The build is very similar to the older model with the UFO doughnut styling and central iPod dock, the size and significant weight of the on stage II have changed little and it remains quite a beat of a device for JBL to claim it is portable. Perhaps if you class your fridge as portable (you can move it with a few burly blokes and a trolley) then you may consider taking the OnStage 2 away with you, however the lack of battery power means you'll need to be on a beach with towel side power supply!

What you get with the JBL OnStage 2 is a powerful 4 neodymium driver speaker system that delivers 6 watts per channel which while it doesn't sound a lot is not bad for these kind of iPod speaker systems. The main difference with this revised model is the addition of an RF remote control allowing basic control of the speaker system from your armchair. We set about testing the JBL system by inserting LP's new acquired 5G Apple iPod won at the recent IBC exhibition courtesy of Tektronix Ltd (cheers guys). Like most of the iPod range including the bigger disk models and the Nano the 5G sits snugly in the On Stage's dock. It feels a bit loose and is prone to wobbling about when using the 5G and Nano, we tested with an older iPod which seemed to fit ok, we can only assume that JBL deciding not to use Apples universal docking system is the reason for this.

Slide the iPod into the now powered up Onstage and everything leaps into life including the iPod which is instantly being changed by the dock. The only real control on the unit is the large power button / volume controls, all other controls are delegated to the remote which is a rather plasticy bulbous affair with basic play, pause and skip control plus volume.

So onto the meat of the review, our iPod is docked, armchair positioned a good 8 feet away from the unit and a selection of tracks loaded and ready to play. First up our customary Fatboy Slim which tests not only  bass but also makes the speakers cope with a wide range of punchy effects which can easily show up distortion or a lack of responsiveness from the drivers. We are pleased to report that the JBL system coped well with the Fat chap's music and it even did a reasonable job at filling the office.

On to try and upset it with a bit of "so flute" which combines a great bassline with what we can only really describe as hard flute, this is a track that upsets almost all speaker system apart from our current top rated unit the IM7. True to form the JBL OnStage 2 struggled with the combination of high treble and low-down funky bass but not in a way that is that noticeable and it did an OK job considering its price. Perhaps the best way of describing the revised OnStage's sound is that compared to the older model it has a slightly relaxed bass weight and far more emphasis on the treble and top end of the range. It does not sound like a major change and this is not surprising given that the innards are almost identical and that this is merely a tweak of the audio optimisation probably due to some focus groups.

JBL do try and keep most people happy and to this end there is an aux input and a short cord provided to enable non Apple devices and the iPod shuffle to be used with the amplification system, however there is no control available apart from volume on the remote and obviously no where to sit you player within the dock.

Build quality is excellent and we do like the footprint and overall design which manages to output the maximum sound from a size that can be tucked away on a cabinet or side table. The revised OnStage II retails at around £99 which is competitive and as a replacement for what was already a very competent iPod speaker system the "2" is worth the cash. The introduction of the remote just makes it better value and a unit that should be on your shopping list if you are after something a bit better than the cheaper and flimsy systems that in habit the £50 bracket.

Published - 07/10/2006

More iPod Speaker Systems-

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