JBL EON Compact Unboxing/Initial Review (Continuation)

[AeroUSA]

Originally Posted by DavidE

I have not read (or seen) a comment on this feature:

"Two performance orientations: monitor and vertical; tuning and mixer displays automatically adjust"

The difference in the amount of bass in the 4 positions of the S1 are pretty obvious.

As far as I can figure, the JBL has only 2 positions, "vertical" (table/pole) and monitor. I did not feel any switch in the pole hole. At low volume (wife's asleep), I do think I hear decreased bass when I switch from table to monitor. However, I do not see any change in the mixer display. Any idea what JBL is talking about?

Also, I had some bad bluetooth connection when streaming music from a new iPhone 11 that was less than a foot away from the Compact. It went away quickly, but that shouldn't happen at all. Anyone else?

Did you update your firmware?

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

Did you update your firmware?

Yes. And checked for an update tonight as well.

[necrome]

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

The JBL was as bad sounding as the other comparison video linked last week by another uploader. Not a fan!

[aoeusynth]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

I did a quick measurement of the JBL eon one compact Master EQ presets (Flat, Speech, Music, Perform)

These are great, thanks! That 2kHz cut in Perform mode is indeed interesting.

Newbie question: how do you make such measurements?

[AeroUSA]

Originally Posted by necrome

The JBL was as bad sounding as the other comparison video linked last week by another uploader. Not a fan!

Please note that the JBL and S1 had all EQ disabled. It sounds great when the EQ’s are used and they are indeed the standout feature.

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by DavidE

Using only the bass and treble controls on the unit I'm able to get very nice sounds out of the JBL with my Turner Renaissance RS6. I'll do some comparison with the S1 tomorrow and see if I can capture some of the "magic" of the S1 that makes me love it so much.

The angled array might give enough reflected sound to gives more room space and counter the boxy feeling.

The famous Bose 901 idea

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by leew3

I've seen two reviews online earlier this month noting a problem with the battery charge zeroing if the temperature is below 40 degrees. The reviewers reported that the speaker will still work plugged in and JBL is working on a firmware solution. Does anyone else have insights about this or are these reviewers in error?

I got the problem. When the JBL was delivered, it was freezing cold. The battery was undetected until it stayed few hours in the house.

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by aoeusynth

Newbie question: how do you make such measurements?

Here is the signal chain

PC -> Focusrite 2i2 Output 1-> JBL input 2 -> JBL output -> Focusrite 2i2 Input 2.

I use Room EQ wizard (free)
https://www.roomeqwizard.com/

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

The Bose S1 sounds so much better on your video!!
The JBL sounds super boxy in comparison.

First, thanks Aaron for this thread and all your posts and video reviews. They are excellently produced and very helpful! I'm a subscriber for sure.

I haven't been following this post much past the original video as though I'm always interested in new gear, I've been so happy with my two Bose S1 Pro setup that I'm not really looking to replace them. But I'm always delighted to see new gear pop up.

That said, I was shocked (much like Cuki79 above) when I heard your brief video update and comparison. I don't know if it was just my admittedly limited Macbook Air laptop speakers but the S1 sounded really pretty good and the JBL and PA sounded pretty bad!

Maybe after nearly a year I'm just so acclimated to the S1 sound that that is what sounds 'right' to me? Hmm.

Hey, if you ever need someone to do some harmonies with you at a show, my daughter lives and works in NYC! She's a musical theater grad and has a gift for singing and harmonizing.

[DavidE]

I spent a good hour and a half today with my Turner Renaissance RS6 (DTAR with 18v preamp) plugged into my S1 and the JBL. The only EQ I did with the S1 was to put it in tilt back position to lower the low end. And it still had LOTS of bass. Volume was at noon and tone match was off.

The S1 is just spectacular to my ears and it's a good bit smaller than the JBL.

With some basic eq (just increasing bass and treble), I got the JBL to sound quite good in PERFORMANCE EQ mode. I tried messing further with the channel EQ, but I'm just not that knowledgeable when it comes to specific frequencies. That's where something pre-tuned like the S1 can be a better fit for me.

I did get the JBL to sound like a good prosumer pa speaker, which is what it is. A very nice full sound that's even more adjustable with what I think are very useable and excellent live effects. The one thing I can't seem to duplicate on the JBL is the percussiveness of the S1. You know how a good tight sub can hit you in the gut so you feel it? The S1 does that but in the high end. I can't get that with the JBL. I'm don't think I need to, but at close range that may be the real difference.

And Aaron: Set the JBL flat and try it with your Kemper. It's not bad. Performance mode too.

[leew3]

Originally Posted by DavidE

There's a firmware update for the battery indicator in cold weather, among other bugs. I can't find the info on JBL's website, but Aaron has the info in his video a couple of posts up.

excellent, thanks David!

[lpa53]

Originally Posted by necrome

The JBL was as bad sounding as the other comparison video linked last week by another uploader. Not a fan!

I agree it sounded pretty bad, but perhaps there was no EQ added. Another poster linked to this video in which the JBL sounded much better.

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by lpa53

I agree it sounded pretty bad, but perhaps there was no EQ added. Another poster linked to this video in which the JBL sounded much better.

Harry's video here sounded really great. It sounded clean and natural to me. I think folks are over thinking this speaker system. It's just a very decent quality 8" 2-way speaker cabinet with a fancy digital mixer and 6-12 hour battery. Is that worth $550 (or $411 in my case)? I think so. Harry and Aaron are very good judges of gear in my opinion.

[aoeusynth]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

Here is the signal chain

PC -> Focusrite 2i2 Output 1-> JBL input 2 -> JBL output -> Focusrite 2i2 Input 2.

I use Room EQ wizard (free)
https://www.roomeqwizard.com/

Lovely, thanks!

[AeroUSA]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

First, thanks Aaron for this thread and all your posts and video reviews. They are excellently produced and very helpful! I'm a subscriber for sure.

I haven't been following this post much past the original video as though I'm always interested in new gear, I've been so happy with my two Bose S1 Pro setup that I'm not really looking to replace them. But I'm always delighted to see new gear pop up.

That said, I was shocked (much like Cuki79 above) when I heard your brief video update and comparison. I don't know if it was just my admittedly limited Macbook Air laptop speakers but the S1 sounded really pretty good and the JBL and PA sounded pretty bad!

Maybe after nearly a year I'm just so acclimated to the S1 sound that that is what sounds 'right' to me? Hmm.

Hey, if you ever need someone to do some harmonies with you at a show, my daughter lives and works in NYC! She's a musical theater grad and has a gift for singing and harmonizing.

Thank you my friend. I watch your channel also! I keep repeating this but the JBL had the K&K in the mic input (wrong impedance) and no EQ. It was bound to sound ‘not great’. The S1 Pro is more ‘plug and play’. JBL should add more gain to the hi-z input and it would fix that issue immediately.

Does your daughter have a YouTube channel also? Would be great to jam sometime!