FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 23 January 2006
WOODBURY, NY – JBL, celebrating its 60th anniversary as the leading manufacturer of professional and consumer loudspeakers, and Harman Kardon announced today that the companies have been chosen to supply the audio systems for the new GM Penthouse luxury suite for the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Sponsored by General Motors Corporation, the suite has been completely renovated with spectacular decor and furnishings, and offers a host of high-end amenities, including high-performance JBL consumer and professional loudspeakers and Harman Kardon audio/video components, to offer guests an unparalleled entertainment experience.
The Regent Beverly Wilshire is a Four Seasons Hotel, and part of the Regent International Hotels’ organization worldwide. Located at one of the world’s most famous intersections – Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills – the Beverly Wilshire is known worldwide for its unparalleled elegance, historic architecture, and unique blend of old-world service and 21st-century conveniences.
The remodeling of the GM Penthouse suite coincided with the renovation of the entire hotel to the highest standards in every respect. The suite will be used to host a variety of special events and celebrity galas, and events based around awards celebrations that include the Academy Awards and the GRAMMY Awards. In addition, the facility will be used for GM corporate functions and hotel-sponsored activities. The special events will be hosted in partnership with Los Angeles-based Best Events, one of the nation’s most creative and visionary event production companies. The GM Penthouse will be reserved for special events through March 2006, and will then be available for private use.
Paul Bente, president of JBL Consumer Products, pointed out: “JBL is excited to be part of making the Beverly Wilshire GM Penthouse suite one of the most spectacular hotel facilities in the world. Thanks to its absolutely stunning decor, world-class amenities and state-of-the-art audio and video equipment, guests will be sure to enjoy an unparalleled entertainment experience and the ultimate in luxury accommodations.”
Tom McLoughlin, Harman Kardon president, commented: “At Harman Kardon, we are dedicated to providing products that combine the most advanced audio and video technologies with elegant design and ease of use. Our latest audio/video components and systems set new standards in performance and versatility, making them ideal for use with the widest range of home entertainment systems, and multiroom custom installations such as the GM Penthouse.”
JBL Components and Systems: Designed for Exceptional Performance
The audio/video installations in the GM Penthouse utilize a variety of high-performance JBL components and systems, providing guests with extraordinary sound in a variety of locations throughout the suite. The A/V equipment, which also includes state-of-the-art video displays, was installed by No Static of North Hollywood, California, a full-service professional audio, video and lighting installation company with an extensive roster of corporate, private and entertainment industry clients.
The GM Penthouse study features JBL’s SCS Series SCS300.7 7.1-channel Surround Cinema Speaker system. The compact, high-performance SCS300.7 makes it easy to enjoy all the sonic benefits of today’s state-of-the-art 7.1-channel surround sound formats. The SCS300.7 includes six satellite speakers, a center channel speaker and a 200-watt powered subwoofer. Like all JBL speakers, the JBL SCS300.7 utilizes drivers, components and technologies directly derived from JBL’s professional loudspeakers to deliver the musically accurate, high-resolution JBL sound that is heard in movie theaters and concert halls. The SCS300.7 is easy to install, thanks to the speakers’ versatile mounting hardware, which provides a variety of wall-, shelf- or stand-mounting options.
The JBL SCS300.7 is as stunning in appearance as it is in performance. The satellites and center channel speakers feature uniquely shaped enclosures with subtly curved surfaces finished in rich charcoal with platinum trim accents, and the subwoofer is finished in matching charcoal. The system’s overall look is high-tech, ultramodern and totally distinctive.
JBL’s Northridge N26AWII indoor/outdoor speakers are installed in a number of areas in the GM Penthouse to provide music listening throughout the suite. Built to the same exacting standards as every JBL model, the wall-mountable N26AWII is weatherproofed, making it suitable for outdoor as well as indoor use, and ideal for high-humidity indoor environments such as a hot tub area or bathroom. The N24AWII features a premium woofer and tweeter and, like all JBL loudspeakers, is designed to deliver clear, dynamic sound over a wide listening area.
For parties and events, the JBL Pro EON15 G2 professional audio loudspeakers will be rocking the house. JBL EON loudspeakers have established themselves as the industry standard for professional DJ, musical instrument and portable sound reinforcement use. The EON15 G2 is the flagship of the second-generation G2 EON lineup, which now offers better performance than ever. Installed in the media room of the GM Penthouse, the EON15 G2 delivers 400 watts of built-in power into an ultraheavy-duty 15-inch woofer and high-efficiency, horn-loaded high-frequency driver, to pump out incredibly powerful, clear and dynamic sound with massive, room-shaking deep bass that can be felt as well as heard.
These extraordinary JBL loudspeakers are complemented by the Harman Kardon AVR 240 7.1-channel audio/video receiver and DVD 22 progressive-scan DVD-video player. Both components are engineered to deliver superlative sound and picture quality, along with unmatched flexibility and ease of use.
The Harman Kardon AVR 240 includes one of the industry’s most exciting developments in receiver technology – connection to Harman Kardon’s docking station, which enables an iPod to become an integral part of a home entertainment system by enabling operation of the iPod via the receiver’s remote control and menus that are shown on a TV or video display, and the AVR 240’s front-panel display. The AVR 240 offers a host of additional advanced features such as Harman Kardon’s automatic system setup and calibration functionality, a powerful high-current, ultrawide-bandwidth amplifier section, compatibility with popular surround sound formats, HDTV-compatible video switching, and much more.
The Harman Kardon DVD 22 is a high-performance progressive-scan DVD-video player that incorporates leading-edge pixel-by-pixel video processing for extraordinary image quality, along with advanced audio technologies and unique playback capabilities that make it easier than ever to enjoy favorite movies, music and images.
The Harman Consumer Group (HCG) is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a wide range of high-fidelity loudspeakers, audio and video components, and multimedia systems for use in homes and automobiles, and with computers. The group’s brands include JBL, Infinity, Harman Kardon, Mark Levinson, Revel, Audioaccess and Lexicon.
HCG is a division of Harman International Industries, Incorporated. Harman International (www.harman.com) is a leading manufacturer of high-quality, high-fidelity audio products and electronic systems for the automotive, consumer and professional markets. The company’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “HAR.”
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For additional information, contact:
Frank Doris
FM Group Public Relations
631-385-1304 ext. 402
frank.doris@fm-group.net
JBL, Harman Kardon, Harman International and EON are registered trademarks, and SCS Series, Northridge, and are trademarks, of Harman International Industries, Incorporated.
GM is a trademark of General Motors Corporation.
Academy Awards is a registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
GRAMMY Awards is a registered trademark of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc.
iPod is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.
