transfer technologies. It can accommodate up to eight audio/video remote locations, and has video routing capability for up to six video entertainment sources, plus six video security cameras. Additional hubs and power supplies can be added to expand whole-house signal distribution for up to 23 rooms, facilitating comprehensive multizone installations.
The Multiroom Hub links to a W.H.E.N. KP21 Amplified Display Keypad located in each remote zone. Three operating modes are offered: Entertainment, Video Security and Paging. The KP21 features a large LCD and offers intuitive control of up to six audio/video sources connected to the AVR21EN, plus a local-zone source. The keypad includes a 50-watt-per-channel digital stereo amplifier to power a pair of speakers, as well as a local source input and preamp outputs for use with a subwoofer or external amplifier. Moreover, the keypad includes an IR sensor, enabling control from a handheld remote, and a built-in microphone, which enables it to function as part of a whole-house paging system.
W.H.E.N. system components also include a compact door keypad/camera module, which can be used as part of a video security system, and three available in-wall and in-ceiling speakers, derived from JBL’s high-performance, industry-standard HTi Series.
The Audioaccess W.H.E.N. system is highly scalable for use in both smaller residences and more expansive homes. Suggested retail pricing ranges from approximately $4,000 for a base system to more than $20,000 for a large-scale system comprising a main home theater and 23 remote room locations.
Details of availability for the W.H.E.N. system are to be announced.
Audioaccess CATC: Intuitive, Comprehensive Multiroom Audio/Video Control
The recently introduced Audioaccess CATC Color Audioaccess Touchscreen Controller is a versatile, wall-mountable touchscreen/controller that provides a versatile user interface for operating a complete Audioaccess-based multizone system. The CATC offers a wide range of control features combined with ease of programming and operation.
The CATC features a large, fully customizable color LCD touchscreen, and it also has four “hard” buttons for frequently used functions. The CATC provides a complete user interface for Audioaccess PX-700-based multiroom audio systems, and, using optional software-based interface modules, can also control other home devices such as audio/video components, hard-disc servers, CD or DVD libraries and lighting. An interface module is being introduced for ReQuest Multimedia audio servers, and the CATC’s open architecture enables the addition of future third-party modules, which are currently in development for a number of Escient, Imerge and Lutron and Russound/XM Satellite Radio products.
Although sophisticated in its capabilities, the CATC is designed for total ease of operation. Its Windows-based EasyTouch II application provides preprogrammed buttons and template screens to simplify programming and user control, and the user interface can be customized by connecting the CATC to a laptop or desktop PC. The CATC also includes an exclusive text-based Librarian control function that makes it easy to access high-capacity program sources by categories such as artist, genre, disc title,
station or channel.
In addition to controlling Audioaccess system components, the CATC features multiple control ports for integration with RS-232-controlled subsystems such as lighting and HVAC. By connecting optional RS-232 interface modules, any CATC touchscreen located throughout the home can control any device connected to the whole-house integrated system. The CATC offers a variety of mounting options, and its bezel matches the dimensions of a standard U.S. three-gang wall plate.
The Audioaccess CATC Color Audioaccess Touchscreen Controller carries a suggested retail price of $1,395, and is currently available.
JBL Cinema Vision: Striking Design, Spectacular Picture and Sound Quality
In a move that extends JBL’s heritage of design excellence and technological innovation into an exciting new area, the company is now shipping JBL Cinema Vision — its first complete, integrated audio and video home entertainment system.
JBL Cinema Vision, which is showcased in active demonstrations at CES 2005, includes a 7.1-channel loudspeaker package, a 50-inch high-definition plasma monitor and an A/V system controller that includes a DVD audio/video changer, receiver and video processor. It is designed to deliver ultimate audio and video performance combined with superior ease of use, and incorporates innovative features such as exclusive JBL Digital Link technology, which maintains 100-percent digital audio signal paths throughout the system for the best-possible sound quality, and uses a dedicated, single-cable connection between the A/V system controller and the plasma monitor to greatly simplify setup and installation.
Its 50-inch plasma display offers true high-definition-display capability with the highest possible resolution and color accuracy, and its loudspeakers are directly derived from JBL’s professional cinema and studio loudspeakers to deliver extraordinary sonic realism.
Although highly sophisticated in its capabilities, JBL Cinema Vision offers easy, intuitive operation, with a “smart” remote control and an integrated design that anticipates users’ needs, and automates key functions. All of the system’s components blend harmoniously to create an elegant, unified appearance, and provide a seamless integration of style and function.
JBL Cinema Vision is available at a suggested retail price of $15,000, through authorized JBL dealers. JBL Cinema Vision is sold as a system only, and its price includes dealer delivery and setup.
SCS300.7 and SCS200.7: Compact, Stylish Design, Outstanding 7.1-Channel Sound Quality
The JBL SCS300.7 and SCS200.7 Surround Cinema Speaker systems featured at CES are two complete, compact 7.1-channel home theater loudspeaker packages that offer exceptional sound quality and installation flexibility. Either SCS Series system is an ideal choice for listeners who want to enjoy true high-performance multichannel home theater surround sound with an affordable system that is designed to fit easily and unobtrusively in any size room.
Both systems include six satellite speakers, a dedicated center channel speaker and subwoofer, along with satellite wall-mount brackets and all necessary cables. The systems feature stunning, distinctive styling, with dark gray and silver contoured enclosures that complement any home entertainment system and living environment.
Although compact, the JBL SCS300.7 (SRP: $699.00) and SCS200.7 (SRP: $599.00) are engineered to reproduce movies and music with all the clarity and sonic realism that distinguish every JBL product. Both systems’ satellite speakers and dedicated center channel speakers feature titanium-laminate tweeters and advanced-technology woofers, which provide clear, dynamic, enveloping surround sound, and their powered subwoofers perfectly complement the main speakers with articulate, extended bass response. The SCS300.7 and SCS200.7 satellite speakers are designed for outstanding installation flexibility, and can be placed on shelves or installed using their unique swivel-bracket wall-mounting systems. Optional floor stands are also available.
