JBL – EON ONE Compact Portable Bluetooth Speaker and PA System with 4-Channel Mixer – Black

94 reviews for JBL – EON ONE Compact Portable Bluetooth Speaker and PA System with 4-Channel Mixer – Black

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   BillnMish – 26 October 2024

   High quality materials and sound that have long since been expected and provided by JBL.
   The build quality is top-notch. Everything has a solid weight and feel to it, whether it be a knob or a simple push button, there is nothing cheap to the touch. All edges are either rounded off and/or protected with a nice rubberized bumper so that durability is never a concern.
   Control can be handled by the JBL app (along with tweaking the EQ to your exact likes) or via the various knobs on the side of the unit itself. This is very handy as you don’t always want to do one or the other. Some offerings require you to do everything via the app, others the unit itself…it is a very nice touch to have the ability to do pretty much 90% of what you would need to do in both applications.
   Battery life is a non-issue; I have ran this thing 3 days for many hours each day and still haven’t drained the battery. You can get a secondary battery and swap them if you don’t want to wait for a charge or don’t have access to a plug. On the rear of the unit the battery is easily accessible.
   Bluetooth connects immediately, with no issues. There are mic inputs for karaoke and settings in the app that expand upon those on the side of the unit for using the PA in this way.
   All in all, I would recommend this at full price without hesitation. It feels and sounds better than any other speak within $250 of it’s price.

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Araediri – 27 October 2024

   Super quality sound.
   Easy to adjust the setting with using app.

3. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   TechReviews – 1 November 2024

   JBL EON ONE Compact PA System review

   I’ve reviewed upwards of 30 products here, but none has brought me the joy this JBL Eon ONE Compact has after a couple weeks of ownership.

   First as a Bluetooth speaker.

   The unit was delivered just as I was about to shower. Why not Jam some Music right quick? I hastily opened the box, placed the Eon ONE on the bathroom counter, power cord to the wall (unit ships without charge on the battery, 2.5 hours to full),
   The whole process is incredibly intuitive, literally press power, then Ch Select Input to Ch 4 Aux, and tap Bluetooth button next to it. Sync your phone or iPad, pick your music and Rock out. No manual needed to get up and running in a pinch.
   Sound quality is crystal-clear, strong and solid. I own several other Bluetooth speakers. But none pumped the music over the glass shower door like this. I could feel the bass but also with a tweak of the treble control, I could intelligibly make out vocal lyrics loud and clear, despite the shower head “WHOOSH” that usually drowns out other speakers I’ve tried.

   As a musicians output device
   As a guitar player I find it best to avoid impedance mismatches whenever possible.
   Here is a sample Input channel layout
   Ch 1 offers Phantom Power (required for condenser microphones )
   Ch 2 also combo XLR , dynamic mic or instrument
   Ch 3 employs a 1/4-inch Hi-Z instrument input (guitar, bass, keyboard)
   Ch 4 aux input w/ “Ducking” feature, quiets backing audio for voice mic
   Connection can be direct from an instrument (guitar, keyboard, etc) or indirect from say a laptop running Logic Pro X 10.5, Ableton Live, or Main Stage 3. This option on a 2015 MBP really let me sculpt my tone with custom IRs (impulse responses)
   JBL claims 6 total inputs (2 are combo XLR- ¼” ) but you can connect multiple sources, say microphone on Ch 1, keyboard Ch 2, Guitar Ch 3, and Aux on Ch 4. With one master volume it took me a minute to learn how to enter “MIX MODE”.
   To enter MIX MODE – Press and hold Ch Select for 2-seconds. Now the 4 knobs prev for gain, treble, bass, reverb, control the volume for respective inputs 1, 2, 3, and 4 (as marked Mix Mode in the right most column)

   Power users however will get benefit (necessity) from the JBL Compact Connect app. It’s imperative to get the latest release, early June or later that resolves a firmware update that plagued pre 5.0.8 firmware, now 5.1.1 as of this writing.

   https://apps.apple.com/us/app/jbl-compact-connect/id1464116044

   Here you are put in charge of the four-channel digital mixer, and have bidirectional control of volume with visible feedback, plus the other features available from the units’ device controls are adjustable onscreen.
   One scenario where App control can be a game changer is in a live setting (I remember when we had live music). Pop open the app and you have remote EQ capability, without the need to disrupt guests and physically locate yourself next to the speaker for tweaks.

   I’ve had limited experience with Bose S1 Pro and Fender PA systems, but with more inputs, longer battery life (no Bose S1 ‘battery drain’ issue here), yet costing less money, this JBL EON ONE Compact is a winner.

   POSSIBLE USAGES
   -————-————-
   _ Small Venue Concerts
   _ Parties, Raffles, Bingo
   _ Fitness Instructors
   _ Religious Worship
   _ DJ live events
   _ Outdoor buskin gigs
   _ Weddings, receptions
   _ Karaoke parties
   _ Professional sounds engagements
   _Life of the Party Bluetooth Speaker (portable outdoors)

   PROS
   ———
   JBL Compact Connect App pluses
   + JBL Compact Connect app (link above) is a game changer
   + maintain linkages to multiple units (up to 4 EON Ones)
   + 4-channel input mixer – mic, line-level, phantom pwr (ch 1), Duck (ch 4)
   + full EQ equalization controls including Flat, Speech, Music and Perf presets
   + 8-band EQ with gain, frequency, and width faders
   + FX Send and FX Return level adjustment knobs
   + Reverb (on/off, room size S M L and level of reverb)
   + Delay (on/off, time and amount of delay in the mix)
   + Chorus (on/off, oscillation speed and level)
   + Mix Mode – hold Ch select 2-seconds, for discrete vol control of ch 1-4
   + Save 8 Snapshot configurations (7 + factory defaults)
   + Firmware updateable via app, 5.0.8 —> 5.1.1 as of review

   JBL EON Compact One Physical Hardware
   + BATTERY LIFE is AMAZING
   + Crisp clean distortion-free sound
   + Sexy, Sleek, and Portable, amazing appeal
   + Omni-directional speakers prevent sound localization
   + One Touch Ducking dims bg music for enhanced voice clarity
   + Auto Power-save Standby mode, wakes via BlueTooth streaming
   + Sound quality blows Bose FS1 out of the water imho
   + 120 watt, 112 decibel output, much louder than Bose.
   + 1” high-frequency horn tweeter for crystal-clear top end
   + 8” LF low-frequency woofer, deep bass extension to 37.5 Hz bottom
   + 48-volt phantom power for condenser mics on input 2
   + ¼ inch Hi-Z input for guitar and bass instruments
   + 4-channel mixer, 8-band EQ, onboard digital effects, chorus, delay, reverb
   + 6 total inputs – (2) XLR combo ¼ inch, (1) ⅛ inch 3.5mm aux, (1) RCA stereo
   + Wire free Bluetooth 5.0 , useful at parties or when dancing is involved
   + (TWO 2) USB 3.0 high-speed ports to charge your iPad, iPhone, etc
   + Simply astounded, even for corded, but it’s BATTERY POWERED for 12-hours !!
   + New Firmware 5.1.1 now allows charging when the unit is OFF
   + Upright Vertical speaker or Horizontal monitor placement
   + Headphone jack for private monitoring of sources
   + Wireless Sync between up to 4 units
   + Weights under 18 pounds

   CONS
   ———
   -No XLR line outs (RCA only)
   -not as powerful as dedicated tube guitar amp
   -It could benefit from external mixer for complex gigs
   -horizontal placement could benefit from adjustable support
   -intermittent Bluetooth drops (near dead iPad battery likely culprit)
   -possible problems w/ BT Broadcast to stereo units from app (not tested)
   -iPhone 8 and newer devices with BT 5.0 seem to maintain better connectivity
   -FX delay, chorus, reverb are Global, can not isolate reverb voice and guitar chorus
   -too many Pros to list, now I want another one for stereo (or three more for quad)
   -JBL should offer 2 and 4 pack bundles, and packages that include PA Stands

   CONCLUSION

   This unit is nothing short of amazing; features, portability, sound quality. Incredible versatility. I use it with a mic, and either an acoustic guitar straight in, or an electric guitar processed by Overloud’s amazing TH-U iPad amp sim. The family enjoy Karaoke on it, and kids use it as a super powerful portable Bluetooth sound system.

4. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Posted1 – 11 November 2024

   I’ve always been a fan of JBL and this system did not disappoint.
   Packaging was great, sound quality is very good and ease of use is simply intuitive as expected.
   We had a gathering at a campsite high in the Rocky Mountains, 10 miles from the nearest cell tower and 13 miles in on a washboard, rough County Road. At our group campsite, we used this speaker not only to play music, but also in the retirement ceremony of a 35-year careered firefighter. We used this to celebrate his career in stories and mentions of appreciation. There were 15 families and probably 90 or so people and this did a great job.
   Also important to mention, there was no electricity within at least 2 miles and this fully charged speaker lasted the weekend no problem.
   If you are looking for a great, portable, batter powered (or plugged in) option, I would recommend it to a friend.
   **PLEASE NOTE** This product was provided to me at no cost in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. This review is exactly that: Honest and unbiased. The price played no role in the tone or honesty of this review.

5. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   vrs99 – 18 November 2024

   The JBL Eon One Compact boasts many features in a small form factor. For starters, this portable PA system has a frequency response range from 37.5HZ to 20KHZ and an 8-inch woofer which pushes a max SPL output of 112dB. Inputs include 2 XLR Combo jacks, a 3.5mm jack, 6.3mm jack, and Bluetooth. Outputs include a 6.3mm jack for connecting another Eon One Compact in stereo, and a 3.5mm jack for headphones. Additionally, there are two USB charging ports, nice.
   Clocking in at 17.6lbs, this system is nowhere close to light, but weight is somewhat alleviated by the large, textured handle on top. The back of the unit is home to a swappable lithium-ion battery which lasts 12 hours and takes 2 hours to charge.
   Tested with a guitar and Bluetooth music playback right out of the box, the Eon One sounds fantastic, with integrated dials for bass, treble, and reverb. Other great features include easy integrated mixing, smart ducking, and phantom power.
   Although not required, the JBL Compact Connect app unlocks the full potential of the system by enabling Bluetooth connectivity (rarely found in PA systems), extra fx including delay and chorus, an input mixer, and a highly tunable EQ. Preset EQ tunings and savable custom configurations make it quick and easy to switch among different functions. My favorite features of the app are the ability to change the frequency width for EQ bands and individual EQs for each input.
   The Eon One has been doing double duty filling in for my other Bluetooth speakers in my workshop, very nice.
   The JBL EON One system is brilliantly designed with an incredible array of capabilities, looks that rock in the studio or on stage.
   Overall, the JBL Eon One Compact is the perfect choice for any gig.

6. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   TechGeek – 16 December 2024

   This a new compact battery powered PA system that JBL released early this year. This falls into compact PA system which is good for small gatherings, backyard parties, and performances. Its rugged, light, and can be easily handled with one hand (weighs about 17 pounds) that comes with a swappable battery ($99 additional battery) for extended use. It is packed with features that you want in a PA system for multi-use – Home Speaker, Karaoke or connect it to various musical instruments for performances. I did get to test few features and am impressed with its performance. This has lot of features and needs some learning to fine tune the settings to match your room settings or preferences. It didn’t come with a user manual but you can download it from their website. I took it out for a presentation and was impressed with its battery life (lasted 8+ hrs) and the powerful sound it delivered in a 15X80 feet conference room. Recommend getting a pole mount/tripod stand to maximize its performance in larger rooms. Also, I liked the fact that it had a battery level indicator so you know if you are close to running out of battery and the two USB ports on it are handy and keep your mobile devices charging while using the speaker.
   Features:
   • App – Recommend downloading the app before you start using it. The app offers customizable settings to match your room settings. It took me a while to learn the features on the app and it has a Demo mode for you to get acquainted with the settings. I had my friend borrow it for a performance at a backyard wedding party. He used his iPad (rested on the speaker slot) to fine tune the settings, as its lot more convenient to play with the controls on a iPad screen and not have to reach out to the PA system to access the knobs on the back. It took him about 5 minutes to fine tune the PA system and be ready for the performance.
   • Features: It’s a 4 channel digital mixer with 4 band equalizer for each channel with ton of options to match your settings. I used the perform and speech mode with different band settings that automatically set the Gain, Freq and Width. Be sure to check out the LEXICON & dbx effects on the app if you are a music professional. One thing I noticed when I was using it for Karaoke (with two mic’s connected) is that it lowered the background music when the performers started to sing and this enhanced our karaoke experience and made it more lively. All the controls and knobs on the back of the system are illuminated with LED/circular green lights which serve as indicator on the current settings you have it tuned for. Recommend spending some time with the user manual to figure out all the settings and controls for the PA system. I dabbled around with the settings on the app and the system, and found it difficult to get it tuned to the right settings the night I wanted to use, and eventually took to reading the manual to figure out the right settings I needed to match my tastes. The bass levels were a little lower even at max volume which was a little odd given the size of the speaker. I briefly tried the guitar input and was amazed by the sound quality it delivered. I let my friend, who owns a bass guitar, borrow it for a day. He was impressed and blown away with its performance and decided to get one for himself. I use it as bluetooth speaker for my day to day use and have it connected to my phone all the time.
   Overall I recommend this PA system and its designed for all different occasions and packed with ton of features and provides with the ability to fine tune the settings to match your tastes.

7. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   TheOffice1234 – 17 December 2024

   GREAT PORTABLE SOUND – MEETS MODERN AGE CONTROLS – BUT APP NEED WORK
   REVIEW: JBL – EON ONE Compact Portable PA System – Black
   Best Buy Tech Insider Network
   SUMMARY:
   I have to be honest I had some reservations and difficulties at first, but once I powered my way through them I am mostly satisfied. (See Tips below). Myself, being old school, I was a little taken aback by the lack of knobs and buttons compared to my previous experience with JBL PA systems (from around 2005). The old systems had an overwhelming amount of knobs and buttons to exactly zero in on the sound you were trying to project. Well, guess what, this one does as well, but they are all digital in your phone or tablet. Sure, this has a few basic knobs on the unit itself (Bass, Treble, etc) as well as 4 inputs most of which can be selected between various types of inputs (mic, aux, Bluetooth). The unit does a good job of balancing the needs of us old folks as well as the flexibility needed in a modern setting.
   Like the old school knobs, you have to know what you are doing even with the app and digital buttons. There are multiple sound bands (8) that you can precisely control in the mixer / fx app for the phone (including gain, frequency, and width). I did not like the default sound it puts out for music, but after some experimenting with the mixer app, I was able to get the PA exactly where I wanted it.
   My only beef is that there should be more factory presets beside Music, Speech, Etc. But if you think of this as the starting off point you will be better prepared to fine tune the settings. This is not a toy, this is not casual Bluetooth speaker.
   I am impressed overall and would recommend this to anyone who is serious about their PA/AMP needs, especially if they need strong sound from a relatively portable unit with battery power.
   UNBOXING: (see picture)
   INITIAL IMPRESSIONS:
   It could not be any easier to unbox and setup. It was ready to go out of the box. I really like that it has a standard (PC Style) plug that you can find anywhere. It was easy to connect to my devices through Aux, Mic, or Bluetooth, no manuals or apps needed for basic functionality.
   It took me a while to accept that the physical knobs are all digital. You won’t find an analog control on the unit. Even the on/off button is like a computer button on a laptop. One issue I found was that when you use the EON ONE outdoors in bright full sunlight, you can’t see the rings of lights around the digital knobs, so you don’t know if you are at 100% gain or 0% gain. This led to lots of unexpectedly loud noises. Again, being old school, this makes me a little nervous with the controls being all digital. That means there is a computer inside this beast that could glitch out and render the entire unit useless. At least with old school devices you had a decent chance that if once input or control died you could still use the others. I just have to get over it and join the modern age
   INITIAL SETUP / TIPS:
   TIP1: FIRMWARE UPDATE
   Every device (in my opinion) should get the latest firmware update. JBL did not make this easy. First, I had to find the right app on the Google Play Store, then I paired my phone, and the App it asked if I wanted to update the firmware. Sounds great / easy. However, no matter what I did it would not move the % complete past 0%. I tried EON factory reset (Press and hold Duck and Phantom). I uninstalled and reinstalled everything. I paired and unpaired my phone. After a few hours I gave up.
   Flash forward a few weeks, and I wanted to write the review, so I tried something a little different. I paired the Bluetooth to my Amazon Dot so it was playing music from the Dot to the EON. While it was playing music I launched the JBL App, and told it to update firmware. This time it worked! It still took about an hour, but at least the % bar was moving this time. All good right? NOPE, even though the app said Firmware updated successfully, now the APP would not control the speaker at all. The firmware version showed “????????” (see pic) in the app. I tried 3 more times to update the firmware. Each time it said it was successful and each time the app stopped working. Finally, I did another factory reset on the EON, updated the firmware, and rebooted my phone, unpaired and re-paired the device.
   FINALLY! I have the latest firmware and full control again from the App. I don’t know what finally worked, but I’m glad it did.
   There is virtually no support on the JBL website. I opened a ticked 2-3 weeks ago and heard nothing back. I reached out to the JBL channel rep. No response. OK difficult times, COVID, etc.
   TIP2: LEARN THE APP
   I don’t love the app. I find it hard to use. You really need to spend some time with the App, and make sure you understand basics of PA, AMP, Mixer principles, then you will be fine. The more time you spend with the App, the more you will be able to make it do what you want. It is probably better on a tablet than a phone, but I feel this app is just scratching the surface of how this could be used. I see no reason why this could not evolve into a full featured digital sound board in the future.
   TWEAKING THE SOUND
   The best way to tweak the sound is through the mixer, which is fine, but SNAPSHOTS on the app (which I assume are like presets) have some strange behavior. After I played with the mixer to get the sound I wanted, I saved a SNAPSHOT. But afterwards, none of the mixer presets worked (speed music etc) all defaulted to “my new music mixer settings”. So then I loaded the Factory Snapshot. OK now the mixer was completely flat, and still none of the presets worked. Between the snapshot function and maybe the firmware update, I lost all my presets. It would be nice to be able to rename the presets in the mixer to something more meaningful than Music, Speech, etc. I assume future app / firmware updates will help.
   SUMMARY:
   PROS:
   Portability
   Battery Life
   Physical Build Quality
   Sound is GREAT
   CONS:
   App and Digital Support are fair at best, trending towards poor.
   Technical Support does not exist online or via help desk
   Lights around knobs are too dim for bright light outdoor use
   Not waterproof or even water resistant. Strong warnings everywhere don’t get wet.
   Considering you are forced more or less to use the phone app to do anything meaningful with the device, it is the weakest link. OK, it is just software, they can fix it if they want to. It is usable just not great or living up to its full potential. I would love a simple mini page of presets that I can instantly choose from on a whim without having to “load” a snapshot, wait for it to load, and then fuss with volume which gets reset to 0 when you load a snapshot. Just let me put a page of 10 or so presets that I can modify and save and activate with a button press and I would be over the moon happy.
   I would recommend this for anyone who needs portability and long battery life with great sound. Just pack your patience along with this great speaker. This is an investment, and I hope JBL will make the app better over time.