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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 4 out of 5 stars

  High value, Budget Friendly Bookshelf Speakers

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 100 Contributor

  The JBL Stage 2 250B bookshelf speakers are high value, budget friendly bookshelf speakers that provide a satisfying home theater experience when well placed, configured correctly, and paired with the right equipment. The 250B has a single 1-inch anodized aluminum dome tweeter set in a wave guide. This configuration is also known as a horn tweeter. The wave guide on the 250B takes up the whole top front of the baffle. 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 wave guide also helps the speakers achieve an efficiency rating of 91dB. In layman’s terms, these speakers will play louder at the same volume than speakers with lower efficiency ratings. The 250B also sports a single 5.25” Polycellulos ribbed woofer. The woofer is crossed over with the tweeter at 1.7 khz. The total frequency response of the speakers is 55hz to 25khz. The rear firing port ensures that this tiny bookshelf can reach down to the 50hz region. === Performance === I configured the 250B Bookshelf speakers as surround left and right speakers for my home theater. The theater consists of JBL Stage 2 280F Towers, 240H height speakers, a 245C center channel, and the JBL Stage 220P 12-inch subwoofer. The system is being driven by JBL’s MA710HP AVR. I calibrated the room using the MA710HP AVR’s room calibration software. During calibration I set the 250Bs crossover to 80hz. Using a measuring tape, I noted the distance from each speaker to my listening position and recorded those numbers in the AVR’s speaker configuration screen. Finally, I stuff the 250Bs rear ports with microfiber towers to limit the bass output. This is because each speaker was pushed up against a wall. This was to reduce any unwanted boomy or bloated bass. Besides, I was shunting the bass to the subwoofer so there was no need for the 250Bs to produce bass. For home theater, my test 4K movie for any new speaker 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, screaming male voices, and action music! Sometimes all at once! This scene can really stress a system. The 450B bookshelves did an admirable job of filling surround effects and the movie’s soundtrack. Occasionally, a high-pitched sound effect would pierce the sound field and hit me straight in the temple. This was after room correction and a -6 treble tone control was applied to the whole system. I ran into a similar issue during two-channel listening in my home office. I have the Technic’s SA-C600 stereo receiver in my home office. I swapped out my office speakers for the 250Bs. I ran these both in stock and after running the receiver’s room calibration software. In short, my home office is an audiophile’s nightmare. Partly because of “mystical audiophile reasons.” I am also listening near-field, about 3-feet from each speaker. The speakers are about four feet apart and three inches from the wall. They also sit on my desk, flanking my monitor, sitting on a pair of angled foam speaker pads. See included photo. I listened to a collection of Jazz, classical, rock, metal, pop, and Boston. The band, Boston. I focused mostly on Boston’s debut album, “Boston”, simply because I think it clearly illustrates the limits of the 250B. The keyboards and screaming guitars gave the tweeters a real work out. For example, the last 20 seconds of “More Than A Feeling”, the singer, Brad Delp, belts out, and holds, one of his famous high notes. All the instruments join in to hold that note with Mr. Delp. The results are a harmonious wall of sound that I swear forced tears of agony from the 250Bs tweeters! The tweeters hung in there but really sounded stressed and fatiguing. I was also hearing some ringing, across different content, whenever the tweeter got saturated in this way. I did resolve this. Keep reading. On the flip side, the woofer sounded very well controlled. The singers and instruments were very clear. However, the woofers struggled to provide the power behind the music. A good example can be found with the Indego Girl’s, “Closer to Fine.” The song starts out with a single guitar leading with the brighter, higher chords. The second guitar joins in at about the 30 second mark. This guitar is playing the mid to mid-bass notes and carries the power of the song. The bass was there but without the depth or power needed to carry the emotions of the performance. So, what fixed my setup? First, I adjusted the speakers tow-in to about 5 degrees. This equalized the interaction between the tweeters. Next, tone-controls. These tweeters need limits. I turned the treble down to -6. This really cooled off the tweeters and removed brightness. It was like a different speaker. Next, I turned the bass up as far as the receiver would allow. This restored some of the punch, depth, and power missing from my earlier listening sessions. Finally, I turned down the bass tone control to +2 from +6 and then turned on my sub. Ahhh, this was the JBL 250B performance I was chasing. To illustrate the point, I played Jacques Loussier Trio’s rendition of Bach’s “Fuge in G Minor (arrangement for Jazz Trio)”. The bass was punchy both with and without the subwoofer to support the 250Bs. Probably the best I heard up to this point. The piano chords were strong and authoritative. And the piano high notes were sharp, controlled hits without the brightness or harshness I experienced before. I even went back to Boston’s, “More Than A Feeling”, and played the last 30 seconds of the song. The tweeters did not cry for mercy this time. Things were much more controlled, even-handed, and enjoyable. Bottom line, the 250B bookshelf speakers can take some work before you can extract their best performance. === Construction and aesthetics === The 250B bookshelf speaker is a well-constructed speaker even by budget speaker standards. The vinyl espresso wood wrap is very well executed and matches my entertainment center. For the 250B’s, this is less important to me than my front stage speakers simply because the 250B’s are serving as my surround speakers behind my listening position. However, it is nice to have a single unifying theme for the whole theater. The front baffle of the 250B is matt black. The baffle’s edges extend beyond the sides and top edge of the speaker cabinet by a few millimeters. This may be to help accommodate the huge wave guide. The oversized baffle helps create the illusion that these speakers is slightly larger than they are. The baffle also gives the speaker grills some depth by framing the grey grill fabric with a recessed black boarder. This gives the bookshelf speakers an extra sharp look when the grills are on. 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. 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. 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 250B bookshelf speakers look anything but cheap. These speakers are very well thought out, purposely stylized, professionally executed, and look fantastic in my room. The binding posts are the only thing I would call out as cheap looking. The overall results are handsome speakers that look great in my home theater. The JBL 250B speakers are fussy about positioning, room placement, calibration, and tone controls. But, when configured correctly, will provide a very satisfying experience in both stereo and home theater applications. Just keep in mind that they will need a subwoofer, like the JBL 220P, to maximize performance.

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  Posted 1 year ago by ITJim

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  WONDERFUL BOOKSHELF / SURROUND SPEAKERS!

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 25 Contributor

  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! I am incredibly impressed and completely satisfied with the Stage 250B Bookshelf Speakers that I am using for the two rear surround channels. The 250B Bookshelf / Surround speakers are the larger of the two bookshelf speaker models in the JBL Stage 2 series. SPECIFICATIONS – STAGE 250B (From JBL Documentation): Type: Bookshelf Loudspeaker System Low Frequency Driver: 5.25-inch (130 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: 50 Hz-25 kHz Frequency Response -3 dB: 55 Hz-25 kHz Sensitivity @ 1 M, 2.83 V: 86 dB Nominal Impedance: 6 Ohms Crossover Frequencies: 1.7 kHz Enclosure Tuning: Bass Reflex via Rear-Firing Flared Tuned Port Finish: Espresso or Latte Dimensions (H x W x D): 12.6 in x 7.9 in x 9.5 in (321 mm x 200 mm x 241 mm) Product Weight: 12.4 lbs.(5.6 kg) Shipping Weight: 30 lbs. (13.6 kg) Regarding the 1-inch tweeter and horn shaped waveguide in the 250B, 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 250B. The reproduction of high frequencies is spectacular. The highs are bright and crisp, clear and undistorted. Listening to music with horns demonstrates the beautiful clarity and faithful reproduction of brass instruments. The distinct timbre of all high-frequency instrumental notes is well defined and accurate. JBL also furnishes some additional details regarding what JBL describes as the “Precision two-way crossover” network of the 250B. JBL states, “premium components are used to construct the crossovers fitted to the Stage 2 line. The High frequency section features air core inductors and mylar capacitors that reduce distortion and improve sonic performance. The low frequency section includes laminate core inductors and electrolytic capacitors. These premium materials can handle more power and transmit energy faster elevating system performance.” Obviously, I cannot technically validate the JBL description of the crossover network, however listening to the 250B speakers 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 states that, “a flared port is featured on the 250B. This new flared design reduces the velocity of the air when exiting the speaker cabinet, eliminating any chuffing or coloration of output.” The Stage 250B speakers may be used as small front channel speakers, if desired, however I chose to use them for my rear channel surround speakers. They obviously may be placed on a bookshelf, as the name implies, however JBL also offers optional pedestal style Stage series speaker stands which match the style and the Black or White fronts of the Stage 2 speakers. I intend to purchase a pair of the 27.8” tall Stage FS floorstands for my Stage 250B speakers. When positioned on the Stage FS stands, the Stage 250B speakers will have a mounted height of 40.5” tall. The Stage 250B speakers are provided with anti-slip pads which can be used beneath the speakers 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 250B speakers are reasonably compact and look great, but are fairly heavy for their size resultant from the substantial structure of the speakers and enclosures. Even more importantly they sound absolutely fantastic with every type of source material that I have used and each music genre that I have played. They have excellent power handling capabilities, and remain clear and undistorted even at extremely high volume levels. Their large, 5.25” transducers and waveguide equipped aluminum tweeter project sound beautifully even in the large room where I am using this system. The Stage 250B speakers are 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 250B bookshelf speakers are the best choice for the rear channel surround speakers in this great home theater system. I am extremely impressed with them, and I am enjoying their performance without reservation.

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  Posted 1 year ago by Curmudgeon1

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Very capable, good looki12in. 300 watt subwoofer

  • Tech Insider Network Member

  JBL's new Stage2 line-up has got me excited for home theater again. I've been a traditionalist for the last several years and have resisted the urge to go to a soundbar. It seems as if the average household uses soundbars instead of wired speakers and it's a bit of a shame because a fully wired system with a AVR receiver produces true "home theater sound" versus "good enough." Now, of course the major advantage a soundbar has is minimalism. Set-ups can look very clean with a mounted soundbar being the only speaker to be concerned with. However, when you have a unified style like JBL's Stage2 speakers and subwoofer, suddenly that minimalism gets replaced with a beautiful set-up that is pleasing to any sound enthusiast. That's where I'm at with my new set-up. I love it. And one of my favorite aspects of the new Stage2 line-up is the 220P subwoofer. It's loud, it's balanced, it's powerful, yet very nice looking. I'm coming from a Klipsch speaker 5.1 set-up and now have a full JBL Stage2 7.1 line-up. Now, the Klipsch speakers I had were not cheap, in fact, some of them were more expensive than the JBL offerings, but they lacked in the looks department. The speaker grills were the same black as the speakers themselves, which made for a very traditional set-up with the speaker grills on, and a gaudy gold style with the grills off. JBL has balanced a modern look with the espresso or latte colors, but kept it mostly traditional with the grills off. Part of me would have loved more orange highlights or even tweeters with the grills off, but I don't plan on using this set-up with the grills off anyway. The 22P offers 300-Watts RMS Amplifier (500 Watts Peak Power). The built-in high-performance 500-watt amplifier provides a very consistent and balanced sound. The 220P can be placed anywhere in the room and connects to your AVR to create a stereo or multi-channel home theater system with excellent performance. The Bass-Reflex design of the 220P use dual rear-firing flared ports. This flared design reduces the velocity of the air when exiting the woofer cabinet, eliminating any chuffing or coloration of output. And it does work well, as there were never any moments of popping or distortion or too much power, which can overwhelm the sound the rest of the speakers provide. The rear mounted controls include a variable low-pass 50-150Hz crossover, so it can be dialed in under the main channels and the power can remain on or be set to Auto to save energy. The 220P profiles complete integration with and audio system via Line Level I or LFE inputs. The LFE input bypasses the subwoofer's internal low-pass crossover. When you're connecting the subwoofer to the dedicated subwoofer output of a receiver/processor that has its own low-pass crossover network. This makes set-up super easy and you don't have to worry too much about any adjustments. I ended up adjusting a little from the factory, but it all depends on your listening environment. In the box you'll get floor spikes on the 220P provide stability when placing your speakers on a thick rug or plush carpeting. The carpet spikes can be manually screwed into each foot on the plinth of the speaker and are easily adjustable from the top, however, I'm using it on a hard floor and have a subwoofer dampener stand I have mine on. All in all, I'm impressed with this subwoofer. I know many home theater beasts out there like to have a subwoofer on both sides, and thankfully, you have the choice to add another one with the JBL MA7100 and above models, but I don't think another sub is necessary. I'd say the subwoofer, along with the center speaker are the most important pieces in a home theater set-up. And this sub performs beyond it's asking price in my opinion - especially paired with the other JBL Stage2 speakers.

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  Posted 1 year ago by Bryan