Short Review: JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth Speaker

Audio Hardware & Software Sound Cards & DACs & Other Hardware
1

So at my work I can’t have headphones. Its a loud industrial workspace, so with an idiot on the hi-lo all the time I get it. Took me a month to get a nOK on a speaker, and this is what I got.

Now, I’d have rather had a JBL Charge series speaker as it had a better battery, but I bought it at midnight so my next day wouldn’t be miserable.

So with that, my use for this speaker is, again, in a loud ass factory. Its cranked up to 100% and the battery is done after 6.5 hours. Thats impressive for being wireless and having a 12hr rated battery. So, to geth through my 10 hour shift and not want to die, I plug in my 10500 PNY battery bank to it. It takes almost no juice off the battery and keeps it powered, though it still does draw from the battery super heavy even on the 2.4A line so be aware of that. The unit’s main battery still dhischarges even when on another battery.

The speaker itself is simple. Bluetooth connect, vol up, vol down, and a play button. The power button has a battery status light and if you have other JBL speakers you can use JBL connect and have them all over your house in a private bluetooth mesh network. I might actually consider this so I have google home around my house someday.

Price? 100 bucks. I don’t have a problem with this for the audio quality. Older versions are arguably worth the 20-45 bucks off if you just want a speaker, but I like to be up to date.

Audio quality? Actually? I can hear everything. Theres a little bit of high end shimmer with basic lo-fi benchmarks and more complex drum and bass, but I got used to it. If its not turned up to 100% you don’t hear it. But, for example:

This is the benchmark I use for most shimmer and reverb tests. Like my Pioneer HDJ-X7’s, I can hear everything without an issue at all.

Thats pretty much everything I know on it.

2

JBL always deliver excellent stuff. No regrets when buying speakers from them. Just wondering about the price point though

3

So the Flip 4 is 100 USD, and the charge 3 is 150USD. The charge has a bigger battery and better audio, but its also the size of a CD player. Theres also the clip, which has the same 12hr battery as the flip 4, for 60, but cannot get as loud and has little to now low end at all.

Seems appropriately priced. A flip 3 is 85 dollars and smiliar quality.

4

Yeah, good price point. Especially since JBL speakers last for years. Eye-ing the Flip 4 for my next purchase.

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Just remembered this discussion when I’ve read this https://soundwiz.net/blog/jbl-pulse-3-vs-jbl-charge-3/. I haven’t bought Flip 4 yet but after reading good reviews about Charge 3 I’m thinking it is a better fit for me. If I had more budget, I’d go straight for Boombox. But Charge 3 will do for now :slight_smile:

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I’ve had the Charge 4 for about a year now and I’m not in such a large house as that I would require more than another larger speaker. So I looked into the new (2020-21) Boombox 2’s, and I’ve discovered that although the hardware is most definitely compatible among both speakers, that sort of connectivity seems to have been baked out. Curious if anyone around here may have a workaround?

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…bump

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@g5Rigger Please make a new thread, because this is not the same topic as this thread is about.