JBL IRX108BT Powered 8-inch Portable Speaker with Bluetooth Reviews
The JBL IRX-108BT combines ample volume, powerful features, and extreme ease-of-use into a lightweight, power-packed enclosure. This 1,300-watt active speaker boasts a wide frequency response for top-notch audio reproduction, along with essentials like feedback suppression, 1-touch ducking, and real-world EQ presets that make optimizing your sound child’s play. Two XLR/TRS combo inputs and one XLR output offer a range of connectivity choices. You also get built-in Bluetooth integration, enabling you to stream music from your tablet, phone, or other smart device. Complete with an ultra-rugged honeycomb steel grille and ergonomic handles, the IRX-108BT takes all of the guesswork out of building a high-powered live rig.
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As low as $7/month
with 48 month financing*
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Highest Rated Reviews
You're Beautiful
These things are so loud and clear. The extra options to change tones and allow pass-throughs makes them super versatile.
JBL IRX-108BT
I purchased the JBL IRX-108BT to enhance a performance quality setting within my small home studio. It was the perfect choice with crystal clear sound that can also be enhanced by the appropriate effects when called for.
I highly recommend this piece of equipment for home studio use, and live performance.
Buen Sonido y facil de cargar
Adquirir la bociona porque esta buscando un equipo compacto pero profesional,y me sorprendio mucho la calidad del sonido, se quetendra diferente alplicacion dentro de los siervicios qu ofreco.
Great sound, great coverage
Others have lowered their star rating due to the inconvenient power button. Yes, it should have a rocker button for On/Off operation. Yes, it's aggravating to have to use the power button, but I have to give these speakers 5 stars based on pure sound. They are superior. I have a couple of Behringer 10" powered speakers, which aren't bad and have endured a lot of road abuse for 5 years. However, paired with my Yamaha mixer, the JBLs just blow the Behringers out of the water!
JBL IRX-108BT
Great speaker and versatile. Power on/off could be designed better (took off 1/2 star for that.
sounds great; don't count on stereo
We were excited to hear about a bluetooth product that allows you to pair two of them for true L-R operation. The pairing proved to be a little difficult, but the real problem is that you have to do it every time you turn them off and back on. Okay if you're a tech guy (though still inconvenient) but if you bought a pair for "end users", expect to have trouble. Aside from the stereo pairing issue, this is a great-sounding, light weight speaker with good input flexibilty.
Great sound - bad design on the power button and bluetooth
I bought these to use in a small room primarily to play loud guitar amps and e-drums along with recorded music. The downside is that they don't have a regular rocker style power button on them - you have to manually press the button to power them on each time you power them up. Yes, you have to spin the speakers around and push the power button on the back each time instead of just leaving the power button on and turning these speakers on and off with the rest of your gear on a power strip. In my case they are wall mounted, so it's a bad design for me. You also have to join the two speakers together as a stereo pair each time you turn them on with a series of button presses - also on the back. So, that also is a pain in the tail. They would be five stars just based on sound quality for size and price, but with these poor design decisions I can only rate them three stars.
Not for gigging
Like a previous reviewer I am not thrilled about the on/off switch, which is actually a push button with zero tactile feel and defaults to off once the speaker is removed from a power source. Among the reasons why I think this is a stupid design is the additional requirement to depress and hold the button for a half second. That alone guarantees that I will not purchase another JBL product, but there is yet another reason: the first one that Sweetwater sent died after two brief uses. Granted, stuff like that happens, but during my troubleshooting I downloaded the full manual (it comes with just a quick reference guide.) The warranty and return section was absolutely draconian, requiring the original box (or you pay extra for one), and the shipping burden is on you both ways.
Contrast that with the Sweetwater experience: my sales engineer, Drake Sobehrad, had a new speaker to me in a matter of days. That alone is impressive since I live half away across the US from Sweetwater. Plus, a return label was in the box and it took literally minutes to remove the replacement speaker, power it up to make sure that it worked, and repackage the defective one. No hassle, and that has earned Sweetwater my total loyalty.
Back to the speaker: it sounds fantastic. It is almost as nice sounding as my QSC K8.2. But I have zero confidence in the gig worthiness of the JBL. Not only is their quality assurance unimpressive as far as I'm concerned, I would not trust the switch to correctly operate on a gig. And I also have concerns about the switch button on the replacement speaker holding up to being transported, set up and taken down on a repeated basis. This speaker is destined to remain in my studio where it will not be moved around or subjected to the same rigors of gigging. I intend to replace it with one of QSC's CP8 speakers. It may cost more than this JBL, but my QSC gear is rock solid and has definitely proven to be gig worthy.
My recommendation: if you are purchasing this for a rehearsal studio, it's a pretty good deal. If you are intending to gig with it, I recommend looking at alternatives. I own both Yamaha and QSC gear, and have had zero issues with either brand. Of course there are other brands out there that are as reliable as the ones that I mentioned, but you will be well advised to spend a little extra money on reliable equipment if you plan to gig with it.
