The JBL Charge 5 is a perfect balance of portability, power, sound quality, and expandability in its class. Sure, you can say that there are other speakers with better sound, but for the most part are a pain to carry around and are usually not at the $179.99 price point. Portable speakers that sound great for the size are really hard to come by, not to mention the fact that most cant even match the battery life and sound quality that the JBL Charge 5 offers.
The previous generation JBL Charge 4 was one of my top choices when considering a portable speaker and now that that it has been updated with added dustproofing, clearer sound quality, Bluetooth 5.1 in a slightly more rugged design we will see if it really is as good JBL.
Specifications
Bluetooth version 5.1
Maximum music playing time (hrs) 20
Output power (W)30W RMS for woofer, 10W RMS for tweeter
Audio Specifications
Dynamic frequency response range (Hz)60 Hz – 20k Hz
Dimensions
Dimensions (in) 8.7 x 3.76 x 3.67
Weight (lbs) 2.11
Battery
Battery Type Li-ion polymer 27 Wh
Charging time (hrs) 4
Key Features
Bluetooth 5.1
USB Type-C Charging cable Included
Powerbank
Waterproof
Rechargable battery
JBL PartyBoost
IP67 Yes
Product Images
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Setup
Setup is as straightforward as any other Bluetooth product – Just turn on the unit – Push the Bluetooth button on the top of the JBL Charge 5 – pair your Bluetooth device and you are set and ready to go. No added apps needed other than Pandora, Spotify of a music source. Additional settings and features are available using the JBL Portable app but is not required to use the speaker.
App
The app is Very simple to use and more importantly it looks like JBL keeps it fairly updated as I originally was a little disappointed that no EQ settings were available but after a few days I got an update which fully enabled EQ changes in the app.
The app offers EQ settings, Feedback tone (incase you choose to try it with a mic or speakerphone to eliminate loop feedback.), PartyBoost to pair another JBL Charge 5 .
Design / Build Quality
The JBL Charge 5 comes in 6 color options including black, blue, gray, teal, red or squad (a.k.a camo).
The top panel houses a control strip, with buttons for power, Bluetooth pairing, play/pause, plus and minus for volume, and a link button to pair with another Charge 5 speaker. It also has a LED indicator below the JBL logo that shows battery life and.
The best part of it is that it can take a beating but does not have any of the draw backs that most rugged designs have as it relates to performance and aesthetics.
Sound Quality
JBL has a well-established reputation as it relates to Headphones. Not to mention there parent company Harman kills it in the automotive space, but now the real question is can they make good on its name with a portable speaker?
What I can say is that the JBL Charge 5 is probably one of the clearest, most pleasant portable speakers I’ve used. Others can come off muffled and lack depth. The Charge 5 seems to manage treble and Bass fairly well. Vocals sound crisp, and strings in classical music come through lush without getting too pitchy, everything comes thru with a very natural tone. I was worried the minute i took this out doors it would all change but not by much. It was great indoors and relaxingly great by the pool. Its been a bit chilly but I love chilling by the pool as long as the sun is out and this was great to bring a long.
Battery Life
The JBL Charge 5 same as the 4 have an estimated battery life of roughly 20 hours, but your results will vary with your volume levels and music. I had a tuff time trying to get it to run out of batteries before my phone did and got roughly 17 hour before it needed to be recharged.
Conclusion
The JBL Charge 5 experience was great, and even though I was initially disappointed that it had no EQ controls JBL surprised me with an UPDATE that completely enabled them in the JBL Portable app making the JBL Charge 5 my favorite portable speaker, earning it our Editors’ Choice Award.
For those of you who like to host events and are struggling between installing a outdoor sound system or using a portable option. The JBL Charge 5 is water-resistant, compact, and allows you to place the music where you are and with PartyBoost you can pair a second unit and really turn it up.
Now, it’s not perfect and it did have a drawbacks compared to my previous portable speaker which offered up a built in mic enabling speakerphone functionality, and a convenient charging dock. But having said that, I can do without those two features as the audio quality of the Charge 5 is at a completely different level.
