JBL has always made a quality product. I use to own some of their subs back when I was in high school. They always sounded great and gave one heck of a punch. I may not be an audiophile to the degree that many of you out there might be, but I know when something sounds good to me. Sometimes the only limitation to gaining the best sound from your music collection is the whole lack of money aspect. We are all in the same boat. JBL has designed and launched a new accessory that is designed to help clear up you music in both your car and your home.
The product is called the MS-2. It is a very simple plug and play device that can be used with nearly any car stereo or home theater system that supports an 3.5mm AUX jack. You would put the unit inline between you music player and your car or home stereo. One connected, press the setup button and the JBL MS-2 will automatically tune the speaker and stereo system to provide optimal sound. They have also included separate buttons to fine tune the bass, treble impact and image to adjust to your listening preference. The MS-2 has input and an output plugs as well as a power supply. The package includes two 3.5mm headphone adapter cables and the cigarette lighter power supply, the AC power supply would need to be purchased separately.
“This is the ultimate portable music accessory, specifically designed to improve the sound in any car – regardless of the audio system that’s already installed. You can even use it in another car or with a music player in your house,†said Sachin Lawande, EVP and co-president of HARMAN’s Lifestyle and Infotainment divisions. “We think music fans will love this simple, lightweight device. In fact, we are so confident the JBL MS-2 will dramatically improve car audio that it includes a ‘defeat switch’ to turn it off so you can compare the performance with or without the MS-2.â€
It sounds like a pretty great little unit that could provide you with a huge gain in your audio enjoyment. Helping take the guess-work out of fine tuning your high-end or average Joe stereo. What will this thing cost you? Well, when I was reading the press release, which you can find below, I was rather excited. I had hoped for a low-cost alternative to improve the systems I already have in place. That was not the case. The MS-2 is set at a retail price of $239.95. On the other side of the coin though, it is a JBL product. You get a high quality device that can bridge the gap between your Android powered device to deliver a much better audio experience. I would love to hear one of these in action.
New JBL® Plug-and-Play Digital Music Accessory Dramatically Improves Any Car Stereo System
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The groundbreaking JBL® MS-2 car audio accessory automatically tunes your car stereo
to improve the listening experience from portable music players and smartphones
For more information:Â www.JBL.comÂ
STAMFORD, Conn. – HARMAN International Industries announced the availability of the innovative JBL® MS-2 music accessory, a plug-and-play car stereo component engineered to vividly improve car audio performance from any portable music player or smartphone. The JBL MS-2 uses digital signal processing to optimize the sound emanating from existing speakers in any car, making it the perfect iPod, iPhone or Android™ smartphone accessory for music fans.
The JBL MS-2 is a deceptively simple device that packs the punch of a new car audio system. Requiring no installation, the JBL MS-2 plugs into the auxiliary jack available in most factory-installed and after-market car audio decks* and then connects to an Apple iPod or iPhone, Android smartphone or other portable music player. Once connected, press the Setup button and the JBL MS-2 will automatically tune the tonal balance, bass impact and sonic clarity across a car’s existing speakers. It adjusts each speaker to optimize the sound quality and includes separate buttons for bass, treble, impact and image to allow for fine-tuning music based on individual sound tastes.
“This is the ultimate portable music accessory, specifically designed to improve the sound in any car – regardless of the audio system that’s already installed. You can even use it in another car or with a music player in your house,†said Sachin Lawande, EVP and co-president of HARMAN’s Lifestyle and Infotainment divisions. “We think music fans will love this simple, lightweight device. In fact, we are so confident the JBL MS-2 will dramatically improve car audio that it includes a ‘defeat switch’ to turn it off so you can compare the performance with or without the MS-2.â€
The JBL MS-2 uses digital signal processing, known as DSP equalization, to automatically compensate for the sonic characteristics of your car’s existing electronics, speakers and interior. The MS-2 works with all car and home audio systems that include a 3.5-mm auxiliary jack – standard on Apple’s iPod, iPhone and iPad, as well as the majority of digital music players and smartphones from leading brands.
The portable JBL MS-2 weighs 3.2 ounces and easily slips into a pocket. It ships with input/output cables and a 6-volt DC power supply to plug into a car’s cigarette lighter adapter (CLA). A separate 6-volt DC power supply is needed for home use (not included).
Pricing and Availability
The JBL MS-2 has a suggested retail price of $239.95. For additional information or to purchase, visit www.JBL.com.
*According to the Telematics Research Group, more than 150 million cars will include an auxiliary jack by the end of 2011.Â
About HARMAN
HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon and Mark Levinson. The company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the 12 months ended June 30, 2011. The company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE: HAR.
