WILL GIVE GREAT SOUND TO MORE

During a press conference at the film studios of Nordisk Film in Copenhagen on 30 September, Harman presents a range of new products from JBL. Among the new items are soundbars in the JBL Bar Series MK2, the JBL Sense Pro earbuds and JBL Soundgear Clips, the JBL Grip and JBL Boombox 4 speakers, and the JBL PartyBox 720 party speaker. Travel and accommodation for the trade magazine Elektronikkbransjen are paid for by Harman.

That the launch takes place at Nordisk Film, Søren Majlund considers natural.

- JBL's sound DNA originates from cinema sound, all the way back to Altec Lansing 100 years ago. Therefore, it is entirely appropriate to showcase our products here, says Majlund, who works at the EMEA level with partnerships and business development at Harman.

Nordisk Film is, among other things, home to the Danish Olsen Gang, and when we meet Majlund in the historic surroundings, he is wearing colourful socks à la Benny.

Powerful and flexible for parties

Together with Henrik Sie, Nordic sales director at Harman Nordic, Majlund shows us the JBL PartyBox 720. According to Sie, this is the market's most powerful battery-powered party speaker for consumers.

- It uses two six-cell batteries and provides 15 hours of playtime. Previous models required power from an outlet, but now you can use it on battery, says Sie.

The power is redistributed to give more power to the base units, and the light design has been improved with smoother transitions.

- Combined with Auracast, this provides a whole new experience. You can connect multiple devices and really get the party going, says Sie.

The battery pack is sold separately, which according to Sie is both economical and sustainable.

- There is no reason to include batteries if only one in four uses them. We expect about 25 percent will buy the battery pack, he says.

The package also includes an external charger, but the batteries can also be charged in the speaker.

Lights and accessories

JBL also offers accessories for the PartyBox series, such as the lighting products PartyLite Stick and PartyLite Beam.

- PartyLite Stick is our little JBL light sword, and Beam provides light that works both with and without Auracast. In addition, we offer microphones and covers for the PartyBox speakers, says Sie.

He doubts that JBL will make carrying straps for their PartyBox speakers, as some competitors have done.

- They are simply too large and powerful, he says.

Soundbar for more

Majlund says that JBL is keen to help those who do not have proper sound for their TVs.

- Today, only about 30 percent buy a soundbar when they purchase a new screen, and it's a shame that the remaining 70 percent do not get a good audio experience. Therefore, we wish to do more in this area, says Søren Majlund.

He particularly highlights the JBL Bar 800 model in the new Bar Series MK2.

- It provides a true Atmos experience with detachable side speakers that can be placed behind in the room. It offers an immersive audio experience, and the installation is simple, says Majlund.

He emphasises that soundbars are an important product category for JBL.

- We are already strong in many other categories, but here we still see a great growth potential. Therefore, we wish to invest more, he says.

Grip fills a gap

Henrik Sie says that the company has great faith in the new ultra-portable bluetooth speaker JBL Grip.

- Grip combines high audio performance, long battery life, and a convenient form factor. It fills a price gap between Clip and Flip, says Sie.

He believes that Grip is one of the most important products Harman is launching this year.

- We previously had a gap in our portfolio between Clip and Flip. With Grip, we can now offer a product that truly challenges the competitors, he says.

Grip combines, according to the director, ultra-portability, high durability, long battery life, and best-in-class sound performance.

- The form factor is also important. It fits comfortably in the hand, and that's why we've called it Grip - in line with our other products like Go, Clip, Flip, Charge, and Xtreme, says Sie.

A handful of Grip

His colleague Evert-Jan Jurgens highlights Auracast as an important feature in JBL Grip.

- Auracast allows you to connect all JBL products, including PartyBox, Flip, and Charge. Grip has an oval full-range driver with 16 watts RMS and 14 hours of battery life, says Jurgens.

Grip also has a feature called Playboost.

- When you're outdoors, you don't need much bass. Playboost removes the low tones and enhances mid and high tones, providing higher sound and lower battery consumption, says Jurgens.

The speaker also has a light feature that makes it easier to find things in the dark.

- It's both practical and gives the product a unique expression, says Jurgens.

More power and less weight

Boombox 4 is another speaker news from JBL, and according to Sie, it is both lighter and more powerful than its predecessor.

- It is one kilogram lighter and has 50 percent more sound. It sounds almost like magic, but we have replaced the previous active subwoofer with a large passive woofer on the back and used more powerful amplifiers. Now it has 210 watts RMS, says Sie.

He believes that the boombox 4 not only plays louder but also better than its predecessor.

- It plays significantly better. I am happy to challenge people to do an a-b test between boombox 3 and 4, says Sie.

Boombox 4 is also compatible with the new wireless connection technology auracast.

- You can connect it with charge 6, xtreme 4, flip 7, grip, clip, go, partybox and even your headphones. It offers completely new possibilities, he says.

JBL sense pro

Mark Hockey presents the earbuds jbl sense pro and soundgear clips.

- We have spent a lot of time and resources on the development of these products, and they represent the next level in performance and comfort, says Hockey.

Sense pro is an open over-ear model with high-resolution 16 mm driver and air induction technology.

- You get good sound without anything going into the ear. It is perfect for music, calls and sports, and provides long-lasting comfort, says Hockey.

The headphones have four microphones, ai-based sound adaptation via personify 3.0 and anti-phase technology that reduces sound leakage.

- You can use them all day. They have a titanium-reinforced ear hook, soft silicone and adjustable fit. The battery life is up to 80 hours, with 30 extra from the case, says hockey.

JBL Sense Pro costs 2,000 kronor.

JBL Soundgear Clips

Soundgear Clips are earbuds with a jewellery-inspired design and 11 mm driver.

- They attach with an acoustic arch behind the ear and provide environmentally conscious listening without pressure on the ear. The battery and receiver are hidden behind the ear, and only the small sound ball is visible, says Hockey.

The earbuds have built-in microphones, 8 hours of battery life and a transparent charging case with 24 hours capacity.

- They combine style, comfort and high sound quality, he says.

JBL Soundgear Clips cost 1,500 kronor.