If you're the kind of person who hears "ceiling speakers" and thinks, "Oh, cool—elevator music made easy," JBL is here to politely—and sonically—disagree with you.
Known for speakers that pack a punch from clubs to classrooms, JBL is no stranger to turning heads (and cranking bass). But this time, instead of aiming for concert stages or portable boomboxes, they're aiming… upward. Literally.
In the latest episode of JBL Tech Talks, the company dives into the story behind their newest marvel: the Control 400 Extended Coverage Ceiling Speakers—because apparently, ceilings were tired of being acoustically average.
The Control 400 Series isn’t just your typical "stick it in the ceiling and hope for the best" audio solution. It’s the result of JBL’s ongoing campaign to make every square foot of a building sound like it was personally mixed by a GRAMMY-winning engineer. A statement from the company discloses that the new speakers offer “superior sonic performance, improved installation features, and a modern aesthetic.” Translation: they sound better, go in easier, and don’t look like leftover props from a ‘90s office supply catalog.
Let’s rewind for a second. JBL didn’t just show up to the ceiling speaker game last week. The company states that they “revolutionized the market by pioneering an installed ceiling speaker that integrated everything needed to complete the install.” So, essentially, they Marie Kondo-ed the whole ceiling audio process before it was cool.
Now, with the Control 400 Series, JBL is building on its own legacy—kind of like when a band re-releases a classic album, but this time with actual bass and no crackly tweeters.
While the newest Tech Talk episode gives the deep-dive treatment to all the fancy engineering going on inside these little circular sound hubs, it's clear JBL is thinking big—starting from above. Whether you're decking out a boardroom, a classroom, or just want your bathroom to sound like a spa in Ibiza, these speakers are aiming to bring the boom with brains and beauty.
JBL also invites curious tech-heads, audio geeks, and ceiling aficionados (we see you) to check out their full archive of videos and articles filled with pro audio, lighting, and control system content. Just try not to fall down a rabbit hole of audio obsession.
In short, JBL is here to remind us all: just because it’s overhead, doesn’t mean it should be overlooked.
Photo from Wiki Commons
