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JBL On Stage IIIP

Manufacturer: Harman Kardon Part number: JBLOS3PIPBLKV

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$133.95 - $169.99 at 4 online stores

CNET Editor rating:
3.0 stars Good
Average user rating: 0.5 stars out of 1 review

More product information:: Editors' review; User reviews; Manufacturer info

Bottom Line:: The JBL On Stage IIIP is a solid portable- and desktop-speaker option for iPhone users who want a compact unit that will work with a wide variety of audio devices.
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store	customer rating	inventory	tax & shipping	price
Savings, Selection & Service since 1971	Rate this store See store profile	In stock Free Shipping	Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price	$169.95 Shop now as of 12/04/2008
	Rate this store See store profile	In stock Try Free Amazon Prime for one Month		$147.51 Shop now as of 12/04/2008
	Rate this store See store profile	In stock		$169.99 Shop now as of 12/04/2008 New
Amazon.com Marketplace	Rate this store See store profile	In stock		$133.95 Shop now as of 12/03/2008

*Total price for the JBL On Stage IIIP are estimated and may vary slightly based on exact tax, shipping, manufacturer rebate or any sale/promotion on the merchant site.

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CNET editors' review

JBL On Stage IIIP

price range: $133.95 - $169.99

Reviewed by: Jasmine France
Reviewed on: 10/08/2008
Released on: 05/15/2008

The good: The JBL On Stage IIIP works with all iPods and the iPhone, and it can be used with other MP3 players as well. It has a small footprint and can be run off of wall power or batteries. Delivers clear audio.

The bad: The JBL On Stage IIIP doesn't offer much bass, and there's no pass-through syncing option; volume controls are testy.

The bottom line: The JBL On Stage IIIP is a solid portable- and desktop-speaker option for iPhone users who want a compact unit that will work with a wide variety of audio devices.

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Though they are portable devices, the iPod and the iPhone can make a wonderful source for headphone-free music when connected to a speaker. If you have a player full of great music and personalized playlists, you might as well play it out loud every once in a while. Unfortunately, several of the made-for-iPod systems that have come out in the past few years don't work well with the iPhone, presenting a problem for those with multiple devices. The upshot is that manufacturers have started to address this issue with iPhone-friendly speaker systems, which are shielded against cell phone interference and thus let you use one audio solution with all of your devices. One such gadget is the JBL On Stage IIIP, a $150 portable-speaker unit designed to put the music phone on display. It's not the boomiest of the bunch, but its small footprint and understated design could make it an appealing option for some.

As its name suggests, the On Stage IIIP is shaped like a small, circular stage, measuring about 7.2 inches in diameter and roughly 2 inches tall at its tallest point in the back. The center stage, which features an iPod dock, is surrounded by a black, metal speaker grille that matches the glossy, black body of the unit. JBL includes five clear-plastic dock adapters for achieving a secure fit with every iPod since the first-generation Nano. An auxiliary-line input on the back of the speaker makes it compatible with the Shuffle and non-iPod MP3 players, as well; a 3.5mm stereo patch cable is included for such purposes. The backside of the unit also features a power button and DC input for the included power cable. Two other ports, which are covered by rubber stoppers, appear to have been designed with the intent to offer pass-through syncing, but don't actually have any connections built in.

Along with the aforementioned cables, the JBL On Stage IIIP comes packaged with an IR remote. The remote is small, but has plenty of buttons for controlling nearly every function you would want. There are volume, mute, play/pause, and track forward/reverse keys, as well as buttons for navigating up and down menu lists, making menu selections, and stepping back through the interface. The range is good; we could skip tracks while in direct line of sight from at least 25 feet away. Unfortunately, the remote cannot get you out of the autohold mode of the iPhone or the iPod Touch--you have to swipe your finger on the screen for that. Another thing we noticed: volume controls on the remote and on the speaker tended either to be too sensitive or not sensitive enough, making it difficult to adjust in increments.

The JBL On Stage IIIP speaker is a reasonable performer, though music sounds a bit flat and lacking at higher volumes, and bass is definitely not its strong point. The unit does get surprisingly loud, though, and there's no distortion with the levels turned up high. At moderate volumes, the speaker sounds clear and even, but not entirely warm. There is a bit of low-end response, but it's not thumping. It's about on par with many multimedia speakers. Stereo separation is decent, thanks to the placement of the drivers on either side of the unit (there are four small Odyssey transducers, two on each side of the circle). The rated battery life of 12 hours is decent, though not jaw-dropping. You'll need to provide six AA batteries to run the speaker sans wall power (the compartment is located on the bottom of the unit).

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Average user rating: 0.5 stars out of 1 review
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1 stars

DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT! Not even worthy of a HALF STAR

by jgbayarea on October 20, 2008

Pros: Nothing. Product never worked.

Cons: Everything. Horrible JBL customer service. Defective Product.

Summary: I bought this product over two 1/2 months ago, and it was defected. I returned it to JBL for an exchange. I had to pay for return shipment plus ...

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Summary: I bought this product over two 1/2 months ago, and it was defected. I returned it to JBL for an exchange. I had to pay for return shipment plus insurance of their defective dock. It took them two months to ship me out a new product. I called and they would give me an eta, but then push it back every two weeks. So finally I receive my product in the mail and it was the WRONG PRODUCT. It was the on Stage III not IIIP(for IPhone). So I paid close to $200.00(including the tax and the return shipping) and I don't even have the right dock. Do not buy!!!

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JBL On Stage IIIP

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