Which JBL Bluetooth Speaker Should You Buy?

JBL has a long history in the audio business—the company was founded in the 1940s and made the speakers used onstage at Woodstock in 1969—but now it’s mostly known for portable Bluetooth speakers in a wide range of styles and prices.To get more news about bluetooth bike speaker, you can visit magicyclebike.com official website.

Consumer Reports has evaluated a number of JBL models and our testers have generally found them to be easy to use and versatile with good sound. But there are quite a few options, including updated models that have been introduced while their predecessors are still available for sale. So choosing the right JBL for your needs can be confusing. The roundup below, which lists models according to Overall Score, should help.

Like all products with Consumer Reports ratings, these speakers are tested in our labs by trained technicians. And, as always, the models were purchased through normal retail channels—no freebies for us.

The JBL Xtreme 3 is one hefty hunk of speaker, a tiny bit bigger and a little lighter than its predecessor, the Xtreme 2. In any case, you might be surprised at how large it is when you see it in person. The Xtreme 3 sounds slightly better than its predecessor, too, although it’s very close in overall character. Like the Xtreme 2, the 3 has strong bass that goes fairly deep, but is somewhat boomy and lacks natural instrument detail compared with better-performing speakers we’ve tested. The model can play loud enough to fill a medium-sized to large room. The Xtreme 3 features an internal power bank that can charge other devices and JBL says the speaker is both dustproof and water-resistant to 3 meters, but CR doesn’t test those claims.
For a party speaker, the PartyBox Encore Essential is a pretty versatile device. With the tone controls in the smartphone app set for the most even tonal balance, it offers solid sound quality, according to our testers. And while it’s rather modest in size by the standards of karaoke-compatible party box speakers, it does deliver plenty of volume. An LED light show controlled by JBL’s smartphone app surrounds the single woofer. The app also lets you add DJ sound effects ranging from a horn or a dog’s bark to a variety of record scratch sounds.
The JBL Boombox 2 is a satisfying sequel to JBL’s original Boombox. And like its predecessor, the Boombox 2 channels the giant beatboxes that the cool kids—and even LL Cool J—carried around in the 1980s and 90s. But while it exudes old-school style, the Boombox 2’s tech is decidedly modern, with solid Bluetooth streaming and a 10,000-milliamp-hour rechargeable battery that’s said to last 24 hours and can serve as a power bank for charging other devices. JBL says the Boombox 2 meets IPX7 water-resistance standards, so the speaker should stay safe from a significant splash or even a modest dunking, though we didn’t test that. Our testers find the new model sounds very much like its predecessor. The Boombox 2 is both loud and clear, with enough volume for a large room or an outdoor space.
If you want a party speaker that delivers lots of volume and big bass, the Party Box 110 might be the model for you. It plays plenty loud with decent, if bass-heavy, sound and adds features like an LED light show surrounding its twin woofers and jacks for karaoke mic capability. The styling, at least when the light show is off, is more restrained than many similar speakers, which is a good thing if you want to store the thing in the family room rather than the garage. It features IPX4 water-resistance, says the manufacturer, so it’s also splashproof.
The Xtreme 2 looks a lot like other modern Bluetooth speakers, but it’s significantly bigger than the models you’d toss in a beach bag. The sound quality ranks toward the top of our portable speaker ratings with strong bass, though our testers find that it falls a bit short when compared with the new Xtreme 3. The bass is a bit too prominent, but the model does deliver enough volume to fill a rather large room. The Xtreme 2 has an internal power bank that can charge other devices, and it’s reported to be water-resistant to 3 meters, a claim CR doesn’t test. It also includes a speakerphone feature that was dropped from the Xtreme 3.
Think of the Charge 4 as the smaller sibling of JBL’s Xtreme 3. Our testers find it easy to use, and its light weight and more modest dimensions make it a great choice if you’re looking for a speaker that will be traveling with you. Our testers find that the Charge 4 has admirable sound quality, and delivers enough volume for a midsized room. It also features an internal power bank to charge other devices. JBL says that the Charge 4 is water-resistant to 1 meter, a claim CR doesn’t test. And, for those who like to make a personal statement beyond the playlist, JBL lets you customize the design. I chose the color scheme and had an image and text printed on the grill cloth of the model I purchased for myself. Best of all, there wasn’t an upcharge for this special treatment.