Professional race director Tim Bomba, frequently heard as an announcer for marathon and triathlon events, has been using HARMAN’s JBL EON515XT portable loudspeakers at races across the United States, including The Keybank Vermont City Marathon in Burlington, Vermont and the Beach 2 Battleship Iron Triathlon in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
Bomba typically positions four or more EON515XT loudspeakers from HARMAN's JBL brand at the starting line, and frequently installs additional speakers at the finish lines. Each speaker is mounted on a tripod about seven feet off the ground, allowing the sound to travel over racer’s heads. This is a major concern when there are thousands of racers involved, all listening for directions and safety instructions from the announcer.
High-quality audio is a top priority for Bomba. In addition to providing directions to the race participants, Bomba also delivers event updates and logistics information to the spectators. To complement these ongoing race-day announcements, Bomba plays music throughout the competitions, adding some deirable 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 explains. “The EON515XT’s are so universal that I can hook up anything to the system, including mixers, or just a microphone and an iPod.”
Among the challenges of announcing an outdoor race is having a system that can last through extreme conditions, sometimes for up to 10 hours. Extreme temperatures, wind, rain and humidity all play a factor in affecting system performance.
“I have yet to have any problems with the EON515XT’s, even in the most extreme cases, and I’ve pushed them hard,” says 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.”
Another important aspect of the EON515XT that comes in handy on race days 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,” says Bomba. “This makes them easy to move before, during, and after the race if there are different locations that require sound.”
More info: JBL EON Loudspeakers