Looking to get serious about home cinema sound? JBL's five-star flagship AVR has had a huge price reduction
Save a staggering £3300
by Lewis Empson · What Hi-Fi?Share by:
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Christmas has come (slightly) early for home cinema fans, as one of the best AV receivers that we've tested is currently subjected to a deal that knocks thousands from the price tag.
The JBL Synthesis SDR-38 is an enthusiast option for dedicated cinephiles with deep pockets, and we awarded it five stars at its launch price of £7300.
That is an unquestionably steep asking price, and we highlighted that in our full review of this amplifier. Thankfully, Richer Sounds has come to the rescue, as a deal has surfaced that makes this AVR a must-buy for anyone looking to get serious about home cinema sound.
It's being offered for just £3999 at Richer Sounds currently; that's still a fair chunk of change; however, it's a meaty £3301 discount nonetheless.
Save £3,301
JBL Synthesis SDR-38: was £7,300 now £3,999 at Richer Sounds
The JBL Synthesis SDR-38 is an excellent choice for anyone looking to take home cinema sound seriously. It offers a rich, dynamic sound at an immense scale, and its upgraded HDMI 2.1 sockets allow for improved connectivity with gaming consoles and PCs. Be sure to sign up to Richer Sounds' VIP Membership for the full discount.
The JBL Synthesis SDR-38 won't appeal to the masses thanks to its high price tag and enthusiast-leaning setup and operation, but the sound it provides is guaranteed to win over even the pickiest of audiophiles.
Beneath its stylish and premium chassis, the SDR-38 features 180W of Class G amplification with all seven channels driven, and seven HDMI 2.1 sockets which feature the full 48Gbps bandwidth. It also supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for immersive home cinema sound.
Furthermore, it supports a plethora of wireless connectivity options, including Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Google Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth with the aptX HD codec.
Onto that all-important sound performance, and the Synthesis SDR-38 is an absolute dream thanks to its "excellent detail and clarity", alongside its impressive handling of big dynamic shifts. It delivers a sound with oodles of warmth and richness, and music is also handled with "rhythmic precision and a rich vocal presentation".
Despite it being nearly identical to the SDR-35 it replaced, we found that JBL improved the bass response on this upgraded model, meaning low-end effects are handled with extra low-end oomph and sensational control.
It's seriously difficult to pick holes in the SDR-38's sound performance, hence why we were so complimentary towards it in our full five-star review. It excels at everything from large dynamic shifts (such as explosions or soundtrack crescendos) to hushed conversations, making it a top-notch choice for home cinema aficionados.
It's undoubtedly still a pricey option, but at a £3301 discount at Richer Sounds, it becomes an even more enticing AVR. Be sure to sign up for Richer Sounds' VIP Membership to access the full savings; it's a free and easy process that's well worth doing to score this huge saving.
MORE:
Read our full JBL Synthesis SDR-38 review
As well as our Denon AVC-X6800H review
And check out our picks for the best AV receivers