Pre/Power Amplifiers

Local Hero
This ability of JBL’s amplifier to deliver credible instrumental timbres is also much in evidence with Mark Knopfler’s laidback One Deep River [EMI EMICD 2113]. Here Knopfler’s characteristic voice and guitar tone are brought out well amidst the sometimes lush production, and the mid-paced rhythms on tracks like ‘Scavengers Yard’ and ‘Ahead Of The Game’ motor along agreeably, albeit not quite as crisply as with more open and revealing systems.

Beyoncé’s epic 78-minute country crossover set, Cowboy Carter [Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia 1965889491252], has been getting a lot of play around these parts, as much for the massive scale of the production as the clear love for the genres it adopts, and the JBL pairing is very much in its happy place with this set, making up for its limited dynamic range with its heroic drama and lushness.

True, the album is more of a widescreen celebration than a forensic investigation of country styles, and the ability of the JBL player and amp, here driving PMC’s prodigy5 floorstanders, to bring out all its richness and pomp is beyond doubt. Close your eyes and you can almost see the light effects and pyrotechnics surely destined to accompany the big opening, ‘American Requiem’, and the way the album then backs off into the cover version of ‘Blackbird’, switching into closer focus.

CD player [top] has a USB-A port for external media, plus optical/coaxial digital outs and analogue outs on RCAs. Amp [below] has MM, three line ins, a pre out, two coax/one optical in (USB-A is support only), plus 4mm speaker binding posts

Lightning Rod
The somewhat unexpected vitality of Rod Stewart’s Swing Fever album [Warner Records 5054197801686], accompanied by Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, is served well by the JBL combination. Sir Roderick may be heading for his ninth decade, but his voice is holding up, and with Holland giving it plenty on the old joanna and the impeccable musicianship of his ensemble, the good time being had by all is conveyed convincingly.

Don’t take it too seriously and you might just find yourself having a ball! And, provided you take on board the fact that the amplifier is definitely the stronger of the two components here, that might just be a fine way to sum up this ‘modern retro’ JBL pairing.

Hi-Fi News Verdict
A slight suspicion of ‘style over substance’ hangs around this ‘Classic’ JBL duo, its easygoing performance likely well-suited to delivering a suitably retro sound with a pair of the brand’s reimagined speakers of a half- century back. The SA550 amplifier is undeniably the stronger of the two, with a bold, punchy sound and plenty of power on tap; the CD player’s clumsy file playback is something of an own-goal.

Sound Quality: 81%