James - Reader of Books

5 de febrero de 2020

Amazing Little Speaker! Get multiple!

I've had these for about 2 1/2 months....and all I can say is....Wow!! These are so much better than I expected!I bought 2 for stereo sound and they are astounding! I love them!!SOUND QUALITY:Fantastic! It is amazing that sound this good comes from such small speakers. Great bass too.They make my ears happy...and the cost of them made my wallet happy too!! Win-win!LOUDNESS:I compared 2 different brand bluetooth speakers in a gym 72ft x 40ft. I couldn't even hear the 1st test speaker. Then I tried the 2nd brand speaker JBL FLIP 4 and had no difficulty hearing it anywhere in the gym. I then connected two JBL FLIP 4 speakers and the sound was amazing and it filled the gym.You can easily entertain with background music with these speakers.PHONE CONNECTIVITY:I wasn't planning on testing this feature. I didn't think I would use it and there was one review that said it didn't work that well anyway. Well fast forward, I had my phone connected to this speaker and was listening to music while showering and the phone & speaker started ringing. I pushed what I thought was the ignore phone call button on the speaker only to be met with silence from the speaker. I thought what is going on? I then thought let me say hello just to make sure I didnt answer the call. I said Hello and immediately was greeted by someone calling me on business. That was awkward and a little embarrassing. I apologized that I was in the shower. But did ask them if they could hear me okay. They said they could hear me just fine. So, I asked if I could call them back and a better time. So I guess that review saying it didnt work well was wrong. HahaBATTERY LIFE:I usually have my two JBL 4s bluetooth connected to each other AND my music device PLUS i have the speakers turned ALL THE WAY UP...and the battery life is good but not as good as I had read. I'm probably getting 7 hours +/- out of each one before I have to recharge them both. But they recharge quickly and sound amazing!!PRODUCT QUALITY:The JBL Flip 4 feels really well made, not cheap in any way nor does it look or feel like they cut any corners when making it. It is sturdy and seems like it should last a long time.JBL CONNECT:Starting with the JBL FLIP 4 there is a new feature where other JBL FLIP 4's and newer JBL bluetooth speakers can connect to each other. You can connect up to 100 JBL speakers together for an incredible array of sound.COMPARISON WITH OTHER SPEAKERS:I watched a number of excellent bluetooth speaker reviews and read review articles before finally purchasing these speakers. I really enjoyed 2 YouTuber's video reviews, Oleg's Gadgets and JimsReviewRoom. The best review was on Oleg's Gagets Youtube Channel who played each speaker reviewed with the same song at the same volume level. He did a brilliant job!! You have to listen to his video review with headphones on to get the best sound quality and his audio recording of the speakers was SO GOOD that while he was off screen and walking across his hardwood floor to his couch, I whipped my head around because I thought someone was walking up behind me. I had to double check to make sure it was sound coming from his review and not my house. Lol.Enjoy hours of listening to these speakers!God bless!Ver más

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Christopher

Almost perfect speaker that punches above its class (been using it almost daily for over a year now)

I've been using it almost daily for 20 minutes to 2 hours for almost 1 1/2 years now.SOUND: It sounds almost as good as a full blown stereo system, if not better depending on the stereo. The only thing that makes an actual stereo a little better is the fact the speakers aren't combined into one unit and the sound comes from multiple directions (but I'm tempted to get a 2nd one to fix that).The sub-woofers on the sides of this pack a significant punch at medium to high volumes, but still improve the sound even at low volumes. The sound is very full and never sounds "tinny" or even flat like smaller speakers usually do.It's stereo. I feel like I shouldn't have to mention this, but I do because the newer one isn't...BUILD QUALITY: The build quality is outstanding with almost no wear and tear even after a year of daily use and moving it around semi-frequently. The only real wear is a two or three hairline scratches where I slide it in and out of multiple times a day and honestly the fact it remained that way and isn't all scuffed up like I expected is amazing.The charging port door doesn't seem like it'll wear out anytime soon, nor do the jacks seem worn at all. I swing the thing by its carrying cord all the time and haven't seen any scratching or wear as a result and I have full confidence nothing bad will happen from doing so.BATTERY: The battery life for me was about 2 weeks when I got it and now it's down to 1 to 1/2 weeks, but I think I've been listening at higher volumes more recently and considering how quickly laptop batteries lose their charge, I think it's held up very well.CONS: There are a couple of bad things I've noticed. First of all, the highs are a little too high for my liking and its the kind of thing you really won't notice unless you listen to it all the time, especially at higher volumes. I solved this using the EQ on Spotify. Furthermore, while the bass sounds good by default I know it can do more, so I set the EQ accordingly. The other thing is really quiet songs at higher volumes reveal a really soft background static from the internal amplifier. This flaw is more than likely inherent to non-grounded amplifiers or ones without room for extra circuitry that can minimize it (but it seems pretty minimal already, so don't worry about this). To be honest, I thought the speaker was so perfect I was surprised it had any flaws.PHYSICAL DEVICE: It's waterproof and I've taken it to dusty and dirty places and washed it off just fine. The water can muffle the sound if it gets stuck on the speakers, but I've been able to shake it off half the time.It's pretty small in person, about the size of a 16oz water bottle and fits almost everywhere water bottles do which is very convenient for taking it everywhere. Compared to similar speakers it's smaller and sounds better.BLUETOOTH: It can handles 2 simultaneous phone connections and trade between them seamlessly whenever the other person starts to play something. I've had issues with 3+ people, but they had iPhones and I think that was the problem because I think I've done 3 Androids before without problems (but iPhones still work well up to 2 devices). Furthermore, the auto-connect only works when it's set for both headset and music, but since I don't enable headset I have to manually connect each time (but I think this is just my phone as other peoples usually auto-connect).Overall, I think this speaker is amazing, better than the older and newer ones, and much better than its competitors. I paid about $85 for this and think it was absolutely worth it, but it's cheaper now and I'm happy it's still available since I think it really is the best you can get for this category.(side note: the pictures are from when I got it, but it's looks almost the same but with the 2 or 3 tiny scratches where I slide it every day)

D L

Bluetooth Speaker Comparison -- 2017 Edition

I was in need of a new portable speaker, and like many of you, I was a little overwhelmed after doing an Amazon search and finding literally tens of thousands of options to choose from. It's especially frustrating because probably the most important part of the product -- how good it sounds -- is not something you can really evaluate until after you physically have it. So I picked four speakers to compare: Cambridge Soundworks OontZ Angle 3 Plus, Anker SoundCore Sport XL, Geek Beats Jolt5, and the JBL Flip 4.First, the Cambridge SoundWorks OontZ Angle 3 PLUS Bluetooth Speaker with 30-Hour Playtime - Richer Bass Greater Sound Quality & 10W+ Loud Volume, Water Resistant Splashproof, Portable Wireless Speaker, is a slightly larger version of the best-selling speaker on Amazon with over 17,000 reviews and a $30 price tag, and this only costs $5 more, so why not give it a shot? I chose Anker SoundCore Sport XL Outdoor Portable Bluetooth Speaker - 16W Output and 2 Subwoofers, IP67 Waterproof & Dustproof, Shockproof, 66ft Bluetooth Range, 15H Playtime, Built-in Mic, USB Charging Port, partially because I have other Anker products that I'm pretty happy with, but also because the 66-foot advertised range seemed like it could come in handy if I were working in the backyard with my phone in my pocket and the speaker sitting on the porch. I selected the GEEK BEATS JOLT5 10W X-Bass Wireless Portable Bluetooth Speaker and USB Power Bank - Green. IP65 Water and Dust Resistant with 5200mAh Samsung Battery. because it's the same price as the Anker, it has an average of 4.9 stars (wow!), and it can be used as a battery to charge your phone. And finally, I chose the JBL Flip 4 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker (Black) because in my search, I kept seeing the JBL Flip 3 pop up in reviews for other speakers, and this is the newest (and supposedly slightly better) version of that speaker.Sound Comparison: Sitting in my living room and swapping around between the four options, it's clear that the Flip 4 is the most, well, clear. Considering it's also the most expensive, I kinda expected that to be the result. Surprisingly, the OontZ was a solid second place with a bit more rumble in its bass compared to the Flip 4 but at the cost of less clarity. The Anker and Jolt5 were noticeably flatter in their sound, seeming to favor the lows instead of an overall range, and this caused some distortion at higher volumes. When I took the speakers outside, it's a slightly different story. With the speakers on the patio, I walked into the yard about 25 feet and compared the sound quality again, and again I'd put the Flip 4 in the top spot. This time, however, I'd actually say the Anker was a solid number 2. At this distance, the distortion from having the volume up the whole way was not very noticeable and didn't detract from the music I was playing, and the Anker is a bit louder than the OontZ. The Jolt5 is a distant last place being not only flat but also not as loud. It's comparable to listening to the radio on a boombox from the 90s.Bluetooth Range: With the speakers inside, all four started cutting in and out around the same spot about 30 feet away. It's around a corner, so having a wall in the way seems to even the odds here. Having an open space outside didn't seem to make a difference to the Jolt5, though, as it still broke up around 30 feet. The product page on Amazon says 33 feet, so that's pretty accurate. The OontZ fared a bit better and almost made it to the back gate about 60 feet away. The Anker is pretty spot on with its advertised 66-foot range as it went a bit further than the OontZ, even onto the other side of the gate and almost into the road. The Flip 4 was still going strong when I got to the other side of the road and couldn't go any further in a straight line, maybe 75 feet.Other Things: Depending on what exactly you plan on using your speaker for, and just for comparison's sake, there are some differences that may be worth note:-- All four speakers come with a mini-USB to USB charging cable but not the plug. If you've charged a cell phone in the last 10 years or so, however, you should probably already have one.-- The Jolt5 and OontZ come with a 3.5mm cable so you can plug your phone right into it instead of using bluetooth (though all four speakers have this option, just not the cable).-- The Anker and Jolt5 have a USB port so they can be used as a portable battery to charge your phone.-- The Anker, Flip 4, and Jolt5 have hand straps. The OontZ does not come with one nor have a place to attach one.-- The Anker, Flip 4, and Jolt5 have audible cues when they power on or off. The OontZ is silent. All four speakers do, however, make a noise when you successfully pair a device through bluetooth.-- All four speakers are splash resistant, but only the Anker and Flip 4 are likely to live if they fall into the water (submersible up to 30 minutes)-- The Anker and Jolt5 are shock resistant, so they likely won't shatter if you drop them-- The OontZ has the longest battery life (30 hours) and the Flip 4 has the shortest (12 hours)-- The Flip 4 can be paired with other Flip 4's (through an app) to provide a wireless multi-speaker experience. There are Bluetooth adapters that would allow you to do this with the other speakers if you wanted, as well as physically connecting them with 3.5mm cables.-- The Flip 4 comes in a variety of colors.-- They are all roughly the same size, just differently shaped (see pics)Conclusion: The best bang for your buck is the OontZ Angle 3 Plus. It's a measly $35 and sounds almost as good as the $100 Flip 4, especially inside. In addition to being inexpensive, you can literally keep it blaring music for an entire day. It's not quite as loud outside as the Anker or Flip 4, but it's also half the price. If you're willing to pay for premium sound, go with the Flip 4 or even the Flip 3 if you want to save 20 bucks. Supposedly the sound is comparable, just the Flip 4 has a longer playtime. It really is noticeably clearer compared to the other options, so if you were using it with a projector to watch a movie, for example, the rumbling and distortion aren't going to drown out the dialogue, and likewise vocals on a music track don't get lost in the rest of the noise. If you're planning on a bunch of outside activities, like mountain biking or camping, the ruggedness of the Anker and ability for it to charge your phone makes it your best bet. I didn't do a drop test with any of these, but the Anker feels like a rubberized brick and would probably survive a fall. Other than battery life, there's no reason to ever choose the Jolt5 over the Anker, especially considering they are the same price. The Jolt5 is just worse in every way, and I honestly don't understand its 4.9 rating.The Jolt5 is going back. The Flip 4 is staying. I'm still debating between the Anker and OontZ and may keep them both since the cost combined is still less than a Flip 4.EDIT: After further testing, the Anker is going back and I'm keeping the OontZ. When plugged in with a 3.5mm cable, the sound is dramatically better with way more bass and a louder volume. And it's still somehow the cheapest one.TL;DR:-- On a budget? Cambridge SoundWorks OontZ Angle 3 Plus-- Best sound? JBL Flip 4 (though I do wish it had a bit more bass)-- Most likely to survive your abuse? Anker SoundCore Sport XL

AmazonCustomer

1 de marzo de 2026

Great Quality, Portability and Sound for a Modest Price

Still using and loving this little speaker after many years. The first one I bought around 10 years ago had a battery issue after 2 years, which JBL promptly replaced, and that one has lasted ever since. Not sure the battery still holds a charge as well as at first, but leaving it plugged in, it still works great. Portable, water resistant, light weight, good sound quality and very well made to last. I'll probably by another of the same model if this one dies before I do.Ver más

2 personas la encontraron útil

Stephanie V

13 de junio de 2026

Great sound!

Great sound and bass! Easiest thing in the world to use. Goes anywhere. I can't believe the volume and the sound coming out of the size of this thing, meaning it's very small but mighty. Charges quickly too. Definitely buy it!

1 persona la encontró útil

YouYourself&Yourself

10 de mayo de 2020

Great little speaker for a decent price.

I've got three of these. They can all be connected together to give a surround sound experience and they work best indoors, but actually carry well outdoors as well. A drawback to connecting the devices is range. Unfortunately, the range on these isn't really that great. So, for outdoor uses, it can be annoying when one speaker moves too far away and you have to reconnect manually if it's separated for too long. Indoors, you have to worry about walls and things that mess with signal strength. Even a single, hollow, basic door can interrupt the signal if you move more than 10 feet away from the signal transmitter.I particularly love the water resistance on these bad boys because I take mine kayaking all the time. I have, in fact, tested the submersibility of these and, although not recommended, they will not be harmed if only underwater for a few seconds. So, definitely don't worry if it starts raining, but it's still best to give them a little refuge from the constant barrage of water. Spalshing is fine, even mud is OK (again, not recommended...but it won;t break the thing) and you can wash it off if it gets dirty...Just don't go overboard- it's still a speaker.It's biggest drawback is the battery life. The louder it gets and the more bass you push, the shorter the battery life. I have had one of these for 2 years and it's still lasts for a good 6 hours on one full charge with continuous play at max volume.very easy to use and set-up.Overall, a fantastic speaker at a really decent price- the surround sound feature is an excellent selling point- although, I wish it was compatible with other JBL surround devices...stupid software changes (but that's a whole other issue)...Get it. It's worth it.Ver más

3 personas la encontraron útil