JBL - Charge Portable Indoor/Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker - Black

JBL is on a roll. I love everything about the Micro Wireless - amazing sound for such a small, inexpensive package - and the Flip consistently has consistently been singled out as the best portable speaker in its somewhat larger / pricier class. The Charge picks up where the Flip left off, featuring the same basic speaker configuration but with a much more powerful battery and with the bass port more prominently / effectively placed. It does lose the speakerphone, should that matter to you. But I bought this to play music, not to talk to. The inability to charge the Flip via USB was one reason I never bought one myself, and the relatively short battery life is another. The Charge addresses both of those concerns, and it also adds the ability to charge your phone or mp3 player. Do be aware, the advertised 12 hour life is kind of a best case scenario - wired connection, medium volume level, and of course, don't expect to get maximum battery life if you are using the Charge to power another device. But still, the effort to improve capacity and charging over the Flip is much appreciated. Regarding the sound - I did a fair amount of in-store comparison (I love Best Buy for that, and will buy from them where possible just because I value the hands-on experience so much#. Really, the portable speakers available today are all pretty amazing, and differences in sound quality are mostly subjective. You can really buy based on price, forrm factor, or features and not be disappointed no matter what you choose. But there is no question that the Flip was until now the loudest of the commonly available portable speakers in this size / price range, and it produces impressively low distortion even when cranked. I do agree with those reviewers who have pointed out that the Flip is very treble-heavy, though. The Charge is at least as loud overall, but the change in bass port configuration makes it noticeably less treble-heavy. So the sound is warmer, better balanced, with more pronounced bass. I consider this a good thing, although I am aware that others apparently prefer "brighter" speakers. Again, pretty much all of the portable speakers in this price are very good, so we're really quibbling here. But the Charge is really the only portable speaker in this size / price range that I think is loud enough, warm enough, and provides enough bass to transcend comparison with other portable speakers and invite comparison with small / bookshelf / table home stereo systems. I can bring this speaker with me when teaching classes or lessons in different locations and not feel like I am missing out on anything if there is no decent sound system there I can use. If I didn't care about size or price, I might have chosen the Logitech UE Boombox #not the "Mobile" version, although that is very good too for what it is# or perhaps the somewhat Big Jambox or Bose SoundLink, which are all excellent but are larger and cost around twice as much. If I preferred a "bright" speaker over a "warm" one or if I didn't especially value bass response for harmonic analysis and playalong purposes, and if I didn't mind the battery capacity and charging issues, I guess the Flip would have been more in consideration. But as it is, nothing else under $200 or that fits in my briefcase really suits my needs nearly as well as the Charge does.

I've spent months reading what I estimate to be several hundred reviews of many different Bluetooth speakers, in my quest to find one which I would deem to have acceptable sound quality to my ears. I don't know if I'd classify myself as an audiophile, but I do like good quality audio (I have a high-end headphone setup with a dedicated DAC and headphone amplifier), and I doubted even the best reviewed speakers could sound good enough to me to justify dropping $150 on one. After doing all this research, I finally stopped by Best Buy this evening to try a couple, with my mp3 player in tow. I also brought an audio cable, because having an auxiliary input was an important criterion for me. The size and portability of Bluetooth speakers is what is attractive to me; the actual Bluetooth connectivity is not, since I'm not a fan of wireless technology, and I don't plan on moving my mp3 player around much. Other criteria for me were a price of around $150, long battery life, and of course, the most important factor: sound quality. I had narrowed my search down to the UE Mini Boom, the JBL Charge, and two Cambridge Soundworks speakers, the Oontz XL and the Minx Go. Best Buy didn't have the CS speakers, so I demoed the UE and the JBL. I tried the JBL first and was immediately very impressed with the excellent (to my ears) sound quality, despite the background noise in the store. I tried many different songs, and all of them sounded fantastic, especially considering the size of the Charge. After being very impressed with the Charge, I tried the Mini Boom, as well. All I needed was a few seconds of one song to confirm it was *not* the one I wanted. The Mini Boom sounded much more like I would expect a relatively inexpensive Bluetooth speaker to sound: tinny, bloated and unfocused bass, et cetera. The difference between the Charge and the Mini Boom was dramatic (although, to be fair, the Charge is $50 more). I immediately purchased the Charge and got it home. I'm still listening to it as I type this (2+ hours) and I continue to be very impressed. It sounds very well balanced. Not too bass heavy, not tinny, and not thin. It is pretty much the opposite of how I would expect a Bluetooth speaker to sound (and that's a very good thing). Vocals sound very realistic (get out of my room, Mumford and Sons!), and are a bit forward in the mix. I don't know how loud it goes, but I suspect I don't have it close to the limit. I listen to a lot of acoustic folk rock, so I wasn't looking for ground-shaking bass, but rather clarity, richness, and balance. The Charge exhibits all these qualities very well. I'm so impressed that I'm selling my amplifier and bookshelf speakers. I often listen to music using headphones, but for the times when I just want to have music playing in the background while moving around, the JBL Charge is an absolute delight. Well done, JBL!

I have never reviewed anything before so this is a big deal for me. First, my bias. I have been a long time JBL fan for home stereo speakers, almost as long as I have been a Bose fan. Until two weeks ago I didn't even know JBL made Bluetooth speakers. I visited my daughter and she had just purchased the JBL Flip. I was very impressed with the sound quality, first and foremost. I began reading reviews because I was going to buy one. I did not need some of the features of the Flip, such as the ability to take phone calls using the microphone and call answering system, so I did some research and found the JBL Charge. It does not have those features I didn't need but had others that I wanted, like the ability to charge the battery with my cell phone charger, not to mention charging my cell phone through the USB port on the speaker, plus longer battery life than the Flip. The battery on the JBL Charge lasts almost all day, playing Pandora radio through my cell phone while at work. This is not a Bose system so don't expect it to sound like one for the price, but having said that it's almost as good, for about a third of the price. The Bluetooth function works flawlessly. I have it paired to 2 phones, a notebook computer and an HDTV, to improve the sound quality. Hint: To improve the fidelity even more, place the speaker on a non carpeted floor up against a wall. Not sure why that works, but it does. Do your own research before you buy, but if you want bang for your buck without high end price, I think you should consider this one.

The JBL Charge is a fantastic solution to any portable music dilemma. It possesses a greatly impressive sound quality while maintaining a very high volume. The bass port is a unique feature to a portable bluetooth speaker that is greatly appreciated. It allows for strong clear bass even at high volumes. The bluetooth capabilities themselves could not be any better. Very easy to pair and over 30 feet in range. I was able to stand on the clear opposite side of my house and still hear it, as well as not having any distortion or interference from the bluetooth connectivity. This was something my JBL Flip could not do. Unlike the JBL Flip, it does not have a speaker phone option and does not come in black. Two features I enjoyed on the JBL Flip, but was very much willing to exchange for the built in portable charging ability of the JBL Charge. With a 6000mAh battery and USB charging port, This Bluetooth speaker crushes the competition. Richer sound quality, innovative multifunctionality and steady bluetooth connectivity. Great for any one who loves to entertain or go out on adventures. Highly recommended.

I was torn between the JBL Charge and Bose Soundlink Mini. Both sound very good. The Bose has a tad more bass but the JBL charge is no slouch. The JBL is also $50 cheaper and includes a case. It sounds incredible and while it may not produce as much bass as the BOSE, it still sounds good and features a "bass port" which allows it to produce very good bass. (tip: if you're listening to music through Google Music, turn on the EQ and then turn on the bass boost and it'll sound even better). I've tried this speaker with Google Music, YouTube, IHeart Radio, Netflix, Vevo and Netflix and it works very well. I was able to pair it with my Galaxy S3, Nexus 7 and Macbook Pro. The sound from this device is amazing and fills up a room without a problem. I also tried it outside and you'll be shocked at how much sound can come out of something that's a little bigger than a can of pop. What's really nice is that the CHARGE can also charge your devices (with the included USB cable). You an also charge and play it at the same time. It also has an AUX jack so you can plug in an iPod or any device that may not have bluetooth. If you've been looking for a portable speaker, look no further. You can listen to music in the house, out on the deck, by the pool, while you're grilling, at the beach, etc. I've always been a fan of JBL speakers and they hit it out of the park with the Charge.

This is a pretty awesome Bluetooth speaker. Don't let the small size fool you, it sounds amazing, and with all types of music. The lows, mids and highs balance out nicely, and there is more than enough bass. It gets pretty darn loud and without distortion. I haven't used it outside yet, I'm sure you would have no problem with it being heard and well. It easily connects via bluetooth with my Galaxy Note 3, iPad 3, and iPod touch. I can put it in the next room and it still works perfectly. It also has an audio in port to plug in older iPods, MP3 players and things that aren't bluetooth compatible. You also have the option to charge your devices with it, which is awesome. It comes with a nice little sleeve to protect it as well, which is nice if you put it in a bag or purse like I do. It goes anywhere you do so I'm looking forward to using it outside by the pool and while I work in the yard this summer. I work 12 1/2 hour shifts and I've played it for 11 1/2 hours at a time and it still isn't flashing red, so I can attest to the fact the 12 hour battery life (when just playing music) is accurate. This isn't surprising though considering it's a JBL. This isn't my first JBL product and it won't be my last that's for sure. They KNOW how to do sound. I have an old JBL Onstage that still looks like new and works perfectly that's six years old. I also had an Onstage micro that I gave to my sister and she loves and still works perfectly. It is pricey, I researched and read many reviews before I got this. I've heard the Beats Pill and several other wireless speakers in this category and price range and in my honest opinion, this one is the best sounding unless you want to spend considerably more. I was going to go with the Pulse but I bought it for the sound so couldn't justify spending another $50.00 just for the lights. I'm sure the battery would have drained way quicker and it doesn't come with the sleeve to protect it either. It is pretty cool and a must for every music addict. I highly recommend it.

I recently picked this bad-boy up for fathers day for my father and man does this thing rock! I must say I am an audiophile as I love music and high quality audio. My personal portable system is the Klipsch KMC 3 as the subwoofer is what keeps me happy at all times along with the soaring volumes and impressing all my friends and family. However this little bad boy does not disappoint what so ever! I had tried out the Bose Sound Link Mini and sometimes you could not hear the vocals too well, bass was too muddy at high volumes and was just bass heavy through out with no high end almost ever present. Plus the Bose mini was not even remotely loud at the Best Buy compared to this speaker. As for the JBL charge, when I was shopping around at the store and I walked by this cool JBL product I said "let me give this guy a try". Within 10 to 15 seconds I had my iphone 5 connected through Bluetooth on the speaker and was honestly taken back by the quality of the sound that comes out of this small speaker. I then turned it to max volume to see how the sound would carry across distance and it sounded very well even 25 to 30 feet away at the huge best buy. Once I told myself I loved this product, then came the next step... PRICE. I quickly looked down and to my surprise te JBL charge was actually $50 dollars cheaper than the BOSE and it has almost twice the battery life! TRY IT and BUY IT. You won't be dissapointed.

I went into best buy ready to buy the Jabra speaker based on reviews. The jabra had a little more base and was a little crisper sounding. However it was heavier and bulkier than the Charge. I travel extensively on business and like to have a portable speaker in my hotel room. My altec lansing orbit didnt travel well. the batteries always come dislodged and hard to get the speakers working again. Also the sound is heavily distorted even with the top of the line model. I own both. I love the fact that I don't have to feed the Charge batteries. The Bluetooth is awesome as the Orbits were wired with a 2 foot cord and I had to buy an extension to effectively use it. I have many battery packs for charging my devices, so the charging capability was nice but was not a real selling point. Although I'm sure it will come in handy at some point. After all I am the digital device road queen! Meanwhile my parrots and i are testing these things out with a little Amy Winehouse, their heads are bobbing in approval. We haven't noticed any distortion. Off for a 2 week business trip tomorrow, will need to keep the volume down on these babies or be subjected to hotel eviction. Can't wait to try out the speaker phone capability! Despite the dent and having to exchange them upon my return from my trip, I am really pleased with my purchase.