JBL MA510 5.2-Channel A/V Receiver

The JBL MA510 is my first experience with a home theater controller/receiver and this equipment makes everything so intuitive! Setup was a simple as connecting speaker cable to each speaker and then to the corresponding left/right sides for output on the receiver. The menus are easy to navigate with the included remote control and I was able to easily dial in my speakers to my preferences. Additionally, the unit itself is beautiful to boot! I love the symmetry of the receiver! The option to dim or turn off the display while the receiver is on is a fantastic addition and adds to the sleekness.

This AVR came beautifully packaged. The receiver itself even came in a soft bag to protect it from scratches. The AVR has a fantastic feature set, allowing you to connect pretty much any modern source (HDMI, Coax, Optical, WIFI like Spotify and others, Bluetooth from a tablet/phone, and even Chromecast is built in). This model doesn’t have phono inputs, but I no longer have a turntable anyway. It is an attractive looking receiver too – the wife didn’t hate it.

Setup was straightforward, with one exception. The included speaker cable, although very high quality, was challenging to connect to the binding posts on the receiver and speakers. It is 12 gauged, and in my experience a little to fat to fit the binding post holes. I recommend using spade connectors (not included) as they will be easier to attach. This is really the only reason my review wasn’t a 5 out of 5.

Audio settings, WIFI and Cast and Bluetooth setup went well, and the audio quality through the 250B speakers is excellent. I didn’t test a connection to my TV.

If you are looking for a full featured, high quality AVR, this one is highly recommended.

JBL’s new Stage 2 series speakers (Stage 250B), subwoofer (Stage 220P), and MA series receiver (MA510) provide dynamic and crisp listening for music, movies, and audio of all sorts. Upon receiving this set up, I was thrilled as I removed each piece from the carefully packaged boxes. As I’ve come to expect with JBL products, you can feel the quality of each speaker, the subwoofer, and the receiver. The Espresso-colored speakers and subwoofer are dark wood-toned, giving a clean and classic look to a powerful sound system. The receiver is encased in durable metal. Each piece has anti-slip pads to keep the set up stable. Overall, it’s a beautiful, clean set up that somehow helps put a room together like a piece of art.

Set up was an absolute cinch. By design, JBL makes it simple to connect the wire to each connection. Every connection, port, and button is clearly labelled. I’m no professional, but I’ve wired up a few speaker systems before. JBL found a way to make the process even simpler for quick set up right out of the box, and each piece pairs up effortlessly. I set up two speakers and one subwoofer, but JBL engineered this so that you can add more to fit your custom setup.

For functionality, JBL hit the nail on the head for those who want straightforward controls whether on the unit itself or on the portable remote. You can easily make adjustments to have the sound exactly as you wish, and JBL did a great job of keeping the controls simple. For myself, I utilized the EZ Set EQ software which JBL incorporated with the receiver. With my phone, I was able to let the EZ Set EQ software tune both speakers and the subwoofer to effortlessly calibrate the perfect sound set up for my space.

Now, onto the sound. I’ve never been so excited to fire up speakers for a movie. Thankfully, these did not disappoint in the slightest. All audio from movies and TV shows, whether an action-packed scene, character dialogue, or even something subtle like rain falling, is so beautifully crisp and clean. The sound is so crystal clear no matter if a scene or song is quiet or loud. The bass provides effortless “thump” if you want to feel like you’re at a concert or part of the movie. Everything combined provides a true home-theater feel.

Overall, I found this system to be a masterpiece. From the simple setup, to the ease of customizing the sound, to the amazing sound quality while enjoying movies, shows, music, and anything audio related, I’m enamored by the quality and care put into each piece. JBL dotted their I’s and crossed their T’s when engineering these.

The best home receiver yet. This receiver came with a booklet that has a QR code on it for the instructions to connect your network, computer, phone, use Bluetooth, TV, Wi-Fi and more. I was pleasantly surprised when opening my JBL receiver MA 510. This receiver was so clean and simple in design. The black glass like finish gives a look of sophistication yet playfulness. The front of the receiver has lighting that can dim. Two easy to turn knobs one controls volume one is a controller and push buttons for further controls.

The back of the receiver is full of ways to connect your receiver to your network, speakers, listening devices and more. There are ports for USB and Optical in port. HDMI has four ports in and one out port. Surround sound, center and front connections to speakers. This receiver has a either net and coaxial input and additional ways to connect to subwoofers. All in this beautiful crystal-clear sounding 5.2 channel receiver with amazing depth of bass. Great sound for a midsized room system.