JBL Audio has been churning out iPod speakers since the first ones hit the market years ago, and this experience shows. The company's latest offering, the JBL On Stage 200iD iPod speaker, features solid sound quality and a funky, futuristic design with a relatively small footprint. JBL succeeds in improving the On Stage line without making drastic changes, which no doubt helps to keep the price at a reasonable $150. The style may not appeal to everyone and there's no FM radio or portable option, but iPod owners after a basic speaker that satisfies the ears should give it a look.
The JBL On Stage 200iD doesn't strike us as quite as stagelike as its predecessors. It has a more futuristic look, with its oblong shape and cloth speaker grille surrounding the edges, which flare out toward the base. In fact, it looks like a miniature spaceship--we think it's pretty cool looking, though others may not agree. The overall design is kept simple, which adds to the appeal. There are just two chrome buttons (volume up and down) visible on the top of the unit, where an iPod dock takes the central place of honor (five clear dock adapters are included to help ensure a proper fit). The back of the speaker houses the mechanical power button as well as ports for DC-in and auxiliary line-input. JBL includes a stereo patch cable for use with non-iPod MP3 players, which is a nice extra.
