The JBL EON610 is a popular active loudspeaker for a good reason. The 610 is part of the Eon 600 series, which consists of three self-powered speakers. Choose from the 10,” 12” or 15” woofer formats, all of which have Bluetooth technology.
With it, you have a wireless remote control with an Android or iOS app. The amplifiers for the 600 series can deliver a continuous 350 watts and 150 watts to the LF and HF drivers, respectively. Overall, these speakers can produce 1000W of peak power and an acoustic output rating of 126dB SPL. The HF and LF drivers are made by JBL. They are paired with a 2414H-1 one-inch compression driver as the HF transducer.
This review is for the smaller 10,” which has excellent sonic clarity and detail. It’s an excellent choice for vocals and instruments that don’t need a lot of bass. Though, the bass does pump when you want it to! The 610 functions well as both a FOH speaker and a stage monitor.
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Speaker Features
This unit has a 10-inch LF driver and a 1-inch HF driver, which are bi-amplified at 700W for the LF and 300W for the HF. Further, the frequency range is 52Hz-20kHz (±10dB), with a max peak of 124dB. The tech inside this speaker is proprietary JBL Waveguide Technology
The woofer comes housed inside a bass-reflex cabinet. That means that your bass pumps the floor when you need it to. It also features a 1000W Class D, peak amp, and five-way, definable parametric EQ controls.
Inputs include a two XLR-1/4″ combo, and it has one thru XLR output. You have mounting options with this speaker. You can mount the unit on a pole, sit on the floor using the floor wedge, or fly mount.
Design
JBL designed the EON 610 to deliver the perfect sound across applications. After hearing what comes out of this portable speaker, you will change your expectations about affordable, portable PA systems altogether. Like its sister speakers, the 610 has JBL’s waveguide technology, which includes their own transducers and wireless remote control. This mix of tech and user-friendly controls create a portable version of a high-end studio monitor.
Sound Performance
The control panel is user-friendly, even for the novice user. The two inputs are fitted with combination XLR jacks. Each jack has a rotary attenuator and a mic/line sensitivity switch so you can adjust incoming levels. The mixer has the overall master volume control.
Linking Speakers
You can use the thru output to link to another speaker or system. Note, however, that this gives you a 50/50 mix of your two inputs. With this configuration, the settings do not affect the two input controls. That’s fine if you are only using one input, but if you are using one speaker as a mixer, the linked speaker will reproduce the original sources 50/50. It will not follow the mix settings you set on the first speaker.
Indoor and Outdoor Sound
Whether you’re using your speaker for an outdoor event, as a floor monitor, or as a PA speaker, it is easy to set up and deliver great sound. For live performances, the speaker does an honest job with keyboards and vocals. For outdoor parties, you get a clear sound and even coverage at any volume level. The bass sounds spot-on as well. You get a deep, powerful bass that doesn’t mask the vocals.
You get a consistent balance from any location in your area. And, they play LOUD for a speaker of any size, let alone a 10-inch speaker. All in all, the 610 is a versatile, powered speaker, suitable for any party, any time.
Ruggedness
The JBL 610 is conveniently portable and stackable, which serves to protect its durable design even more during moving, storing, and stacking.
The speaker housing is made of molded polypropylene cabinets with a stylish black finish. The grille is integral steel, and there are sturdy handles on all sides of the speaker for easy handling.
These speakers can work as floor monitors or PA speakers. They have angled sides so you can set them up with an HF waveguide to the left or right. You can stack them as well, and you’ll find rubber feet at the bottom of the cabinet that dock into recesses on the top of another 610. There are more rubber feet on the side handles for stacking the speakers in the sideways position.
Advantages
The EON 600 series is known for its quiet, flawless performance. We love that there is no hiss or hum to the 610 speaker. It works great as a stage monitor, even at larger venues. While the exterior is made of rugged plastic, it delivers the same quality of sound as speakers with wooden baffles.
At ten inches, the EON 610 is easy to handle, compact, yet powerful. The LF waveguide ensures consistency of coverage, and the EQ settings provide even more versatility.
Disadvantages
Perhaps our only disappointment with this speaker is that the XLR thru output isn’t utilized as well as it could be. It would be better if it duplicated the input mix instead. Also, this speaker doesn’t come with an angled pole socket, which somewhat limits the configuration options.
The speaker doesn’t stream music, despite what some customers expect from Bluetooth capability. The Bluetooth feature is simply a matter of convenience for adjusting and saving your EQ presets.
Users must download the JBS iOS or Android app to use the Bluetooth, though the ratings indicate that both apps have connection issues and other glitches. You can handle EQ externally, though the Bluetooth confusion and app issues can be considered additional drawbacks.
What’s in the Box
Your order will arrive with one JBL Eon 610, 10″ speaker, and a power cord. The 610 also comes with a two-year limited manufacturer’s warranty.
Conclusion
You can’t go wrong with any of the Eon 600 series speakers, including the mighty 10.” This may be the smallest speaker, but it throws a huge sound, delivering clarity and consistency across the board.