jbl voyager

JBL Voyager review: A niche within a niche

The market for portable speaker docks was initially propelled by the increasing popularity of the iPod, but now with most people using their phones for music, Bluetooth speakers have taken over. At least in India, Harman promotes its JBL docks aggressively and has options in almost all price bands.

The features of these speakers vary from model to model. While some use proprietary ports for playing music and charging a device, a few others might be combined with a radio or alarm clock. Companies also tend to be extremely creative with the product design.

The JBL Voyager looks like a dock and plays music via Bluetooth, but Harman wants to call it a computer speaker mainly because of the powerful subwoofer. The device itself has two parts: a detachable disc-shaped portable speaker, and the larger dock surrounding it.

A Red Dot Design Award winner, the JBL Voyager is an interesting product. We put it through its paces to sort out the identity crisis it faces.

Design and Features The JBL Voyager has a design unlike any other product in its league. What makes it even more interesting is the fact that the design is central to the device's functionality.

The Voyager's saucer-like detachable/portable speaker fits inside the subwoofer dock. Together, they resemble a food processor propped up on its side. The portable speaker has a circular wheel bang in the centre, which features all the controls and the Bluetooth module that is used to connect to devices. It can work completely independently for up to five hours on a single charge. The dock needs to be plugged in to a power outlet at all times and works only when the portable speaker is attached to it.

Quoting JBL's marketing communication, the design is "utterly original", and yes, it looks good. However, the white model we got for review had clearly become dirty over a period of time.

The portable speaker weighs around 420 grams and the combined unit has a total weight of 1.2kg. Effectively, consumers get two products in a single package. We can easily imagine people setting up the docking unit in a permanent place in their rooms.

The dock features dual 45mm drivers and a 77mm subwoofer which are standard specifications for a 2.1 speaker set. The signal-to-noise ratio of 80db is what we've come to expect of portable speakers and it is definitely not comparable to full-fledged speakers. What is comparable, however, is the frequency response range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz - more than enough for human ears. For phone calls it features SoundClear noise and echo cancellation technology. Apart from Bluetooth, it also has a 3.5mm jack for wired connections.

Sound Quality The portable speaker on its own sounds tinny and devoid of any details. We cringed when the bass dropped in Skrillex's Ragga Bomb. However, the moment we plugged the saucer into its dock, the bigger drivers sprang into action and delivered the thump we ached for.

The thumping lows are great but the mids are phenomenal. Vocals are crystal clear and the unique definition of the texture of Lorde's voice in her song Royals was silky smooth. Problems arose when the lows kicked in; this cannibalised the mids and suppressed them to the extent that they sounded non-existent. In all this mess, the treble stands its ground and is well defined.

We couldn't identify any channel separation, which could be because the sound emanates from a single unit. The Voyager is highly unidirectional and throws music in the direction it faces. Don't expect it to fill a large room. It is pretty loud for a device its size and should suffice for a 300 sq.ft room.

Overall, the JBL Voyager is great for listening to music that has pronounced bass or is heavy on vocals. But bring them together and you will understand the definition of a disaster.

We also tested a phone call over Bluetooth and the SoundClear noise and echo cancellation technology works decently.

Overall The performance is definitely not earth-shattering but the JBL Voyager is one of the better sounding docks, and has a unique look to boot. Moreover, we definitely wouldn't qualify it as a computer speaker, therefore ending the identity crisis debate. This is mainly because there are options in the 2.1 speakers segment with better specifications and performance. The USP of this device is the Bluetooth connectivity and the portability factor.

Priced at Rs. 17,990 (street price), it is one of the more expensive docks in the market. The Bose SoundDock Series II and the House of Marley EM-FA000-MI are a few other options in this price range which have more powerful specifications, but are not exactly portable.

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JBL Voyager Review: Quality Sound on the Go!

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Features and Performance

Connectivity, final thoughts.

JBL is recognized as a leader in the electronics and home audio market. They offer a wide range of products that improve and deliver a high-quality audio experience for a wide range of applications and environments. Their product lines include computer speakers, speakers for home audio systems, soundbars, and even portable wireless speakers.

Their recent models of portable wireless speakers have created quite a buzz among music enthusiasts and those who enjoy a rich home audio system experience. In particular, the JBL Voyager has captured quite a bit of attention and we thought we should have a look to see what this wireless portable speaker actually brings to the table.

The JBL Voyager Bluetooth Speaker

The JBL Voyager is somewhat unique offering functionality and value that you won’t find with just any portable speaker, in fact, maybe no other portable speaker. The speaker actually comes with two separate speakers in one. It has a small portable Bluetooth speaker that detaches from the main unit and then a much bigger dock speaker. It’s almost like getting two different products in one , and we say almost because the larger dock speaker is actually only functional if the portable unit is attached to it.

The overall design is modern, clean, and sleek. The dock speaker is eight inches in diameter and a little over four inches deep and the portable unit makes up the center portion of the oval speaker. By pressing on the center portion of the unit you can easily release the portable speaker from the main unit.

The portable speaker is approximately five inches in diameter and only a little over one inch thick offering a small and conveniently sized wireless unit. The portable speaker weighs slightly less than one pound and the total speaker unit, with the portable portion attached, weighs approximately two and a half pounds. The portable speaker is without question easy to move or carry but at only a little over two pounds, the docking unit is as well.

The unit has a somewhat unique and upscale look that will blend well with almost any style or room décor that you may have. The controls for the speaker are relatively straightforward and are located directly on the front of the unit. The power button, volume button, Bluetooth, and phone button are prominently displayed and large enough so that they are easy to use. The micro-USB connection slot is located on the side of the unit and the back portion of the speaker contains all of the other various connection ports and the charger connection.

The setup process is relatively easy and simple with the Voyager. You simply pair your phone or chosen device with the speaker and then you are pretty much ready to go. From then on, you simply use the controls located on the front of the unit or use the available connections at the rear of the unit to connect additional devices as needed.

The dock speaker needs to be connected to a power outlet at all times to function. However, the portable Bluetooth speaker is capable of operating for up to five full hours if it is fully charged. The unit weighs approximately two and a half pounds total. So while it is most common for the dock unit to remain in one place and the smaller speaker to be used as a portable unit, the lightweight of the total unit makes it easy to move to different locations as needed.

The unit contains two 45mm drivers, a subwoofer that is 77mm, and has a frequency response range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. It comes with a 3.5mm jack that can be useful for a wide range of wired connections and it has proprietary software that manages noise cancellation and audio quality for phone calls. The software is called SoundClear and its main purpose is noise cancellation but it also provides some audio balancing capabilities as well, such as removing annoying echoes. The built-in microphone is also a nice touch and we found it transmits surprisingly good audio, as some mics on similar units can be very poor quality.

The sound quality of the portable speaker is probably best categorized as average. In order to be fair, it is always best to limit your expectations when it comes to audio quality and speakers that are classified as portable. There is only so much that is possible from this category of speakers because their size presents a whole range of design limitations. However, the portable speaker for the JBL Voyager is certainly just as good as many of the other options available on the market but it probably is not going to win any awards or be accused of breaking new ground in the portable speaker sound quality category.

However, once the portable unit is plugged back into the main dock unit, the sound quality is a totally different story. The Voyager provides thumping bass, piercing vocals and the mid ranges are incredible. At high volume, you can run into a bit of trouble with the lows overpowering the mids but it really depends on what type of music you are listening to. The treble is consistent and presented with a nice definition with almost any type of music you are playing.

The unit is probably best used in rooms that are around four hundred square feet or maybe even a little less. The Voyager tends to be very unidirectional which means it will clearly direct audio in whatever direction the speaker is facing. It is capable of above-average volume and can fill a small room efficiently but it certainly is not among the loudest of units that we have tested.

Some portable speakers are better than others when it comes to connectivity. There is nothing more annoying than constantly losing your connection or constant skipping of your music when trying to listen to music with a speaker that is supposed to be high-quality and Bluetooth capable.

However, the Voyager doesn’t present any of the inconsistencies or connectivity problems that you might have with lower-end speakers. Once your device is paired with the unit, it allows for seamless audio without any annoying connection drops.

There are many things to like about the JBL Voyager . The functionality as a unit that facilitates convenient voice communication is probably not highlighted enough. The SoundClear software that handles noise cancellation and controls echoes does a nice job at ensuring you get high-quality audio when using the speakerphone feature.

Some may be a little disappointed with the performance of the portable speaker as it lacks the capability to deliver pounding bass and to provide premium clarity with other tones. However, as we mentioned above, this is not uncommon when it comes to portable speakers and those who have a bit of experience with portable units should be well aware of this fact.

If you are looking for a speaker that is capable of delivering acceptable audio quality as a portable unit and delivering above-average functionality with good audio quality as a dock unit, then the Voyager is well worth a look.

It provides a high level of functionality, audio quality, and convenience that can be applied to the many different applications that we use with our phones or favorite tech devices.

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JBL VOYAGERWHT

JBL Voyager Portable Bluetooth Speaker - White - OPEN BOX

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