The world of portable speakers is a thriving one right now. Pretty much every audio brand has a small, battery charged device to take with you to play tunes. But the company that has been the most consistent in both the quality of their products and their sound is JBL.
The latest editions of their audio staple are the JBL Flip 7 and JBL Charge 6 — Shortlist has tested both in the great outdoors (and indoors) and the results are utterly impressive.
Here are 5 things to know about the JBL Flip 7 and JBL Charge 6…
1. Design is practical(ly) perfect
JBL Charge 6
When comparing the Charge 6 to the previous generation, you won't visually notice much of a difference. However, there was also no need to rebuild a winning formula completely, thanks to the speaker's hardy and practical design. However, where the JBL Charge 6 is on the chunkier side, the inclusion of a strap in the box, which can be used as a handle, is a welcome addition.
The handle helps make the speaker feel even more practical, and although it would be nice if it could be extended, it being there at all helps elevate the Charge 6 above previous iterations, and it still comes in a wide range of colours to suit your personal taste.
JBL Flip 7
Small but mighty is the best way to describe the JBL Flip 7. This cracking, dinky speaker is brilliantly portable at 6.9 x 18.3 x 7.1cm and is a very durable thing. The main part of the chassis is pretty much all speaker, flanked by two beefy bass elements that vibrate when the volume is pushed up. These both have the exclamation mark as seen on the JBL logo, while the main JBL branding adorns the front of the speaker.
Controls have been simplified, with a big plus and minus for volume and a play button on the top of the speaker. And in their own lozenge is a Bluetooth, on-off and an Auracast button. For those who don’t know, this allows multiple devices to stream the same music at once.
On the bottom of the speaker is a little lip for balance, a USB-C connection and a fabric handle. This can be swapped out for a carabiner hook so you can connect it to your bag for on-the-go music.
2. Connectivity is quick and easy for both devices
The best thing you can say about connecting devices to the JBL Charge 6 and Flip 7 is that it's seamless.
We had no issues at all, and even switching devices, it's an entirely painless process, thanks to the Bluetooth button that’s on the device. This has been the case with JBL for a while, with ease of use being one of the brand's standout features. It’s simplicity at its finest.
As for the Auracast, this helps massively with shared listening and feeds into the idea that these speakers are for taking out of the home and used as a source of music for your party, wherever you are. Press this button and if you have a compatible device (like another JBL speaker) then they will all play music in sync.
3. Sound was loud and proud
JBL Charge 6
The Charge 6 is visually beefier, and with that comes beefier beats as well, with an emphasis on bass – even managing clarity when turned up quite loudly. For indoor use, you don’t need to turn it up too loud to hear it.
The JBL Charge 6 incorporates proprietary AI Boost technology to enhance music in real-time, optimising audio performance and minimising distortion. However, with a lot of exciting marketing buzzwords being thrown around, including AI, it’s hard to deny the quality of the audio on display. You can even plug this bad boy into get a more stable sound if you want it to be even more enhanced.
JBL Flip 7
When it comes to the Flip 7, it may be the smaller of the two speakers but it pumps out 35 Watts of sound which is LOUD. There’s a real clarity to the sound that comes out. We went old school and listened to Jimmy Eat World through the Flip 7 and the emo was, well, emotional.
Something more up to date sounded equally impressive: If You Asked For A Picture by Blondshell soared, the acoustic guitars sounding fantastic through the speaker. To witness those bass membranes vibrate, Anthony Naples’ Scanners was a blistering bass and drum fest that sounded incredible.
4. These JBLs are built for the outdoors
Thanks to the handles (or hooks), fantastic sound quality, the ability to play at high volumes with clarity, and still not being too heavy when at the bottom of a bag, both the JBL Charge 6 and Flip 7 are the perfect companion for outdoor gatherings.
Whether you’re at a BBQ, chilling in a park or at the beach this summer, these JBLs are ideal, and thanks to their durability there’s no fear that they are going to break thanks to the elements not playing fair.
5. Battery life is longer than you need
JBL Charge 6
Fortunately, the battery life is also superb; it came with enough juice in the tank to last over a day of pretty consistent playing without needing to charge it at all. It eventually ran out of power and needed, but there was a distinct lack of cable in the box, which feels like a shame – we have plenty of wires around, but it still feels a bit tight.
Once plugged in and getting the Charge 6 back up to full power, the box promised 28 hours of playback. Although we never set a timer to double-check it, it felt like it lasted ages. It lasts so long that we haven’t worried about it dying since.
JBL Flip 7
Unless you are going at it for 24 hours (if you are then well done you and the Charge 6 is your friend), then you will have no problem with the JBL Flip 7’s battery life.
It went for a good 14 hours before the music died on us. And it would have gone even longer if we used the PlaytimeBoost functionality. Then it took 2.5 hours to fill the thing up again. This is a chunky bit of time, but 30 minutes faster than previous versions.
JBL Charge 6 and Flip 7: Final Verdict
JBL has created two of the best portable speakers money can buy right now. Their designs are superb and pretty much stand up to anything you throw at them, thanks to rugged rubber that makes them nice and drop proof and an IP68 rating that means they stand proud against the Great British weather.
Where they impress in looks, they impress more in sound. Big and beefy when it needs to be and crystal clear, too. JBL has outdone itself once more with both the JBL Charge 6 and Flip 7. So, the question is: which one are you going to choose?
The JBL Charge 6 costs £169 and the JLB Flip 7 costs £128.99. Both are available now.
- These are the best rock albums that you should be playing loud through these speakers.
Additional words: Morgan Truder. Main image credit: Future
