JBL Arena 26Be Beryllium 2-Way Car Component System Review

When it comes to car audio, there’s a lot of players in the field, a lot of options for speakers. Some manufacturers have been at it longer than others. Some manufacturers have a bigger name than others. JBL is about as big of a name as you can get. For car audio, JBL’s highest top of the line is their Arena Series. Up for review is their JBL Arena 26Be 2-way component system.

 

Features and specs

1-inch Edge-Driven Pure Beryllium Dome Tweeter

 Carbon Fiber Composite Cone Body and Dustcap Woofer

 Nomex Spider Woofer

 Neodymium Magnet Motor

 Die-Cast Aluminum Basket

 Bi-Amp Capable Precision Outboard

Crossover Network

 Magnetic Adsorption Design

6-1/2" (165mm) 2-way car component

speaker system

1" Beryllium dome tweeter

6.5" glass fiber cone with cast frames

Bi-Amp Capable Precision Outboard

Crossover network

Frequency Response (-6dB): 20Hz – 40kHz

Power Handling: 100Wrms, 200W peak

Crossover Frequencies: 2.5K or 3.5kHz (selectable)

Nominal Impedance: 4 ohms

Sensitivity: 90dB (2.83V @1M)

Woofer mounting depth: 2.83 in./72mm

Tweeter flush mounting depth: 0.77 in./19.5mm

 

 

The JBL Arena 26Be component system came in a nice-looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the system. Opening the box revealed a well-protected speaker system held in place by custom molded foam. Materials used in the construction was mostly metal, with some carbon fiber, plastic, glass, and rubber. Quality of materials used in the construction, as well as the fit and finish, was excellent. Also included was the passive crossover network, mounting hardware, grills, and manual.

 

The review is a little late as the JBL Arena 26Be has been out for some time now, but I was still excited to help get the word out. And it also got me thinking that it’s about time that JBL came out with something like the Arena series, and they should bring out more. After all, JBL speakers can be found in elite arenas, and luxurious concert halls, throughout the world. In fact, after doing this for 80 years, they just announced the new generation of their luxury JBL Summit series of home speakers that start at $20,000 a pair and go up to $159,990 a pair. So why not bring some of that to the car? I would love to see more!

 

I love the design of the JBL Arena 26Be, and it all focuses around Beryllium. So we should first start there, and discuss what is so special about Beryllium. After all, Beryllium can be found in some of the most elite and exotic speakers. It’s rare because it is never found in its metallic state and is primarily found in rare minerals and is very costly to extract. This translate to a metal that is extremely specialized and expensive to produce.

 

Beryllium also has excellent qualities that make it perfect for audio applications. There are a lot of great sounding speakers using materials like aluminum, and titanium, for midrange and tweeters. But to improve on sound that already sounds excellent, you sometimes have to go to extremes and really push the envelope. And that’s what Beryllium allows. It offers the ultimate combination of being light as well as extremely stiff. It’s around 7 times stiffer than aluminum or titanium for the weight. That means that when a speaker is really working at high volumes and fast moving, it stays stiff without any flex which would cause distortions. And as physics has taught us…a body in motion stays in motion. The heavier the object the more energy it takes to start it and stop it. With beryllium being so light, it is extremely easy to get the cone to start and stop. This also translates to the driver being able to provide the best dynamics, transients, and small details. Beryllium also stops ringing much faster than other metals and its resonant distortion is much higher than we can hear, so this all yields a cleaner, transparent, and very accurate sound without coloration.

 

All of this explains why Beryllium is such an excellent choice for audio speakers. We can also see that due to its cost, it’s only found in speakers focused towards the most discerning audiophiles. Totally makes sense for why JBL has turned into it for its tweeters in the Arena 26Be component system. Yet it also makes sense why Beryllium also isn’t used in lower cost speaker series.

 

But JBL didn’t stop with Beryllium for their ultimate car speaker system. They also went with a glass fiber cone for the woofers, another very stiff material with excellent audio properties. The surround is a high-roll rubber, and the basket is die-cast aluminum to stay firm with no flux even at high volumes. JBL has several decades of experience, and it looks like they really tapped into their heritage to design this system. In an elegant touch, they even used magnets to make it simple to take the grill covers on and off.

 

From seeing the design and images on the box, to opening the box and seeing the amount of thought and details put into the presentation, I knew this was a special product. Everything was well laid out, well protected, and even the passive crossover was very meticulous. The clear cover was amazingly made of glass and showed off the excellent quality of caps, inductors, and resistors. And unlike most passive crossovers that may just provide tweeter attention, the JBL Arena also provides frequency selection for the tweeter crossover point, as well as ability to bi-amp. Bi-amp allows you to use a separate amplifier channer for the tweeter and woofer without having to use a fully active system. And they provided just about everything you would need to install the system. All of the mounting hardware was included, even tweeter brackets for both flush or surface mount. It’s an excellent design with excellent materials, and with a tweeter that can handle 50 watts RMS, and woofer 100 watts RMS. They are designed to provide aural sonic excellence at high volumes. It’s also solidly made to provide many years of use. Now let’s see how it sounds.

 

Listening

Junior Wells:  Why Are People Like That – vocals were smoother than a Dove bar, with excellent resolution of the texture of the timbre. Piano provided excellent dynamics and harmonics and transparency. Cymbals were really crisp and clean with excellent resolution to reveal the decay. Drums were equally dynamic with excellent pitch definition of the mid bass. But it was the harmonica that really stole the show, whose dynamics and harmonics were an aural feast. Imaging was spot-on and soundstage was both deep and wide.

Earth, Wind, & Fire:  September – wood block had excellent texture and the woodiness came though great. Snaps were so crisp and dynamic. Tambourine had nice dynamics with excellent crispness. Kick drum had great low-end extension and played with great dynamics and authority. Cymbals were also extremely crisp and clean with great resolution of the decay. Vocals were smooth like honey with excellent resolution of the texture. Trumpet was so dynamic with excellent harmonics and not to brassy. There were so many instruments and they were all resolved very well! Soundstage again was really deep and wide. And imaging was on a dime.

Disturbed:  Sound of Silence – excellent resolution of the impact of the hammer on the strings of the piano with excellent resolution to capture its decay. Vocals were so smooth yet at the same time sounded nice and raw, with excellent resolution of the texture of the timbre. Violins had great resolution of the strings with excellent harmonics. Tympani had really good low-end extension and dynamics with good authority and resolution of the impact of the mallet on the pad. Acoustic guitar was so so crisp and clean, with excellent resolution of the plucking of the strings and their decay. Cymbals were so crisp and clean and dynamic. Another example of a lot of instruments that can be extremely difficult to resolve, especially with detail, and they not only did so in spades, it did so with all of their resolution as well as showcase the depth and size of the recording studio. Imaging was equally showcased.

Rush:  Tom Sawyer – so for so much has made of the beyond stellar Beryllium tweeters, and their performance off the charts continued. Cymbals were incredibly crisp and clean, and each impact on the hi-hat in fast intervals was easily portrayed in full resolution. Vocals were smoother than honey, with excellent resolution of the texture. But this track also showcased how impressive the woofer is as well. The drummer put on a clinic to be remembered for all time. Soundstage was so good, I felt like I was in the drummer’s seat. It was almost holographic! With each strike of the pad, whether it was the snare, or any one of the multiple toms, dynamics were impressive. And the resolution of the impact on each of the pads, as well as pitch definition of each tom, and the authority and depth that was portrayed…..WOW!

Having reviewed home speakers worth several thousand dollars per pair, as well as car component speakers and headphones also worth in the thousands of dollars, I have been able to get intimately acquainted with some of my favorite tracks. And that made this review very difficult. I kept going from track to track, and hearing all of the minute intricate details that I knew were there. I needed to stay focused on listening for the review. But before I could do so, I kept having to catch myself from just enjoying the music and put myself back to task listening for the details. And I guess that’s probably the best compliment I can give. I kept getting goosebumps with what I was hearing, along with the accompanying ear to ear smile!

 

As Hanibal Smith used to say in The A-Team, “I love it when a plan comes together.” That’s exactly what the end results are with the JBL Arena 25Be component system. JBL set out to tap into their legendary, decades long audio heritage to provide maximum aural smorgasbord experience that your ears will feast on for years. The end result is a synergy that screams from the rooftops project success, and may subject you to a permanent ear to ear smile. It’s original MSRP of $2500 was worth every penny. But for what you can find it for now online, you’ll feel like you stole them. There should be zero hesitation for dropping serious coin for the JBL brand in car audio. Based on their design, features, quality and performance, the JBL Arena 26Be has earned our Editor’s Choice Award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.jbl.com.

RBH Sound Reference 815 In-Ceiling Speaker Review

Watching movies is a favorite past time for so many of us. And it’s that much nicer to be able to do it from the comfort of our own homes. There are many different levels of audio, starting with just stereo speakers in our TV, to the current best format being Dolby Atmos or DTS X. The best format now uses height speakers to increase the surround sound effect. One of the best manufacturers for home surround sound systems is RBH Sound. And up for review today is their top of the line in-ceiling speakers, it’s their RBH Sound Reference 815. Also included is their optional BC-8R steel back can.

 

Features and specs:

Recommended Power:              50W - 200W

Woofer:             1 x 8" (200mm) (133.35mm) Anodized Aluminum Cone

Tweeter:            1 x 1.38" x 1" (36mm x 26mm) AMT tweeter

Frequency Response (±3dB):  45Hz - 40kHz

Sensitivity:        91dB

Impedance:      8 Ohms

Crossover Frequency: 2.7kHz

Dimensions:     10.6" Dia x D 5.1" (270mm Dia x D 130mm)

Weight:              6.4 lbs (2.9kg)

 

The RBH Sound Reference 815 came in a standard white box. Opening the box revealed a well-protected speaker held in place by custom cardboard. Materials used in the construction was mostly metal and plastic, with some rubber. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was excellent. Materials such as manual and installation are found online.

 

I love the design of the RBH Sound Reference 815, but we must first cover what they were designed for. Since its first format Dolby Stereo was introduced back in 1975, there have been advancements to Dolby Surround, to Dolby Pro Logic. Dolby Digital was the first surround format that utilized full range to all channels. Now we have Dolby Atmos, which includes height channels, which are also full range.

 

RBH Sound, being the premium manufacturer they are, designed the Reference 815 in-ceiling to take full advantage of Dolby Atmos. They are a two-way design, featuring an 8-inch woofer and a separate tweeter. So if the sound track provides it, these speakers can provide deep bass. They can even handle a lot of power, up to 200 watts RMS worth.

 

What makes these RBH Sound Reference 815 really special, is they are part of their top-of-the-line Reference Series. They use the same high quality aluminum woofer that is used in the rest of their Reference Series. It’s a stiff cone that provides excellent dynamics thanks to its great responsiveness and control from the beefy magnet. It also employs the same amazing AMT tweeter, that is also utilized in all of the other Reference Series speakers. The AMT tweeter is fast, provides excellent detail and transients with a huge soundstage, wide frequency response, and an airy transparent sound.

I also love the overall design and build quality of the RBH Sound Reference 815. They employ a solid stamped steel basket, beefy magnet with a vented back plate.   The wire is a sufficiently thick 16-gauge wire for high power handling. The crossover board with excellent quality capacitors and inductors is also mounted to the back plate. I spoke to RBH Sound regarding the design, and the use of a stamped basket when the rest of the Reference Series uses a cast aluminum basket.  I was told that it was intentional due to the environment they are installed in.  While they offer a back can for it, the back can is an optional accessory for it.  Most are sold without it.  And installed in the ceiling, there could be insulation that could get into the speaker.  The design of the stamped basket provides more material that more encloses and protects the internals of the speaker, while with a cast basket it is mostly open.  And while there are some audio benefits of using a cast instead of a stamped basket, there is potential longer lifespan for the customer using a stamped basket.  Makes sense. 

 

But RBH Sound doesn’t stop there. Like the rest of their Reference Series in-wall speakers that utilize an enclosure, they have provided an optional steel back can. The back can screws onto the back of the speaker to create on enclosure for it. There’s a lot of in-wall/in-ceiling speaker options from a lot of manufacturers, and most of them do not utilize on enclosure. Instead, the entire wall cavity becomes the enclosure.

 

But you get the best sound when an enclosure is used. This is thanks to controlled acoustics. Manufacturer can utilize exact air space a speaker needs with an appropriately sized enclosure to maximize performance for nice tight bass and improved mids. You also don’t get sound leakage into other rooms. So keeping true to RBH Sound philosophy, they provide the best speaker possible, and do so by providing a back can for it. The thick gauge steel can has the same excellent quality push terminals on the back, with 16-gauge wire to connect to the speaker terminals. There’s a foam gasket glued to the lip of the back can to create an excellent seal, along with poly fill, to help with bass response. Once screwed down with the included screws, it creates an in-ceiling speaker with its own enclosure.

 

Speaker voice also needs to be taken into consideration. The RBH Sound Reference 815 uses the same woofer and tweeter as the rest of their Reference Series. That means they have the same voice. This is critical for home theater. You and I do not have the same voice, we sound different. Having speakers in your home theater that work together and have the same voice is critical. That way, when you are watching a movie, and a helicopter flies from left to right, and the sound travels across the front three speakers, or if it flies from in front of you to behind you, and you hear the sound span from your front speakers to the ceiling speakers to the rear speakers, it is a fluid sound motion that doesn’t stick out. That’s because all the speakers having the same voice sound the same. This provides a seamless transfer of sound going from one speaker to another that sounds the same.

 

What this means is while the RBH Sound Reference 815 is an excellent in-celling speaker that can be utilized as a whole house speaker that can be used in the ceilings throughout your home. It is also a perfect fit for their Reference Series for use in an elite home theater system. So depending on the size of your home theater, two, four, or six of the RBH Sound Reference 815’s would be used in the ceiling for height channel speakers, for the ultimate home theater speaker system.

 

What also can’t be forgotten is what is considered the Wife Acceptance Factor, or WAF. To get the best sound, as previously discussed, you need an enclosure. But having bulky tower speakers in the front of your room, as well as bookshelf or more tower speakers at the rear and sides, let’s just say it doesn’t score well on the WAF. And then you add mounting bookshelf speakers to the ceiling, for the best sound, well…now the WAF really plummets. It just doesn’t look nearly as good. But with the RBH Sound you can use their Reference Series, and with each speaker including the ceiling speakers, having their own enclosures, not only do they sound excellent, but being in-wall and in-ceiling, it looks really clean as well!

 

Installation was also fairly simple. Online was the cut sheet, for installation. Once the hole in the drywall was cut, a Phillips screwdriver does the job. The swing out dog-leg mounting system worked well, and made for an easy installation. The included grills are steel mesh and is magnetically held in place. And while they come in white, they can easily be painted for the color you need. Now that it’s installed, let’s see how they sound.

 

Listening:

Music:

 

Rhapsody in Blue – Clarinet had amazing air, with excellent resolution for the woodiness of the reed to come through well. Piano was very dynamic with excellent resolution to not only hear the impact of the string but also its decay. And the piano also sounded much more lifelike than a speaker should at this price point. I grew up around piano all my life with my mom playing daily, and my wife enjoys her baby grand. I have yet to hear a speaker at any price that can exactly duplicate a piano as if you were standing right next to it. And the RBH Sound Reference 815 performed much better than expected with the piano. The bassoon had very good texture. Brass was also silky smooth with excellent dynamics and harmonics.

Mayo Nakono Piano Trios “Scabious” – this track really shows off what a speaker can do when it comes to piano. The dynamics were great, as were the tone of the strings. I loved having enough resolution to be able to hear not just the impact of the hammer on the string, but also the decay of the string. And the details that the AMT tweeter are able to add, such as an airy nature that gave a real depth to the soundstage. And due to the wide dispersion, they also threw a wide soundstage. The instant transient response, excellent detail, and large soundstage, all added to what yielded a synergy that created a sound that was almost holographic in nature. It was like being on stage with the performers!

Junior Wells: Why are People Like That – vocals were very natural with excellent smoothness and texture of the timbre. Harmonica was so crisp and clean with excellent dynamics and harmonics, it gave me goosebumps! Drums also had excellent dynamics with very good resolution of the impact of the stick on the pad. Bass had very nice low-end extension. Cymbals were also so very crisp and clean with excellent resolution of the impact of the stick and the cymbals decay.

For you gamers: Sugaan Essena – Jedi Fallen order – the resolution of the lute was excellent, being able to hear the bow as it ran across the stings, and drums had excellent dynamics and resolution of the impact. Vocals had an excellent rawness of the texture of the timbre that came through in spades. And again the speed of the tweeter, along with its resolution, airiness, and size of dispersion and soundstage, was an aural feast. And it yielded a creation that again was almost holographic, and felt like I was right there in the recording studio.

 

Movies:

 

Ready Player One: Race scene- the revving of the engines showed off the cones stiffness by providing very good low-end extension and authority. Pitch definition of the midbass and bass was also extremely good. The stiffness of the aluminum cone also provided excellent control of the cone for excellent dynamics and resolution. Such as when the fireworks went off to start the race. There was excellent dynamics of the bang when the fireworks exploded that extended deep into the low-end, and continued into the mids and highs as the fireworks were sent across the soundstage. The various peeling and screeching of tires showed off the excellent resolution of both the woofer and tweeter. And when players were run over, causing their coins to become available, Z opened the door of this DeLoreon to collect those coins. As he spun the car all around, collecting those lost coins, you could really hear the wide soundstage all across the ceiling of the room, showcasing the really wide dispersion of the AMT tweeter. And the collection of all those coins was also so crisp and clean, revealing the excellent resolution and dynamics of the AMT tweeter as well! And then Kongs running to the finish line also made transparent the low-end extension that came through with sufficient authority.

Spider-Man: Far From Home- Ferris wheel scene – the roars of the monster had good low-end depth and authority. Shooting his webs at the monster was really crisp and clean. The explosions were also extremely dynamic with good low-end punch. I have watched this movie many times and they did an excellent job on the quality of the soundtrack of this scene. I used to be a scoutmaster and have been camping many, many times, and the fires in this scene, for example, has superb detail and resolution, sounding like a real campfire with the crisp and clean crackling.

Greatest Showman: Never Enough Song scene – I love how the passion builds and builds and builds. As the singer pours her heart into her performance, it is superbly portrayed. The harmonics were smoother than honey with excellent resolution to clearly show off the texture of the timbre. Even at reference level volume her vocals shined through without any strain.

 

RBH Sound has done it again with their Reference 815. It is extremely difficult to design a speaker that can not only provide the dynamics needed for a movie at reference level volumes, but to also do so with excellent resolution and sound quality. RBH Sound succeeded on all accounts. The high-quality surround and stiff cone provides great excursion to help with the reference quality dynamics, low-end extension, and output with authority. Mids were warm with excellent harmonics and levels of details not often heard at this price point. And the stellar AMT tweeter provides the same level of crispness and resolution with excellent air and transparency to the highs that are also not often found at this price point. Now don’t get me wrong, they aren’t perfect. Like I would love to see a swivel built into the tweeter housing to angle them more towards the listening position. But it had such a wide dispersion, the tweeter managed without it. And sound signature sounded more neutral.

 

The RBH Sound Reference 815 proved to be an excellent performer. They have the features and sound quality to serve as a stand-alone in a while house speaker system, or as the mains or surrounds in a small home theater system. But utilizing the same midrange driver and tweeter as is found in the rest of the RBH Sound Reference speakers, that means they also have the same voice as the rest of those reference series speakers. What this provides is and excellent height channel speaker with the same sound fluid across the entire soundstage.

 

There are certainly a lot of options out there for home theater system speakers. But if you would prefer to have the convenience of staying home to watch your movies, yet also have sound at least as good, if not better than your local movie theater, the list of potential speakers just got a lot smaller. RBH Sound is one of those options, with excellent build quality to provide many years of use. They deserve to be on your short list.  Add to the fact that they are also made here in the US, it’s also nice to know you are supporting local jobs.  It would also be a difficult task to find a better in-ceiling speaker at their price point.  While it’s a price point that may be too high for many, I believe Ferris Beuller said it best after driving the Ferrari:  It I so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend it.  Based on its design, features, quality, and performance, the RBH Sound Reference 815 has earned our Editor’s Choice Award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.rbhsound.com.  

JBL Legend 700 Multimedia Double DIN Receiver Review

When it comes to car audio, JBL has a long history of providing excellent products. These usually consist of amps, speakers, and subs. But JBL has recently started selling a new product: receivers. Up for review today is their double DIN sized color 7” touchscreen multimedia receiver. It’s their JBL Legend 700, with only $329 MSRP.

 

Features and specs:

Screen Size:  7

Screen Type:  Capacitive

Din Size:  double-DIN (4" tall)

Supports multiple audio sources:  Bluetooth, USB, Auxiliary Input and AM/FM

Apple CarPlay:  Wireless or Wired

Android Auto:  Wireless or Wired

Bluetooth Version:  5.0

Built-in AM/FM tuner:  Yes

RDS:  Yes

EQ bands:  16

Preamp Outputs:  6-channel

Preamp Voltage:  4

Subwoofer controls:  Yes

Backup Camera Input:  Yes

 

The JBL Legend 700 came in a nice color printed box, with photos and specs of the receiver. Opening the box revealed a well-protected receiver, held in place by custom cardboard. Materials used in the construction was mostly metal, with some plastic. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was very good. Also included was the trim ring, wiring harness, GPS antenna, external mic, mounting brackets, screws, and a quick start guide.

 

I really like the simple design, yet great features at such a low price point. It’s a Multimedia Receiver. And like most, are becoming matchless, meaning, there is no CD\DVD player. But it does feature Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. After all, most everyone uses their phones for everything, including their music and GPS for getting around. So with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, most of our functionality is met. But there’s also a tuner, as well as Bluetooth, USB, and Aux In.

 

Using the JBL Legend 700 is simple. It features a touchscreen display, as well as a few hard buttons. Most is done with the touchscreen display. But the hard buttons are used for power/mute, vol+, vol-, return, voice activation, and subwoofer. Connecting your phone through Bluetooth, you’ll be able to use it to make handsfree calls using the included mic. The main menu is simple and intuitive. Settings takes you to the audio controls, where you can adjust the EQ and choose between the 8 presets.

 

You also get great functionality with the JBL Legend 700. There’s the tuner, and as previously mentioned there’s the USB connection for Android Audio and Apple CarPlay, which gives most of what we will use. But the USB connection can also be used for a flash drive with say, your CD collection on it. There’s also and Aux-In as well. And if you want a back-up camera, there’s a connection on the back for that too. I particularly liked the hard button the front for the subwoofer. It makes subwoofer adjustments very simple.

 

Using the JBL Legend 700 proved to be a great performer. Using Android Auto was simple. The controls were simple and very intuitive. The tuner worked well, and making handsfree calls with the included mic also worked well. And equally important, my tunes came out sounding great.

 

Disturbed: Sound of Silence – Piano sounded really natural, acoustic guitar was extremely crisp and clean with excellent resolution of the stings. Violin was also really smooth with equal resolution of the strings. Cymbals were really crisp and clean, with tympani being very dynamic with very good low-end extension and played with great authority.  Vocals were smooth like honey with excellent texture of the timbre.

Rush: Tom Sawyer- guitar was nice and raw, cymbals were extremely crisp and clean with good resolution of the stick.  Drums were an aural smorgasbord with the snare and multitude of toms, and kick drum.  They all had excellent dynamics, toms had the sonic pitch definition I was not expecting at this price point.  Kick drum had excellent depth and played with great authority.

Guns & Roses: Patience- acoustic guitar had excellent resolution of the strings including their pluck and decay, which was almost holographic.  The whistles were so smooth with excellent harmonics!  Vocals were smoother than a Dove bar, and had excellent texture of the timbre.  I also wasn’t expecting the width depth of soundstage. It was almost like being in the recording studio!

 

The JBL Legend 700 proved to be a great performer. It has the features that we all need. The built-in amp provided ample power for a couple pair of speakers. And the sound quality coming out was very good. All of this from a receiver that seemed well made for years of use, at a very low price point. Based on its design, features and quality and performance, but JBL Legend 700 has earned our Highly Recommended Award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.JBL.com.