JBL is one of those audio brands that straddles the modern and traditional extremely well. It has the portable side of things, which the company sells in huge numbers. We’ve had plenty of first-hand experience of this, with a number of its fun and affordable models a fixture in our best Bluetooth speakers guides, having gained five stars from the What Hi-Fi? test team.
But its history is embedded in more traditional two-channel products. Most people will know its predilection for horn-loaded stereo speakers, but it’s also had classic separates in the past, such as the SA600 stereo amplifier from the 1960s. And it’s this vintage amp which has directly inspired the product you see being tested here – the JBL SA550 Classic.
