JBL On Tour Portable Speaker System ( Black )
by Jbl
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Our Price: $349.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of JBL On Tour Portable Speaker System ( Black )
Customer Review: Excellent sound quality from a small portable speaker at an excellent price from Amazon! One of the greater deals!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was lucky enough to get two when they were on special for $35.00 each at Amazon. If you buy locally you could pay up to $100.00 PLUS your local tax, but even at that price you won't be disappointed with the great quality sound from this sized speaker. The bass (excellent bass) and treble (excellent treble) are set perfectly and everyone who has heard me playing these has gone out and bought themselves a set due to the amazing quality sound and volume. I, myself, was amazed at the level of quality sound this small speaker produced and am glad I got two when the price was at its lowest.
Each of the two speakers are approximately 1 inch in diameter powered by two Odyssey Neodymium drivers and you will simply be astounded at the great sound these speakers produce. It is more than worth what Amazon charges and you will agree if you decide to purchase one or two units. I keep one at home and one at work. There is no EQ on this unit, but there is also no need for one. It uses 4 AAA batteries (use rechargeable) and also comes with an AC adapter and headphone style jack to plug into anything that takes headphones. Battery life is excellent. The speaker comes with a cloth case but none for the AC or 3.5 mini stereo jack, but at the killer price this should not be an issue at all! I simply got a $5.00 tiny camera case for the AC and mini stereo jack and that works fine. Anyone who grumbles about the lack of storage for the AC and stereo jack probably can't be satisfied anyways especially when they are saving up to $65.00 on this excellent sounding speaker.
The volume is excellent and is more than ample for what it was intended. I think that the people who rated this saying the volume was not adequate for them were expecting boom box type sound for parties which is unreasonable for something this small. This is meant for use in a room with a bunch of friends that want to listen to music or watch a show and not meant for a noisy party.
You simply cannot go wrong buying this baby! It is a great value with excellent sound and this rating is from someone who has worked in the Television and audio industry for over 20 years. I have NEVER heard anything this small sound so big. You will be more than pleased if you decide to buy this speaker. IT ROCKS! It beats out bigger speakers made by bigger name companies like Bose! Don't miss out on this bargain!
Customer Review: For treble lovers - NOT for bass listeners. Poor ergonomics
Summary: 3 Stars
I've had this for quite awhile now. While these portable speakers do look nice... to be honest, overall, I wasn't entirely blown away by it.
This speaker is definitely treble over bass. If you listen to classical/piano then you will LOVE the clarity on this. The treble is quite high. The vocals are clear but I find the music to be quite flat. If you listen more to rock or music requiring bass, you're not going to be satisfied. Surround sound isn't terrible, but they're not great either; it doesn't feel like there's much depth. I also own the Logitech mm28 portable speakers and while the JBL has better clarity, the Logitech mm28 has a better overall surround sound feel and bass (although the size is much bigger and the mm28 has some issues of its own, but that's another review...).
What annoys me the most about this speaker are the ergonomics: I really don't think it's a great idea that the only way to TURN OFF the speaker is by SLIDING the entire cover in -- when you have to go through the hassle of removing the 3.5mm plug (AND AC if you're using it) on the back of the speaker because it will block it from closing.
Let's say you just want to keep it plugged into the AC; well, once you finish listening to your music, you're going to have to unplug it from the speakers each time you want to turn off (unless you want to waste power and keep the LED on the speakers on) -- and the only way to turn it off, again, is by closing the entire cover. Personally, I find this quite annoying.
To close the battery cover also takes a bit of a certain technique; it almost feels like it might snap if you don't push it in properly. The speakers require four AAA batteries to operate without an AC. Personally, I prefer using AA over AAA, since it's a little cheaper and more common.
Overall, if you want clarity/treble, then you will love this. These aren't awful speakers, but I don't think it deserves the high praise that it is getting. I wish the ergonomics were better.
Update: I did not realize the speaker can be turned off (without closing the cover) by pressing the volume + and - simultaneously together. Good to know! It's been an year since I've wrote my review and I have to say I don't regret my purchase. When you factor in the portability, the sound that this produces is pretty impressive.
Customer Review: Beautiful Sounding AND Looking.
Summary: 5 Stars
Absolutely wonderful speakers. I've had two different sets of speakers before (for my iPod and PSP) but neither of them came anywhere close to as nice as this one. They sound wonderful, so good that I've even been using them with my laptop, because the sound better then it's built-in speaker system. The volume level is very good.It fills my needs perfectly. While I seriously doubt it would musically will a room full of talking people, it will easily fill a quiet room. And at a setting such as around a campfire, small outside party, or a picnic, this unit would be provide more than enough volume.
And as for the sound quality, I was very pleasantly surprised. I was expecting quality comparable to the old Logitech or Creative speaker sets I used to have, but these speakers are several levels better. Like I said earlier, I will sometimes use these with my laptop, but those old speakers weren't even as good as my laptop speakers. I simply can hardly wait to go to an out door party and provide my entire 4000+ song collection in the excellent quality these speakers provide.
And as for appearance, this thing is absolutely beautiful, and extremely slick, either while open for use, or closed for stowage. The slight curvature is excellent design choice, allowing the cords to pass underneath the unit unhindered. The curvature also adds that much more to the elegant appearance of the design, as well.
Now,there is ONE question that I simply HAVE to ask! What is that apparatus connecting the PSP to the speakers in that certain picture above??!! I've been looking EVERYWHERE for it, and I just can't find it. If I could find out what it was I would buy it in a heartbeat, but I simply can't find it anywhere.If anyone know what it is, please leave a post here,or something, anything, to let everyone know what that device is. It would be absolutely perfect for watching movies on a PSP while it was attached to an excellent sound system!
Customer Review: If you travel, you want this one!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great, little device! First of all, I think it's beautiful and sleek, and easy to use. Just slide it open, plug in the cable that links to your iPod, and if you are using batteries, that's it, good to go. Just plug in the AC cord if you aren't using batteries. Uses 4 AAA batteries, so the batteries are small, don't add any noticeable weight to the unit. Your iPod stays in it's own protective case, no fitting it onto a dock slot. I've had one Altec Lansing speaker set and one Sonic Impact speaker set that the slot became damaged, so I'm glad I don't deal with that anymore. This thing is light, small, about the size of a very, VERY large eyeglasses case so it packs very nicely in a purse, carry-on or suitcase, even better if you can get along without the bulky AC cord and just use batteries. But it's about the sound, isn't it? If you are looking for sound in your hotel room, or bathroom, mobile home, bedroom, kitchen, garage, den, etc., you are going to LOVE this little guy, and it will be more than loud enough, it can crank! The sound is really great! It looks great, performs great, and I just bought another one for a friend going to Mexico in a week. Now, if you want a loud, space-filling but still portable speaker, get the In-Motion IM9 unit, as I did also. I have both. The IM9 is too big for the suitcase, and it's REALLY heavy, but it's screaming loud, great for the backyard or tailgating or any party setting, and very compact and portable while protecting the iPod within it's great loading system. But this JBL is your OTHER speaker system for light weight travel or just to fill a room at home. If you don't love it as I do, I don't know what planet you live on!Customer Review: Nice sound, inexpensive, and travel-friendly!
Summary: 5 Stars
These speakers have really great sound for the size and price! I listen mainly to classical music these days, and even for that purpose the sound is perfectly adequate.
Of course, they are no replacement for a serious sound system. However, if you want to have decent-quality sound for your music or podcasts while traveling, this set is for you.
I bring it with me when traveling mainly because I find the quality of my laptop speakers insufficient, especially at the low end. At home, I use a larger set of Creative speakers with a sub-woofer hooked up to the laptop, but this little JBL unit gives those speakers a run for the money.
These are not going to give you bass that will shake the room, but there is enough bass to give music as well as spoken-word podcasts a surprising and pleasing richness and depth.
It comes with a carrying bag, which is nice, but it would be even nicer if the bag were big enough to hold the AC adapter as well -- that is my only complaint. As it is, the adapter must be packed separately -- bad for absent-minded types like me. A big plus for international travelers is that the AC adapter takes power in the 110-240V range, so you only need a plug adapter, not a transformer, to use it in countries with different power standards.
I got these speakers on sale in a Gold Box special for $35, and I've seen them on sale for about that price a few times since then. You might want to hold out until that price or something similar rolls around again. I felt that especially at that price this purchase was a real bargain, though really they are probably worth more as well. Highly recommended!