For years, speakers have been tied down by awful speaker wire. The cabling restricts placement and can even manage to form nasty webs, but not any more. JBL is freeing any speaker, regardless of brand or make, from their bonds with the new AIR WEM-1 wireless speaker module. The 2.1 channel transmitter receives the signal via RCA audio jacks, or the 3.5mm input, and sends it info over 2.4GHz, up to 70-feet, to your speakers and/or subwoofer. JBL even threw in a switch to allow user control over the wireless, or auxiliary, local input for even more freedom. So for only $359, you too can free your tied down speaker when the AIR WEM-1 launches this month.
JBL® On Air WEM-1 Wireless Expansion Module Makes Any Loudspeaker Wireless
WOODBURY, NY – At CEDIA Expo 2008, JBL, Inc., today announced the introduction of its JBL® On Air WEM-1
Wireless Expansion Module, an innovative home entertainment solution that adds wireless capability to
any loudspeaker.
The WEM-1 eliminates the need to run speaker wires across a room or through walls, floors or ceilings. It includes
a transmitter unit that connects to an audio source, a receiver/amplifier module that connects to a pair of speakers,
a remote control and accessories.
The JBL WEM-1 enables a consumer to add surround speakers to a home theater system without running speaker
wires from the audio/video receiver to the speakers. It can connect to a laptop or desktop computer to easily
distribute a listener’s music library to anywhere in the home. The WEM-1 is also ideal for use with an iPod or other
portable music player, or in many other applications where high-quality sound is desired but installing speaker wires
is impractical.
The WEM-1 utilizes the 2.4GHz frequency range and four selectable channels to ensure interference-free
transmission, and has an operating range of up to 70 feet. The WEM-1’s compact transmitter unit connects to an
audio source via its RCA audio jacks, and includes a 3.5mm mini-jack adapter for connection to the audio output of
a computer or portable audio device. The transmitter also features speaker-level inputs for connection to an A/V or
stereo receiver’s speaker outputs.
In addition to its speaker terminals, the receiver/amplifier module has a subwoofer output that enables connected
speakers to be used as part of a 2.1-channel satellite/subwoofer audio system. The module includes a built-in high-
performance 50-watt-per-channel amplifier to deliver clear, full-range sound even in larger rooms. The
receiver/amplifier module offers five equalization curves that are tailored for use with selected JBL loudspeakers,
including the JBL Control NOW™ speaker and other models; it also provides an unequalized bypass setting.
In addition, the receiver/amplifier module features a local input, allowing the user to directly connect a portable
device, gaming system or other audio source to it. Using the remote control, the WEM-1 can switch between main
and local audio sources. For example, a user may choose between listening to music from an A/V receiver in the
main home theater room or listening to a portable music player connected to the receiver/amplifier module at the
remote location.
Adding to its installation versatility, the WEM-1 is supplied with wall-mount brackets for the transmitter unit and the
receiver/amplifier module, and a stand for mounting the receiver/amplifier module in a vertical position.
The JBL On Air WEM-1 Wireless Expansion Module will be available in September 2008 at a suggested retail
price of $359.
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