The new IRX series from JBL is basically a culmination of everything JBL knows how to do, in a super-simple to use package, at their most affordable price point.
The rugged enclosure is sure to withstand any road battles it may encounter, and setup couldn’t be simpler. The top-molded handles make moving and installation a breeze, and the rear panel is so simply laid out, even a first-time singer-songwriter can get up and running in seconds, no problem.
What’s nice is that you’ve two on-board inputs, meaning you can plug your vocal mic and guitar in directly without the need for an external compact mixer, another plus for the singer-songwriter crowd looking to save some cash. And you’ve got some built-in EQ presets that actually work quite well. If you’re doing spoken word performances, speeches or playing music, each selection is a button press away and takes the guesswork out of good sound done quick. Again, no need for an external mixer to fiddle around with tri-band EQ’s in order to get a decent sound in seconds.
Rounding out the feature set are ducking options, bass boost and Bluetooth pairing. We tested the ducking with vocals and a backing track, and it seemed to work just fine, as promised. So again, we’re thinking this would be perfect for singer-songwriters, house concert hosts, spoken word poetry slams, and things of that nature.
Bluetooth pairing is easy, as expected, and for those without and live sound background, JBL has included a dbx feedback suppressor to avoid any nasty squeals. So, if you’re cranking the gain on inputs 1, 2 or both at the same time, you can be reasonably assured you’re not going to encounter nasty feedback the second a hot mic gets a signal.
All in all, there’s not much more to say about the new IRX line. They’re simple, built to last, sound great, have a small, but incredibly useful feature set, and they come in at an affordable price point. We recommend them.
PROS:
Rugged, excellent options, great sound quality.
CONS:
None.
STREET PRICE:
$379