What's another word for a compact speaker that offers a perfectly balanced sound and excellent value for money? Exactly. The JBL Control is a classic. Since it was launched in 1987, it has been constantly improved and the 1 Pro version is many times more powerful than comparable models, so it's worth taking a look at its inner workings. The JBL Control 1 Pro pair, for example, is suitable for classic stereo sound systems. The speakers are well equipped to handle any style of music, although of course they don't generate festival-level volume. Both unusual and extremely practical are the special wall brackets included as standard here, perfect for fixed installations. In addition to this pair in black, the speakers are also available in white.
Delivering a frequency response of 80Hz to 20,000Hz with a sensitivity of 87dB SPL (1W/1m), the JBL Control 1 Pro can accurately reproduce almost any music users would care to throw at it. In order to achieve this, a 5.25" woofer and a 0.75" tweeter operate in a cabinet made of high-density polypropylene foam, which effectively suppresses unwanted resonances. These compact little units, which have an impedance of 4 ohms, are fed by connecting an amplifier that can provide their power rating of 150W to the passive speakers' spring-loaded terminals using a set of suitable loudspeaker cables.
In cafés, restaurants, hotels, and offices, the balanced sound coming from the inconspicuous black housing provides pleasant background music. The speakers can be precisely aligned with a space's specific seating arrangements thanks to the ball joint integrated into the wall mount. Operators of conference rooms and convention hotels like to use JBL Control 1 Pro speakers for video presentations and multimedia lectures, thanks to their excellent speech intelligibility. Shop owners benefit from their discreet, neutral sound. And at home, the transparent sound quality also makes them appealing to music-lovers who don't want to burden themselves with huge, heavy speakers: A pair of JBLs can simply be placed on a shelf without leaving a scratch, and if the speakers are installed horizontally, the logo simply rotates with them.
JBL is an American company founded by James B. Lansing in 1946, which first went under the name of Lansing Sound Inc. Following legal disputes with Lansing's previous company, Altec Lansing, Lansing Sound Inc. changed its name first to James B. Lansing Sound Inc., and then finally to JBL in 1949. JBL's current headquarters are based in Los Angeles, USA. The company is well known for its audio system equipment, including loudspeakers and headphones, and is divided into two branches: JBL Consumer, which is dedicated to the consumer sector, and JBL Professional, which is focused on the professional audio sector and offers equipment for studios, live applications, and cinemas. JBL has been a part of Harman International Industries Inc. since 1969, which in 2017 became a subsidiary of the Samsung Group.
For a classic stereo setup, simply mount the two brackets onto the right and left speakers and position them equidistantly on any wall – their size and weight mean they'll fit almost anywhere. Then, the speakers can be perfectly aligned using the ball joints. A suitable amplifier is the t.amp E-400 stereo power amplifier, available to buy together with the JBLs in a money-saving bundle. The amp's outputs can be connected to the speakers with cables of almost any length; even a distance of 50m from amp to speaker won't be a problem. And for transporting these flexible little bundles of fun from A to B, Thomann also offers a water-repellent bag that fits both speakers.