JBL Duet II 2-Piece Multimedia System for Portable Music System and PC (Black)

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Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4 x 4 x 10 inches ; 3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001OI2VAY
• Item model number: DUET2BLK
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,520 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)

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  Electronics > Computers & Accessories > Computer Speakers > 2.0 Speakers

• Date first available at Amazon.com: December 30, 2008

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Featuring an elegant and striking design, the JBL Duet™ II multimedia loudspeaker system delivers a high-performance sound experience right from your laptop or desktop computer. Thanks to a proprietary speaker design and proprietary technologies, the sound quality from the Duet II speakers is simply stunning. And with the 3.5mm mini stereo jack, great sound isn’t limited to just your computer. Flexible connectivity allows connection to other audio devices, including iPod and MP3 players. So whether you’re checking the news or playing the latest game, bring great style and exceptional sound quality to your computer experience with the JBL Duet II speaker system – it looks as good as it sounds.

JBL has been making high performance audio products for more than 60 years.

The sound professionals have chosen for more than 60 years.
Have you been to a movie or gone to a concert recently? There’s a good chance that you were enjoying the show on JBL® loudspeakers. For more than 60 years, JBL has been the loudspeaker brand of choice for recording professionals around the world. JBL engineering, power, clarity and technical accuracy are legendary. And today’s high-resolution digital media demand nothing less than a loudspeaker that can handle their sonic range. So why not enjoy the entertainment content from your computer or portable music device on loudspeakers that probably helped to mix and master them? With JBL multimedia speakers, you can enjoy the thrill of the hottest new game or your favorite music download – right in your own home.

The JBL Duet II brings high performance sound to any room. View larger.

The JBL Duet II is the perfect high performance speaker system for your laptop or desktop. View larger.

Flexible connectivity.
No one can deny that playing computer games, listening to music or just surfing the Web is much more exciting when you have great sound. Well, we hear you. The JBL Duet II system makes having great sound from your home or office computer easy. Simply plug the Duet II system into wall power, and then connect it using the 3.5mm mini jack to your computer’s headphone or line-in input. That’s it. Want your iPod, MP3 player or portable CD player to sound better? Simply connect the system’s 3.5mm mini jack to the headphone input on an external audio device and, in no time at all, you’ll be enjoying your favorite musical artist in concert-quality sound.

JBL's proprietary Phoenix transducers deliver unparalled accuracy and detail with high-output. View larger.

Advanced technology.
The JBL Duet II speaker system features a number of proprietary technologies to deliver unmatched, high-performance sound. It all starts with the proprietary Phoenix transducers, which are made out of aluminum. Aluminum is inherently strong, yet lightweight. This design allows the drivers to reproduce sound with unparalled accuracy and detail for their size. It also means that you’ll hear deep bass, a rich midrange and crystal-clear highs from whatever you choose to listen to.

Powering the Phoenix transducers is a powerful and efficient JBL amplifier that’s designed to deliver high output and minimal distortion. The combination of these technologies means a sound experience for your computer that you’ll have to hear to believe.

The Duet II's simple, touch volume controls elegantly raise and lower the volume. View larger.

Easy to set up and use.
No need to be a rocket scientist when setting up and using the JBL Duet II system. In addition to the simple 3.5mm mini jack connection, the system features touch volume controls. Just a simple touch increases or decreases the volume; a touch on both pads mutes or unmutes the system. And the Duet II system will even remember your last volume setting after the system shuts down.

What's in the Box
Two JBL Duet II Multimedia speakers, power supply and audio cable

Product Description

The JBl Duet II multimedia system provides smooth and accurate sound for any portable music player or computer. With its incredibly easy setup and operation, the JBL Duet II system is a sosphisticated approach to achieving great 2-channel sound.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good for What They Are, June 21, 2009

By	Paul (United States) - See all my reviews

I have used these for computer speakers, at mid to low volume and in a somewhat enclosed area. While they definitely required a ten to twenty hour burn in period, I was extremely happy with them after that. I lent them to my daughter thinking I wouldn't miss them but now I want them back, as they pretty much hit the sweet spot for computer speakers and I don't have to deal with a third component for bass. My wife has the prior version of the Duet IIs, it's a tear drop shaped speaker, and I actually like the sound on these a bit better. However, she's got hers in a much less enclosed area, and so I've not given them a fair comparison.

Be sure to consider what you are using them for and what's available in their price range (currently about $55 at Amazon.com). For me, they're great, but I don't expect from them what I would from a set of stereo speakers--which I would be prepared to pay way more for and would expect to take up a lot more room.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great speakers, June 29, 2009

By	lauren - See all my reviews

I haven't been happy with a pair of desktop speakers since I had to give up the Harmon Kardon eyeballs that went with my old G4. But these sound terrific.

I opened the box, cabled them together according to the nice clear pictures, turned them on, configured the computer, and was hearing rich, clear music in about two minutes. (Bonus points: all the cables are long enough for the somewhat awkward requirements of my nonstandard desk.)

I can't believe two small speakers on a desktop can sound so good, especially at this price.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Chad Perry's MyMac.com Review, April 19, 2009

By	Tim E Robertson "Publisher MyMac.com" (Battle Creek, Mi United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

There are more iPod speaker solutions out on the market than the entire Mymac.com staff could ever cover in a reasonable time period. Obviously, there is a market out there, otherwise there wouldn't be so many solutions. So what does JBL have to offer with the Duet II Desktop Speaker System? Well, I've spent about 6 weeks trying to find that out.

So let's get the errata out of the way. Testing for the Duet II was conducted using a 1st generation iPod Touch, a 1st generation iPod Shuffle, a 1st generation Sony PSP, and a 13" Macbook. I tested the Duet II in an open room (both the bedroom and office) and in an enclosed space (bookshelf).

So first impressions: the Duet II is easy to set up and easy to use. Basically, there are only three pieces to the unit; the adaptor, the left speaker, and the right speaker.



Everything pretty much plugs into the left speaker and the system connects to the sound source with a 3.5 mm mini stereo jack compatible with just about every electronic audio device out on the market. There is only one control, also located on the left speaker. This is the power/volume dial located on the top of the left speaker. This control is well-integrated into the overall design of the unit, which is very sleek and modern. There is one LED power indicator light at the base of the speaker, in case you're like me and forget to turn off the speaker power after you've unplugged your device. The speakers are about 4" in diameter and 10" high, and while not heavy, they could double as bookends if space is at a premium.



So how's does it sound? For it's size, I was very happy with the overall performance of the Duet II. I felt that the system delivered good performance over the entire sound spectrum, and I ran it through it's paces using podcasts for normal speech, a couple of fiddle and violin concertos for the high end, and some trip hop for testing the low end base performance. In all cases the system delivered sound comparable to a good pair of headphones. More importantly, there was no distortion when the speakers were set to higher volumes, which is sometimes an issue with smaller speaker systems.



My wife, on the other hand, felt that the sound was kind of "tinny", and at lower volumes (and depending on the equalizer setting on the sound source), I can't deny that there was some of that "tinny" sound that you would normally associate with small/portable speaker systems. It was also more noticeable when the speakers were in an open environment. I found that I got the best sound performance when I had the speaker volume above mid-level, the equalizer on the sound source set to "bass boost", and the speakers placed in a bookcase where I could get a little sound reflected from the bass output located on the back of each speaker.



So what are the drawbacks? Well, the main one is the cabling - there's just enough for about an 8 foot separation between the left and right speakers. This is not a problem if you're planning on putting them in a bookcase or on a desk, but you won't be able to put one in each corner of a room (unless it's a small room). The other issue may be price. While I feel the JBL Duet II delivers good performance for the price, there are other speaker options out there for iPod users that are cheaper and will also double as a charger while you listen to your music. Of course, the systems I'm referring to are limited to iPods only, and the Duet II offers more flexibility for those looking for a small speaker system they can use with almost any audio device.

Mymac rating: 3.5 out of 5