Today, we no longer need a lot of cables and wires, and huge speakers to play music at parties. The market for speakers has improved over time, and companies have produced hundreds of portable speakers. Now, the problem is, how do we decide which one to get? How about the JBL Flip 4 Speaker?
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Brief of JBL Brand and JBL Flip 4 Speaker
JBL is one of the world’s leading brands for sound reproduction. It first made its name in theatres, clubs, and recording studios; but, it’s rapidly making its way into households by releasing reliable speakers for homes, cars, and even boats!
This is where JBL Flip 4 Speaker comes in. It's advertised as the all-purpose, all-weather companion for music because it’s not just splash-proof, it’s waterproof as well.
Let’s learn more about what this portable speaker has to offer as we review everything about it in this article.
JBL Flip 4 Speaker Overviews
The JBL Flip 4 Speaker is the newest addition to the Flip series. It comes in 6 different colours, and the speaker’s build only has a few minor design differences from the older JBL Flip 3.
The iconic cylindrical body shape and exposed bass radiators on both ends are retained. The four buttons for controlling playback remains snug along the speaker’s side. Along the spine is the speaker’s power button and the button to start the JBL Connect+.
So what’s the main difference between the older iterations of the Flip series and the Flip 4? The answer is: waterproofing.
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This new portable speaker in the Flip series boasts durable and waterproof fabric materials. Its IP rating is IPX7, meaning it can withstand being submerged for up to 30 minutes underwater.
This also means that the speaker is safe from dirt and sand. Not everyone listens to music while in the pool, but I’m sure a lot of people bring their speakers to the beach. With the JBL Flip 4 Speaker, this isn’t much of a problem.
Before we go into the pros and cons, let’s take a look at more of its technical details. The dimensions of the Flip 4 are 2.8 x 6.9 x 2.7 inches, which is a little bigger than previous models in the Flip series. It’s powered by a 3000mAh rechargeable Li-on battery.
It also features JBL Connect+ technology. What makes this different from the JBL Connect is that it allows up to 100 speakers to connect instead of just two.
Related: How to reset JBL Flip 4
The Pros: Connectivity, Signal Strength, Sound Quality
- Not worry about being too far from the speaker and losing connectivity
- The signal always remains strong
- High quality sounds as expected.
For portable speakers, connectivity, signal strength, and of course sound quality are the most essential factors to selecting a model.
I’d be proud to say that the JBL Flip 4 Speaker doesn’t disappoint. It's equipped with Bluetooth 4.2, and up to 2 smartphones can connect to the speaker and play songs alternately. The signal remains strong even if there are walls or even rooms between the speaker and me.
I never had to worry about being too far from the speaker and losing connectivity. The speaker also has 3.5mm input so aux cords can still be used to connect it to the main device.
As for the sound quality, all I can say is that it’s the JBL quality I expected. There are no distortions in the sound when songs are played at max volume – a common problem with Bluetooth speakers since it’s difficult to pack in all that bass sound into something so small.
Vocals from songs are loud and clear. Dual external passive radiators allow powerful belts to come out just as crisp as listening to them on your earphones. A minor setback from the Flip 3, however, is the presence of a beefier bass.
Related: How to connect JBL speaker to laptop
The Cons: Connect+ and Battery Life
- Only work with speakers that also have JBL Connect+.
- At full volume, it lasts only for around 4 to 5 hours.
Let’s start with one of the biggest cons about the JBL Flip 4 Speaker: the JBL Connect+ feature. It's an exciting new technology and useful for big parties, but what brand marketing fails to mention is that it can only work with speakers that also have JBL Connect+.
So, if you have the JBL Flip 4 Speaker and another speaker without Connect+, you can’t connect them. However, there has been talk of having this fixed in future updates, so I guess, for now, we wait...
Let’s move on to the speaker’s battery life. The 3000mAh Li-on battery supports up to 12 hours of listening, but note that this is when the speaker is at 50-75% volume. At full volume, it lasts only for around 4 to 5 hours.
It's not so bad because, at 75%, the sound is already impressively amplified, enough to fill a big room.
Other Options:
In comparison to other similar products like the Oontz Angle 3 and Geek Beats Jolt 5, the sound quality of the JBL Flip 4 is a lot clearer. However, that can be attributed to the fact that it’s the most expensive among the three.
The Oontz Angle 3 is a close second with regards to clarity, but the bass appeared to have a bit of rumble and some noise. For people who are on a budget and don’t mind this, Angle 3 might be a better purchase.
Which one’s for me?
Luckily, there are hundreds of speakers on the market nowadays. As the years go by, they get better and better. There hasn’t been a better time to start losing the bulky speakers that take up space than now.
I would say that the price tag on the JBL Flip 4 Speaker is worth it. With the sound quality, portability, and waterproofing, it’s an all-round speaker that would be great to have around at parties.
However, Flip 4’s battery life at full volume and issues with JBL Connect+ can be a setback for people who would want their speakers to play for hours on end in an outdoor setting.
In conclusion, The best speaker for one may not be the best for every other person. There are a lot of things to look for when buying a portable speaker, but if you’re looking for something that’s extremely portable, with above average sound quality, and boundless connectivity, and if you do have the extra buck to spend, then the JBL Flip 4 Speaker is probably for you.
HI, John Andrew here. I’ve been an audiophile since I was a little kid. I’m an original member of myaudiolover . It emerged as a way for me to share my passion and knowledge for audio technology. If you’re looking for tips, techniques, and insights about audio-tech, that can enable your productions that professional edge, then MyAudioLover is the place for you!
