Page 59 - 2022-08-01 Sound & Vision

an aux input and 32-ohm head- The remote control that comes
phone output are located on the
front panel along with a range of
bu ons for navigating menus. A
large display screen shows the
volume level plus information on
the currently playing source. It also
shows the setup options (when
selected). The la er are far too
small to read at more than a foot or
two from the screen, though most
Synthesis system installations will
offer be er readability plus control
on an external computer, smart-
phone, or tablet.
The SDR-38 includes the usual
suspects under the hood—and
some not so usual ones as well.
All A/D and D/A conversion is
performed by 24-bit/192kHz ESS
Sabre 9028 Pro devices. The JBL is
also compatible with HDMI eARC
(enhanced Audio Return Channel),
though I was unable to engage it
with a connection to my older but
still excellent LG E7 OLED. This
issue is as likely to be TV-related as
it is to be JBL-related, however.
The most widely used object-
based surround modes, Dolby
Atmos and DTS:X, are fully serviced
for up to 16 channels. More basic
audio sources, such as lossy or
lossless 5.1- or 7.1-channel Dolby
Digital and DTS, can be upcon-
verted to a simulation of object-
based surround via JBL’s Harman
Logic 16 processing. The la er can
be selected for any source, even
mono, with the upmix routed to
all the system’s installed chan-
nels. Auro 3D is also supported,
along with IMAX Enhanced.
Wireless streaming is possible
via Chromecast built-in, Apple
AirPlay 2, Harman’s Music App, and
Bluetooth aptX HD. The SDR-38 is
also Roon Ready, MQA-compat-
ible, and features built-in DAB and
FM radio reception. JBL’s AVR also
includes Dirac Live, one of the
most highly regarded consumer
room correction systems. I’ll have
a lot more to say about Dirac Live
further on.
The SDR-38 features support
for Dante with two Dante Ethernet
ports. A new and relatively rare
feature, Dante can replace a multi- subwoofers, driven together as
tude of audio connections using
Ethernet cables and a computer
network. It wasn’t used for this
review.
for surrounds and the other for front
with the SDR-38 is adequate, but overhead effects.
as with all remotes designed for The SDR-38 includes all of At a Glance
near-universal operation, it has Dirac Live’s features at no extra
its quirks. For instance, when cost. These include either full or Excellent A/V performance
you change inputs you must hit limited range equalization plus Processes up to 16 channels
the AMP bu on again to unlock the newest Dirac Live feature:
HDMI 2.1 connections
access to the setup menus (though Bass Control. According to Dirac:
support 4K/120, 8K/60 video
the main volume se ing remains “Dirac Live Bass Control lever- pass-through
usable at all times). Many of the ages all-pass filters, plus machine
Expensive
bu ons access useful features, learning and artificial intelligence,
but those features are typically to calculate gains, delays, and all- Complex Dirac Live setup
unrelated to the label on each of the pass filters for each subwoofer. In Onboard amplification
bu ons. this way, the Dirac solution ensures limited to seven channels
Most AVRs offer a selectable that low frequencies add up so that
Glitchy operation
volume adjustment range of either not only the average is controlled,
0-99 or –79.5 to +18. The zero but most importantly, seat-to-seat Price: $8,550
se ing in the la er is Dolby refer- variation is minimized as we can (888) 691-4171
ence, making it perhaps the most now achieve a level of control in
jblsynthesis.com
popular volume adjustment option. multiple locations at once.” Dirac’s
The JBL’s volume range is 0-99, Bass Control can also enhance
with volume steps limited to 1dB, bass performance, particularly with
not the finer-resolution 0.5dB steps more than two subwoofers. (As or “low S/N ratio” warning. The
that many AVRs offer. This differ- noted earlier, for this review two uncalibrated microphone included
ence will perhaps be irrelevant SVS subs, while separately posi- with the JBL also aroused my
for many users, but to me it’s a tioned, were here driven together suspicions as a possible cause
significant omission, particularly at as a single bass source.) of the poor initial results. Dirac
this price. Unlike its more widely available recommends a fully calibrated mic,
I was unable to connect the JBL room EQ competitors, Dirac Live such as the relatively affordable
to my home’s Wi-Fi, but I’ve had adjusts for both amplitude and miniDSP UMIK-1, but JBL doesn’t
similar issues with other AVRs so I phase (time domain). It performs include one—likely because
can’t blame the SDR-38. For Dirac calculations in the Dirac Live most SDR-38s will be set up by
Live setup I used a Wi-Fi link from app running on your networked professional installers.
my computer to my router, and computer, either a Mac or a PC. You With further help from JBL I was
an Ethernet connection from the can either create your own target able to swap out the included mic
router to the AVR. Apart from that curve, use a built-in target curve, for the calibrated microphone
I was able to reliably stream music or accept the la er and modify it. from my Dayton Audio Omnimic
wirelessly from my iPhone using Once done, you export the result measurement system. A er
either Bluetooth or AirPlay 2 (no to the AVR, which can store three another difficult round or three
surprise that the la er sounded different Dirac setups plus bypass. with those dicey level se ings, the
distinctly be er). To shorten a very long story, system finally clicked into place.
a er much weeping and gnashing I achieved a good, usable setup
SETUP of teeth (including a needed beginning with the selectable
update to a more recent OS for my Harman target curve, adding a
My listening “room” is an open area MacBook, plus lots of help from small bump-up in the bass below
in a very large acoustic space. It’s JBL), I was finally able to engage 100Hz (rising to a maximum of
moderately live, though not overly the Dirac Live program to generate about 4dB at and below 30Hz), and
so, and dialogue intelligibility has a room EQ curve that looked prom- moved it into one of the JBL’s three
never been an issue. Sources ising—the basic target curve with Dirac memory slots.
consisted of a Marantz UD-7007 a 5dB bump-up below 100Hz. But The result was worth the long
disc player and an Oppo BDP-203 the results sounded awful: wooly slog. A er making some minor
Blu-ray player (the Marantz for bass, including a peak of over 10dB tweaks via the tone controls—
stereo music via a coaxial digital at 20Hz (above a reasonable level seldom more than +1dB in the
connection, the Oppo for movies at 30Hz) and rolled-off highs. treble and –2dB in the bass
via HDMI). Speakers were Monitor The following days were a (perhaps that bass bump-up I
Audio Silver 10s at the le and whirlwind of failed setup a empts dialed into the target curve was a
right plus a Monitor Audio Silver and ergonomic gotchas, such bit too much) the sound in my room
C350 center and two SVS PB-3000 as Dirac’s channel-level setup ended up being exceptional.
menu, which is designed to set
one. To keep the main channel each channel’s gain to a level that PERFORMANCE
count at seven, the limit of JBL’s Dirac can deal with. These se ings
internal amps, I used four small PSB were sensitive and didn’t always I started out my evaluation
Alpha Series P3 speakers, one pair work without flashing a “clipping” with Dirac Live disabled. In my
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