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JBL might not be the first name on home cinema aficionados’ lips when contemplating a new AV receiver - but that might be about to change. The brand is as ubiquitous as any in the pro audio world, and a household name across the pond - indeed, there’s a good chance you’ve heard its wares in the PA towers at rock stadia or at your local cinema multiplex. And although the installation-grade JBL Synthesis loudspeakers had home cinema geeks drooling in the 1990s, the residential range has endured a checkered history when it comes to high visibility marketing.
JBL is part of Harman International which, in turn, is owned by the Samsung Group. Last year, the company announced a small range of AVRs which, at the outset, appeared to buck several trends. The five-strong family tops out with the 9.2-channel MA9100HP, while the most affordable is the 5.2-channel MA310 - and when the latter showed up on my doorstep, not only was its feature-set scant but it bore a super-clean aesthetic and a bare-bones set-up procedure. Was this a complete rewrite of the conventions?
This MA7100HP sits just one peg below the 9.2-channel flagship. It sports seven Class D-based amp modules (good for 700 watts) and two line-level subwoofer outputs. This means a home cinema loudspeaker configuration can max out at 7.2 for an ear-level setup, or 5.2.2 for Dolby Atmos or DTS:X spatial audio. Like its cheaper MA310 sibling, the MA7100HP has a practical, if rather pared-back, set of features - and its glass-fronted enclosure, and large volume and input dials, are striking and the box eschews the design traditions of competitors. I’ll dig in with specifics later - but how does it sound?
SOUND QUALITY
The system layout for this test uses three M&K Sound S150s as front channel speakers, two S150Ts as surrounds and two MP150s speakers for the height channels. Two corner-loaded M&K X10+ subwoofers take on the grunt. There’s always some trepidation when connecting a mid-price AVR to a set of M&K S150 satellites and push-pull subwoofers - these 4-ohm loudspeakers want to be driven and many sub-£1500 receivers can simply crumple under the stress. Even with perfectly price-matched and spec’d loudspeakers, the more affordable AVRs from the usual suspects can sometimes exhibit sonic thinness, shrillness or lack of body.
Is JBL the same? Happily, the answer is a qualified ‘no’. The 7100 is bounding with energy - it has a maturity and confidence that's a rarity in this price class. Film soundtracks from shiny discs are layered with pinpoint effects steering and a gloriously cohesive soundstage. Even the subs are drawing down all they need from the seven sub-80Hz speakers and relishing the .1 rumbles with spot-on timing. If I’m being super-picky, movie dialogue can veer towards stridency - but overall it’s clean, isolated and intelligible.
It almost knocks me off my seat when I hear how much dynamic verve is on tap, and that’s without mentioning a midrange which is both rich and bold. The same applies to music sources, with TIDAL hi-res files sounding delightfully neutral and balanced from the left and right channels. There’s a wealth of studied lucidity in vocals, and stringed instruments soar and revel in complexity. The MA310 is no slouch for £499 - but it’s truly surprising what trebling the cash outlay for this MA7100HP gets you.
While the JBL ‘EZ Set EQ’ calibration generates some excellent results, simply dialling in distances, levels and crossover thresholds yields an impressive multi-channel bubble. To accompany the JBL Premium Audio app, you can use a phone-based microphone to trigger tones for an automated room profile - but whether this improves the soundstage is debatable. If Dirac Live is your predilection, then go ahead and get your hands dirty - It will tighten up the whole presentation. But don’t overlook what’s already free in the box.
LIVING WITH
JBL’s on-screen graphic user interface is like a throwback to the 1990s - ‘graphic’ here is a rather generous term, as the font is white typewriter courier on a black background. Then it’s a laborious process getting the remote control to click through the indexed tabs. But though it’s plastic and cheap, the zapper is refreshingly simple with its navi-circle, volume and six or so buttons - it’s a Zen-like release from the 30 or so knobs that some Japanese brands feel inclined to supply.
The AVR’s black glass fascia looks great, so it’s a bit of a disappointment to find the large volume and input dials are injection-moulded from lightweight plastic. The company, though, clearly wants to get surround sound back into the living room and out of the basement or gaming den.
Another plus is the superb full-colour LCD front display, from which you can adjust all menu settings - it’s so much prettier than the OSD I mentioned earlier. It will light up your album artwork and operational statuses just like a fancy network streamer. The LED light strip running along the base of the glass front defaults to JBL orange, but I prefer cool purple. It’s a nice touch.
What about upgradeability? Sadly, there are no pre-outs - and it’s a missed opportunity. There will be those banking on a future path to spec’ing out a larger room, so the chance to marry the JBL up to a family of monoblock amplifiers would have been nice - the 7100’s processing is too good to rule this out. It’s also worth mentioning the speaker connector apertures are too wide in diameter to accept two different types of banana plugs - and yes, that’s after removing those fill-in plastic widgets. It means I have to revert to bare wire.
With six HDMI inputs, three of which are 2.1 (8K/60), and two outputs (one eARC), there’s plenty of scope for adding digital sources. There are also one each of coaxial digital, optical TOSLINK and USB connectors. Inbound RCA ports are limited to three, one of which supports moving magnet phono for a turntable (plus ground). The Class D-based amplifiers will push out 125 watts into 8 ohms and 175 watts into 4 ohms, each with two channels driven. Given the sheer welly the 7100 can marshal, I’ve no reason to doubt these figures.
Of course, no receiver is worth its salt without streaming skills. The JBL provides Google Chromecast and Apple Airplay 2 platforms to cast content, and TIDAL Connect works without a hitch. The network connection is a harmonious exercise.
CONCLUSION
All is not what it seems. JBL has reimagined the AVR as a simpler, less work-intensive device - and many will interpret the relative lack of features as a black mark. But if, as I suspect, the bulk of resources have been ploughed into sound quality, then the company has achieved a victory. Gosh, if only they’d had the wherewithal to include pre-outs and a snazzier user interface. The MA7100HP could really be knocking it out of the park.
LISTENING NOTES
Gravity (2013, Dolby Atmos, Blu-ray) – Re-entry sequence
The massive and cohesive soundstage distributes laser-focused effects into the heights and surrounds – crashes, whooshes and mechanical groans. A thumping, confident midrange is augmented by integrated, deep-seated and fast bass. And above it all, a music score of brass, strings and pounding timpani consume the loudspeaker array. This is the authority of a much pricier amp.
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014, 5.1, 4K UHD) – Skydive sequence
Mark Strong’s voice in the much-needed respites from the air-bound action is lucid and centred, and it subsequently rises above the action without getting lost in the maelstrom. The transitions to the air blasts and huge orchestra in the hell-raising skydive are all handled with aplomb by the JBL. The aura is defined, cinematic and convincing.
The Chemical Brothers Got to Keep On
There’s impressive precision and articulationIn the tubular bells and high frequency swirling electronic effects - but while the overarching presentation is bold (not least in the vigorous fusion of drums and bass), a little more nuance and less music-by-numbers wouldn’t go amiss. With that said, if it’s a choice between this rendition and one from cost-equivalent models, I’ll put my money on this.
If you’re just starting your home cinema hobby and/or don’t care for endless bells and whistles, the JBL MA7100HP might well have your name on it. And if you’re happy to trade features for a refreshing design aesthetic and superior audio performance, then there’s a lot going for this device. Pair it with some capable budget loudspeakers and JBL could force the era of the high-end soundbar into retreat.
A natural set of partners for the JBL AVR are the Stage 2 loudspeakers from the same manufacturer. Also announced at the same time as the receiver range, you can get a full set of the bookshelf models (240B x4), the stylish low-rise centre (245C) and 10-inch subwoofer (200P) for just over £1600 - and the latter is an impressive bass box. Of course, the package is designed to fit the look of the electronics - each model is available in ‘espresso’ or ‘latte’ colour schemes to match the black or white receivers.
Push your budget out to £3.5K for the entire audio chain and it could lead you to the Bowers & Wilkins 600 S3 speaker package. Currently priced at £1999 from several retailers, the bundle includes the ASW610 subwoofer, a combination of 606 and 607 satellite speakers and HTM6 centre. The combo should produce a good dose of dynamics and enhanced detail, maximising the performance of any compact home cinema.
