Digital Trends

JBL OnStage II

March 30th, 2006 | by Vince Veneziani

Setup and Use

JBL has made the OnStage II extremely easy to set up and get going. Out of the box, all you need to do is plug the unit in, hit the power button, and plug your iPod in. You can then go back and pick out the right docking piece for your iPod model to have the snug fit and uniform look attributed to your OnStage II.  If you're not using an iPod, but instead your Walkman from 1991, no sweat. Instead of docking, you'll just use the included 3.5mm adaptor to plug your device into the back of the unit. The cable provided is a little short though, so it's probably in your best interest to buy one that is a bit longer.

Speaker systems for the iPod usually aren't well-made; they can be cheap, too quiet, and not pack enough punch for the price. The JBL OnStage II is none of the above. When you plug your iPod in, it automatically starts charging whether the unit is powered on or off. This is a great feature that will keep you reassured that your iPod won't be dying anytime soon. At first I would have liked to see the unit have the ability to be run off battery power, but my mind soon changed after spending some time with this docking system. It's very powerful and chances are you'd be changing the batteries too frequently to justify the feature.

Speaking of powerful, this unit is not one to be reckoned with. When I received the OnStage II, I knew that JBL made quality speakers with great sound. Thus, I expected very good performance from this unit, but nothing astonishing. I was wrong. I tried out the OnStage II in my Master Bathroom to listen to some rock-and-roll while in the shower. I cranked up the volume and hit the “play” button on my iPod. Immediately, I thought I had gone deaf. This product has some serious sound with incredibly loud speakers that blast through walls and carry music all throughout the house. I had to turn the volume down quite a bit before I got to a comfortable level of listening.