What is a good receiver to work with JBL speakers?

Question

What is a good receiver to work with JBL speakers?

Answer 1

Try the Harman Kardons.  They are owned by the same company, so they would probably work the best with eachother.

Answer 2

Generally any mainstream receiver should work with any mainstream speaker.  For example Sony, Yamaha, etc.

Speakers and the receiver must match in two ways: power and impedance

Answer 3

"..Speakers and the receiver must match in two ways: power and impedance.."

Not really true.

Speakers change their impedance as they play different frequencies.  An 8 ohm speaker is the "average" impedance. It really goes the range from 4-30 ohms.

Power ratings: Receivers are NOT rated for one impedance speaker. But to publish power values - the companies state what impedance load was used when that power was measured.

A single receiver will:

- put out 60 watts into 8 ohms

- put out 90 watts into 6 ohms

- put out 120 watts into 4 ohms

But since most speakers are 8 ohms - this is usually the first numbers on the tag/specifications sheet.

WHAT RECEIVER

JBL's are not hard to drive. Any good amp will work. I would recommend you stick with Yamaha RX-v, Dennon, Sony ES, Pioneer Elite or even the new Onkyo TX-SR series that is getting some great reviews.

THE MYTH OF POWER

For a music system - people want to mimic a concert hall - from another room in the house.

A Home Theater system surrounds 1-4 chairs with an array of speakers. You dont care how it sounds in the next room or even anywhere else in the room except the center of the 5 speakers.

So dont get obsessed with power numbers.  Look for smaller, monitor-style speakers and a self powered sub and you can use a modest receiver to drive everything.