JBL OnStage 200ID

While JBL’s original On Stage speaker system was donut-shaped, the 200ID takes on a different elliptical shape entirely. The system is about a foot wide, but only about two and a half inches tall and not much deeper front to back. Although it’s not a portable system by virtue of not operated by batteries, it’s smaller and more lightweight than a number of battery-operated speaker systems we’ve tested.



For its $149 price tag, the overall sound quality of the On Stage 200ID is surprisingly strong, with a rich all-around sound and larger than life bass output. Which ends up being the 200ID’s most praise-worthy feature, as it lacks the ability to run on a battery, or an embedded alarm clock, or the ability to adjust the bass and treble output found on some similarly priced (or even slightly cheaper) competing systems.



While the 200ID’s audio quality doesn’t quite measure up to the best of the $200-range products (Altec Lansing’s T612 or inMotion MAX), it comes closer than I would have expected – particularly considering its small size. While it’ll take up as much surface space on your desk as a larger system like T612 would, the 200ID looks quite elegant thanks to the fact that the entire unit is just a couple inches tall; think of it as a standard iPhone or iPod dock on steroids. So for those users looking for a low-profile speaker system with a more understated look than some of the comparatively monster-sized competing products, the On Stage 200ID merits consideration.



As a bonus, 200ID is one of the relatively few (but growing number of) systems in this price range whose included remote control allows you to navigate up and down your iPhone or iPod’s hierarchal menus, provided you’re close enough to see your device’s screen. For those who like the look of this product but wish it had an alarm clock. JBL also offers an On Time 200ID (slightly larger, not tested) for $199.