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The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  A great complement to the 260F. Solid center!

  • Incentivized
  • Verified Purchaser
  • My Best Buy® Member
  • Owned for 1 month

  The Stage 2 245C is JBL's budget friendly home theater center channel. This speaker is meant to be paired with a set of JBL Stage 2 speakers (260F or 280F) for the front three channels in a home theater arrangement. Overall I found this speaker excellent in its center channel duties. I purchased this item during the holidays to complete a the front arrangement of Stage 2 I was building. I have 2x260F floor standing speakers handling left and right duties. Due to their size, they were greatly outclassing my old center channel, and my assumption is that the 245C would pair nicely with them. I was not disappointed. Upon opening the box, you will find pretty simple contents. Paperwork, a well packaged and wrapped speaker (in thin foam to protect it, with the grille packaged separately). The speaker itself includes no real mounting hardware, but rather just the rather supple construction measuring at 8.5" deep, 6.1" tall and 29.1" wide. 4 4.5" full range drivers flank the central aluminum tweeter. These are a 2.5 way design, with a crossover that helps blend the frequency smoothly from the tweeter to the adjacent woofers, allowing them to blend the mids down with the outer-most woofers to handle the lower frequencies. This design keeps the sweet spot nice a large for this center channel. Around back are dual bass ports, and 5-way binding posts... I just used banana jacks. The espresso finished matches my 260F's well. Again my application is a home theater, and to pair with other JBL Stage 2 speakers. I was quite pleased with the 245C. Not only did it provide crisp clear audio, it provided a volume and completeness of sound I never got from my original 3 element center. Dialog doesn't get lost, but the mids and highs flow through quite nicely in movies. Calibrating these speakers is a must, and my Marantz receiver w/ Audyssey did a fantastic job of getting the most out of this speaker. I love the capabilities of this center. I feel like the 4 main speaker drivers and tweeter provide the sort of volume you need for a center. In a lot of movies, the center channel is the main speaker, and you rely on it for more than even dialog. I will say this was a great purchase for me. The JBL Stage 2 series is not cheap, but the quality from JBL seems top notch. In my fairly wide home theater setup, the 245C hauls its weight and fills the room with great dialog and effects. It blends seamlessly with the 260F floor standers and isn't overpowered by them at all. It packs a punk, and as long as its driven by a good amp, you will be happy with it.

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  This review is from JBL - Stage2 245C 2.5-Way Quad 4.5-inch (114mm) Center Channel Loudspeaker - Each - Espresso

  Posted 10 months ago by aarondr

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Great for vocals/dialogue

  • Incentivized
  • Verified Purchaser
  • Owned for 1 week

  Sounds great for the price. 5 drivers for the price of 3! I compared with the the HECO Aurora 30 and this one. Paired with KEF Q350s (LR) and Speedwoofer 10S MKII and a Onkyo RZ30.

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  Posted 2 months ago by Kapazza

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  INCREDIBLE CENTER CHANNEL SPEAKER!

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 25 Contributor

  JBL and Harman have been iconic names in professional and consumer audio for decades. Both names date to the audio products of the 1940’s and 1950’s. By the late 1960’s and early 1970’s JBL speakers were the premier speakers in Fender guitar amplifiers and speaker cabinets as well as many stage monitors. In the mid 1970’s the Grateful Dead toured with their famous “Wall of Sound” which contained a reported 586 JBL speakers. James B. Lansing was associated with a lot of great music. By the 1970’s Harman Kardon stereo receivers were a favorite among audiophiles. JBL and Harman Kardon were responsible for some of the most respected and popular professional audio equipment as well as consumer products. Through the decades the companies experienced ownership and management changes wherein fast-forward to the present day, Harman International is a subsidiary of Samsung, and includes JBL and a collective of some of the most renowned and respected audio products companies. JBL Harman just released the new product line comprised of MA (Modern Audio) series AV receivers and JBL Stage 2 series speakers. Among the factors that attracted me to these new components is that the MA AV receivers and Stage 2 speakers are matched components. From my perspective, there are several compelling advantages to using matched components, particularly as compared to cobbling together a home theater system from components from various manufacturers or even various products from a single manufacturer. First, all of the speakers share the same physical appearance characteristics, including their modern, minimalist design style, and their availability in either an Espresso (dark) or Latte (light) woodgrain speaker enclosure finish, with complimentary colored black or gray, magnetically attached removable grilles. The MA receivers are available with either a black or white face on a black cabinet. More importantly, they are matched technically. All of the speaker enclosures share the same construction and sound shaping characteristics with similar tuned rear ports, transducer design, construction and electrical characteristics, similar crossover networks and matched impedance. These speakers are also technically matched to the new MA model AV receivers, including matched power handling, with the intention of producing outstanding sound reproduction. In fact, towards those end-goals, the new MA AV receivers and the Stage 2 speakers were all designed and engineered at the JBL Harman Acoustic Engineering Center of Excellence in Northridge, California. The speakers and receivers will perform optimally together, because they are purposefully designed for perfect integration and compatibility. Another important attribute of the MA series receivers and Stage 2 series speakers is that JBL designed and engineered them for simplicity of setup/installation and simplicity of operation. People who are neither devoted audiophiles, engineers or industry professionals are able to rely on these components being the perfect accompaniments for each other. There are enough selections available to get just what you want and need, but there is no overwhelming complexity to create a difficult or intimidating experience when selecting, setting up or using these terrific components. I am extremely impressed with the performance of my JBL Harman components, all of which sound terrific. My outstanding JBL Harman home theater system is comprised of: MA7100HP – 7.2 Channel AV Receiver Stage 280F – Floorstanding (Tower) Speakers – Front Channels Stage 240H – Atmos Height Modules (Atmos Caps) – Mounted on 280F Speakers Stage 245C – Center Channel Speaker Stage 250B – Bookshelf Speakers – Rear Channels Stage 220P – 12” 250 Watt RMS Powered Subwoofer This assemblage of perfectly matched JBL Harman components is a stellar home theater system which sounds absolutely amazing! I am incredibly impressed and completely satisfied with the Stage 245C Center Channel Speaker. SPECIFICATIONS – STAGE 245C (From JBL Documentation): Type: Center Channel Loudspeaker System Low Frequency Driver: Quad 4.5-inch (114 mm) Polycellulose Ribbed Cone High Frequency Driver: 1-inch (25 mm) Anodized Aluminum Waveguide: Next Generation HDI™ Recommended Amplifier Power: 20-150 W RMS power: 75 W Frequency Response -6 dB: 55 Hz-25 kHz Frequency Response -3 dB: 82 Hz-25 kHz Sensitivity @ 1 M, 2.83 V: 91 dB Nominal Impedance: 6 Ohms Crossover Frequencies: 1.3 Khz/2.0 kHz Enclosure Tuning: Bass Reflex via Dual Rear-Firing Tuned Ports Finish: Espresso or Latte Dimensions (H x W x D): 6.1 in x 29.1 in x 8.5 in (156 mm x 740 mm x 217 mm) Product Weight: 26.4 lbs. (12.0 kg) Shipping Weight: 32.2 lbs. (14.7 kg) Regarding the 1-inch tweeter and horn shaped waveguide in the 245C, JBL explains that “through intense research of previous waveguide designs, JBL has developed a new complex geometry that improves directivity, reduced diffraction, and an overall neutral frequency response both on and off axis. The Stage 2 HDI Horn is coupled to an anodized aluminum dome tweeter to enhance efficiency and dynamics”. This claim is validated when listening to the 245C. The reproduction of high frequencies is excellent. The highs are bright and crisp, clear and undistorted. The distinct timbre of all high-frequency instrumental notes is well defined and accurate. Voices are extremely clear and distinct and do not become “lost” in the mix. There is no sibilance either. JBL also furnishes some additional details regarding the crossover network of the 245C, explaining that the two and one-half way (2.5) crossover network is designed to cross over the top (inboard) 4.5” woofers just below the 1” tweeter’s output, while the bottom (outboard) 4.5” woofers crosses over at a different, lower frequency. JBL states that, “this creates a dynamic mid-range but both woofers still extend as deep as they can go for powerful bass. This produces cohesive balanced output with a robust low end that can be both heard and felt.” Obviously, I cannot technically validate the JBL description of the crossover network, however listening to the 245C speaker is a genuine pleasure. When listening to a variety of source materials, including different genres of music sources, I find that the full range of audio frequencies sound pure and realistic. The highs are beautifully represented, and the mid-range frequencies sound clear and accurate. The low, bass frequencies are deep and resonant. JBL also claims that “the flared design of the dual rear ports reduces the velocity of the air when exiting the speaker cabinet, eliminating any chuffing or coloration of output.” The Stage 245C center channel speaker is not a small center channel speaker with just one or two transducers. The 245C is a large center channel speaker with four premium 4.5” woofers in addition to the horn augmented 1” tweeter. In fact, the size and weight of the 245C is a consideration for placement of the speaker which should, of course, be directly below the screen. There are no wall mount brackets supplied for the substantial 26.4 lb. 245C, and the 6” height and 29” width may be an issue if the paired television rests on a TV credenza, as mine does. JBL does not offer a matching center channel speaker stand. The Stage 245C speaker is provided with six anti-slip pads which can be used beneath the speaker to reduce vibration. The speaker cable binding posts are recessed and configured at a 45° angle making connecting bare wire challenging, especially if 12 gauge wire is used. The Stage 245C speaker looks great, but more importantly it sounds fantastic with every type of source material that I have used and each music genre that I have played. It has excellent power handling capabilities, and remains clear and undistorted even at extremely high volume levels. The four large, 4.5” transducers and waveguide equipped aluminum tweeter project sound beautifully even in the large room where I am using this system. Since most dialog is typically directed to the center channel speaker, voice clarity is frequently an issue with center channel speakers. Many users resultantly need to set the center channel level a few db higher to improve voice clarity. The Stage 245C does not need a db boost to produce incredibly clear dialog. It is a very powerful and competent speaker. The Stage 245C speaker is mated to the JBL MA7100HP AVR which is a reasonably powerful receiver rated at 125 W RMS Rated Power @ 8Ω (20Hz – 20kHz, 2 channels driven, 0.5% THD max) and 175W RMS Rated Power @ 4Ω (20Hz – 20kHz, 2 channels driven, 0.5% THD max). The matched design and engineering of the Stage 2 series speakers and the MA series AV receivers makes it extremely simple and easy to specify and select a complete home theater system comprised of excellent, premium level components from an outstanding audio component manufacturer, with a very long and rich company heritage. Our listening and viewing experience has improved significantly with the Harman JBL home theater components. Whether playing streamed movies or music, or using my Blu-Ray player, CD changer, or turntable, we are now enjoying the experience more than we did previously. The Stage 2 speakers and MA7100HP AVR provide extraordinary, room filling, high resolution audio with incredible fidelity across the full sound spectrum. As soon as I had connected and configured the system, running Top Gun Maverick, with its powerful soundtrack and height effects, was really incredible and satisfying! A few movies and concert videos later I was beyond impressed with how outstanding the Harman JBL components are! This is really how high-performance component audio should sound. The home theater experience with these components is truly a theater experience! I am confident that the Stage 245C speaker is the perfect center channel speaker in this great home theater system. I am extremely impressed with it, and I am enjoying its performance a great deal.

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  This review is from JBL - Stage2 245C 2.5-Way Quad 4.5-inch (114mm) Center Channel Loudspeaker - Each - Espresso

  Posted 1 year ago by Curmudgeon1