CEDIA 2022

Fans of the JBL sound now have another way to enjoy the brand’s classic horn-based sound: Put them in the wall. Harman Luxury Audio Group has announced that the JBL Stage 2 Architectural Series previewed a few months ago are now shipping along with new Stage XD Series outdoor speakers.

Ranging in price from $150 to $250 each, the Stage 2 lineup comprises eight models in various configurations for installation in a wall or ceiling. All feature a 1-inch aluminum tweeter with an acoustic lens and waveguide, polycellulose cone woofers, and a crossover network with air-core inductors and mylar cap capacitors mounted in a sturdy frame with a rigid baffle crafted to improve sound propagation.

While all models are designed to deliver “accurate sound over a large listening area,” the size of the waveguide varies by model with rectangular models featuring a large horn-like waveguide and round models offering one or two tweeters (and a much smaller waveguide) suspended over the woofer in a coaxial arrangement. Drivers are hidden behind discrete grilles that are paintable and attach magnetically to the speaker frame.

Two models are offered in the Stage XD Series of all-weather speakers: the Stage XD-5 ($449/pair) and XD-6 ($599/pair) pair a 5.25-inch or 6.5-inch polycellulose woofer with a 1-inch aluminum tweeter featuring JBL’s signature acoustic lens and waveguide in an IP-67-rated dust-tight/waterproof enclosure. The speakers are available in black or white and include wall mounting hardware.

"By offering one of the highest levels of ingress protection available, not only are Stage XD Series loudspeakers built for prolonged exposure to harsh conditions, they're also designed to come apart and undergo repair in case of damage, instead of finding their way to the landfill,” said Jim Garrett, Harman’s senior director of product strategy and planning.

Harman Luxury Audio Group also announced that the JBL Synthesis SDA-1700 class-D subwoofer amplifier previewed a year ago is finally shipping with a retail price of $1,320. The amp is designed to power the brand’s SSW-4 in-wall subwoofer, delivering 350 watts to a single SSW-4 or 700 watts to a pair. The amp includes an adjustable crossover and equalizer, including a single-band parametric EQ for fine-tuning bass performance, and provides short-circuit and thermal protection in addition to signal sensing automatic turn on/off.