JBL Synthesis

synth one 15 years ago, very fatiguing. Don't like it.

I have heard pretty much the entire line in some very well setup rooms. Properly implemented it is an amazing system. If you have a local dealer they should be able to arrange a demo for you.

I have heard the 175,000 Hercules, the Synth one, the two and the in wall, still I WHOLEHEARTEDLY DISAGREE, BLURRY IMAGING IN A ROARING CAGE. This system was designed for pro logic based THX not for full 7.1 multichannel.

But how do you REALLY feel

Even though I respect MAX's opinion for me I like the Synth series for movies. The impact was awesome however...

To my ear the Genelac demo at CEDIA (about 25% less than JBL) was equally fantastic but the real winner for movies was the Tannoy demo at CEDIA at a price that was extremely competitive ($18-20K without amps and processor).

Another consideration might be PHC. They do there own amp and crosserover gig as well. Very pricey like the JBL but it kicked some serious tail.


Mike

Synthesis appears to want to replicate the movie theater experience at home, but why replicate what you can easily outdo?

I Agree, I have heard the Synth several times I was not that impressed it was just loud that's all

Coming from you I take that as a complement.

Peter's changing his business name to BipolarMax to describe his feelings towards all audio gear.

Hey mate, You meant PMC, which I just realised I was confusing with ATC since their product is named the ATL.

PMC is good gear.

Richard

Peter, PHC is different from PMC.

they are definetly bright! More bright than even my "inexpensive" in comparison Klipsch THX Ultra II package!

I've heard PHC before
http://www.professionalhomecinema.com/phcHome.htm

I've heard several Synthesis demo's and can honestly say that some of them - like the Synthesis Everest 250.000$ system that I heard in Berlin - are the very best home theater systems I heard.

In fact, I am considering investing in a Synthesis K2 system. Disadvantages are the obliged Lex MC12HD processor, which has no Dolby True HD and DTS Master HD decoding, the fact that you need another processor with an extra D/A-A/D stage and of course the heavy price tag...





The only real competitor that I am aware of is PHC (not PMC!)

Horn based systems, also when driven actively, have some advantages. The load on the driver sinks dramatically and distortion levels respectively as well, which is very good. However, you need good room treatment and equalisation, then brightness won't be an issue. Passive x-overs are known to have load dependencies, so I woudl favor an active approach throughout. Remember, those speakers are designed to serve a greater audience/Theater with sound. For the small sweet spot rooms of perfectionists, there are more options to good sound, as less force is needed to hit reference levels

Mike,

can you please expand which Tannoy package was that?

Is it the new Definition Install Line or something from the pro range?

I haven't heard anyone mention here that virtually all the components and drivers in the Synthesis line are now different from the original Syn 1, 2, and 3. I haven't jumped in to hear these, but my guess is that they are more refined than the originals.

As sort of an off-hand compliment, I've often described the Klipsch THX U2 line as having a refinement to its horn-based sound quality that Synthesis wishes it had.

Personally if you don't like the JBL Synthesis but you want horns, go with the Triad Platinums.

Richard

FWIW, I've heard PMC's upper end stuff at a DTS demo and didn't like it *at all*. Colored, harsh, unrefined, boxy, out of control. Saw the measurements of their GB1 speaker and they measured horribly and weren't exactly cheap either. Have no idea what people hear in them. It scared the pants off me because I thought it was the measurements of the PSB GB1, but thankfully, it was the PMC.

I bought a JBL Synthesis® Array Two Plus (yeah, who names these systems?) with the SAM1HF and SAM2LF modules, and I have to say, it seriously outperforms anything else I auditioned in the same market segment. In CA it's a $60k+ system including our blessed sales tax, but I paid less than full retail. Even so, it's a serious investment.

I spent more money reconfiguring the HT, plus room treatments, and JBL sent out the calibration expert who took the time to really dial in the system. It's absolutely worth every penny.

While personal preferences (and prejudices) vary, I cannot imagine anyone calling this system anything other than superb.

The Professional Home Cinema (PHC) gear was impressive, too, but decidedly less satisfying and IMO not the equal of either the Triad Platinum system or the JBL Synthesis®. Klipsch THX system in this segment? Not really a comparable product. No thanks.

Filecat,

I admonish you that I have much better things with my time, that what you made me do this morning at 5 am. CEASE AND DESIST WITH YOUR PROSAIC STATEMENTS.

I guess I will have to order a few of these to pass around to forum members.


For someone looking for the supreme surround sound experience I suggest thinking outside the box.

From the dictionary:


"Thinking outside the box" is a good example of a prosaic statement that has become the de facto inside the box utterance of the 2000s.

The room you linked to is a bit gaudy for my plebian, unimaginative tastes, though I liked the iPhone. I'm sure the room is great with the lights down and the system in full operation, if those plots are actuals.

When it cmes to what people see and hear, there is, of course, no accounting for taste. You think you can account for mine with acerbic and sarcastic admonitions, but you can't, any more than I can account for yours.

I did get a laugh out of you youtube effort. Well done.

Who built the fabric panels in that room? They look awful.

If you look at the entire thread, you can see what a labor of love (and fanaticism ) it was. Plus it was a collaboration, with a demanding owner and a very particular architect. So while the panels might not be to our liking, I'm certain they are well-received in Italy and that they function admirably.

The thread is well worth reading if some of the extraneous hyperbole and general goofing around that invades long threads can be filtered out.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1021614

It's an ambitious and noteworthy project.

I don't understand why you'd want a Synthesis. The equalization box (SDEC 4500) is long in the tooth and is far behind other products providing the some functions. The SD40HD processor is the Lexicon MC12HD which is NOT HDMI 1.3b and currently does not support any of the high resolution lossless audio formats. If you want to spend that kind of money, you need to extract free upgrades to the replacements for both the SD40HD and the SDEC 4500 when they are available.

Genelec is an option (a good one). Get a more current, fresh surround processor, along with something along the lines of the QSC DSP322UA ... less money better performance.

Based upon your room size and the room's requirements (which you should determine first), you can find better for less (and more).

Does the JBL version of the lexicon support LPCM over HDMI?

Ah, yes I remember this thread when it was first started. Exciting to see that it has come so far, and no doubt the room is superb from a performance standpoint. I was simply surprised that those panels were given a pass assuming the considerable price tag.

As far as the topic at hand, I've always been a fan of the Synthesis systems, but I would agree that some of the components could use upgrading. They are particularly adept at playing live concert recordings, something that many (most?) comparably-priced systems lack the raw power and size to accomplish effectively. For some clients that has been priority one, especially those that have lost an ear for minute details. The ability to feel] the music is more important than extreme levels of resolution, at least to a degree.

which TANNOY was at CEDIA ? this one ?http://www.tannoy.com/ResidentialSummary.aspx

i'm getting the DC12is for LCR first in demo room 2 here
demo room 1 is JBL PRO cinema. just luv it. far far cheaper than Synthesis.
me and friend we both own such a system and there's no turning back.
bullet proof, distorsion free (with racks full of pro amps, active crossovers)