Customer Ratings & Reviews

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.

Very happy with the whole system. I picked up the two bookshelf's, MA720, 12 inch sub, and this center speaker. I must admit I am very new to the component home theater space. I was planning on picking up a JBL partybox Ultimate since I love my 110, but I realized that I have no where to really store that behemoth of a speaker. Then I remembered my dad has a Kenwood component system that I always loved. I started doing my research and little did I know JBL recently came out with this package. It was like God himself put the idea in front of me. I am very happy with this purchase. The sound is very enjoyable. I have am not huge on watching movies at loud volumes, I purchased this more for music listening - the movies with some real bass is a great experience I will say - and I must admit the money is well spent. I have a $2000 Sony audio system in my truck that was my preferred music listening experience, but this JBL component system has just become my favorite escape from life. In regards to performance I have enough loudness to reframe from turning past 85%. My expectations were met as I wanted stupid loudness available, without having to hit max volume. When I have the input to ALL Stereo, I get that access. The best part is when I get to that 90-100 range it's clear, I do fear to damage these speakers but they so far have seemed capable of handling it.

Got rid of my soundbar and started building a better home theater system using JBL speakers. The sound is amazing. The center channel speaker slid right into the opening of my fake fireplace.

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.

I upgraded my Vizio sound bar and this speaker hits harder and is 20x louder!! Sounds superior!!

The JBL Stage 2 240H height speakers are a wedge-shaped home theater speakers used as either Atmos speakers that sit on top of a bed layer speaker or as a height speaker mounted to a wall or ceiling. The 240H does not ship with any mounting hardware. As such, I configured the 240H speakers as Atmos speakers. I can mount wall mount these speakers if I want. These speakers have both a keyhole and a mounting hole to accommodate both JBL and third-party wall mounts. The speakers ship with a black, sticky, jelly like anti-slip pad that is used to stick the 240H to the top of the Stage 2 tower or bookshelf speakers. The adhesive is strong enough to hold the 240H in place but not so strong that it creates a permanent bond. In my case, I have the 240H height speaker sitting on top of my JBL Stage 2 280F tower speakers. I can tell you for fact that the 240H will not fall off my towers if bumped, tilted, or moved. The pad serves a secondary purpose; to decouple the 240H from the host speaker. This prevents any cabinet resonance from either speaker from interacting with each other. The last thing you want to hear in the middle of a big action scene are your speakers rattling around. === Performance === For reference, my 240H height speakers are integrated into a 5.1.2 theater consisting of the JBL Stage 2 250B bookshelf speakers, 280F tower speakers, 245C center channel, Stage 220P 12-inch subwoofer, and the JBL MA710HP AVR. My test 4K movie for any new speakers or gear is Pacific Rim, Scene 2. This is the first fight between Gypsy Danger and a Kaiju. The scene has everything from rain, splashing ocean waves, stressed actuators, ship horns, distressed metal effects, angry animal roars, and screaming male voices. Sometimes all at once! Pacific Rim has a lot of height affects, which is partly why I use this movie to help test and calibrate my system. However, from my listening position, I did not feel like I was getting any Atmos effects. I did two things to prove this out. First, I unplugged all my speakers except the 240Hs. Second, I fast forwarded to the middle of chapter eight. This scene takes place on a balcony with heavy rain serving as a backdrop. This scene also shares the rain effects between the heights and the bed layer speakers. Essentially, I used the rain as a poor man’s pink noise to help with troubleshooting. The rain effect can be subtle depending on the speakers, speaker positions, number of speakers, and how much power is dedicated to those speakers. I could hear the rain clearly standing next to the speaker. Though, it seemed very quiet. From my seating position, seven feet away, the rain sounded like background static. I fast forwarded to some movie scenes where additional height effects were present. I admit that the 240Hs added some dimensionality to those scenes but I heard nothing that justified adding the 240H height speakers to the system. I figured that this may be a calibration issue with the AVR. Which prompted me to recalibrate the height speakers. The EZ Set EQ software, which JBL uses for their MA AVR room calibration, calibrates each speaker pair separately. Hence, I could focus just on the 240Hs and not worry about the rest of the system. I played through my demo scenes again and did get better results. The rain still did not sound like it was coming from the sky. And, in all honestly, I did not realize the impact the 240Hs had on the system until I demoed multi-channel stereo. With Multi-channel stereo, I got more of the 280F Tower speakers. For example, I tested multi-channel stereo with just the 280Fs and 240H height speakers plugged into the MA710HP. My musical selection was Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 21 in C Major, K 467 II. Andante. The JBL 280F Tower speakers sounded good in simple, two-channel stereo. Engaging multi-channel stereo brough the 240Hs online. The combination of 280Fs and 240Hs really delivered the WOW factor I was so desperately missing. The 240H’s made the 280Fs sound as big as the room is tall. That’s impressive! And really gets to the heart of what Atmos speakers can bring to the table. Getting back to Pacific Rim. In the past, I played this movie in a room with dedicated on-wall speakers. The rain sounds like actual rain in this configuration. Helicopter flybys sound like helicopter flybys. And waves breaking over the top plane of my bed layer speakers (there is no other way to describe it) sound like they are breaking over the tops of my bed layer speakers. The 240Hs in Atmos configuration, in this room, simply does not provide the same level of experience as dedicated on wall speakers can. However, the 240H’s can be mounted on a wall! They are specifically designed with an angled baffle to point at the listener from a wall position. The speakers have dedicated Atmos/Height switches to tell the speaker which configuration you are using. These are going on my wall as soon as I can get the right hardware. Placing these speakers on my front wall will take a sound track with height effects to the next level. === Construction and aesthetics === The 240H height speakers are well-constructed speakers even by high value, budget friendly standards. The vinyl espresso wood wrap is very well executed and matches my entertainment center. This unifies my front stage since my 240H’s are mounted to my 280F Towers which are right next to my entertainment center. This would not be as important to me if the 240Hs were hanging on a wall or from the ceiling. But, still, the color pallet JBL chose does a great job of unifying my whole theater. The front baffle of the 240H is matt black. Unlike the Stage 2 Towers, Center, Bookshelves, and subwoofers, the 240H’s baffle does not extend past the edges of the speaker. The 1” anodized aluminum tweeter’s wave guide is much smaller than the rest of the speakers in the Stage 2 line. In all fairness, it probably does not require the extra space due to the limited use Atmos or Height speakers play with most movies and musical content. Since the baffle is much smaller, the illusion of size afforded to the other Stage 2 speakers is missing here. The front baffle edges also do not frame the speaker grills. This is not a bad thing because the oversized baffle would make the speaker look out of place while hanging out on top of another speaker in Atmos mode. The speaker grills are smartly constructed, attractive, and really help the speakers pop. The grill frame is constructed of a single piece of JBL Orange molded plastic. Gray toned textured colored acoustic fabric is stretched across the plastic frame. JBL brand is silk screened onto the front bottom of each grill. The fabric appears machine cut and glued to the back of the frame. The design and construction are very clean and give the speaker a professional look. The grills attach to the baffle with strong magnets. Simply brushing the speaker during a walk-by will not be enough to knock the grills off. Heck! Good luck knocking the 240H off of the top of a speaker while using the black pad! The back side of the speaker grills have soft felt to protect the speaker baffle from scratching due to removing and replacing the speaker grills. In my opinion, these speakers look fantastic with grills on or off. The binding posts are as no-frills and budget as they get. They will accept bar wire, spades, and banana plugs. I use banana plugs for all my equipment because I am constantly swapping out equipment and components. For the Stage 2 speakers, in general, a small plug needs to be removed from the top of each binding post before the binding post will accept a banana plug. Please note, bare wire will make the best possible connection between your AVR/receiver and your speakers. Finally, there is an Atmos/Surround switch located next to the binding posts. The switch is set to Atmos for my setup. Overall, the fit, finish, and construction of these speakers are fantastic. === Conclusion === Normally, high-value, budget friendly speakers look slapped together and cheap. The JBL Stage 2 240H Height speakers look anything but cheap. These speakers are very well thought out, purposely stylized, professionally executed, and look fantastic in my room. JBL also thought through how these speakers will connect to, and remain stable, on top of the matching Stage 2 280F Tower speakers. The overall results are handsome, stable, and unobtrusive speaker positions that are functional and sound great. Proper positioning, calibration, clean power, and a solid AVR will allow the 240Hs to put the finishing touches on your home theater or multi-channel audio system experience. It took some work to dial these speakers in properly. And was well rewarded for my efforts. For high value, budget friendly speakers, these do a great job.

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.

JBL and Harman have been iconic names in professional and consumer audio for decades. Both names date back 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 (5”, 12” and 15”). 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! Focusing on the Stage 240H Atmos Enabled Height Module Speakers that I am using for the two Atmos height channels, I am incredibly impressed and completely satisfied with them. The 240H Atmos Height Module speakers are a “dual purpose” speaker. The 240H is equipped with the same 4.5” woofer and horn equipped 1” tweeter as the 240B Bookshelf speakers. However, the 240H has a switchable, dual-mode 2-way crossover network allowing use of the 240H as EITHER wall mounted surround speakers, or Atmos height effect speakers which mount atop the 280F (or 260F) Floorstanding (Tower) Speakers. SPECIFICATIONS – STAGE 240H (From JBL Documentation): Type: Dolby Atmos® Surround Sound Loudspeaker System Low Frequency Driver: 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: 85 Hz-25 kHz Frequency Response -3 dB: 100 Hz-25 kHz Sensitivity @ 1 M, 2.83 V: 85 dB Nominal Impedance: 6 Ohms Crossover Frequencies: 1.6 kHz Enclosure Tuning: Sealed Finish: Espresso or Latte Dimensions (H x W x D): 6.9 in x 7.1 in x 10.6 in (176 mm x 180 mm x 270 mm) Product Weight: 7.6 lbs. (3.5 kg) Shipping Weight: 18.8 lbs. (8.5 kg) Regarding the 1-inch tweeter and horn shaped waveguide in the 240H, 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 new design offers a neutral frequency response both on and off axis.” This claim is validated when listening to the 240H. The reproduction of high frequencies is spectacular. The highs are bright and crisp, clear and undistorted. All of the Atmos height channel content is faithfully and accurately reproduced even in a room with a high ceiling. The discrete Atmos effect audio is incredibly accurate and clear. The Stage 240H speakers may be used as wall mounted height or surround channel speakers. For that application the Mode toggle switch adjacent to the binding posts on the speaker is placed in the SURR – Surround position. The 240H has keyhole slots for wall mounting as well as a ¼”-20 thread insert for attachment to mounting brackets. I employ the 240H speakers as Atmos height channel speakers (Atmos Caps) which I mounted on top of the 280F Floorstanding speakers. I appreciate and enjoy the elevated channel audio which Atmos speakers bounce off the ceiling. The crossover Mode toggle switch is placed in the Atmos position for that application. The 240H include large, extremely sticky anti-slip pads that attach to bottom of the 240H wedge style speakers resembling a peel & stick adhesive. The 240H speakers stay in position on the top of the 280F speakers with extreme tenacity, even at “concert volume”. Since the 280F speakers include an internally wired pass-through, the wire management for the 240H speakers is excellent. Short “jumpers” are used between the binding posts on the 240H speakers and the binding posts near the top, rear of the 280F speakers. 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 longer Atmos channel speaker cables originating from the receiver connect to a second set of binding posts at the bottom, rear of the 280F speakers. The Stage 240H Atmos / Surround speakers are reasonably compact and look great, but more importantly they sound absolutely fantastic with every type of source material that I have used, each music genre that I have played and each video / movie that I have watched. They have excellent power handling capabilities, and remain clear and undistorted even at extremely high volume levels. Their large, 4.25” transducers and waveguide equipped aluminum tweeter project sound beautifully even in the large room with high ceiling where I am using this system. They reproduce all Atmos height effects incredibly well and faithfully. 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! Aviation themed movies are particularly well-suited to enjoying the exceptional Atmos height effects reproduced by the 240H speakers. 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! The Stage 240H Atmos / Surround channel speakers are excellent overall and are a terrific complement to this great home theater system. I am extremely impressed with them, and I am enjoying their performance greatly.

The JBL 245 center channel, just like the other JBL Stage2 series speakers, was so well packed that it had to be mentioned. The speaker was double boxed and then wrapped with a white soft cloth. In addition to the white soft cloth, the speaker was packaged with a thick Styrofoam for extra protection during shipment. I was impressed. JBL did a fantastic job with the design of the speaker. It comes in a brown espresso color for the cabinet and black color on the front. The built quality is high end as the speaker does have some weight to it. It comes with a magnetic mesh grill that can easily come on or off. I personally prefer the speaker without the grill to appreciate the beautiful looks. This 245C speaker is big in size. It measures 6.1 inches in height and 29.1 inches width. To be honest, with this speaker it is best to have your tv mounted on the wall because if not it will probably block the view of your television if it is set on an entertainment center. The speaker is easy to connect, and with the 5 way binding post you can choose your preferred connection style. I have this 245C paired with the JBL MA710 receiver, Stage 2 series 280F floorstanding, 250B bookshelves, 200P sub, and the 240H Atmos. The speaker is powerful. You can hear all the dialogue in movies clearly. It’s as if the people are talking directly in front of you. When listening to Dolby Atmos or Spatial Audio content, this speaker really compliments the JBL sound stage loudspeakers. The sound really blends in with all the other sounds coming from the surrounding speakers. Not to mention these speakers can also handle frequency all the way down to 55hz. Overall, this JBL 245C is a great center channel speaker. It has a great build quality and it sounds great. Probably one of the best center channels speakers I’ve ever owned. It is easy to connect thanks to the 5 way binding post. This center channel speakers will blend perfectly when paired with the other JBL speakers in the same series. In the box you get the speaker, anti-slip pad, speaker grill, and quick start guide.

I’ve had the pleasure of using the new JBL Stage2 245C for a week now and I’m extremely impressed! This speaker is perfect for anyone who is looking to elevate their home theater experience. This center channel speaker is designed to bring dialogue and sound effects to life, making it a must have speaker for any surround sound setup that you want to achieve. As soon as I added this speaker to my system, and sat down to listen to a few songs and watch a movie, the clarity and precision of the audio produced were immediately obvious to me. The speaker arrived very well packaged with foam wrapping around the edges and center and a dust bag to cover the speaker. It was also double boxed in heavy cardboard to protect it during the shipment. Unpacking it by myself was pretty simple, but I will admit that it slipped out of my hand at one point, because of the dust bag which is slick, and one side of it hit the floor from about 5 inches up. I was really worried that this would damage the speaker and affect the sound, but I don’t think it hurt it at all, and that’s probably because it’s constructed with quality materials and is built to last! The Stage2 245C features a 2.5-way design with four 4.5-inch polycellulose ribbed cone woofers and a 1-inch aluminum tweeter, which work together to deliver a balanced, dynamic sound. The HDI (High-Definition Imaging) waveguide technology is a notable feature that ensures the dialogue of your content is crisp and focused, no matter where you're seated in the room. I have a midsize living room and the sound hits perfectly, to all corners of the room with no problem. I think this speaker is ideal for any size room, from small to large. I’m truly impressed with the speaker's ability to produce deep, resonant bass while also providing clear, high-frequency sounds, and that’s all thanks to its advanced crossover design. The midrange is smooth and sounds natural, making voices sound lifelike and ensuring nothing gets lost in the mix, which is extremely important if you want a truly immersive sound experience. It’s critical for intense movie scenes, and some gaming, where both dialogue and action are pumping out at the same time and need to be heard clearly and distinctly from one another. The 245C blends seamlessly with other speakers in the Stage2 series to create a cohesive and immersive sound experience that you have to hear to believe. I ordered the espresso finish, which looks fantastic in my living room and works really well with my home decor. The wood grain sides and top with the black front and speaker cover are both classic in appearance and modern at the same time, in my opinion. A look that will be in style for decades to come. I’m really happy with the JBL Stage2 245C speaker. It’s an excellent choice for anybody who is serious about home audio, or just wants to know they are getting one of the best speakers on the market for their money. It offers a perfect blend of performance, design, and value, making it a must have if you are searching for a truly cinematic sound experience.

JBL has been around for a long time. The American company first began to develop speaker products in 1946! More recently they have been among the greats with medium-tier and value-centric earbuds and headphones. There Bluetooth portable speakers have been a hit as well. With how popular soundbars and minimalism is in 2024, I'm surprised they've decided to dive into the wired home theater speaker market - but here they are, and they've came out swinging! I've always been a huge proponent of wired speakers, along with a AVR receiver. To my ears, no soundbar can duplicate truly, literal separated speakers. Among a 5.1-11.1 speaker set-up, the center speaker is the one you don't want to skimp out on. It has to be one of the most capable speakers among your set-up or the sound will leave a lot to be desired. That's where JBL's Stage 245C 2-way quad 4.5 inch center channel speaker comes into play. This is large, this thing is awesome. I'm coming from the Klipsch family of speakers, which has been solid for me over the last several years, but I wanted to change some things up and get tower speakers, so I decided to dive right in to JBL's new set-up. This center speaker packs a punch that isn't overwhelming. It gives the other speakers their own room to breathe and has separation that is welcomed to my ears. Remember, sound is subjective, but you'd have a hard time finding someone who doesn't think this speaker sounds good. The build quality is evident as soon as you unpack it from the box. JBL's style is modern and welcomed from the plain jane dark speakers we're used to. I can't say enough about the aesthetic of these speakers - everything from this center speaker to the left and rights, the sub, the rears and most evident, the receiver (which I'm still waiting for, so I'm using my current Onkyo RZ-50, which unfortunately has had some technical issues throughout my ownership). For $400, JBL offers a higher than priced mid-tier center speaker. This will work with almost any space. I don't have a super large entertainment area, but even if I did, I'd feel confident these pack a punch to fill most spaces. I imagine JBL could have sold these at a higher price, but being this series is their first foray into the home theater space, they want to make sure they separate themselves with pricing and not quality - the quality matches more expensive speakers (for example, my Klipsch center speaker retails for $600!). I'm excited for this series to grow. I believe they are influencing style in this market that has been needing a modern change for a long time. I'm super happy with my 7.1 set-up and this center speaker is the heart of it.

The JBL Stage 2 245C center is a high value, budget friendly center channel that will provide a satisfying experience when well placed, configured correctly, and paired with the right equipment. The 245C comes with a single, centrally located 1-inch anodized aluminum dome tweeter set back in a wave guide. The wave guide helps ensure the tweeter has a wide dispersion when playing higher frequency content such as female vocals, stressed metal in action movies, and instruments such as trumpets. The 245C also does not sound small or boxed in. Flanking each side of the center channel are two 4.5” polycellulos cone mid-range woofers that will carry the bulk of the dialogue, special effects, and music. In total, there are five speakers running the 29-inch length of the soundbar. This should ensure even disbursement and quality of sound across multiple listening positions. In addition, the 245C has two vented ports running out the back to enhance the lower frequency response of the mid-bass drivers. Essentially, male vocals will sound deeper than the mid-bass drivers themselves can produce. However, if you want S-Tier performance from the 245C then you will pair this center channel with the second most important speaker in any home theater, a subwoofer. In my case, I have the 245C paired with the JBL Stage 220P subwoofer. == Setup == The 245C is situated on top of my entertainment center directly under the TV. Next, I aligned the center lines of the TV, entertainment center, and center channel’s tweeter, with the center line of my primary listening position. I then pulled the center channel forward so that the front baffle was hanging over the front edge of the entertainment center. This is to reduce the impact of the entertainment center with the front baffle of the speaker. This should provide a better sound. Straight out of the box, the 245C tweeters can be bright and harsh. This is especially true if you are not accustomed to horn loaded tweeters; what JBL is calling a wave guide. You must run your ARV’s room calibration software. Then test the center channel with content you are familiar with. Then adjust the treble tone control on the AVR to clean up any high end that the room calibration missed. Also check if the AVR recorded the correct distance from the center channel to the center of your primary listening position. This helps with time alignment for the rest of the speakers in your system. And finally, if you have a subwoofer, set the 245C’s crossover with the subwoofer to 80hz in your AVR’s configuration screen. For me, I ran my ARV’s room correction software, set the 245C speaker size to “small” (meaning it is not a full range speaker), set the crossover to 80hz (THX standard), and turned the treble down to -6 to reign in the tweeter. This worked perfectly for my room. It takes a little more work than a comparable soundbar. And the results are far superior. === Performance === For reference, my 245C center channel integrated into a 5.1.2 theater consisting of the JBL Stage 2 250B bookshelf speakers, 280F tower speakers, 240H height speakers, 245C center channel, Stage 220P 12-inch subwoofer, and the JBL MA710HP AVR. My test 4K movie for any new speakers or gear is Pacific Rim, Scene 2. This is the first fight between Gypsy Danger and a Kaiju. The scene has everything from rain, splashing ocean waves, stressed actuators, ship horns, distressed metal effects, angry animal roars, and screaming male voices. Sometimes all at once! The 245C did a good job handling the cacophony. Dialogue had a wide dispersion, special effects were clear, and male voices and the roaring kaiju sounded fierce. The movie’s quieter, dialog driven scenes were equally clear and natural sounding for movie mixed dialogue. Meaning there is always a cinematic quality applied to movie voices that you do not get with animation, TV, sports, or even TV commercials. I switched to an Anime series on Netflix called “Overlord”. The whole first season is almost exclusively dialogue. This Anime series contains the stereotypical high pitched female voices, manly male voices, deep monster voices, and many child-like and anime teenager voices. At no time did I feel the voices were boxed in or congested. The high-pitched female characters did not stress the tweeter. And the deep male voices sounded full and convincing. What I liked about this demo is that a subwoofer was not required to extract the best performance. I unplugged the subwoofer just to prove the point. The 245C did a really good job of standing on its own for this, and other tv series I watched. For movies, however, subwoofer all the way! Why should I limit myself. I did play some music through the system using Dolby processing. However, the other speakers of the system simply drowned out the 245C. I did notice that my center imaging was a bit fuller than it would be with just my two JBL 280F tower speakers alone. But I did not feel it added enough cause me to choose Dolby Surround over Multi-Channel stereo when enjoying my music. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with the performance the 245C was able to provide. === Construction and aesthetics === The 245C is a well-constructed speaker even by budget speaker standards. The vinyl espresso wood wrap is very well executed and matches that of my entertainment center. In my case, the center channel appears to be a natural extension of the entertainment center’s surface simply because the two vinyl wraps match each other so exactly. The front baffle of 245C is matt black. The baffle’s edges extend beyond the sides and top edges of the speaker cabinet by a few millimeters. This may be to accommodate the huge plastic molded wave guide dead center in the center channel. The oversized baffle helps create the illusion that the speaker is slightly larger than it is. The baffle also gives the speaker grills some depth by framing the grey grill fabric with a recessed black border. This gives the center channel an extra sharp look when the grill is on. The speaker grills are smartly constructed, attractive, and help the center channel pop. The grill frame is constructed of a single piece of JBL Orange molded plastic. Gray toned textured colored acoustic fabric is stretched across the plastic frame. JBL brand is silk screened onto the front bottom of each grill. The fabric appears machine cut and glued to the back of the frame. The design and construction are very clean and give the speaker a professional look. The speaker grills stick to the baffle with strong magnets. Simply brushing the speaker during a walk-by will not be enough to knock the grill off. The back side of the speaker grills have soft felt to protect the speaker baffle from scratching due to removing and replacing the speaker grills. Finally, as with all speakers, the JBL Stage 2 245C speakers sound better with the grills off. In my opinion, the 245Cs look fantastic with grills on or off. The binding posts are as no-frills and budget as they get. They will accept bar wire, spades, and banana plugs. I use banana plugs for all my equipment because I am constantly swapping out equipment and components. For the Stage 2 speakers, in general, a small plug needs to be removed from the top center of each binding post before the binding post will accept a banana plug. Please note, bare wire will make the best possible connection between your AVR/receiver and your speakers. I performed the knock test on the front, back, side, and top of each speaker. Essentially, knock on the sides of the speaker like you would a door. The top and sides sounded hollow as one would expect from a budget speaker. The front baffle sounds dull compared to the sides and top. This tells me that the front baffle is thicker and more inert than the sides and top. Which is what I would expect from a budget speaker. Overall, the fit, finish, and construction of these speakers are fantastic. === Conclusion === Normally, high value, budget friendly speakers look slapped together and cheap. The JBL Stage 2 245C center channel speaker looks anything but cheap. This speaker is very well thought out, purposely stylized, professionally executed, and looks fantastic in my room. The binding posts are the only thing I would call out as cheap looking. The overall result is a handsome speaker that looks great on my home entertainment center. Sonically, the 245C’s performance is directly related to what the AVR brings to the table. The 245C is a great sounding, budget friendly center channel that will sound great anchoring any high value, budget friendly home theater system. It just needs a solid AVR with plenty of power, proper room calibration, and tone controls for the speaker to realize its full potential.

The JBL Stage2 240H is an impressive set of speakers that elevate your sound, literally, to new heights with Dolby Atmos. These 2-way speakers are designed to output Dolby Atmos surround sound, and it does so really well. With the flip of a switch, you can set it up as a Dolby Atmos topper for your floor standing speakers or mount it on the wall as a height or surround speaker, adding to its versatility. This is a major pro, as it allows you to customize your setup according to your room's layout. Even better if you are somebody who moves a lot. No matter what your new living room layout is, the Stage2 240H will be a perfect fit. The sound quality of the Stage2 240H is a great addition to your speaker system. The 4.5-inch polycellulose ribbed cone woofer delivers deep, on-point bass, with the 1-inch anodized aluminum dome tweeter providing crisp and clear highs. This combination creates a balanced soundstage no matter what content you are enjoying. Whether you're watching an action-packed movie and all the sounds that come along with it, or if you’re listening to your favorite tunes. The speaker's High-Definition Imaging waveguide further enhances the audio experience, giving you smooth and natural high-frequency response even if you're not sitting directly in front of the speaker. The Stage2 240H does a great job in delivering detailed and immersive sound but it might not be the best choice if you're looking for earth-shaking bass on its own. You’ll want to pair this set of speakers with a solid subwoofer, like the Stage 200P, which can help to achieve a more complete sound experience. It’s not needed, but I do recommend it. I love the Espresso finish. It goes really well with my home decor and, IMO, it adds a touch of sophistication to the look of the speaker, making it a great fit for any modern home theater. It's also small enough that it won't dominate the room, despite its powerful performance. All in all, the JBL Stage2 240H is a versatile and high-performing speaker that delivers on its promises at a great price. I highly recommend this set of speakers to anyone who wants to add Dolby Atmos to their system.

These JBL 240H Dolby Atmos Surround sound speakers just like the rest of the JBL’s stage 2 came very well packed. The speakers were double boxed and then individually wrapped with a white soft cloth. In addition to the white soft cloth, the speakers were packaged with individual thick Styrofoam on the top and bottom for extra protection during shipment. I was impressed. Like most single speakers when bought separately, they do not come with any wiring. You must provide your own. The speakers are very well designed and they come in a dark brown espresso color. The built quality is high end and they have some weight on them. They come with a detachable magnetic mesh grill. That was definitely a great idea to attach the grills magnetically as you can appreciate a clean look at the front of the speakers without any holes. I personally prefer the speaker without them as they look beautiful. However, if your home is prone to having dust, it is probably best to leave the mesh grill on. In my current setup I have these speakers paired with the JBL MA710 receiver, Stage 2 series 280F floorstanding, 245C center channel, 250B bookshelves, and 200P sub. I have these 240H speakers sitting on top of the JBL stage 280F Floor standing tower front speakers. This is a nice feature to be able to do this especially in a set up where you can’t place the Dolby speakers on the wall. However, it is nice to have the ability to place them on the wall as well. The speakers are ready for wall mounting with the included key-hole slots or you have the option to use a third-party mounting kit. The speakers come with an anti-slip pad that prevents them from sliding or moving when placed on top of the floor standing speakers. This 240H speaker is very versatile. In the back where the binding post plate is located, there's a toggle switch that allows you to use this speaker as surround or Atmos. When listening to Dolby Atmos or Spatial Audio content, this speaker really compliments the JBL sound stage loudspeakers. The sound really blends in with all the other sounds coming from the surrounding speakers. Overall, this 240H is a great set of speakers and they look beautiful. They are very well built, and they sound great especially when paired with the other JBL Stage 2 series. They are easy to connect and you have the ability to wall mount without any additional accessories. The 5-way binding post gives you plenty of options to connect them. In the box you get the speaker, anti-slip pad, speaker grill and quick guide.

The center channel loudspeaker is the main star of my setup. It is what carries the most prominent sounds in movies and balances the surround sound. This one does all of this fantastically. It took over the spot under the tv where I used to keep a soundbar, and while I was upset at the soundbar’s displacement, I have absolutely no regrets after listening to this speaker in action. I am hearing voice and dialogue like I have never heard it before. I am discovering new sounds in movies I have watched so many times. But what is more amazing in this center channel speaker working in tandem with my setup, is that even when it is loud for my living room, it is not resonating throughout the house. We watched a fight at a decent volume that made it difficult to hear one another, yet the kids were asleep in their bedroom and the sound hardly made it there. Moreover, there is a balance between dialogue and theatrical sounds in which they work together rather than in competition as can be the case with the tv speaker, standalone speakers, and soundbars. When it comes to packaging, JBL really had the consumer experience in mind. The speakers come in boxes with instructions on how to properly and easily remove them from the boxes to make the process smooth and frustration free. Like the other JBL Stage2 loudspeakers, this speaker has a 6 Ohm impedance, thus requires either 12/2 or 12/4 speaker wire, which is not included. I went with the 12/2 option and used bare wire connections for the time being. The connection terminals allow bare wire, spade, or banana connections. The speaker comes with a magnetically attachable fabric grill that protects the audio components of each speaker and provides an aesthetic quality. I like that I can take it off as desired and replace it when the speaker is not in use. Since I have small children and dust settles quickly in my home, I prefer to leave it on more often than not though. It is quite delicate though and care should be taken when handling it. My surround system includes the MA710 7.2 AV Receiver, and the JBL Stage2 series of the following: 245C center channel speaker, two 250B bookshelf speakers, two 280F floorstanding speakers, two 240H height modules, and the 200P subwoofer. The center channel comes with four 4.5” woofers and one 1” tweeter that are housed in a conspicuous frame that blends perfectly into the furniture. It does not call attention to itself while providing a vital role in the sound dynamic of the space. I have tested the speakers with my system using all sorts of music genres, loud and night volumes, and a variety of movies, and this speaker brought out the sounds with such clarity and dynamism that it left me watching and listening to things I only meant to use for a short test. It is difficult not to become immersed when the sound is this good. Overall, this is a vital component of a good surround system, and I do not think I will be going back to my old soundbar after being spoiled by the luxury of sharp, crisp, audible dialogue.

I am using these 240H Stage2 height module as an addition to my 280F tower speakers. They work amazingly to add complexity of sound to the setup. Comprised of a 4.5” woofer and a 1” tweeter, they play a valuable role in adding the background dynamic to movies and the higher notes of music. They are basically an angled version of the smaller bookshelf option. Each comes with an anti-slip pad, so it stays in place if used with the floorstanding speaker. The pad is very sticky and bonds so that it takes some effort to pick up the speaker. It additionally provides a damper to prevent the two speakers from affecting the sound of one another. Apart from using them as an addition to the Stage2 floorstanding speakers, they can also be mounted to the wall to create height to the sound stage. There is a mounting option underneath that can be used with aftermarket mounts. The speaker is very well built, feels like it is made of high-quality materials, and the color fits in well with the rest of my furniture. It comes with a magnetically attached grille that can be easily removed and replaced as desired. It is really delicate and should be handled and stored with care though. When it comes to packaging, JBL really had the consumer experience in mind. The speakers come in boxes with instructions on how to properly and easily remove them from the boxes to make the process smooth and frustration free. The speakers have a 6 Ohm impedance, thus require either 12/2 or 12/4 speaker wire, which is not included. I went with the 12/2 option and used bare wire connections for the time being. The connection terminals allow bare wire, spade, or banana connections. My surround system includes the MA710 7.2 AV Receiver, and the JBL Stage2 series of the following: 245C center channel speaker, two 250B bookshelf speakers, two 280F floorstanding speakers, two 240H height modules, and the 200P subwoofer. These speakers are definitely a great addition to a home theater and provide the necessary height and high notes to the set-up. I love the versatility of location and how well they are made to fit into the floorstanding speakers.

Dolby Atmos has been around for a few years at this point, but hasn't been emphasized by me due to my ceiling structure. Most sound engineers and home theater enthusiasts believe in order to have true Dolby Atmos sound with up-firing speakers (like these JBL's 240Hs) the ceiling needs to be flat. Knowing this, I haven't delved into the full Dolby Atmos experience, but prefer Dolby Atmos sound to any other format on my home theater. That changed with these $300 pair of speakers that sit perfectly on top of my floorstanding speakers. JBL has offered an affordable, yet quality addition to their Stage2 line-up with these Dolby Atmos 4.5 inch speakers. The 240H Dolby Atmos-enabled height modules include the same woofer and horn from the 240B bookshelf model. They connect easily via binding posts on the top back of both floorstanding models or surround channels that can mount on the wall or ceiling. This creates a fluid and consistent sound that is specifically engineered with other JBL speakers and receivers in mind. For the time being, I have them hooked up to my Onkyo RZ-50 receiver, which is produces great sound, although I've had technical issues with the receiver throughout ownership. I'm excited to get my JBL MA7100 soon to complete the full JBL set-up. These speakers have can be switchable between Dolby Atmos and surround modes and possess an Atmos bypass switch to set them as height channels, which I have them set-up for. And although they include key hole slots for easy attachment to a wall and an industry standard 1/4-20 threaded insert for use with aftermarket mount systems, I have them on top of my floorstanding speakers. They come with a rubber-like sticky pad to ensure stability. These are an excellent addition to any set-up and can be used with any 5.1 set-up to create a 7.1. However, I encourage to delve into JBL's new Stage2 offerings, as I can speak from experience these are an awesome set of speakers that punch well above their weight-class and price.

Most home theater enthusiasts would say that the center channel is the most important speaker in your entire home theater. Some estimates more than 80% of dialog and sounds comes from the center channel in movies. This JBL Stage 2 245C center channel checks all the boxes for my home theater build. The box houses quad 4.5 inch woofers, one 1 inch tweeter and rear ported. The quad 4.5 inch woofers has a unique 2.5-way crossover. What a 2.5-way crossover does is crosses over the woofers nearest the tweeter to make a seamless blend of midrange and leaves the outside woofer crossed over at the lower frequencies. This allows for a more natural roll off in frequencies. This 2.5-way crossover is also found in this lineup’s tower loudspeakers. With the center channel doing the heavy lifting in dialog during movies, the 1 inch tweeter and midrange crossover woofers nearest to the tweeter makes for natural male and female voices. I have my AVR set to crossover at 80Hz to my subwoofers and all voices, even deeper voices still sound like they are coming from the channel speaker instead of my subwoofer. The horn design allows for a wider off axis listening as sometimes it’s hard to properly angle the speaker towards the listener if it’s within a TV stand/cabinet. I wasn’t impressed with the performance straight out of the box. It sounded muddy and without clarity. After running my AVR’s room calibration, this center channel went from just OK to absolutely amazing. Make sure to properly angle your center channel up towards your listening position, if possible, to get the most out of it. In summary, JBL’s 245C center channel punches above its weight class. Dialog comes out super crisp and clear and always amazed at the clarity. Make sure to also get matching front left and right tower speakers to timbre match your setup for the ultimate home theater experience.

Love the modern look of JBL’s Stage 2 lineup. These Dolby Atmos height speakers matches the rest of the Stage 2 loudspeaker lineup and easily integrates with JBL’s Stage 2 tower speakers. Atmos is getting more and more popular with sound engineers adding effects to the atmos channel in a lot of the latest action movies. Atmos really shines with overhead sounds like helicopters, planes, overhead explosions and general ambiance. Adding atmos speakers in the ceiling can be a challenge in most home theater setups and these speakers are a good way to get atmos like effects without in-ceiling speakers. Proper atmos setups requires direct overhead placements of the speakers but these 240H speakers, when placed on top of your towers, uses a creative way of ceiling bounce and reflective sounds to make the sounds appear like they are coming above you in your primary listening position. You can also hang them as height speakers above your front sound stage. The 240H does come with a 1 inch tweeter with a 4.5 inch woofer. Perfectly timbre matched to their other speaker lineups for the perfect match. Sounds great out of box but sounds even better with proper room calibration with your AVR. In summary, if you want to experience Dolby Atmos or Spatial audio without drilling into your ceiling, these dolby atmos enabled speakers are the next best thing.

I recently switched out the furniture and home theater in my family room and as a result, went from black speakers for front & center channels, to this newer JBL Stage portfolio of fronts and center. These deliver very nicely and the white speaker shell, complimented with light wood and gray magnetic grill looks aesthetically pleasing. As I mentioned in my review of the JBL Stage floor standing speakers I bought, I was very impressed how well this center channel was packaged. Upon receiving it from Best Buy via shipping, I wasn't concerned in the slightest that there would be any damage to this speaker. It's definitely the largest center channel I've ever owned, but this one will be with us for the long haul. Very pleased with, and receiving compliments from family and friends.