One PA to Rule them All? JBL Delivers - Eric Dahl

Photo credit: Eric Dahl - Gear Specialist

Okay that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but the new JBL IRX ONE All-in-One Column PA does provide a lot of sound reinforcement options for the money.  For singers, songwriters, solo acts, duets, or even three-piece ensembles a good portable mixer is a must.  The JBL IRX One is a totally self-contained column style PA system boasting 1,300 watts of power, 118db max output, three-column system with bass reflex floor stand and a built-in three channel mixer!  After testing out the JBL IRX ONE in several situations one of my favorite features is that the three-piece column system fits in the back of the bass cabinet.  So, when you are headed to the gig just grab the top handle of your JBL and head to the show!  Let’s talk about the features.  As mentioned above it is a column style PA but what is unique about the JBL system is that only the top portion of the column contains the speakers.  Meaning you can fully extend the column for maximum sound dispersion or use one column piece or use only the top column and bass woofer for more intimate sound situations. 

The top column piece has six 2” high-frequency drivers in a C-shaped array configuration.  Like what large venues use on a much bigger scale, but obviously this design works great for spreading out your sound.  The 8” woofer in the bottom floor cabinet is bass-reflex designed so it can really thump considering its size. On the backside of the bass cabinet is the three-channel mixer featuring top mount controls for easy access while performing. The first two Vocal channels have 48V phantom power for microphones.  Channel controls individual level adjustments, Treble, Bass, and Gain.  Also, you’ll find Bluetooth pairing button, AFS (automatic feedback suppression), Main Power, Music Ducking (to lower the music level when speaking), limit indicator, 5 EQ settings, and Main Level.  The 5 preset EQ settings include the choices of Café, Bright, DJ, speech, flat, and KTV (stands for karaoke television).  Use your ear to see which EQ preset works best for the sound situation you are in.  You can also dial in the two band EQ on each channel to further sweeten the sound. Channel one and two have XLR/1/4” combo plugs so you can input microphones or instruments and channel three has ¼” input only. 

Playing multiple sources through the JBL IRX One All-in-One Column PA I was surprised by the full bass response especially when playing full frequency music through it via my smart phone.  Acoustic and electric guitars sounded great through the JBL as did my microphones.  It would be fabulous to have Reverb on the vocal channels but that can be added with an external pedal.  XLR output would also be a nice feature when you want to outboard the sound to a larger system.  The JBL IRX One will not replace your full band PA system, but it isn’t designed to either.  As mentioned earlier this is an ideal all in one PA for singer/songwriters and small music groups. 

If you are playing in a café, coffee shop or restaurant this JBL would deliver exactly what you are looking for.  The street price on the JBL IRX One All-in-One Column PA is only $949.  All three columns are secured in the back of the bass cabinet for simple transportation and fast setup.  Plus, the mixer is built-in, so it cuts down on the amount of music gear (and cables) you’ll need to haul.  If you are in the market for a great sounding column style PA system, check out the new JBL IRX ONE All-in-One system for yourself. Light, self-contained and plenty loud with clean sound quality is always better!

www.jblpro.com

Vera Black

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