Gearing Up: JBL EON ONE, LD Maui 5 Ultra Portable Column Speaker System

JBL-EONone-Hero-02 JBL EON ONE The JBL EON ONE is an all-in-one, easy to transport column-type PA that borrows from the company’s history of line array speaker research and their experience with large touring systems. It puts that technology in a small box that’s a one-hand carry. It not only sounds good — it could change the way you think about portable sound systems. As a working musician, if you can’t move your sound system, set it up quickly or, if you find yourself reaching in to try and beat feedback for the first set, your sound system needs an overhaul. The design of the EON One makes everything convenient. With no speaker wires to fuss with, speaker stands to unpack, and an integrated mixer at your disposal, you can have your sound system set up to cover a fair-sized room in seconds. A solo songwriter could carry just two cables — one for voice, and one for an instrument. Just one more thing about the physical design: the “stick” part of the system breaks down into three pieces that are stored right in the bottom part of the system, locked down by a protective handle that covers the mixer. The entire unit weighs in the neighborhood of 40 lbs., so it’s easy to carry and fits nicely in a trunk or seat. For the more technical, the system integrates 380-watts of amplification with a six-channel mixer that provides volume, reverb, treble and bass controls. The first two channels are designed for microphone or instrument inputs, channels three and four are line level stereo inputs and channels five and six are 3.5mm iPod or Bluetooth inputs. A 10-inch subwoofer provides a tight and full bottom end that’s ideal for acoustic instruments and the “stick” houses six 2-inch speakers in a setup that enhances the system’s area of coverage. Like concert array speakers, these high-end speakers are normally very directional, but are arranged to provide a wide coverage pattern (50-degree vertical and 100-degree horizontal) – ideal for most playing situations. Some stick systems I’ve used seem to require a lot of adjustment to sound correct. The basic design of the EON ONE made set-up easy the very first time I used it. Plus, it was easy to get a great sound right from the first song. Price: $999.00   LMAUI5XXX-P LD Maui 5 Ultra Portable Column Speaker System The LD Maui 5 is dubbed “ultra portable” by the manufacturer, and it surely is. It’s rated at 200 watts (RMS) and 800 watts (peak) and produces quite a lot of sound for a small system. If you are a solo acoustic performer looking to play small venues, LD’s Maui 5 is a great choice. As with all column speakers, ease of transport and set-up are the main features, but this little speaker system had some surprises when used in acoustic performance situations. A very nice feature is the ability to control the amount of low-end sound via a sub-level knob. Using the main output control and the sub level control you can find the perfect balance for any situation you find yourself in. The overall sound of the Maui 5 was great for both acoustic guitar and piano. The input section of the mixer built into the Maui 5 is minimal, but certainly enough for a solo performer with one mic or line channel, high-z channel and bluetooth/MP3 inputs. Vocal performers might miss effects, but you can use an external mixer with effects to solve that problem and provide additional inputs. Systems with subs can sometimes sound like you are listening to two systems, but the design of the Maui 5 is such that it has a very smooth transition for highs to lows. The top most column of the system contains four 3-inch speakers that handle high mids and highs while the sub contains an 8-inch driver that handles low-mids and lows. Working together, they sound more like a good stereo than a PA — a nice feature and something our audience noticed. In terms of venue coverage, the system boasts a 120-degree horizontal and 20-degree vertical dispersion pattern. In larger rooms, or situations where an audience is above you (seated on bleachers) or below you (when you’re on a stage), a 20-degree vertical dispersion might be an issue, but for covering intimate performing venues, the Maui 5 makes an ideal companion for a performer. It’s interesting to note that LD makes a variety of larger Maui systems. It’s clear that the Maui 5 has profited from larger sound reinforcement designs. At just under 25 lbs., the unassuming Maui 5 is easy to move, simple to operate and offers some impressive audio performance for the solo performer. To protect if from the hazards of the road, consider buying the travel case (around $50) to keep all the pieces together and protected. Price : $599.99

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