Love the modern look of JBL’s Stage 2 lineup. These Dolby Atmos height speakers matches the rest of the Stage 2 loudspeaker lineup and easily integrates with JBL’s Stage 2 tower speakers.
Atmos is getting more and more popular with sound engineers adding effects to the atmos channel in a lot of the latest action movies. Atmos really shines with overhead sounds like helicopters, planes, overhead explosions and general ambiance.
Adding atmos speakers in the ceiling can be a challenge in most home theater setups and these speakers are a good way to get atmos like effects without in-ceiling speakers. Proper atmos setups requires direct overhead placements of the speakers but these 240H speakers, when placed on top of your towers, uses a creative way of ceiling bounce and reflective sounds to make the sounds appear like they are coming above you in your primary listening position. You can also hang them as height speakers above your front sound stage.
The 240H does come with a 1 inch tweeter with a 4.5 inch woofer. Perfectly timbre matched to their other speaker lineups for the perfect match. Sounds great out of box but sounds even better with proper room calibration with your AVR.
In summary, if you want to experience Dolby Atmos or Spatial audio without drilling into your ceiling, these dolby atmos enabled speakers are the next best thing.

JBL and Harman have been iconic names in professional and consumer audio for decades. Both names date back to the audio products of the 1940’s and 1950’s. By the late 1960’s and early 1970’s JBL speakers were the premier speakers in Fender guitar amplifiers and speaker cabinets as well as many stage monitors. In the mid 1970’s the Grateful Dead toured with their famous “Wall of Sound” which contained a reported 586 JBL speakers (5”, 12” and 15”). James B. Lansing was associated with a lot of great music.
By the 1970’s Harman Kardon stereo receivers were a favorite among audiophiles. JBL and Harman Kardon were responsible for some of the most respected and popular professional audio equipment as well as consumer products.
Through the decades the companies experienced ownership and management changes wherein fast-forward to the present day, Harman International is a subsidiary of Samsung, and includes JBL and a collective of some of the most renowned and respected audio products companies.
JBL Harman just released the new product line comprised of MA (Modern Audio) series AV receivers and JBL Stage 2 series speakers. Among the factors that attracted me to these new components is that the MA AV receivers and Stage 2 speakers are matched components.
From my perspective, there are several compelling advantages to using matched components, particularly as compared to cobbling together a home theater system from components from various manufacturers or even various products from a single manufacturer.
First, all of the speakers share the same physical appearance characteristics, including their modern, minimalist design style, and their availability in either an Espresso (dark) or Latte (light) woodgrain speaker enclosure finish, with complimentary colored black or gray, magnetically attached removable grilles. The MA receivers are available with either a black or white face on a black cabinet.
More importantly, they are matched technically. All of the speaker enclosures share the same construction and sound shaping characteristics with similar tuned rear ports, transducer design, construction and electrical characteristics, similar crossover networks and matched impedance. These speakers are also technically matched to the new MA model AV receivers, including matched power handling, with the intention of producing outstanding sound reproduction. In fact, towards those end-goals, the new MA AV receivers and the Stage 2 speakers were all designed and engineered at the JBL Harman Acoustic Engineering Center of Excellence in Northridge, California. The speakers and receivers will perform optimally together, because they are purposefully designed for perfect integration and compatibility.
Another important attribute of the MA series receivers and Stage 2 series speakers is that JBL designed and engineered them for simplicity of setup/installation and simplicity of operation. People who are neither devoted audiophiles, engineers or industry professionals are able to rely on these components being the perfect accompaniments for each other. There are enough selections available to get just what you want and need, but there is no overwhelming complexity to create a difficult or intimidating experience when selecting, setting up or using these terrific components.
I am extremely impressed with the performance of my JBL Harman components, all of which sound terrific.
My outstanding JBL Harman home theater system is comprised of:
MA7100HP – 7.2 Channel AV Receiver
Stage 280F – Floorstanding (Tower) Speakers – Front Channels
Stage 240H – Atmos Height Modules (Atmos Caps) – Mounted on 280F Speakers
Stage 245C – Center Channel Speaker
Stage 250B – Bookshelf Speakers – Rear Channels
Stage 220P – 12” 250 Watt RMS Powered Subwoofer
This assemblage of perfectly matched JBL Harman components is a stellar home theater system which sounds absolutely amazing!
Focusing on the Stage 240H Atmos Enabled Height Module Speakers that I am using for the two Atmos height channels, I am incredibly impressed and completely satisfied with them. The 240H Atmos Height Module speakers are a “dual purpose” speaker. The 240H is equipped with the same 4.5” woofer and horn equipped 1” tweeter as the 240B Bookshelf speakers. However, the 240H has a switchable, dual-mode 2-way crossover network allowing use of the 240H as EITHER wall mounted surround speakers, or Atmos height effect speakers which mount atop the 280F (or 260F) Floorstanding (Tower) Speakers.
SPECIFICATIONS – STAGE 240H (From JBL Documentation):
Type: Dolby Atmos® Surround Sound Loudspeaker System
Low Frequency Driver: 4.5-inch (114 mm) Polycellulose Ribbed Cone
High Frequency Driver: 1-inch (25 mm) Anodized Aluminum
Waveguide: Next Generation HDI™
Recommended Amplifier Power: 20-150 W
RMS power: 75 W
Frequency Response -6 dB: 85 Hz-25 kHz
Frequency Response -3 dB: 100 Hz-25 kHz
Sensitivity @ 1 M, 2.83 V: 85 dB
Nominal Impedance: 6 Ohms
Crossover Frequencies: 1.6 kHz
Enclosure Tuning: Sealed
Finish: Espresso or Latte
Dimensions (H x W x D): 6.9 in x 7.1 in x 10.6 in (176 mm x 180 mm x 270 mm)
Product Weight: 7.6 lbs. (3.5 kg)
Shipping Weight: 18.8 lbs. (8.5 kg)
Regarding the 1-inch tweeter and horn shaped waveguide in the 240H, JBL explains that “through intense research of previous waveguide designs, JBL has developed a new complex geometry that improves directivity, reduced diffraction, and an overall neutral frequency response both on and off axis. The Stage 2 HDI Horn is coupled to an anodized aluminum dome tweeter to enhance efficiency and dynamics. This new design offers a neutral frequency response both on and off axis.”
This claim is validated when listening to the 240H. The reproduction of high frequencies is spectacular. The highs are bright and crisp, clear and undistorted. All of the Atmos height channel content is faithfully and accurately reproduced even in a room with a high ceiling. The discrete Atmos effect audio is incredibly accurate and clear.
The Stage 240H speakers may be used as wall mounted height or surround channel speakers. For that application the Mode toggle switch adjacent to the binding posts on the speaker is placed in the SURR – Surround position. The 240H has keyhole slots for wall mounting as well as a ¼”-20 thread insert for attachment to mounting brackets.
I employ the 240H speakers as Atmos height channel speakers (Atmos Caps) which I mounted on top of the 280F Floorstanding speakers. I appreciate and enjoy the elevated channel audio which Atmos speakers bounce off the ceiling. The crossover Mode toggle switch is placed in the Atmos position for that application. The 240H include large, extremely sticky anti-slip pads that attach to bottom of the 240H wedge style speakers resembling a peel & stick adhesive. The 240H speakers stay in position on the top of the 280F speakers with extreme tenacity, even at “concert volume”.
Since the 280F speakers include an internally wired pass-through, the wire management for the 240H speakers is excellent. Short “jumpers” are used between the binding posts on the 240H speakers and the binding posts near the top, rear of the 280F speakers. The speaker cable binding posts are recessed and configured at a 45° angle making connecting bare wire challenging, especially if 12 gauge wire is used. The longer Atmos channel speaker cables originating from the receiver connect to a second set of binding posts at the bottom, rear of the 280F speakers.
The Stage 240H Atmos / Surround speakers are reasonably compact and look great, but more importantly they sound absolutely fantastic with every type of source material that I have used, each music genre that I have played and each video / movie that I have watched. They have excellent power handling capabilities, and remain clear and undistorted even at extremely high volume levels. Their large, 4.25” transducers and waveguide equipped aluminum tweeter project sound beautifully even in the large room with high ceiling where I am using this system. They reproduce all Atmos height effects incredibly well and faithfully.
The matched design and engineering of the Stage 2 series speakers and the MA series AV receivers makes it extremely simple and easy to specify and select a complete home theater system comprised of excellent, premium level components from an outstanding audio component manufacturer, with a very long and rich company heritage.
Our listening and viewing experience has improved significantly with the Harman JBL home theater components. Whether playing streamed movies or music, or using my Blu-Ray player, CD changer, or turntable, we are now enjoying the experience more than we did previously.
The Stage 2 speakers and MA7100HP AVR provide extraordinary, room filling, high resolution audio with incredible fidelity across the full sound spectrum. As soon as I had connected and configured the system, running Top Gun Maverick, with its powerful soundtrack and height effects, was really incredible and satisfying! Aviation themed movies are particularly well-suited to enjoying the exceptional Atmos height effects reproduced by the 240H speakers. A few movies and concert videos later I was beyond impressed with how outstanding the Harman JBL components are! This is really how high-performance component audio should sound. The home theater experience with these components is truly a theater experience!
The Stage 240H Atmos / Surround channel speakers are excellent overall and are a terrific complement to this great home theater system. I am extremely impressed with them, and I am enjoying their performance greatly.

These JBL 240H Dolby Atmos Surround sound speakers just like the rest of the JBL’s stage 2 came very well packed. The speakers were double boxed and then individually wrapped with a white soft cloth. In addition to the white soft cloth, the speakers were packaged with individual thick Styrofoam on the top and bottom for extra protection during shipment. I was impressed. Like most single speakers when bought separately, they do not come with any wiring. You must provide your own. The speakers are very well designed and they come in a dark brown espresso color. The built quality is high end and they have some weight on them. They come with a detachable magnetic mesh grill. That was definitely a great idea to attach the grills magnetically as you can appreciate a clean look at the front of the speakers without any holes. I personally prefer the speaker without them as they look beautiful. However, if your home is prone to having dust, it is probably best to leave the mesh grill on.
In my current setup I have these speakers paired with the JBL MA710 receiver, Stage 2 series 280F floorstanding, 245C center channel, 250B bookshelves, and 200P sub. I have these 240H speakers sitting on top of the JBL stage 280F Floor standing tower front speakers. This is a nice feature to be able to do this especially in a set up where you can’t place the Dolby speakers on the wall. However, it is nice to have the ability to place them on the wall as well. The speakers are ready for wall mounting with the included key-hole slots or you have the option to use a third-party mounting kit. The speakers come with an anti-slip pad that prevents them from sliding or moving when placed on top of the floor standing speakers.
This 240H speaker is very versatile. In the back where the binding post plate is located, there’s a toggle switch that allows you to use this speaker as surround or Atmos. When listening to Dolby Atmos or Spatial Audio content, this speaker really compliments the JBL sound stage loudspeakers. The sound really blends in with all the other sounds coming from the surrounding speakers.
Overall, this 240H is a great set of speakers and they look beautiful. They are very well built, and they sound great especially when paired with the other JBL Stage 2 series. They are easy to connect and you have the ability to wall mount without any additional accessories. The 5-way binding post gives you plenty of options to connect them. In the box you get the speaker, anti-slip pad, speaker grill and quick guide.

The JBL Stage 2 240H height speakers are a wedge-shaped home theater speakers used as either Atmos speakers that sit on top of a bed layer speaker or as a height speaker mounted to a wall or ceiling. The 240H does not ship with any mounting hardware. As such, I configured the 240H speakers as Atmos speakers. I can mount wall mount these speakers if I want. These speakers have both a keyhole and a mounting hole to accommodate both JBL and third-party wall mounts.
The speakers ship with a black, sticky, jelly like anti-slip pad that is used to stick the 240H to the top of the Stage 2 tower or bookshelf speakers. The adhesive is strong enough to hold the 240H in place but not so strong that it creates a permanent bond. In my case, I have the 240H height speaker sitting on top of my JBL Stage 2 280F tower speakers. I can tell you for fact that the 240H will not fall off my towers if bumped, tilted, or moved. The pad serves a secondary purpose; to decouple the 240H from the host speaker. This prevents any cabinet resonance from either speaker from interacting with each other. The last thing you want to hear in the middle of a big action scene are your speakers rattling around.
=== Performance ===
For reference, my 240H height speakers are integrated into a 5.1.2 theater consisting of the JBL Stage 2 250B bookshelf speakers, 280F tower speakers, 245C center channel, Stage 220P 12-inch subwoofer, and the JBL MA710HP AVR.
My test 4K movie for any new speakers or gear is Pacific Rim, Scene 2. This is the first fight between Gypsy Danger and a Kaiju. The scene has everything from rain, splashing ocean waves, stressed actuators, ship horns, distressed metal effects, angry animal roars, and screaming male voices. Sometimes all at once! Pacific Rim has a lot of height affects, which is partly why I use this movie to help test and calibrate my system. However, from my listening position, I did not feel like I was getting any Atmos effects. I did two things to prove this out. First, I unplugged all my speakers except the 240Hs. Second, I fast forwarded to the middle of chapter eight. This scene takes place on a balcony with heavy rain serving as a backdrop. This scene also shares the rain effects between the heights and the bed layer speakers. Essentially, I used the rain as a poor man’s pink noise to help with troubleshooting.
The rain effect can be subtle depending on the speakers, speaker positions, number of speakers, and how much power is dedicated to those speakers. I could hear the rain clearly standing next to the speaker. Though, it seemed very quiet. From my seating position, seven feet away, the rain sounded like background static. I fast forwarded to some movie scenes where additional height effects were present. I admit that the 240Hs added some dimensionality to those scenes but I heard nothing that justified adding the 240H height speakers to the system.
I figured that this may be a calibration issue with the AVR. Which prompted me to recalibrate the height speakers. The EZ Set EQ software, which JBL uses for their MA AVR room calibration, calibrates each speaker pair separately. Hence, I could focus just on the 240Hs and not worry about the rest of the system.
I played through my demo scenes again and did get better results. The rain still did not sound like it was coming from the sky. And, in all honestly, I did not realize the impact the 240Hs had on the system until I demoed multi-channel stereo.
With Multi-channel stereo, I got more of the 280F Tower speakers. For example, I tested multi-channel stereo with just the 280Fs and 240H height speakers plugged into the MA710HP. My musical selection was Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 21 in C Major, K 467 II. Andante. The JBL 280F Tower speakers sounded good in simple, two-channel stereo. Engaging multi-channel stereo brough the 240Hs online. The combination of 280Fs and 240Hs really delivered the WOW factor I was so desperately missing. The 240H’s made the 280Fs sound as big as the room is tall. That’s impressive! And really gets to the heart of what Atmos speakers can bring to the table.
Getting back to Pacific Rim. In the past, I played this movie in a room with dedicated on-wall speakers. The rain sounds like actual rain in this configuration. Helicopter flybys sound like helicopter flybys. And waves breaking over the top plane of my bed layer speakers (there is no other way to describe it) sound like they are breaking over the tops of my bed layer speakers. The 240Hs in Atmos configuration, in this room, simply does not provide the same level of experience as dedicated on wall speakers can. However, the 240H’s can be mounted on a wall! They are specifically designed with an angled baffle to point at the listener from a wall position. The speakers have dedicated Atmos/Height switches to tell the speaker which configuration you are using. These are going on my wall as soon as I can get the right hardware. Placing these speakers on my front wall will take a sound track with height effects to the next level.
=== Construction and aesthetics ===
The 240H height speakers are well-constructed speakers even by high value, budget friendly standards. The vinyl espresso wood wrap is very well executed and matches my entertainment center. This unifies my front stage since my 240H’s are mounted to my 280F Towers which are right next to my entertainment center. This would not be as important to me if the 240Hs were hanging on a wall or from the ceiling. But, still, the color pallet JBL chose does a great job of unifying my whole theater.
The front baffle of the 240H is matt black. Unlike the Stage 2 Towers, Center, Bookshelves, and subwoofers, the 240H’s baffle does not extend past the edges of the speaker. The 1” anodized aluminum tweeter’s wave guide is much smaller than the rest of the speakers in the Stage 2 line. In all fairness, it probably does not require the extra space due to the limited use Atmos or Height speakers play with most movies and musical content. Since the baffle is much smaller, the illusion of size afforded to the other Stage 2 speakers is missing here. The front baffle edges also do not frame the speaker grills. This is not a bad thing because the oversized baffle would make the speaker look out of place while hanging out on top of another speaker in Atmos mode.
The speaker grills are smartly constructed, attractive, and really help the speakers pop. The grill frame is constructed of a single piece of JBL Orange molded plastic. Gray toned textured colored acoustic fabric is stretched across the plastic frame. JBL brand is silk screened onto the front bottom of each grill. The fabric appears machine cut and glued to the back of the frame. The design and construction are very clean and give the speaker a professional look.
The grills attach to the baffle with strong magnets. Simply brushing the speaker during a walk-by will not be enough to knock the grills off. Heck! Good luck knocking the 240H off of the top of a speaker while using the black pad! The back side of the speaker grills have soft felt to protect the speaker baffle from scratching due to removing and replacing the speaker grills. In my opinion, these speakers look fantastic with grills on or off.
The binding posts are as no-frills and budget as they get. They will accept bar wire, spades, and banana plugs. I use banana plugs for all my equipment because I am constantly swapping out equipment and components. For the Stage 2 speakers, in general, a small plug needs to be removed from the top of each binding post before the binding post will accept a banana plug. Please note, bare wire will make the best possible connection between your AVR/receiver and your speakers.
Finally, there is an Atmos/Surround switch located next to the binding posts. The switch is set to Atmos for my setup.
Overall, the fit, finish, and construction of these speakers are fantastic.
=== Conclusion ===
Normally, high-value, budget friendly speakers look slapped together and cheap. The JBL Stage 2 240H Height speakers look anything but cheap. These speakers are very well thought out, purposely stylized, professionally executed, and look fantastic in my room. JBL also thought through how these speakers will connect to, and remain stable, on top of the matching Stage 2 280F Tower speakers. The overall results are handsome, stable, and unobtrusive speaker positions that are functional and sound great.
Proper positioning, calibration, clean power, and a solid AVR will allow the 240Hs to put the finishing touches on your home theater or multi-channel audio system experience. It took some work to dial these speakers in properly. And was well rewarded for my efforts. For high value, budget friendly speakers, these do a great job.