JBL Synthesis Updated with ARCOS v2.7 Room Correction
Harman updated its JBL Synthesis system by updating its ARCOS Adaptive Room Correction and Optimization System to v2.7. The new update offers a enhancements in both performance and functionality by providing tighter control of the seat-to-seat variation in any listening room when used with the JBL Synthesis SDEC-4500P Digital Equalizer. This gives listeners a flatter frequency response regardless of listening position. It’s particularly improved in the 20Hz – 80Hz bass range—very important for feeling the bass in any movie soundtrack or album. Additionally, improved SFM settings are provided for home theaters with two, three and four subwoofers.
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ARCOS v2.7’s AutoEQ also now improves the in-room frequency balance so that it’s optimized for multiple seats—not just the “money” seat. With the JBL Synthesis, the ARCOS v2.7’s AutoEQ uses over 200 bands of digital parametric EQ that can be adjusted from 1/100th octave to more than 4 octaves wide between the 20Hz – 20kHz frequency band.
What is ARCOS v2.7?
The ARCOS v2.7 hardware and software package uses proprietary DSP algorithms and Harman-developed measurement and analysis techniques to improve frequency response correction and loudspeaker accuracy in nearly any room or environment. Every room has resonances (peaks and dips) that emphasize or decrease certain frequencies, ruining the flat response desired by most audiophiles and audio enthusiasts. The ARCOS v2.7 update helps compensate for these irregularities in an even more accurate way and it also provides new height-channel calibration capability and expanded system networking options.
ARCOS v2.7 uses a second-generation algorithm to better blend the main speakers and subwoofers. It calculates precise phase measurements and delay adjustments and maximizes the crossover output to all but kill errant phase cancellation and distortion. The delay control has been improved to just .01ms increments (previously it had a 1ms adjustment resolution). In addition, ARCOS v2.7 now enables the SDEC-4500P digital EQ to take care of all bass-management functions internally. This keeps it from having to be processed at the JBL Synthesis preamp and lets the ARCOS v2.7 auto-set the crossover frequency and slope for much smoother and more accurate low-frequency crossover performance.
For Both of You Using Height Channels
We know there are at least two guys using height channels. You’ll be pleased to know that ARCOS v2.7 offers height-channel calibration. In fact, you can access up to four height channels via the SDEC-4500P’s analogue inputs. That means any updated JBL Synthesis system can accommodate Dolby Atmos, Auro-3D, or any other formats that might be interested in putting more speakers into your home theater. Of course, if you’ve got all the speakers you can handle, the ARCOS v2.7 can use the internal DSP of the SDEC-4500P to create “virtual” height information from standard 5.1 and 7.1-channel sources.
Networking the JBL Synthesis and ARCOS v2.7
This ARCOS v2.7 update also expanded the networking capabilities of any JBL Synthesis system. You can use a single CAT5e Harman BLU-link digital audio connection to go from the SDEC-4500P to up to 60 amplifiers and 128 channels in a system—all over a single cable! Even the new JBL Synthesis SDA Series amplifiers can be connected via CAT5e digital rather than their analogue inputs. That takes out an entire D/A conversion stage and reduces both noise and distortion. You can program the network connections of the SDEC-4500P and ARCOS v2.7 is fully backward compatible with existing SDEC-4500-based systems.
Conclusion
ARCOS v2.7 transforms the SDEC-4500P EQ into an active crossover and speaker management DSP hub. That means that bi-wirable JBL speakers can take advantage of better drive settings in the SDEC-4500P. There are even specific speaker calibrations built-in for the JBL Project Everest DD67000, K2 S9900, S2S-EX and S1S-EX subwoofers as well as many others.
