JBL mixes classic hi-fi with modern tech at CES 2023 – and pumps up its Dolby Atmos soundbar power
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One of the busiest brands at CES 2023 has been JBL, with the audio specialists taking delivery of a boatload of new hi-fi equipment in Las Vegas, alongside new soundbars, headphones and portable speakers.
The Classic Series hi-fi range, new for 2023, is packed with retro styling and features an all-new integrated amplifier, CD player, turntable and a high-quality music streamer.
With walnut veneers and brushed metal finishes, the range retains the nostalgic design of JBL’s limited edition SA750 integrated amplifier from a few years back, released to mark the brand’s 75th anniversary alongside the well-received L100 Classic loudspeakers.
Like the SA750, the new SA350 integrated amplifier features a hefty Class G amplifier, along with support for the latest aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec for hi-res, low-latency wireless audio streaming up to 24-bit/192kHz. Priced at £1599/$2000, there’s 90W of power per channel and the unit offers a decent spread of inputs, including 3x stereo RCA, an MM/MC phono stage, plus three digital inputs (1x optical, 2x coaxial).
The CD350 Classic CD player, meanwhile, features an internal high-resolution DAC for “bit-perfect sound”, with up to 24-bit/96kHz file resolution supported via a USB-A port, while the MP350 high-end digital audio streaming system also features about AptX Adaptive Bluetooth for hi-res, low-latency wireless audio from your mobile devices. Priced at £799/$700, the built-in Wi-Fi lets you stream from a host of services with Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay all supported.
Elsewhere in the line-up, the classy-looking JBL TT350 Classic is a direct drive turntable with a heavy-duty cast aluminum platter and curved aluminum tonearm, which comes with a “high-end” Audio-Technica moving magnet cartridge in a removable headshell and a £10 price tag. 925 / $1000.
All four products will be launched mid-year.
Outside of the Classic range, JBL also unveiled a new, Bluetooth-ready turntable called the Spinner BT (pictured at top of page). While there’s no walnut to be seen here, there’s still something of a late ’70s retro vibe, with a black and orange plastic finish complemented by a speckled slipmat.
The Spinner BT boasts the distinctly more modern feature of aptX HD streaming on board, with the deck also featuring a switchable analogue phono stage output for connection to a classic component hi-fi or directly to a pair of powered speakers.
There’s a little longer wait for the Spinner BT, with the deck only coming in the second half of the year, with an asking price of £375/$399. It could be the perfect affordable Bluetooth model in our guide to the best turntables, if JBL’s usual focus on sound quality holds up.
Home theater enthusiasts, meanwhile, will be most interested in JBL’s new premium Dolby Atmos soundbar.
The JBL Bar 1300 features a whopping 15 audio channels and builds on the versatile design of its acclaimed predecessor, the Bar 9.1 and the more recent Bar 1000.
As with those systems, the main feature of the Bar 1300 is a pair of handy, wireless rear speakers with rechargeable batteries, plus a wireless subwoofer, with the new system increasing the number of upward-firing drivers to a room-filling six.
The Bar 1300 also features JBL’s MultiBeam algorithm to help create a wider soundstage by bouncing audio off your walls, PureVoice technology for optimizing movie dialogue, plus support for rival 3D audio format DTS:X and Atmos.
The JBL Bar 1300 will go on sale in mid-February 2023 for $1555 / £1299 – we expect it to be a strong contender for our list of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.
On the headphone front, the new JBL Tune Beam earbuds look like direct rivals to Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 thanks to their noise-isolating design. The new in-ears pack features 6mm drivers, Bluetooth 5.3, 12 hours of playback, which equates to ten hours with noise canceling on, plus IP54 water and dust resistance. The Tune Beams will be released in June at a price of $100.
For sporty types, there’s the Endurance Peak 3, an update to last year’s workout-friendly in-ears that earned a 4-star review from Tech Radar.
The updated earbuds now feature all-new 10mm drivers that JBL says are tuned for sport-friendly bass and last for a total of 50 hours. An updated PowerHook design with TwistLock technology, meanwhile, aims to provide an even more secure fit for those power runs. Also priced at $100 / £83.99, the Endurance Peak 3 goes on sale next month.
Finally, JBL’s hugely popular portable audio lineup gets an eco-friendly boost with two new Eco-Edition Bluetooth speakers.
The JBL Go 3 Eco and JBL Clip 4 Eco are Bluetooth 5.1 compatible and come with housings made from 90 percent recycled plastic, while the speaker grill and rope handles are made from 100 percent recycled material. The larger Clip 4 offers 10 hours of playback, while the Go 3 offers up to five hours of playback.
Both speakers will launch on the appropriate Earth Day green date on April 22 and will be available in Forest Green, Ocean Blue and Cloud White colorways, with the JBL Clip 4 Eco priced at $79.95 and the Go 3 Eco priced at $79. 95. $49.95.