News

US company JBL is launching two new products this month – the L52 Classic bookshelf loudspeaker and the JBL L75ms Music System. The L52 is in the same range as the larger L100 Classic and L82 Classic (HFC 473) models, the company claiming its compact size: “allows it to work in a variety of applications from standmount, to bookshelf, to tabletop, to wall-mount”.

A two-way design utilising a 19mm titanium dome tweeter mated to an acoustic lens waveguide and a 133mm white cone, cast-frame mid/bass driver, the L52 boasts a premium crossover network design, while the company says its front panel HF level attenuator: “allows the sound to be tailored to its environment”.

Enclosure tuning is bass-reflex via a front-firing tuned port, while a set of binding post speaker terminals provide a secure connection to speaker cables. The enclosure is finished in walnut wood veneer and includes a pair of threaded inserts on the rear panel for use with third-party wall mount brackets and a Quadrex foam grille available in a choice of black, blue or orange. Sold in mirror-imaged pairs, the JBL L52 Classic is priced at £1,000 per pair.

According to the company, the JBL L75ms Music System has been designed to: “cater to the enthusiast who seeks an easier way to listen to their music collection without sacrificing acoustic performance”.

Retro in appearance, it features an integrated streaming engine, which offers both wired and wireless network audio capabilities via Ethernet, Google Chromecast Built-in, Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth, plus a 32-bit/192kHz DAC. Connectivity includes a 3.5mm analogue input, a moving-magnet phono stage and HDMI ARC input for movies and gaming when connected to a television. There’s also a dedicated signal-sensing subwoofer output for hook up to an external powered subwoofer for more acoustic impact.

The veneer is walnut wood and the system comes with a curved front panel and a black Quadrex foam grille behind which it contains a pair of 25mm titanium dome tweeters with waveguides, a couple of 133mm white cone mid/bass drivers with dual front-firing ports and a 10mm central midrange driver – all arranged on a multi-angled baffle. Each of the five drivers has a dedicated channel of amplification and DSP tuning to deliver what the company claims is: “a vast soundstage across a large listening area”.

System operation of the L75ms is via the aluminium control panel on the top of the walnut enclosure, the included wireless remote control or wireless connectivity to a Google Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2 or Bluetooth-enabled device.

JBL has also partnered with Qobuz to offer a free 90-day trial premium subscription and is curating a playlist of songs used by the engineering and product team during the development. The system is priced at £1,500.

Available to buy now, you can find out more on JBL's website.