JBL On Tour Portable Speaker System ( Black ) Reviews

• Perfect for Close Quarter Listening \ Headphone replacement

  
  By ASEE1C4KGQFAD on 2007-06-29
  So far I've used the On Tour with my 8GB Sandisk Sansa - they make a perfect pair (looks too). The speakers are clear sounding, with pleasant bass and clear mid-highs (not tinny). They are used when we're traveling and based in a hotel room, and are a perfect alternative to headphones. Since they are not boom box sized, they're not going to fill a large room with sound, but for a small to mid-sized room they work just fine. I used to pack an old pair of computer speakers - these give me similar performance without the bulk.
  
  I nixed a star because the AC adapter has to be stored separately, and has that thin wire that twists up too easily. Additionally JBL should have included a pouch for the AC adapter, but I'll improvise a solution. Overall highly recommended.
  
  

• Pleasantly surprised!

  
  By AUKDOB4DXLZD7 on 2007-12-10
  I ordered these speakers as one of the "Deal of the Day" items last week. I've been wanting something like this because I love listening to my ipod while I work around the house, but I can't stand having the headphones on. Try cleaning the tub with the cords dangling everywhere!
  
  So, with the price being right I ordered these speakers, fully expecting a much bigger unit. When the box arrived, I was dismayed at the packaging. It comes packed in that thick plastic that you need a strong pair of scissors and some luck from above to get open. A couple of bleeding knuckles later, and I was able to wrench it free from the packing. (thus my four star rating, rather than five. Any item that causes me to bleed automatically loses a star.)
  
  I wasn't sure if this small little unit would deliver enough sound in my house that has 14' vaulted ceilings and an open floorplan. Boy was I surprised!! This thing sounds amazing! It's light and portable enough to carry from room to room, but I don't think I'll need to! I can just leave it set up in the kitchen and hear it all over the house.
  
  I agree with others who say that it's too bad that you have to unplug the whole thing to close the lid but, like they also said, it's barely worth mentioning......barely.
  
  I'm exceptionally happy with this unit.
  
  

• Great sound & truly portable!

  
  By AYSDB2DU2QGLW on 2007-05-31
  I was looking for a set of speakers to hook up to a Sirius Stiletto home dock so that I could listen to Sirius while in my home office. I tried the Klipsch Pro-media speakers and the Bose Companion 2 (Series II) speakers. The Klipsch had no mid-range and the Bose had way to much bass resulting in a horribly muddy sound. These JBLs sound much better than either, and they are truly portable as well. I keep the AC Adapter plugged in my home office, and plug them in while I am working there. And when I head out to the backyard I take these speakers and the Stiletto with me to listen to outside.
  
  Great sound!
  Truly Portable!
  Very affordable!
  Thank you JBL!
  
  

• Average sound quality, poor usability design, disappointing

  
  By A5JLAU2ARJ0BO on 2008-06-18
  I bought this on the hearty recommendations of the 190-plus reviews here, but I'm very disappointed in this product after I began using it.
  
  I should have thought of it: look at the picture of this thing. The two speakers are set about 1.5 inches apart. Do you think two speakers located so close to each other will give you good stereo sound? It's just a matter of physics. The sound is not only barely stereo-like, but the audio quality itself is about average. I listen to classical music most of the time, and unless I play a "big-sound" piece like Beethoven's 5th Symphony, I have a hard time discerning most parts in a piece.
  
  Also, the volume on this thing is really not loud enough -- which is a bane for classical music. This aspect is the single most disappointing and frustrating one for me. The volume on the Tour On is about the same as a $8 portrable speaker set I bought at CVS. For a quiet piece like Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony or the 1st movement of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, you need to max out the volume on the Tour On and on the audio source, and even then, in a room bigger than a college dorm room, you'll find the result less than satisfying.
  
  The Tour On is also very poorly designed from a usability perspective. First, there is no power switch or button. To turn it on, you press either of the two volume buttons. That's easy enough. But to turn it off, you need to close the cover, but you can't do that with the audio cable or AC cable plugged in! There's no other way to turn off the Tour On, and it does *not* turn off automatically. So if you run on batteries and leave the audio cable plugged in and simply turn off your audio player and walk away, the Tour On will eat up your batteries. This is absolutely stupid. Even the aforementioned $8 speaker system from CVS has a handy power switch.
  
  The audio jack and the AC jack are also a bit less than convenient to get to. The cover gets in the way. The battery cover is flimsy, and the opening mechanism is poorly designed. I almost broke the hooks on the battery cover when I tried to open it the first time.
  
  Finally, the packaging also sucks. You need to cut out the hard plastic on all four sides, and the Tour On itself is (or at least was in my case) very difficult to take out. I was so afraid I would break it, but then I remembered Amazon's nice satisfaction guarantee...
  
  Oh, BTW, the Tour On weighs in at 1.2 pounds, not exactly lightweight for a portable speaker system.
  
  So, as you can see, I'm very disappointed in this product.
  
  

• Stunning Performance for the Format

  
  By A2JUNKXP28UIG7 on 2008-03-05
  I am an ex-musician and an electronics engineer. I have heard a lot of speakers that sound better than these - that go on a bookshelf. These little fellows deliver undistorted, well-imaged sound out of a package that folds small enough to (almost) fit in a pocket. And they look good too.
  
  One major peeve, but not enough to dampen my love: the cables only connect to the system when it is unfolded. The only way to turn the speakers off (reliably - there is an auto shut-off) is to close the little cabinet. Ergo - you have to unplug everything to turn these guys off. That is a small price to pay for a gadget that, while only slightly larger than a programmable calculator, delivers true high fidelity sound.
  
  To give a concrete example: at the volume level these speakers were designed to handle (they are not very loud) they sound better than any boombox or portable I've heard. And these poratables were 10-20 times the size of these speakers.
  
  
• Outstanding and power for its size
  By A28CKDVHKPTV8B on 2007-09-09
  Surprisingly good sound in a small box. Very compact and great design. I use it with a Sansa E260 that has a pre-set volume control. I've tried a couple other portable speakers (mini-plug input type), but the volume was too soft. However, these speakers can do the job and get loud enough for personal listening.
  
  
• Excellent sound quality and overall good design
  By A3CUX8G6FBO2PW on 2007-08-07
  I read all the reviews on these speakers (including the white ones). The sound quality, considering these are portable speakers, is excellent: clean, clear, and rich mid's and treble. Bass is as expected for small speakers -- there isn't any deep ooomph from drums, but that'd require much larger speakers and power. I've had several other cheap portable speakers and they sounded like clock radio's. I worried that these would also, but they don't -- the sound is high quality.
  
  Negatives: I'd prefer matte rather than shiny black (the piano black thing never made sense to me). But, that's a small issue and the speakers are small, well built and look good.
  
  As others have stated, it'd be preferable to not have to unplug the audio or power cable when closing the system.
  
  Finally, it'd be good to have a car adapter, insead of just the AC home adapter.
  
  I was aware of the above negatives. Otherwise, these are great sounding and well designed small portable speakers and I'd buy again w/out hesitation. They're no longer in production as everything, it seems, now has an ipod dock. I don't want an ipod dock... just an audio jack, so these are a rarity.
  
  
• Great sound!
  By A3NBTGA5LJIW4M on 2007-11-01
  I bought these speakers for my iRiver MP3 player. I took this unit on vacation and am so glad I did. The sound was incredible. As good as my home stereo. Granted, you cannot crank the volume on this unit like a home stereo, but it was loud enough that you could hear it poolside from our 4th floor balcony. I also took it to the beach every day. Other reviewers stated that it didn't have much bass. I disagree. I adjusted the EQ settings on my MP3 player and got quality sound, bass and all. The only improvement I would like to see is the carrying bag, which fits the unit perfectly, but could use some additional room to store extra batteries or the MP3player/cord.
  
  
• Great Sound Quality
  By A1DQUZRFP2D3MP on 2007-12-12
  I was looking for a speaker system that was small enough to carry in my purse (yes I have a large purse) yet had good sound quality. The small ones I had seen before purchasing this item had a tin sound or it sounded like it was in a well. People in my office were also amazed that the sound quality was as nice coming from such a small item (weighs just over 1 pound). Sound quality while using the batteries was as good as when using the included AC adapter. I am very happy with this item. To turn the item off, you just close the case and the power light switches off. For me, portability was priority with sound quality being second. However, with this JBL On Tour I was able to have both in one item.
  
  
• JBL quality, and a value at that.
  By A6FIAB28IS79 on 2008-03-06
  Like Kloss and Sony, JBL is a brand name that automatically commands a higher price than the competition (my JBL bookshelf system with 14" woofers is still going strong after 35 years). The design, build quality and, of course, sound are simply a notch above the rest. In the case of the JBL On Tour Portable speakers the value is there as well. Unlike some of the 20-30 dollar portable systems I've tried, these don't require you to feed them 4 fresh alkalines every 8 hours; they not only have adjustable volume but require no fumbling for a half-hidden dial; they're designed to stay in one place, no tipping or migrating on a desk or countertop The sound is full-frequencied, with natural presence and adequate volume for most applications. And if you run them off of AC rather than battery power, there's no harm in leaving them on when you're too busy to fold 'em (though I'd have preferred a simple on-off switch). On balance, the best complement to a black iPod.
  
  
• Great portable speakers especially for the money
  By A3JJI4J8XAMK5Y on 2007-07-29
  Compact and puts out decent sound. The set includes an AC adapter as well as the patch cord and the speakers do work best when you can use AC. The adapter is not bulky like many and is offset 90 degrees so as not to take up a bunch of space on the outlet. I use this unit in a church small group setting, large room with ~20 people around tables, and I don't need full volume. Also, at high volume there is not the distortion you get with other speakers. These are great for "nearby" listening but I would look to other speakers if I wanted to "fill a room" with sound, but then this is what one should expect. The unit comes with a soft, corded bag which can also hold the patch cord but not the adapter. I found a larger bag that came with a SCUBA mask to hold the smaller bag along with the adapter, it would be nice if the bag they provided could hold it all in the first place. I do recommend these if you wish to have portables for personal or "small area" listening.
  
  
• Substantial sound in a small package
  By A2VZEZMBV7OAYN on 2007-10-14
  I bought these speakers for occasional outdoor use. I have taken it to picnics and camping trips and it works great. The sound output on 4 AA batteries is more than I had expected out of this product. Now that the summer is over, I have been using it indoors and it has enough power to fill my living room.
  
  
• Sound is great for such a small unit
  By AVFADZVSI6IDD on 2007-12-05
  I've had these for over a year now. The sound is a lot better than you expect. I've used them with my laptop for movies and my MP3 players. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because of one thing that is slightly annoying. Maybe it's just my unit but it will not play with the A/C adapter if you don't have batteries installed or the batteries are dead. I found that strange and at times a pain.
  
  
• Great sounding portable speaker for your Ipod or laptop
  By A1ODOGXEYECQQ8 on 2008-01-07
  Weighs less than a pound.
  Measures 7" x 3.5" x 1.4"
  Comes with an AC adapter
  Requires 4 "AAA"s if not using Ac adapter
  
  Pros:
  -Loud enough for it size. Decent sound and base. Certainly louder than my Creative TravelSound 400 Portable Speaker System.
  -Love the slide cover design
  -Sleek looking.
  -Unlike the Creative Travelsound, the speakers have grills to protect it.
  -Rubber footing prevents it from sliding off the table.
  
  Cons:
  -Battery compartment is somewhat difficult to place and remove batteries. Opening the compartment is also not a piece of cake.
  -Awkward placement of the power input and audio jack. You have to unplug both to close the lid.
  -one of the toughest bubble product case I have struggled opening. Be careful cutting your fingers.
  -batteries not included
  
  Off button? Press the "+" and "-" buttons at the same time.
  This appeared at least 3 times on Amazon Goldbox (Around 39$)
  
  
• Excellent Form Factor; Nice Sound
  By A22S7D0LP8GRDH on 2008-01-18
  I love these speakers. They are easily portable and give off an excellent sound.
  
  When purchased you will receive the speakers, an AC adapter, a cord for audio from a standard headphone jack into the JBL On Tour, and a carrying bag. The carrying bag fits the JBL snugly but not the accessory cords. When not in use the black cover that doubles as a stand (the thing to the right of the speakers in the picture), slides easily over the speakers to protect them and shrink the product.
  
  In my experience you can get about 2.5-3 hours of listening when on battery power.
  
  The unit is small enough (about 7x4 in) to fit in a backpack.
  
  I use this outside when doing yardwork, easily loud enough to fill the whole yard or garage. It's great to take along on trips so that I can listen to music in hotel rooms.
  
  In summary, the JBL On Tour, because of its better-than-expected sound quality exceeds the expectations I had when purchasing it. I would purchase again in a heartbeat if anything ever happened to mine.
  
  
• Not bad...volume a little lower than expected
  By A1FS32IEEVF850 on 2007-12-10
  The sound quality is good for the price. I thought these speakers would blow my regular cheap desktop speakers out of the water. It is louder and a greater quality but not as much as I would have expected.
  
  
• they're great
  By A2FUDTDNO327D0 on 2007-09-01
  Looks small, but has big sound! Great product for the price. Sound quality is very good. Would recommend buying this set of speakers for computer or MP3 player ...
  
  
• Open with blow torch only!!!!
  By A3LAM0YWXQMD96 on 2007-12-24
  While this may be a marvelous product, I am still trying to get throug the bubble wrap. I have so far ruined a pair scissors, a disposble scaple, and my temper. I will make a note NEVER to buy from this company again. I am tired of trying to open Fort Knox.
  
  
• Almost Very Good
  By A1OWROB7ZLPIYQ on 2008-01-09
  Compact, good for packing in lap top case. Good for enhancing the sound of a PC.
  Uses triple (AAA) battery's, battery's cost too much money. Has mini-plug to connect to a device, and a power supply that is too bulky to pack with a lap top
  
  This unit needs to be powered by a USB cable or double (AA) battery's, or both.
  Are you listening? JBL
  
  
  
• Great sound for a small speakers
  By AMPCKP41GLY1H on 2007-11-14
  These speakears are trully portable and the sound reproduction is great. They are much better than my previous portable speakers (Creative Travelsound 200 has less volume and terrible bass reproduction...). The bass reproduction can be improved but considering the size of these speakers they are Ok.
  
  Do not expect to use these speakers for a big party, but for a small living room (like mine) they are great.
  
  The JBL On Tour speakers looks really nice in black, you just need to keep them clean of fingerprint.... (just like my Nintendo DS black...) and the price is low for the sound quality.
  
  Highly Recommended.
  
  
• Good value, clear and power sound.
  By AHS6PX6H22WW1 on 2008-01-15
  Got it with $39.99 from Amazon.
  Agree with most of reviews that the speaker is small but it gives out clear and powerful sound that has no problem to fill in a 20x20 room. The bass is kind of weak but that is expected given its small size. And you can improve the bass with the EQ on your MP3. The small size make it's pretty portable. Yes, the pouch can hold the speaker only, but I use 4 AAA rechargeable batteries. So there is no need for me to carry around the AC plug.
  I take out 1 point because the protective plastic cover does not seem to be strong. So, special attention is needed when sliding the protective cover. I would recommend it to my friends.
  
  
• Best Speakers ever for Size and Quality -- Price is Great
  By A1E0XR4RH24MI5 on 2008-06-19
  Owning a music business I bought this for my other half for when he travels throughout the world. I used other peoples reviews for my decision. Got it -- loved the size. Perfect for the carry-on traveler. Then I had to review some mixes but the studio speakers went out. Used the JBL on Tour Portable Speakers with a cd player attached. The sound was fantastic. I could catch all the tracks to make my notes for the final recording. When the studio speakers were fixed went back and listened again to see if I missed anything. It was a perfect mix.
  
  I liked the quality and size so much I just bought 3 more for my kids away at college. They use it for their Ipods, Cd players and tv's for better sound.
  
  We use a travel bag (free from an airline) that stores the speakers, cable and charger. It would be nice if JBL supplied a bag that would accomodate all three.
  
  The price is absolutely amazing for the quality you receive.
  
  
• Verry Happy
  By A22XNMDSLJBS96 on 2007-12-14
  I bought these as deal of the day and highly recommend these speakers. Ive never heard a small set of speakers sound so good. I would not pay the full +-$75 price though. I had to laugh at the review about trouble getting the packaging opened though because I thought I was going to have to break out the power tools to get this out of the packaging. I also agree that they should have made the sleeve big enough for the a/c adapter. My main concern is sound and price and this is deserving of 5 stars at the deal of the day price.
  
  
• a great portable speaker
  By A1YSW9PRT9HECP on 2007-12-28
  I carefully reviewed portable speakers on the internet and narrowed it down to two. I am so glad that I chose this one. Others can hardly believe the quality of sound that comes from these two little speakers. I love this JBL unit. I even take it to bed with me.
  
  
• Own one already... now going for my 2nd set!
  By A3TD1O4EC26NT2 on 2008-01-03
  Love these speakers. They work great with my Mac Mini. Now since the Gold Box deal... I'm getting my 2nd set (this time in BLACK!) THANKS AMAZON!
  
  
• Better than you could reasonably expect
  By AGITH5SMFTBOB on 2008-02-20
  This unit looks great, sound fine, and folds up to occupy very little space. Unless your trying to drown out a loud party, there is plenty of volume for a hotel room or average living room. Nice job.
  
  
• Great sound and travels well
  By A2DK8URXA9XDYR on 2008-02-29
  I'm impressed with the sound quality from something so small. I bring this with me when I travel for "hotel room sound" and it's remarkable. Completely satisfied with this speaker system for my laptop.
  
  
• general mp3 speaker system
  By AILV4CXK8LEBV on 2007-12-30
  product was delivered on time and in good shape, packaging is a little tough to open. The speakers work with my Ipod, however the volume is better adjusted from the Ipod than the On Tour unit.
  Have not tried it in my car yet. Though it appears to be portable, since there is no base for the Ipod you would either have to buy a base, (which would not make much sense because there are FM transmiters for Ipods that come with bases and makes it safe while driving) or just leave the two, On Tour and Ipod, items in the safest positions you could find in the car.
  
  I will use it in my office to have continuous music playing without having to change cds every hour or so.
  
  It is useful and does what it says--overall an average buy
  
  
• terrific speakers
  By A36QWBAEC0FNFW on 2008-02-27
  These speakers have a great sound even though they are very compact. They fit in my laptop bag easily. I bought these when they were an Amazon Deal of the Day, so it was an even better value. I recommend these speakers.
  
  
• Bulletproof Product and Packaging
  By A316RLHHO9Y24T on 2008-03-13
  OK, this review is in two parts.
  I got it at a really good price as a daily deal item. The product is everything good that the the other reviewers have written about it. It's a bit on the small size, but it has an amazing sound range for how tiny it is. I have tried it with my iPod and my laptop and both delivered solid sound. They are not "concert hall" quality speakers, so don't expect thumping bass or a huge volume range.
  PRODUCT QUALITY: *****
  The packaging of the product is entirely another issue. When I read a couple of other reviews complaining about the tough plastic packaging, I just thought they were complainers and that it was encased in the run-of-the-mill plastic bubble with the sealed edge that is so common these days. Well, I was wrong. This was the most difficult to open product packaging that I have EVER encountered! I gave up trying to use fairly heavy scissors to cut through the plastic and resorted to an X-Acto knife which did not make the job much easier. Further, it is stamped with the PET recycling symbol which means it is recyclable, but this still is not very green since not everyone recycles. I think that the manufacturer over compensated the need for protecting this product on the boat ride from China!
  PACKAGING: *
  
  Since this is a product review, I won't deduct from my overall rating because of the packaging. Just be aware that you need to take extra care when you cut it open to not injure yourself OR damage the product.
  
  

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