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Home News

JBL Celebrates 80 Years with Next Generation Summit Everest and Summit K2

Marco Lisi by Marco Lisi
June 4, 2026
in News, Loudspeakers
Reading Time: 3 mins read
jbl-celebrates-80-years-with-next-generation-summit-everest-and-summit-k2

HARMAN Luxury Audio Group has unveiled the next generation of its most iconic loudspeakers at HIGH END Vienna 2026: the all-new JBL Summit Everest and JBL Summit K2. Marking JBL’s 80th anniversary, these two flagship models complete the Summit Series and represent the most advanced residential loudspeakers in the brand’s history.

  • A Rare “Project” Legacy Continues
  • Summit Everest: The Pinnacle of Performance
  • Summit K2: The Legend Reborn
  • Summit Series Technology Highlights
  • Elegant Finishes
  • Pricing and Availability

A Rare “Project” Legacy Continues

Since 1954, only a handful of JBL loudspeakers have earned the prestigious “Project” designation. The new Summit Everest and Summit K2 continue this exclusive lineage — the fifth Project family in JBL’s eight-decade history — bringing together decades of acoustic expertise with the latest advances in transducer, horn, and enclosure technology.

“These are reference loudspeakers built for listeners who refuse to compromise,” said David Tovissi, Vice President & General Manager, HARMAN Luxury Audio. “With Summit Everest and Summit K2, we honor our legendary past while pushing the boundaries of what is possible in high-end audio performance.”

Summit Everest: The Pinnacle of Performance

The new Summit Everest is the flagship of the series and successor to more than 40 years of Project Everest development. It features a sophisticated mid/high-frequency system with three patented JBL D2820 dual-diaphragm compression drivers coupled to a custom 3-into-1 expansion manifold and large-format Sonoglass® High-Definition Imaging (HDI™) horn.

jbl-celebrates-80-years-with-next-generation-summit-everest-and-summit-k2-2

Low frequencies are handled by dual 15-inch and dual 10-inch Differential Drive woofers with HC4 Hybrid Carbon Cellulose Composite cones. The result is a powerful 3.5-way floorstanding loudspeaker delivering exceptional resolution, dynamics, and spatial realism from 20Hz to beyond 23kHz.

Summit K2: The Legend Reborn

The Summit K2 reinterprets the iconic 15-inch three-way formula with three D2815 dual-diaphragm compression drivers, a custom HDI horn, a 10-inch mid-bass driver, and a 15-inch woofer — both using HC4 cones. It delivers the emotional immediacy and musical authority that have defined K2 since its original debut, now with greater transparency and precision.

jbl-celebrates-80-years-with-next-generation-summit-everest-and-summit-k2-3

Summit Series Technology Highlights

Both models incorporate the full suite of Summit Series innovations:

  • Advanced MultiCap™ crossover network with multiple connectivity options
  • Multi-braced, curved-wall enclosures with extensive internal damping
  • Custom JBL | IsoAcoustic® isolation feet
  • Premium internal wiring and rhodium-plated binding posts

Elegant Finishes

The Summit Everest and Summit K2 are available in two luxurious finishes:

  • High-gloss Black with Summit Platinum accents
  • High-gloss Macassar Ebony veneer with Summit Gold detailing

Pricing and Availability

The complete Summit Series pricing (per pair):

  • Summit Everest: $159,990 USD / €159,998 / £139,998
  • Summit K2: $99,990 USD / €84,998 / £71,998
  • Summit Makalu: $45,000 USD / €43,998 / £36,998
  • Summit Pumori: $30,000 USD / €30,998 / £26,998
  • Summit Ama: $20,000 USD / €17,498 / £14,995 (including stands)

The new JBL Summit Everest and Summit K2 will be available globally later in 2026 through authorized JBL Summit retailers.

With these new flagships, JBL reaffirms its position as a leader in high-performance audio, delivering the perfect balance of technical excellence, emotional impact, and timeless design.

Tags: JBLJBL Summit SeriesLoudspeakers
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Marco Lisi

Marco Lisi

Publisher

Marco Lisi is the publisher of Best of High End, part of AV Concepts BV. His path into audio started early: as a teenager he was drawn into the world of free radio, presenting shows and living immersed in music every day. In his early twenties he ran his own production studio for five years, creating jingles and commercials — hands-on training in sound design, pro-audio workflows, and critical listening through studio monitors that still shapes how he evaluates gear today. He also spent years DJing in clubs before moving into publishing, first at two earlier online magazines before founding Best of High End. His hi-fi and home cinema passion was inherited from his father, an inveterate system-swapper. Marco's first setup — a confirmation gift — paired AKAI separates with entry-level Bowers & Wilkins speakers, a brand he stayed loyal to for years as his system grew from stereo into full surround and home cinema. Like many enthusiasts, he went through an extended "audiophile" phase chasing the next upgrade, before settling into a more grounded view: gear as a means to enjoy music and film, not an end in itself. Years of critical listening have given him a well-trained ear — the ability to characterize a system or pinpoint a change in the chain quickly and accurately. Just as important, his teaching background (a Belgian "regent" degree in Dutch language) gives him the tools to translate those listening impressions into clear, readable writing.

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