JBL - Charge 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker - Red

Before I get into reviewing the JBL Charge 3 I want to point out that I have TRIED the Bose Soundlink mini 2, Fugoo XL, UE Boom, UE Roll, Beats Pill+ So im going to touch bases with the factory specs.. I was able to get 14 hours (+/-) at 70% volume and it took 3.5 hours (+/-) to fully charge with factory charger. Bluetooth connection was instantaneous and had no problems connecting to my iPhone, iPad, Macbook. IPX7 waterproof testing was done in my pool for only 20 minutes, did not want to try and reach the claimed 30 minutes in fear of damage. Speakerphone function work as advertised, person on the other line will hear some echoing, your typical speakerphone.. just do not use it for calling your bank, doctor, etc.. to conduct business. So... why did I chose this over the others? I wanted something portable and rugged and this fits, it didnt take much room in my backpack and it didnt weight me down. Battery life is a win! having LED indicators and charging through standard USB is a bonus, I can basically charge anywhere. Ok ok.. so for the sound this gave the Bose, both UE, Beats a run for its money, well balance sounds.. clean highs, mids, with bass you can feel. The JBL was a mismatch with the Fugoo XL, but to be fair the Fugoo XL should be compared to the JBL Xtreme. So there you go.. if you want something portable with excellent sound and good battery life? The JBL Charge 3 is a win! Go get one if you have been waiting for a solid all around speaker you can take with you on the go. So what were my reasons of turning my back on the other speaker? Fugoo XL - Its BIG and HEAVY - mediocre battery life - lacking highs and mids - not portable - battery meter was shown in series of flashes - must use Fugoo charger - rattles when in its sleeve - did not connect to my Macbook even after update UE Boom - lacks bass - no battery meter - not sturdy when put on its side (lay flat) UE Roll - lacks bass - no battery meter - sound is always shooting upwards unless strapped to an object - low battery life - does not float Bose Soundlink Mini 2 - not loud ( Bose 100% = JBL 70%) - low battery life - not waterproof - flimsy grill and easy to ding, scratch body Beats Pill+ - sound is not true ( a lot of digital processing happening) - flimsy grill and easy to ding, scratch body - not waterproof

If you are looking for bluetooth speakers with full, vibrant, heavy bass with depth, that are also capable and responsive enough to handle a virtual EQ, look no further than these, as all roads lead to this JBL speaker with impeccable sound quality. I was browsing bluetooth speakers at bestbuy when I came across the sony cube, which impressed me enough to do some research on bluetooth speakers on the market in general. A few youtube outdoor sound-test videos later, I found myself enamored with the JBL Charge 3 and decided I had to have it. Crazy part is that as good and convincing as the sound test were online, they were NOTHING in comparison to the actual sound of these speakers once I got them home and used them in person! The absolute clarity and power of these speakers will blow you (and anyone else who hears them) away, as it did with my family and friends at our new years eve gathering. The sound could easily be mistaken for an actual full stereo system with woofer, and when you add in the fact that they are waterproof and provide about 20 hrs. of entertainment per charge, there is absolutely no reason to refrain from getting these. You can also pair it with another JBL if you want even more intense power from the system. This was one of the best purchases I've made (next to a bluetooth Sony headphone set with Extra Bass) and I was able to get them for $82 . Do yourself a favor and get these ASAP! I Highly and Enthusiastically Recommend these speakers to all music lovers! JBL completely outdid themselves with this one!

This is a great Bluetooth speaker for in doors and out. I use it washing the car, cleaning house and while fishing. The sound is true and clear it is very loud but at max level there is no distortion.

I had been a long time Bose speaker guy. I started with the large portable speaker then migrated to the smaller bluetooth speaker. I use these speakers everywhere but must have a speaker on the golf course. The problem always with Bose was battery life. With this new JBL, I can have it playing for 10-12 hours and charge devices without skipping a beat. I know it has more battery life than that but never needed it. On top of it all, its waterproof. It went thru its first rainstorm already and works like a champ.

This is a great speaker and for $150 no product can match what it has to offer! This speaker can easily fill a large room with sound. As far as bass and treble the charge 3 is well balanced. The battery life is phenomenal and can play hours of non stop music! The biggest plus for me is that it is water proof and not "water resistant". The only thing I am not too fond of is the "durable fabric" housing, I don't know it just looks kinda funny. I would highly recommend this product!

I wanted something to use with my iPad to listen to blogs in the large room where I work. This fit the bill nicely. I can play it as loud as I like and the sound is clear and free of strain. I also like that I can stream music to it from my phone or iPad in my car. It's a decent substitute for the expensive car stereo setup that I just can't justify. I tried out the Bose Soundlink 3, but it wouldn't connect to my TV. I like playing the TV to the JVC while I use my treadmill so the sound isn't drowned out by the noise of the treadmill (I can put the JVC right next to the treadmill). Actually, I'm glad it worked out that way. I like the sound of the JVC at least as much as the Bose, and at half the price I regard it as a great value.

Got this for Father's Day and must say it has definitely been the best gift I've gotten yet. I'm a total music junkie and it's a great fit to go along with my Apple music subscription. The sound/volume quality is great and has great bass quality, too. (Note: I've experienced better sound quality off the bluetooth than direct connection with a 3.5mm jack) Besides that, I have five kids that this helps me keep entertained and can still take a rough and tumble from. It's a must at the beach as it floats along lazily on top of a boogie board, but is also submersible, in case of those falls. I even use it to jam in the shower all the time. By far, this is the best bang for your buck! Shout out to my wife for the great choice and to my kids for great color choice.

I was looking for a good portable speaker and originally was comparing the Charge 2+ and UE Boom 2. I noticed the Charge 3 was released and some things that made me make the purchase were: -Battery life rating: I have to say that so far it has lived up to the long battery life as advertised. -waterproof: I use this at work where there is a potential that I can get wet. After looking at YouTube reviews and seeing someone drop it in a bucket of water and watching it float definitely left a positive impression -sound: this little thing gets pretty loud. I usually only listen to it at half volume and it's well enough for me to hear. The bass doesn't kick like you would expect from a sub woofer but it does have a nice kick to it. The UE Boom 2 has nice highs where you can hear vocals probably a little better but the Charge 3 has a better all around sound in my opinion. One of the things I wish this thing would have had was a lanyard attachment point. it has some good weight on it so carrying it around can be cumbersome because it's not a small speaker. The size is good in my opinion, but I would feel more secure about not dropping it if I could attach a lanyard around my wrist like a Wii remote. If you are in the market for a portable Bluetooth speaker I would give this strong consideration.