Harman’s JBL EON515XT Portable Loudspeakers Line The Winner’s Circle At Racing Events Around the Country

While larger events (more than 5,000 racers) require hiring a sound company, at smaller races Bomba has used four or more EON515XT loudspeakers at the Starting Lines, and frequently more at the Finish Lines. Each speaker is set up on tripods about seven feet off the ground, allowing the sound to travel over the racer’s heads, a major concern when there are thousands of racers at the starting line, all listening for directions and safety instructions.

As a race director and event consultant, high-quality audio is a top priority for Bomba. In addition to providing sound for the participants, Bomba also needs to deliver event updates to the spectators. As well as announcing, Bomba plays music during the competitions, adding entertainment to the racers’ and spectators’ experience. “It’s great to have a portable, high-quality loudspeaker that works equally well with music and voice, to physically place wherever it’s needed,” Bomba explained. “The EON515XT’s are so universal that I can hook up anything to the system, including mixers, or just a microphone and an iPod.”

The big challenge of announcing a race is having a system that can last through extreme conditions, sometimes for up to 10 hours. High and low temperatures, wind, rain and humidity all play a factor. “I have yet to have any problems with the EON515XT’s even in the most extreme cases and I’ve pushed them hard,” said Bomba. “With the sun hitting the system directly, the built-in Crown amplification and cooling system could not be better. The composite enclosures are perfect for durability, especially in the humidity. In the case of triathlons, with the swim start being at the ocean or a lake, the resilience of the enclosure is essential.”

The other important aspect of the EON515XT that comes in handy during a race is its light weight. “It’s easy to set up the system yourself. I just take them out of the truck, attach them to the stand, and they are ready to go. This makes them easy to move before, during and after the race if there are different locations that require sound,” Bomba explained.

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