With its USB 2.0 port, the JB7 is compatible with personal MP3 players and USB sticks. Content can flow in both directions, although not onto an iPod. In search mode, the JB7 will only look for tracks on USB devices, not albums. The machine can be set to search and play only music from the external device, but this clever little box of tricks can search both its hard drive and the external drive at the same time too. Whole playlists can be sent intact to an external device.
The optional speakers do a really good job
The JB7 can record direct to the HDD from an external source such as a radio thanks to a an auxiliary input on the rear of the machine. At any time, you can call up data on the status of the HDD that shows the amount of content stored and the how much disk space is left.
For safety’s sake, the machine can also back itself up onto another external hard drive so there would be no need to re-load all of the content should an accident occur to the JB7. This function can also be used to transfer all of the tracks to a second JB7 should you want to get another one as a second system for the bedroom. Lastly, there's a handy alarm function which allows the JB7 to wake you up.
Verdict
This is a true 21st Century hi-fi component. It sounds great, has a good level of digital convenience and also has a knowingly retro, but somehow modern look at the same time. The optional speakers do a really good job, but we get the distinct impression this machine would not feel out of place driving a really serious system. It is also compact enough to be moved around the home to provide whole-house playback.
Brennan JB7 Micro Jukebox
COMMENTS
On a different note...
Has anyone else noticed that the photo looks like Nicko McBrain, Iron Maiden's drummer?
Niche product?
Very nice design, but maybe a couple of years too late?
I have a Macbook, Airport Express and iPod.
So with the Airport Express connected via SP/DIF to my TEAC reference system, and the iPod in my car on my JVC head unit, I have 80Gb of music with me wherever I go, with simple sync and even last.fm so my buddies can see what I've been listening to.
And I would say I'm not alone in this setup?
Shame, cos I bet it sounds top.
PS3 is a jack of all trades, but only master of one
Its audio streaming is annoying. For one, it plays album tracks in alphabetical order rather than their proper order; meaning you have to create a playlist for everything. Secondly, there's around a 5 sec delay between tracks, which is very annoying if you're listening to something where the tracks are supposed to blend into one another. It's fine if you're cloth-eared and just want some background music, but if you actually appreciate music, you want something made for the task.
Really just seems pointless
A solution to what problem exactly?
Another vote here for soundbridge. Once set up, almost totally painless way of delivering your music from PC/NAS box. And it looks cool. And it plays internet radio (which I didn't buy it for and now is what it plays 75% of the time - long live Radio Paradise)
So, really, what's the point of this unit?
+1 for the missing opportunity
1. no wireless network
2. no wired network
3. very limited ripping function
4. even that's without proper recognition because no online CDDB access
5. no lossless (FLAC!) format support, only lossy-crappy mp3
6. local HDD without any fault tolerancy
7. no integrated speaker - even a very crappy one could make this good for the bedroom
8. slow operation - slow/cheap CPU?
I predict a complete flop, sorry.
