JBL On Tour iBT serves portable Bluetooth audio, calls
updated 07:25 pm EDT, Thu September 22, 2011
Packs four speakers in six inch sphere
Harman, the maker of Harman/Kardon and JBL audio equipment, has launched a compact stereo music system aimed at mobile audiophiles. The JBL On Tour iBT is a portable two-channel all-in-one system that connects to iPhones, iPads, and iPods, as well as most other tablets and smartphones, using Bluetooth. The circular unit is relatively small at 6.5 inches diameter and just over 1.6 inches thick.
Phone owners or those who use VoIP can take advantage of a built-in microphone to use the iBT as a speakerphone; Harman sees it as an ideal fit for iPhone or iPad FaceTime video calling. The speaker system provides an "adjustable kick stand" to hold an iPad or other device.
Four JBL Odyssey transducers with with DSP equalizers deliver a frequency response of a relatively high 100Hz floor to a 20kHz ceiling. The system can either run on four AA batteries or AC power. While on batteries, it can produce music for up to five hours.
The JBL On Tour iBT is available now and is priced at $150.
