Online stores JBL Control 2.4G On Air Wireless Speaker System

Amazon.com Product Description
Add a pair of speakers in the bedroom, in the kitchen, in the garage or on the patio. JBL On Air Control 2.4G wireless speaker system combines high-performance sound quality with wireless-installation convenience. The unit includes a pair of wall-mountable loudspeakers that incorporate a wireless transceiver and amplifier, a transmitter/receiver module, and a remote control. This system is ideal for a host of wireless-speaker applications, including use as the surround channels in a multichannel home theater, as a second-room music system, and as a high-quality wireless speaker system for computers and digital music players. The On Air Control 2.4G utilizes the 2.4GHz frequency range for interference-free transmission, and the transmitter/receiver module can be used with up to two pairs of JBL On Air speakers. The active speaker system includes a mini-jack input for connection to a second local audio source and a subwoofer output that enables the speakers to be used as part of a 2.1-channel satellite/subwoofer audio system. The 100mm polylaminate woofer produces rich, deep bass response, while the 12mm titanium-laminate tweeter delivers sparkling, clear high frequencies throughout the listening room. Easy-to-use wall brackets are included.

From the Manufacturer

JBL On Air Control 2.4G Wireless Speaker System

Have you been to a movie or gone to a concert recently? There’s a good chance that you were enjoying the show on JBL loudspeakers. For more than 60 years, JBL has been the loudspeaker brand of choice for recording professionals around the world. JBL engineering, power, clarity and technical accuracy are legendary. And today’s high-resolution digital media demand nothing less than a loudspeaker that can handle this sonic range. So, why not enjoy your movies or music on loudspeakers that probably helped to mix and master them? With JBL speakers, you can enjoy the thrill of the show or the excitement of a live concert – right in your own home.

Unleash Great JBL Sound in Your Home--Wirelessly

Control Now On Air is the easiest way to set up a wireless speaker system

The JBL On Air Control 2.4G speaker system delivers high-performance JBL sound wherever you want it. Using 2.4GHz technology, the JBL On Air Control 2.4G speakers are the perfect choice for situations in which running speaker wires isn’t possible. Add them to a second room, the patio or the kitchen. Add them as home-theater surround speakers when running wires across the room isn’t an option. You can even hook them up to your computer, or to your iPod or other portable MP3 player when you want to listen to your music library away from home. Please note that JBL On Air Control 2.4G speakers are not weather-resistant, and should not be left outdoors when not in use or used during inclement weather.

Don’t Worry, It’s Just Your Movie

Who could deny that being surrounded in sound from your favorite action flick makes watching it more exciting? And who could deny that when listening to a CD or your iPod, there’s no better experience than closing your eyes and imagining your favorite musical artist giving you your own private concert right in front you? Now, what if you could have all this and not have to run any wires across your room? We hear you.

The Power of 2.4GHz Technology

To deliver amazing JBL sound wirelessly, wherever you want it, the JBL On Air Control 2.4G speaker system uses advanced 2.4GHz technology. With the 2.4GHz bandwidth, it’s possible to achieve crystal-clear sound from up to 70 feet away from the transmitter, thanks to the secure "handshake" that takes place between the transmitter and speakers. This secure handshake ensures a distortion-free connection so that you can enjoy high-performance JBL sound in nearly any room.

It's the outstanding JBL performance you’ve come to expect. Just because they’re wireless doesn’t mean JBL engineers have skimped on their performance. The JBL On Air Control 2.4G speakers have the sound quality you’ve come to expect from products bearing the JBL name.

Crystal-clear high frequencies are delivered by high-performance 1/2-inch titanium-laminate tweeters, re-creating all of the high frequencies you hear in your favorite movies and songs. JBL speakers use titanium because titanium’s strength and light weight make it perfect for quickly and accurately reproducing, without strain or distortion, high frequencies from music and movies.

And with a 4-inch poly-laminate woofer and a powerful 15-watt-per-channel amplifier, you’ll experience rich, deep bass that beautifully complements those clear high frequencies. It’s the high-performance JBL sound you’ve come to expect, and now you can have it wirelessly.

Ease of Setup

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to set up and use the JBL On Air Control 2.4G system. The wireless transmitter easily connects to the preamp outputs of your favorite source (e.g., a home theater receiver, computer sound card or headphone output from your portable music player). Next, choose where you want to have great JBL sound and plug the active speaker into a wall outlet. Set the ID code on the back of the speaker to match the ID code on the back of the transmitter, connect the second speaker with some speaker wire, and you’re ready to go.

The system even includes wall brackets for the speakers and transmitter. Use the included remote control to adjust the volume or switch to the local source input and you can have great JBL sound anywhere you like. It’s that easy!

Technical Specifications

Frequency Range (±3dB): 50Hz – 20kHz

Amplifier Output: 15 Watts per channel

Low-Frequency Driver: 4" Magnetically shielded

High-Frequency Driver: 1/2" Titanium-laminate, magnetically shielded

Operating Range: Up to 70', depending on conditions

RF Operating Frequency: 2.4GHz

Dimensions (Speaker): 9" x 6-1/8" x 5-1/2"

Dimensions (Transmitter): 1-1/8" x 4-7/8" x 3-7/8"

Customer Reviews

Nice sound, but MANY fatal flaws
Here's the good news: The sound quality is nice. The frequency response seems very detailed, and these diminutive speakers pack more bass than looks would suggest. No complaints about the sound quality.

Here's the bad news: These speakers have MANY very serious flaws that make them unusable.

1) The speakers have a timeout mechanism - they go into a standby mode if the sound stops transmitting. That's fine, but the standby mode mechanism is very overeager: the speakers often enter standby if the music volume stops, or even if the volume just gets a little too quiet, for a short period of time - even as little as 5 seconds. So the speakers can go into standby even during a quiet section of otherwise loud music, and the wakeup process is not trivial: it may take 10 seconds or more to reacquire the signal once the music kicks in again. Worse, this quirk is hard-coded and not adjustable; you can't disable or adjust the standby mechanism.

In short, these $200+ speakers have a tendency to cut out the music for 25 seconds or more when it dips too low. That is a fatal flaw. And it's not the only one:

2) These speakers will SHUT DOWN your Wi-Fi network. I have a very recent 802.11g router (a Motorola SBG900), and when there's music streaming to the speakers, my bandwidth drops from a steady 200kbps to about 5kbps. Seriously. If I unplug the transmitters (which are 10' away from both the router and the receiving computer), my bandwidth comes to life; if I plug 'em in again, my bandwidth vanishes immediately. It's terrible.

3) JBL made some very strange choices with regard to the cabling. The cable from the right speaker to the left is about 25 feet long - a bizarrely long connection for such small speakers - and unless you want to splice it, you're going to have a rat's-nest tangle of excess cable hanging somewhere between or behind the speakers. Meanwhile, the power cable is only about 18" between the active speaker and the power brick; and the power cable coming out of the brick is only about 3' long. As a result, if you mount the speakers 6' high, you'll have a massive black brick with a glowing green LED dangling at about 3', and probably a hookup to a longer power cable about 1' off the floor. It's quite sad; JBL must not have tried to actually mount these speakers before they shipped 'em out.

4) Speaking of mounting: The speakers come with wall mounting brackets that look sturdy at first glance. However, the speakers are very boxy - about 5" deep - so they'll project noticeably from the wall. Much worse, the mounting bracket is very poorly designed. For example, the speakers mount on a ball-and-socket bolt that's *way* too long - you'll see an extra 1.5" inches of bolt projecting from the wall mounting, for no particular reason. (In fact, JBL doesn't seem to trust the integrity of the bracket; they include a camera-strap-like thing for fastening the speaker to the bracket, in case it fails. Creepy.)

5) Want to buy extra speakers and dial 'em in to the same channel? Of course you do; it's wireless, right? Well, not so fast. First, JBL won't sell you *just* the speakers, so you have to buy a whole 'nother set - including a second transmitter - at full price. Second, the wireless setup has a hard limit of two speaker sets per transmitter channel. I own three sets of these speakers, and only two connect to the transmitter at any one time. I don't know why; it's completely capricious, and it severely limits the extensibility of the system.

It's really tragic that JBL made such terrible ancillary choices, because the prime virtue of these speakers - the sound quality - is very nice. But the convenience and sound quality aren't worth the hassles... particularly at such a high price point.

Bottom line: Avoid. Avoid at all costs. These things are FATALLY flawed. JBL needs to recall them and fix them... and if they don't, I'm certainly never buying their equipment again.

- David Stein

Wireless can be done with only minimal cost.
These speakers are on the top of the 'not bad' scale. Considering the convience of the wireless system the downsides may easily be overlooked. Sound quality: Very Good. Wireless signal: Fair. If you have thick walls in your house - or want to use them outside without a clear view of the transmitter - you will be dissapointed. I have found that the speakers work much better with a clear view of the transmitter and must be no more than 5 meters away (for the old folks still using the english system about 15 ft). Overall I'm happy with the - beats stringing wires around the house.

Positive (Mostly)
This product seems ideal for a surround sound system or similar "In Room" application. The quality of the sound is good, and the installation is relatively simple.
I am using it to expand my stereo system to another room. People passing between the recievers and transmitters create some interference, and the speakers occassionally drop out.
The speakers are not portable, and require a wall outlet to function.
All told, I am pleased with the product, but it has limitations.