What's New: Eargle Theater Electronics Upgrade: Precision Meets Power at HARMAN Northridge

What's New: Eargle Theater Electronics Upgrade: Precision Meets Power at HARMAN Northridge

By Kevin Kent, Senior Global Product Line Manager

The Eargle Theater at HARMAN’s Northridge campus has long served as a benchmark for reference-grade audio performance. Recently, it underwent a comprehensive electronics upgrade that elevates its capabilities to new heights showcasing the full potential of JBL Synthesis, HARMAN’s flagship line of high-performance home theater solutions.

This upgrade was a reimagining of the theater’s signal path, amplification, and calibration workflow, designed to deliver effortless dynamics, pinpoint imaging, and immersive soundscapes that meet the highest standards of audiophile and professional expectations.

At the heart of the upgrade is the replacement of the SDP-75 processor with the JBL Synthesis SDP-80, a state-of-the-art AV preamp/processor that supports advanced room correction, immersive formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and integrates Sound Field Management (SFM) for precision bass control.

Amplification was also completely modernized. The legacy SDA amplifiers were replaced with SMA-series for their high efficiency, low distortion, and robust DSP capabilities:

• SMA-4750: Used for bi-amping the flagship SCL-1 loudspeakers and powering the SSW-1 and SSW-3 subwoofers.

• SMA-8300: Drives the remaining full-range SCL-series loudspeakers with clean, dynamic power.

All balanced line-level cabling was re-terminated from Phoenix connectors to XLR, ensuring optimal signal integrity and compatibility with the new gear. Ethernet cabling was also re-terminated to support networked control and monitoring of the SMA amplifiers.

*Above - Bob Katz, Hardware / Electronics Engineering, verifying the XLR terminations to the amplifiers

The installation was followed by a full day of programming and acoustic calibration, a critical step in realizing the system’s full potential.

Subwoofer Calibration with Sound Field Management

Calibration began with the subwoofers, using Sound Field Management, a proprietary HARMAN technology that ensures smooth, consistent bass response across all seating positions. This process minimizes modal resonances and phase issues, laying a solid foundation for the rest of the system.

Loudspeaker Tuning and Room Optimization

Next, JBL Synthesis loudspeaker tunings were loaded directly into the SMA amplifiers. These tunings are the result of extensive anechoic loudspeaker measurements, optimizing each speaker’s performance using anechoic equalization (AEQ).

Final calibration was performed using the Optimizer in the SDP-80, following the Harman In-Room Target Curve, a scientifically derived EQ target that balances clarity, warmth, and realism. With the speaker tuning already applied, the calibration process could focus primarily on room interactions, streamlining the workflow and improving accuracy.

The Listening Experience

The results of the upgrade are immediately apparent:

• Effortless Amplification: The new SMA amplifiers deliver clean, dynamic power with a significantly lower noise floor, both acoustically and electrically.

• Impactful Bass: Subwoofer integration is seamless, with tight, controlled low frequencies and smooth seat-to-seat consistency.

• Immersive Soundstage: Dolby Atmos content envelops the listener with pinpoint imaging and expansive spatial cues, while stereo playback reveals a wide, coherent soundstage with a solid center image.

• Quiet Operation: Fan noise in the equipment rack has been dramatically reduced, enhancing the overall listening environment.

John Eargle Theater Equipment List - 2025

Learn more: To explore the full range of JBL Synthesis products and technologies used in this upgrade, visit the JBL Synthesis website.