JBL’s retro-inspired Traditional Sequence
loudspeakers have been all the fashion for the final 5 years, so it ought to come
as no shock that the corporate is now spreading that retro appeal to an entire
line of Traditional Sequence electronics. At this yr’s CES-adjacent “Harman
Discover” showcase in Las Vegas, JBL confirmed off its new SA550 Traditional built-in
amplifier ($2,000), MP350 Traditional streaming media participant ($700), CD350 Traditional
CD participant ($800), and TT350 Traditional turntable ($1,000). All can be accessible
within the second quarter of 2023, in response to Harman. JBL’s savvy formulation of
timeless design plus trendy know-how made the 2018 launch of the L100
Traditional an enormous hit for the corporate, regardless of its comparatively excessive $4K-per-pair
worth. In spite of everything, the unique 1970 JBL L100 Century was the corporate’s most profitable
speaker of all time, and the 2018 model capitalized on that nostalgia issue
whereas profiting from totally trendy engineering. Will JBL strike gold
once more with these new Traditional Sequence electronics?
The design inspiration for the brand new
electronics was the JBL SA600 amplifier from the Sixties. (In 2021, JBL
celebrated its seventy fifth anniversary with the unique $3,000 SA750 built-in
amplifier, which additionally paid homage to the SA600 by way of its retro styling and wood-clad aspect
panels.) Appears-wise, the brand new Traditional Sequence electronics mix the outdated with the
new fairly gracefully, because of the identical pure walnut wooden veneers because the
Traditional Sequence loudspeakers, paired with machined aluminum faceplates and
controls. Inside, nonetheless, there’s loads of Twenty first-century tech within the type of
the newest hi-res digital and analog audio electronics.
Whether or not streaming audio from a cellular machine or
having fun with a CD or vinyl document, the newest additions to our Traditional Sequence
create fascinating experiences for listeners that carry music to life. And so they
look as wonderful as they sound. With their retro design, they completely match
one another and JBL Traditional and Studio Monitor Loudspeakers for a modern,
cohesive look in any surroundings.
— Jim Garrett, Senior Director,
Product Technique and Planning, Harman Luxurious Audio
The SA550 Traditional built-in
amplifier boasts 90W per channel of superior Class G energy (150W into
4 ohms), which needs to be enough for many loudspeakers, although JBL would
naturally steer patrons towards the Traditional L100, L82, or L52. (See beneath
for a proof of Class G amplification from Arcam, JBL’s stablemate at
Harman.) The SA550 has three analog inputs plus a MM/MC phono stage. Digital
inputs embody one optical and two coaxial with help for information as much as 24-bit/192kHz, plus
bluetooth with AptX Adaptive know-how. Whereas the
50%-more-expensive SA750 from 2021 contains streaming smarts (together with Dirac Reside room
correction), the SA550 requires a separate streaming machine, and that’s the place
the MP350 Traditional streaming media participant is available in. The Roon-ready MP350
Traditional can stream from private libraries and streaming companies, with help
for Spotify Join and Tidal Join, together with a myriad of different music companies
by way of Apple Airplay and Google Chromecast. Each the MP350 and SA550 use a “reference hi-res DAC
with time area jitter elimination.” I believe it’s very possible that each items’
DACs are primarily based on ESS chips, however that’s solely hypothesis at the moment.
Class G Explainer from Arcam
What precisely is Class G? Like a
hybrid automotive engine, Class G implements a number of energy provides quite than simply
a single provide. If a dynamic sign is obtained that goes past the
functionality of this primary energy provide, the secondary provide is steadily
introduced in as much as full rated energy output as required. This offers a really
environment friendly design as extra energy is barely used when required, very like a
turbo-charger. Trendy high-speed silicon permits us to make this change quicker
than would ever be required, even method past the audio bandwidth, so there’s
no ‘turbo
lag.’ The primary
energy provide is of decrease energy and inside this area we run in pure Class A,
which has no crossover distortion. Because the secondary provide is barely used when
required, excessive ranges of energy are potential as a result of little or no power is
wasted within the amplifier as warmth when it’s not getting used. With out management,
this energy could be ill-used, so like excessive efficiency automotive tires, a number of
output gadgets inside the amplifier preserve a good grip on the loudspeaker in any respect
occasions, guaranteeing your listening expertise by no means leaves the highway.– The field
For many who choose bodily media,
the CD350 Traditional and TT350 Traditional ought to do properly. The CD350 helps
CD-R and CD-RW playback, for those who nonetheless have a set of these mendacity round.
You should not have any points taking part in FLAC, WAV, MP3, AAC, or WMA file
codecs, and a USB-A
enter permits for file-based playback from an exterior arduous drive. JBL says
that the CD350’s tray loading mechanism is strong sufficient to
face up to the upcoming compact disc renaissance which, I’m advised, will take off
any day now. In the meantime, the TT350 Traditional turntable
incorporates a direct drive motor with help for 33.3 rpm and 45 rpm speeds. Each
rotational speeds are locked with a velocity sensor “for excellent pitch,” in accordance
to JBL. The curved aluminum tonearm comes pre-installed with a high-quality transferring magnet
cartridge on a detachable head shell, which ought to make for straightforward replacements or
upgrades down the road. At press time, we don’t but know what you’ll be
upgrading from, although, as JBL stays tight-lipped about what cartridge is
included. We do know that the adjustable toes enable for these oh-so-crucial
leveling changes to be made when inserting the turntable on surfaces that may
not be ruler-flat, and the toes additionally present damping to impede exterior
vibrations from making their method into the audio sign. The TT350 actually
appears the half, because of its walnut wooden chassis and tinted mud cowl.
If you wish to get into vinyl at a
cheaper price, JBL additionally launched the $399 JBL Spinner BT turntable, which isn’t
a part of the audiophile-oriented Traditional Sequence, however however presents a
vibrant design and bluetooth, pairing simply with the moveable audio system,
soundbars, and headphones utilized by, let’s consider, regular folks. The Spinner
BT’s use of aptX HD encoding implies that the bluetooth sign ought to sound
higher than common, although a wired connection by way of the built-in (defeatable) MM
phono stage will certainly yield higher outcomes. The Spinner BT incorporates a black
MDF plinth with JBL orange accents, an aluminum platter and tonearm, a
belt-drive motor, and an Audio Technica transferring magnet cartridge, as soon as once more
pre-installed on a detachable head shell. The Spinner BT will start delivery
throughout the third quarter of 2023.
The JBL Spinner BT is a testomony to
the enjoyment of music and vinyl, and we couldn’t be extra excited to introduce it at
Harman Discover. With Bluetooth 5.2 know-how, the turntable offers listeners
with an prompt wi-fi connection to their document collections — permitting them
to get pleasure from their albums in any method they want with out dropping the signature sound
of vinyl — whereas its modern design makes a daring assertion in any system. And
with its analog output and built-in phono preamplifier, the Spinner BT is
equally at dwelling with purists preferring a wired connection.
— Jim Garrett
Preliminary Impressions on JBL Traditional Sequence Merchandise
I believe it’s
honest to say {that a} important a part of the attraction of JBL’s Traditional Sequence
loudspeakers is their simple cool-factor and retro styling. Whereas most
of us don’t discover electronics particularly thrilling to take a look at, these Traditional
Sequence parts completely stroll the road between retro and up to date. It’s
an aesthetic slam dunk for those who ask me. It stays to be seen (and heard) how
nicely they carry out, and I’d have beloved to see Dirac Reside included into
the SA550 amp,
particularly contemplating it’s accessible on the similarly-priced (although a lot much less
visually enticing) NAD C 399. Will the Traditional Sequence electronics be massive
sellers for JBL? Share your ideas within the associated discussion board thread beneath.
Except in any other case indicated, it is a preview article for the featured product. A proper overview might or might not observe sooner or later.
