JBL Eon One Compact - S1 Pro copy?

[DownUpDave]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

Honestly I don't know... All I know is that you are not sending 500w into a 8" speaker.

How does the Synapse compare to your previous QSC K10? In terms of loudness and sound quality?

I think the JBL will not compete, because it has to run on battery power. But it has good chance to be the compromise we all are looking for.

I think if it competes well in the sound department with the Bose S1 it will be a winner based on all the extra features it has over the Bose S1. I have some condenser mic’s and the 48v phantom power is a big bonus.

So is the EQ app. Image walking around the area you will be playing into and tweaking the sound from the audience position with your smartphone. That’s very cool right there.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

Honestly I don't know... All I know is that you are not sending 500w into a 8" speaker.

How does the Synapse compare to your previous QSC K10? In terms of loudness and sound quality?

I think the JBL will not compete, because it has to run on battery power. But it has good chance to be the compromise we all are looking for.

I got rid of my pair of QSC K10 speakers back in 2011 and bought a Bose L1 Model II with ToneMatch and two B1 Bass Modules. The Bose sounded so much more natural for acoustic music and I'd always heard my QSC K10s as sounding sterile or shrill. Maybe the new Kxx.2 Series sound better than the original K Series? The LR Baggs Synapse sounds wonderful and I stick by my initial review of it in that it doesn't produce "ear fatigue" after listening to music--guitar or recorded music--played through it for a while. I'm sure if I could now do a side-by-side comparison, the pair of QSC K10s would blow the LR Baggs Synapse out of the room but as you know loudness alone isn't the only criteria for judging a loudspeaker. QSC claims 1000 watts of power (500 watts each to the bass speaker and the compression horn)! I have no doubt that the amplifier sections of the QSC speakers and the Synapse (500 total watts) can produce these wattage figures as peak power ratings but neither speaker system will deliver these high wattage ratings to each actual speaker or driver as it would fry the components. Maybe Jon can offer some insight into speaker power ratings but I'd think the actual RMS continuous power rating for the QSC and Synapse would be closer to 200 watts RMS with applied power being limited to each system's midrange/tweeter compression drivers.

LR Baggs Synapse Review

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

it doesn't produce "ear fatigue" after listening to music--guitar or recorded music--played through it for a while.

The tweeter harshness is a long time battle for LR Baggs. The Baggs A-ref amp was also a way to solve that problem. When I saw that, I was so excited I bough a bunch of DML speaker... I never finished that project.

A question in the case of the Synapse is the position of the handle and pole mount. It seems to indicate that the horns weight a lot. The Synapse weight more than twice than the JBL eon one compact.

[lpa53]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

I think the JBL will not compete, because it has to run on battery power. But it has good chance to be the compromise we all are looking for.

It HAS TO run on battery power? Are you saying that the Eon One Compact does not provide a direct power option, or that its having the battery option somehow compromises it's performance? I would be amazed if it can't be plugged into an outlet.

[stephenT]

Of course the JBL EON One Compact can be plugged in.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

The tweeter harshness is a long time battle for LR Baggs. The Baggs A-ref amp was also a way to solve that problem. When I saw that, I was so excited I bough a bunch of DML speaker... I never finished that project.

A question in the case of the Synapse is the position of the handle and pole mount. It seems to indicate that the horns weight a lot. The Synapse weight more than twice than the JBL eon one compact.

Yes, indeed, the Synapse at 39 lbs weighs more than twice as much as the new JBL EON ONE Compact at 18 lbs. As a portable go-anywhere, battery-powered speaker, and if the features work as well as we hope they will, the JBL EON ONE Compact will now reign as the speaker to have for that purpose. This does not discount the utility of a Synapse, a Bose F1 Model 812, a QSC K10, or any other middle-weight, wall-powered speaker.

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Yes, indeed, the Synapse at 39 lbs weighs more than twice as much as the new JBL EON ONE Compact at 18 lbs. As a portable go-anywhere, battery-powered speaker, and if the features work as well as we hope they will, the JBL EON ONE Compact will now reign as the speaker to have for that purpose. This does not discount the utility of a Synapse, a Bose F1 Model 812, a QSC K10, or any other middle-weight, wall-powered speaker.

For sure! Just wish the Synapse was cheaper! It is a lot of money for a 8" powered speaker.

iPa53, sorry for the misunderstanding. I am French and sometimes my English is not accurate. I meant that JBL eon one compact has - to be able - to run on battery so it can't be "that" powerful.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

For sure! Just wish the Synapse was cheaper! It is a lot of money for a 8" powered speaker.

Cuki, As good as I think the Synpase is, most players would have to be crazy, like I am, to spend $1800 to $2000 (depending on the source) for this full-featured PA speaker when, in the real world, a less costly, quality speaker will work just as well for most audiences. Right now, anyone who doesn't mind having a 44 lb speaker would be crazy to pass up on the Bose F1 Model 812 for $899. Just add a decent small mixer to it and you've got all the sound you'll need for a solo or duo act.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by stephenT

Of course the JBL EON One Compact can be plugged in.

If this speaker works as well as its features suggest it may be able to do, and if the battery doesn't overheat and burn up, it will be the new ultra-small PA speaker standard.

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

If this speaker works as well as its features suggest it may be able to do, and if the battery doesn't overheat and burn up, it will be the new ultra-small PA speaker standard.

Yes, but don’t underestimate the ability of JBL to screw up the preamps on otherwise excellent equipment. :-). I should know I have one.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

Yes, but don’t underestimate the ability of JBL to screw up the preamps on otherwise excellent equipment. :-). I should know I have one.

Right You Are, Dave! Regardless, the JBL EON ONE Compact will be the latest AGF craze and almost every player will be ordering this latest bauble this holiday season. The problem is that AGFers, including myself, will order one before the problems, if any, are brought fully to the forefront! LOL!

[MarkF_48]

If the EON One Compact is similar to the EON 600 series, it's 50% amp, 50% computer


In my efforts to get my Android tablet to connect to my EON 610, I finally got lucky somehow and the EON Connect app finally 'connected' to it. It told me there was a firmware update available and I accepted it. After a few minutes it completed to successfully to 100% and gave a message to 'Restart'. I power cycled the speaker and subsequently it refuses to connect with the tablet even after multiple 'factory resets'. The BT used to show presence in the Android's OS, but does not now. I think the firmware update may have killed the BT (perhaps a corrupt transfer). With the BT dead the firmware can't be reflashed in an attempt to 'fix' it. JBL should have put a USB connection in these for the for purpose of firmware updates, rather than solely relying on the BT.
The EON One Compact looks like a nice sized portable speaker, but I hope it doesn't have the connection problems that EON 600 users are plagued with.

[Justinian]

I just noticed that JBL finally put manual on their web site:

http://www.jblpro.com/ProductAttachm...User_Guide.pdf

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by Justinian

I just noticed that JBL finally put manual on their web site:

I changed my original post

I am really suspicious about the gain pots... It seems they only provide 26dB gain as illustrated by the app.

* The JBL app faders range from -infinty to 26 dB
* The JBL regular speaker eon 612 specsheet gives [-Infinity to 26.8 dBu] for line input and [-Infinity to 29 dBu] for mic
As a comparison
*Bose S1 pro inputs are
-XLR: -infinity to + 49 dB
-1/4 inch (6.3 mm) Balanced input (Tip-Ring-Sleeve): -infinity + 42 dB
-1/4 inch (6.3 mm) Unbalanced input (Tip-Sleeve): -infinity + 36 dB

To understand how JBL names things, here is for example a schematic from the "old" lousdpeaker EON 612 user guide

They don't use a different symbol for the input "mic/line" gain stage and the "channel levels" or "master volume". In the same user guide, CH1 and CH2 pots are named "gain", and the 3rd pot "Master volume".

In the JBL eon one compact user guide, both "Master volume" (general) and "Master gain" are used. It seems that in JBL book "Master volume" goes from -infinity to 0dB while Master gain goes from -infinity to +26dB.

It is very different to what we are used to and would mean that there is a physical fixed input gain (similarly to mackie, Bose and previous JBL eon one products).

To illustrate that, here are pictures of Gain and volume pots from standard entry-level mixers. The gain pots never go down to -infinity, because they are related to a preamplifer stage that pre-amplify and not attenuate. The level stages work as "volume pots" since they actually attenuate the pre-amplified signal.


Right now all the signs seem to show that JBL eon one compact will have the same weak inputs as the EON one and EON one PRO.

For me, if the JBL eon one compact does not have proper gain stages, it is no better than the Mackie Freeplay 1st gen.

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

I changed my original post

I am really suspicious about the gain pots... It seems they only provide 26dB gain as illustrated by the app.

* The JBL app faders range from -infinty to 26 dB
* The JBL regular speaker eon 612 specsheet gives [-Infinity to 26.8 dBu] for line input and [-Infinity to 29 dBu] for mic
As a comparison
*Bose S1 pro inputs are
-XLR: -infinity to + 49 dB
-1/4 inch (6.3 mm) Balanced input (Tip-Ring-Sleeve): -infinity + 42 dB
-1/4 inch (6.3 mm) Unbalanced input (Tip-Sleeve): -infinity + 36 dB

To understand how JBL names things, here is for example a schematic from the "old" lousdpeaker EON 612 user guide

They don't use a different symbol for the input "mic/line" gain stage and the "channel levels" or "master volume". In the same user guide, CH1 and CH2 pots are named "gain", and the 3rd pot "Master volume".

In the JBL eon one compact user guide, both "Master volume" (general) and "Master gain" are used. It seems that in JBL book "Master volume" goes from -infinity to 0dB while Master gain goes from -infinity to +26dB.

It is very different to what we are used to and would mean that there is a physical fixed input gain (similarly to mackie, Bose and previous JBL eon one products).

To illustrate that, here are pictures of Gain and volume pots from standard entry-level mixers. The gain pots never go down to -infinity, because they are related to a preamplifer stage that pre-amplify and not attenuate. The level stages work as "volume pots" since they actually attenuate the pre-amplified signal.


Right now all the signs seem to show that JBL eon one compact will have the same weak inputs as the EON one and EON one PRO.

For me, if the JBL eon one compact does not have proper gain stages, it is no better than the Mackie Freeplay 1st gen.

I seldom disagree with you. But, we must remember that the Mackie free play had no way to activate the +29 dB setting when you were using a 1/4” jack. That was the major issue with that product.

With the Eon One Pro, and this product, you can activate the gain by pressing in the mic switch. For MOST people, the 29 dB will be enough pre-amplification gain for passive pickups and mics, and likely will not clip. My problem with the JBL design is the Line setting is too weak for passive pickups, so I have to use the mic setting for everything and adjust with the level control. I use standard Senn E mics and K&K pickups. This configuration seems to work for me.

EDIT:

I just noticed that the High Z input is dedicated. It possible that they handicapped this channel to prevent the mic gain setting from activating. If so, Cuki is right that this unit would be no better than the Free Play. Let's hope not.