9/20/2023 0 Comments Jbl charge 5 reviews![]() ![]() The drums on this track get some added bass presence, as do Callahan's baritone vocals-both get a fuller, richer sound than they would through a more flat response speaker. The addition of a tweeter adds a touch of extra high-frequency clarity to the mix, and at top volumes things don’t distort, nor does the DSP (digital signal processing) seem to thin the bass out in an overwhelming manner.īill Callahan’s “Drover,” a track with far less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the Charge 5’s general sound signature. On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the Charge 5 delivers palpable low-frequency depth-the drivers may not be able to reach all the way down to the deepest lows, but the passive radiators do a laudable job of recreating the thump. JBL estimates the Charge 5’s battery life to be roughly 20 hours, but your results will vary with your volume levels. And being impervious to dust, it's safe to take to the beach, camping, or pretty much anywhere else you might want to break out some tunes. Bluetooth signal doesn’t work underwater, but the point is that the speaker can withstand pouring rain, a dunk in the pool, and getting rinsed off under a faucet without issue. Technically, it can be submerged up to a meter for 30 minutes. For the updates alone, it’s worth downloading, but the app could have provided user-adjustable EQ at the very least.Īs mentioned, the Charge 5’s impressive IP67 rating means it is waterproof as well as dust-tight. ![]() You can control the PartyBoost function, turn audio feedback sounds on or off, and download firmware updates. JBL Portable is a one-size-fits-all app, and it doesn't offer much for the Charge 5. ![]() Alongside it, there’s an uncovered USB-C port for charging the speaker itself via the included cable. On the back panel, there’s a covered USB-A port, included for charging mobile devices from the speaker's battery. There’s also a button for PartyBoost, the aforementioned feature that allows you to connect several JBL speakers to stream the same audio. Across its top panel, there are controls for power, Bluetooth pairing, volume up/down, and play/pause, which can be tapped twice to skip forward a track, but the speaker lacks a backward navigation function. Rubber feet on the flattened bottom panel keep the Charge 5 from rolling around on flat surfaces. Regardless, the dual mono drivers are a slight upgrade over the Charge 4’s single 30-watt racetrack driver. The speaker is compatible with Bluetooth 5.1, and supports the SBC Bluetooth codec, but not AAC or AptX. While the lack of stereo drivers might seem disappointing, you likely wouldn't hear much stereo separation from a speaker this size when the drivers are angled in the same direction. Despite arguably having room for stereo drivers, the Charge 5 is mono, though two Charge 5 speakers can become a stereo pair via the PartyBoost feature. ![]() Internally, the speaker houses a single 20mm 10-watt tweeter and a racetrack-style 52mm-by-90mm 30-watt woofer. Like the Charge 4, it's cylindrical, with passive bass radiators at either end and the JBL logo emblazoned over the front grille area. More Rugged Than EverĪvailable in black, blue, camouflage, gray, red, or teal, the 8.7-by-3.8-by-3.7-inch (HWD), 2.1-pound Charge 5 has a familiar look to it. If you’re looking for a sub-$200 speaker that can get wet and deliver hours of portable audio with a good sense of bass depth, the JBL Charge 5 earns our Editors' Choice award. There’s no speakerphone functionality and we'd like to see adjustable EQ in the companion app, but these issues are easily overcome by the Charge 5’s many strengths. The drivers get a slight power boost as well, and with the aid of dual passive radiators, the Charge 5 can create quite a lot of noise for its size. For starters, the waterproof speaker's build is now also dust-tight, so you can pop it in a bag and take it to the beach without worry. JBL’s latest update to its successful lineup of portable, outdoor-friendly Bluetooth speakers, the $179.95 Charge 5, gets just enough improvements to keep it at the head of the pack.
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