CEDIA 2014

JBL Does Atmos Right

Thomas J. Norton  |  Sep 12, 2014

I've only caught two Dolby Atmos demos so far, but the JBL Synthesis demo was by far the most impressive--and may be the most impressive at the show. I'll reserve judgment on that, but with 12 discrete height speakers(JBL SCS 8s), 16 surround speakers (also JBL SCS8s, just a few of them shown here--no way to get all of them into a group photo!), 8 subwoofers, JBL M2 front speakers, a Dolby pro Atmos processor, banks of JBL Synthesis amps, and a 17-foot wide screen (projector unspecified--I'll update this when I find out), this $200,000 system is ready for your lottery winnings.

The picture (only 2K no less, from a DPI NC 900C projector, about $50,000) was spectacular (though with blacks more typical of theatrical presentations rather than the superior blacks available from some even modest home theater models). And the sound was as good as any movie sound I've yet heard, either home or theatrical (the latter including even the best theaters in Los Angeles). It could go plenty loud, but with the exception of an extended racing car sequence it was never edgy or grating. If you're fortunate enough to be at the show while reading this, it's a don't miss demo.

COMMENTS
WFO-to-the-end's picture
Submitted by WFO-to-the-end on September 14, 2014 - 2:38pm

are there any dallas area audio stores with a atmos demo room

Bob Ankosko's picture
Submitted by Bob Ankosko on September 16, 2014 - 12:28pm
At the recent CEDIA Expo, Dolby said select Magnolia Home Theater and Design Centers (typically a separate area in Best Buy stores) will be offering Atmos demonstrations starting in October but they didn't specify which locations. A quick check shows that there are about a dozen Magnolia showrooms in greater Dallas (Magnolia Store Finder). Check with the store closest to you to see if they're on the Amos bandwagon. Other retailers expected to feature in-store demos this fall include hhgregg, Future Shop, Best Buy Canada, Bjorn's in San Antonio, Texas, and Crutchfield in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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