Simplify your laptop buying
Once you plug your iPod into the JBL On Stage II's dock connector, the device disables the iPod's volume control and pumps the sound through its own speakers. A pair of silver, touch-sensitive volume buttons flank the iPod dock; you can just tap, or press and hold, to adjust the sound. Just like its predecessor, the On Stage charges your iPod while it's playing, and you can also sync it with iTunes by plugging your sync cable into the back of the On Stage. The big news with the new On Stage is its 1-ounce, palm-size remote, which lets you pause your iPod, skip tracks, scan forward or back within a song, and adjust the volume. According to JBL, the remote has a range of 20 feet, but we had no trouble using the remote from as far away as 35 feet.
We were impressed with the JBL On Stage II's bright, detailed sound, although we could do with a little more bass. Navigating to Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti on our Nano, we poured on the volume, and the On Stage didn't blink, cranking out the soaring strings and vocals of "Kashmir" with power to spare. That said, the On Stage's quartet of midrange speakers couldn't match the bass response of the Altec Lansing iM7 or the Bose SoundDock.
- See more CNET content tagged:
- JBL,
- Apple iPod,
- Harman Kardon,
- speakers,
- remote
%20Digital%20Player%20Speaker%20Dock%20reviews%20-%20CNET%20Reviews&srcUrl=http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-player-speaker-docks/jbl-on-stage-ii/4505-12699_7-31595035-2.html){kind=small}