JBL On Air - not so wireless, yet very cool

Mar 5, 2007 08:56 GMT  ·  By

JBL made a step towards wireless "loudspeaking" and issued the On Air Control 2.4 G set. Now, what can sound more beautiful than a leading brand working on new tech and providing neat solutions? Maybe seeing that new gear actually is exactly what its creator said it would be? Let's see!

Usually, JBL needs no presentation for those who know at least the basics of sound tech: be it sound reinforcement for the worlds' largest concerts or installations for huge stadiums, reference studio gear or home entertainment, JBL have outdone themselves many times.

Now, with the On Air Control they take a shot to the next level in high quality home entertainment and go for wireless technology. The new set brings in two nicely-designed boxes with rounded edges, quite cool yet not a beauty-contest winner design, they'll run on a 2.4 GHz frequency, but there is no need to fear interferences as they can handle up to four different channels so your ears are safe.

The transceiver is quite small and it can pass unnoticed in almost any gear-rack you might have built up in your room, while the stereo RCA connectors will ensure you get your music from virtually any source, except for 6-8 channels AVR's in front/back mode.

The single nasty thing is that despite the wireless technology, these speakers still have to get a wire, for power supply. Connecting the mains to the left speaker and then the left to the right kind wrecks all the "no wires" thing. Maybe if you decide to place these JBLs in a fixed spot of your home and have the nerves to insert the power cords in the walls, this could make them really look wireless.

As for the rest, the JBL On Air Control 2.4G are well-worth the money because of the outstanding sound-quality: 4" woofers and 0.5" titanium tweeters deliver a far better sound than almost any similar speakers under $350 and I guess this is the thing that makes a huge difference: any music lover with a lesser audiophile set of exigencies will simply adore these JBL boxes. Nothing to leave anyone with a dumb stare on the face but definitely one exceptional set of speakers for its range. Since they're just out you can buy them now for $349 or wait some 2-3 months until the price goes down as JBL has already announced the coming of future larger wireless music systems soon.

Pictures by JBL.

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A bit too much for the proper "wireless", huh?
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