JBL Encounter 2.1 Speaker System

Reviews: Multimedia

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Bradford Day
Kurtis
JBL
Aug. 3, 2005

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First Looks

The packaging is straightforward and easy on the eyes, showcasing a few of the speakers' features without inundating you with text. And, like the JBL On Stage speaker unit I recently reviewed, the Encounter speakers are nicely packed in their cardboard crate. Removal is easy and surprisingly there was no Styrofoam to bother with. The simple pressed cardboard material could easily be re-used for repacking the speakers when moving into a new apartment, for example. In addition to the satellites and subwoofer, the box also contains a power adapter, input cable and user instructions.

There's no two ways about it - the Encounter satellite speakers are X-Files material. Standing around 6" high, the satellite speakers' alien-eyed gray grills and oblong heads are in no way subtle. Even the subwoofer looks like E.T.'s mother ship. Of course, the iPod-white is everywhere, and I must say it compliments the gray wires and chromed base accents nicely.

The satellite speakers each contain 2 small drivers behind the eyes of the aliens, if you will. Gray non-slip rubber keeps the satellites from sliding off your desk and the non-removable sound cable exits out the rear of the speaker housing. The right satellite is home to the volume control for the system. Featuring the same feather-light touch pad system as the On Stage, the volume can be adjusted with the slightest pressure. Touching both silver buttons simultaneously mutes the satellites and sub.

The subwoofer contains a 6" speaker with a port on the top-side of the mother ship speaker casing. The sub is downward-firing and you will notice a nice chrome surround on the bottom. Just like the satellites you will also find non-slip rubber pads on the bottom of the sub. On the backside of the subwoofer you will find 3 gray knobs: one for powering up the space station, one for adjusting treble and one for adjusting bass output. Between the knobs are the inputs for the Right and Left Satellites, Power-In, and Audio-In.

One curious feature I immediately noticed was the shape of the input leads. Each lead from the sub, satellites, power adapter and input cable were strangely shaped. At first I assumed this was a break-from-the-pack design element, but upon plugging the inputs into the subwoofer I realized their true purpose. Each lead is well labeled, but just to ensure that there are no mistakes the oddly shaped leads are, in reality, puzzle pieces. This guarantees that each input finds the correct plug. Nicely done.

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Page 1: Introduction
Page 2: First Looks
Page 3: Testing
Page 4: Conclusion

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5 User Comments

1 - Posted by mike on August 4, 2005 - 2:53 pm

If you can only make it say "Take me to your Beaver" they'd be the coolest alien speakers out there.

2 - Posted by J2T on August 5, 2005 - 7:57 am

Ok, your link is screwy. ;-) And those are the ugliest damn speakers I have seen. I guess I just prefer speakers that look like Logitechs or Klipsch

3 - Posted by CTM420 on August 5, 2005 - 11:45 am

Meh. I like these Infinity reference monitors I get to use while mixing. Loud and clear. 1000 watts of clarity. Expensive as hell though.

4 - Posted by handrail on August 5, 2005 - 12:49 pm

thanks for catching the link error, J2T. link fixed.

oh yeah, and nobody said anything about the groovy new black background in the pics! that iPod white plastic stuff is a royal pain to photograph with a white backdrop.

5 - Posted by Eagelbarret on April 17, 2007 - 3:42 am

Do any body have problem with the volumn control?
Like it doesn't work sometime...??

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