All the world's a sound stage

JBL brings some bigscreen know-how to a range of AVE affordable home cinema speakers, says Steve Withers

- Steve Withers

If you've been in a commercial cinema, the chances are at some point the sound you heard was reproduced by JBL speakers. The company has been synonymous with film audio since Al Jolson warbled in The Jazz Singer, and founder James B. Lansing was among the pioneers who helped usher in the era of the 'talkies'.

After nearly a century in the speaker business, there's something else JBL is often associated with - horn-loaded compression drivers. All the brand's premium loudspeakers use a variation on this approach, from the gargantuan flagship Summit series with horn-loaded mid and tweeters, down to its more domestically friendly HDI and Studio 6 Series where JBL's High-Definition Imaging (HDI) waveguide technology graces the high-frequency drivers.

 

The Stage Series sees JBL bringing its HDI technology down to an affordable entry-level range. All seven passive models use a lin aluminium dome tweeter paired with an acoustic lens and HDI waveguide for, it's claimed, a smoother high-frequency response and improved directivity. Mid-range and lower frequencies are handled by polycellulose ribbed drivers, with a white cone finish intended to echo previous JBL designs.

Right on target

The lineup is headed by the A190, followed by two other floorstanders: the midrange A180 and the more compact A170. There are two bookshelf speakers, the A130 and A120, along with a pair of dedicated centre speakers (A135C and A125C). Finally there's a pair of Stage Series active subwoofers: the 12in A120P and the 10in A100P.