JBL Charge Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker (Grey) Compare Prices
- Built-in, high-capacity, 6000mAh Li-ion rechargeable battery provides more than 12 hours of playback time on a single charge and can even recharge your mobile devices
- Wirelessly streams stereo music from any Bluetooth device
- Durable, portable design lets you take full-range JBL sound with exceptional bass anywhere you go › See more product details
Best Review: JBL Charge Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker (Grey) - I was really excited about the positive changes JBL made to its new BT Speaker, nicknamed Charge, as much as I was curious about what exactly has been implemented sonic performance wise in comparison to the Flip. I had a chance spending two hours with both units and listening to them side by side. I have to say what I found is quite interesting: the Charge is definitely not just the Flip with a face alteration and weaknesses enhancements; for better or for worse, it feels to me almost like a completely different product.First, Above all, the sound:Granted, they sounded similar, but noticeably different even the first time I turned them on; I felt they almost had a distinctive sound signature when I listened more!It seems JBL has adjusted the built-in DSP: tuned down the highs a few notches and boosted up the lower end; hence, my overall impression about the Charge was that it was more neutral sounding, with just a tiny bit more bass palpable. So did it sound better than the Flip? Hardly!David Carnoy from CNET commented in his timely review that the Charge sounded a bit better than the Flip, but didn't bother to elaborate. I would say it's probably a matter of personal preference. To me, with the volume set at 80% and below, the Charge sounded subdued and the added bass was almost negligible in most samples I played, ranging from hip-hop, jazz, ambient, chamber music, country, hard rock to pure vocal. On the other hand, the Flip was significantly brighter, crisp with a sound stage more open. the Charge by no means sounded bad or flat, just quite uncharacteristic, losing the wow factor associated with the Flip. Also, the Flip presented more details - I felt this might have something to do with the reduced highs.JBL redesigned the grille and covered nearly 75% of the speaker with rubber like plastic; hence, the driver opening is much more confined. I would imagine this could lead to the sound image appearing to be smaller. The speaker did sound a tad stifled.If all above is just a personal taste, there is one BIG concrete difference: I was playing Suzanne Vega's bass heavy Caramel. Almost 2 minutes in, I noticed there was no vocal coming out of the Charge, then I realized somehow, one of the channels wasn't present or almost muted. Switching to the Flip, I heard both channels loud and clear. I'm not quite sure what's causing this. I noticed the same issue when I was testing the Logitech UE Boombox the other day.Second, the designIt seems JBL had picked up a few ideas from Philips Shoqbox 7200: I feel that the Charge is redesigned to gear more towards outdoor activities while the Flip bears somewhat more elegant and professional looking. Also, personally, the Flip looks way cooler than the Charge when they are placed vertically.Third, bright spots about the Charge:1. Much longer battery life - we are looking at 5 hours (Flip) vs. 10-12 hours (Charge). The play time is simply doubled on a single charge with the Charge.2. Better charging design: JBL got rid of the bulky AC charger and finally adopted a universal USB charging method on par with other portable BT speakers.3. A USB output allowing you to charge your phone while playing, hence the nicknameAnother change worthy mentioning is that there is no speakerphone function on the Charge speakers.Fourth, the priceThe Charge is currently positioned $50 above FlipsSummary: is the Charge worth the $50 jump or a possible upgrade?The Charge may very well make an overall better package deal than the Flip, with its improvements on charging and the battery life; however, I feel JBL's fine tuning in the sound department leaves it hard to recommend to people like me who put the sound quality on top of their priority list. Even considering the element of added bass, the Flip simply still sounds better and more exciting to listen to in my opinion. Besides, the Charge looks bulky and unattractive - it almost resembles a poorly designed thermos. Flip, on the other hand, with its minimum use of plastic, looks elegant and classy.Then again, it would all come down to personal preferences in terms of sound, as well as what you want the most out of your portable speaker. To me though, the Flip is still the clear winner of this round.
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