JBL Horizon Alarm Clock – Tech Review

The grind of daily life. We all have our version of it, and for most it consists of a set of routines that we keep so that we can stay as productive as possible. Usually, our day-to-day begins at a set time to the chime of the dreaded alarm clock. This aspect of our lives can be a bit depressing to think about, but what if there was an alarm clock that served more of a purpose than just yanking us out of our peaceful slumber every morning? Recently, we’ve had the opportunity of waking to the sounds of the JBL Horizon, a Bluetooth clock radio with USB charging and ambient light, an experience in multi-tasking technology.

Features:

• Multi-sensory alarm clock with LED ambient light
• Room-filling JBL stereo sound
• Bluetooth streaming
• USB charging
• Compact, attractive design

Tech Specs:

• Frequency response: 70Hz – 20KHz
• Rated power: 2 x 5W
• Dimension (H x W x D): 160 x 183 x 86 (mm)
• Weight: 890 g

Design:

The JBL Horizon clock radio, in comparison to the run of the mill alarm clock, is really not bad to look at on the night stand. Available in black or white, this alarm clock will settle into just about any home decor. The time and date are well displayed in LCD, and easily read from the entire 180 degrees of the face. When functions are in use, icons appear in the display to keep the user aware of what’s happening. With regard to size, the Horizon is much larger than the typical alarm clock, so the regular traveler who likes to bring their alarm clock with them on the road may find this one a bit cumbersome.

The buttons atop the JBL Horizon are very shallow, and organized very close together. Take warning that if you’re into hitting that snooze button multiple times in the morning, you may just accidentally turn the alarm off altogether in your drowsy state. The buttons are also not easily visible while at eye level, so working with them while in bed sometimes requires some extra work.

Functionality:

As an alarm clock, the JBL Horizon functions exactly as it should. There are two alarm clock time settings, with three options for waking up. We were a bit disappointed to discover that although this alarm clock is equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, there is no option to wake up to a choice of sounds or music from a device. However, for anyone sensitive to light while waking up, the LED ambient light is a very pleasing addition. The alarm tone also begins quietly, building in volume so that we were never wrenched from our slumber like we would with the traditional alarm clock, but instead were awakened in a gentler manner.

The biggest selling point of the JBL Horizon is in its multi-purpose functionality. With added Bluetooth connectivity, it can also serve as a speaker that plays whatever music streamed or played off other Bluetooth devices. For those who enjoy falling to sleep through music or other sound, the Horizon can also be set to stop up to 90 minutes after the Bluetooth begins playing.

We are also truly appreciative of JBL’s choice to provide the two USB ports. In a world with a constantly expanding market for devices, it is a real nicety to be able to plug them into this alarm clock, and keep our bedside outlets freed up.

Pairing:

After pairing for the first time (and this may depend on the device being paired), we never had a problem finding the JBL Horizon the next time. However, we have used other Bluetooth speakers in the past that will automatically connect when the function is enabled, and this speaker doesn’t appear to have that capability. Although we were able to pair with this device every time, we did have to take the extra step of connecting through the other paired device manually. The range is good though, even when we went across the house with our device, so holding onto the connection once its been made has been no issue.

Sound:

As with other JBL products, we found the sound quality to be quite solid and of high quality in the Horizon alarm clock. It sounds really good when in the same room, but sadly the volume doesn’t quite reach the levels of similarly priced Bluetooth speakers, and the quality diminishes quite rapidly when we left the room. We must remind ourselves though, that this is an alarm clock first and foremost, and the sound provided for that particular use has always been enough to get us up in the morning.

Value:

With the price tag of $99.95, the JBL Horizon is in a rather high category for an alarm clock. But this is not just an alarm clock, but also a Bluetooth speaker and a charging station at the same time. When considering the value, you’re getting broad functionality in a higher than average quality for an alarm clock. It is also quite pleasing in an aesthetic sense, and will work fine with just about any choice of surroundings.

Buy Now: $99.95 or to learn more, go to: JBL.com