AV Receivers - Focal JM Labs
An AV Receiver sits at the heart of your home cinema set-up and connects your 5.1 or 7.1 channel speaker system, screen, Blu Ray Player, DVD Player, Freeview or Satbox etc, controlling the audio and video settings. We sell a cherry picked range of models that offer the best home cinema experience. Call us for a package deal with speakers and cables!
Surround Sound Speaker Systems enable you to enjoy the intense and immersive sound and atmosphere of the cinema in the comfort of your living room. A typical hi-fi amplifier is only suitable for use with a pair (or maybe two) of speakers. Home Cinema Surround Sound Systems typically feature five or more speakers, and so require a special amplifier able to simultaneously power and provide signal to multiple channels. These are known as AV Receivers.
For over 30 years, Focal designed and built hi-fi speakers and drivers that wowed music lovers and critics alike and set new standards for class performance. Focal combines passion, tradition and technology for ultimate listening.
Focal JM Labs was founded in the 1970’s by Jacques Mahul, a trained engineer and specialist in speaker drivers (hence the "JM" part of the brand name being his initials). Jacques started manufacturing drivers only under the "Focal" brand and thanks to their innovative design they were incredibly popular, and so he created the "JM Lab" brand to create his own range of loudspeakers to go with the drivers.
The brand revolutionised the bookshelf speaker segment of the market with the release of the famous DB13 which featured a dual voice coil that offered a similar level of sound and bass response as larger speakers.
From 1990 onward, Focal JM Lab enjoyed swift growth in both home audio, car audio, studio professional audio and headphone markets, and soon became France's leading loudspeaker brand. The 1990s also saw the brand establish itself overseas, especially in the rest of Europe, the Far East and North America - and now 70% of Focal speakers are sold to international owners.
In 2011, driven and united by their passion for exceptional sound quality Focal and Naim Audio merged, creating a new European leader in audio which promises to deliver exceptional products
Standing at the centre of your Audio Visual and home entertainment system, an AV Receiver offers a wide range of inputs, allowing you to have all of your devices connected at any one time. Just like an integrated amplifier, an AV Receiver features a pre amp and power amp in one unit meaning you simply need to connect your speakers and a source (TV, CD player, Blu Ray player, DVD player etc.). It is possible to switch between your sources without having to unplug anything, and experience full surround sound for all your media.
Many modern AV Receivers include modern features and connectivity options, such as networking capabilities, Bluetooth and wireless. AirPlay technology is featured on many models, and allows you to play music from a device or smartphone wirelessly directly to your AV Receiver. Similarly, Bluetooth enables a secure and high quality wireless connection from any Bluetooth-enabled device. Many models feature networking, letting you connect your receiver to your home network and enjoy streaming services such as Spotify and Napster.
Modern AV Receivers feature a range of impressive features and components, making them a much more viable proposition for hi-fi use and standard stereo playback. Some models feature a high quality internal DAC, allowing for the connection of digital sources for greater audio quality and fidelity. Some models also include a set up microphone, enabling you to optimise your speaker positioning and ensure that you create a fully immersive surround sound experience.
All AV Receivers will allow you to use at least five speakers and a subwoofer, known as 5.1 surround sound. This configuration consists of two speakers at the rear, two at the front and one in the middle as well as a dedicated subwoofer to provide bass and depth to your favourite movies. Many customers choose to create an even more immersive system by adding speakers or even an additional subwoofer in configurations such as 7.1, 7.2, 9.1 or 9.2. If you wish to use a non-standard speaker configuration such as this, many AV Receivers offer this feature, but it is important to check that yours does if you wish to add additional speakers.
