Customer Ratings & Reviews

I buy sound equipment primarily based off sound quality. I've had a SoundFreaq Sound Platform 2 (with battery option, subsequently discontinued) for several years and have been searching for another BT speaker that would rival that unit in both loudness and sound quality while providing a little more portability. I tried all the units off the shelves at the box stores including other JBL's, Bose, UE/Logitech, Beats, Sony, and they all were disappointing in comparison...until now. The JBL Xtreme finally delivers something comparable, if not better, than the SoundFreaq in both volume and sound quality, in a form factor that at least makes an attempt at portability (unlike the SoundFreaq). In A/B testing the unit against the UE Megaboom, SoundFreaq SP, a Sony XB40, and a JBL Pulse 2 (oldest of the bunch), the XTreme and SP were in a league of their own. The highs on the XTreme are tuned to provide a very crisp, "open" sound (but not harsh) while simultaneously maintaining the strongest bass output of the group (not unexpected since the XTreme is also the largest unit). Both the XTreme and SP provide ample volume (noticeably more than the others), strong bass (for their size) and very good, open sound quality across a range of music, with the several year old SP surprisingly holding it's own against JBL's latest and greatest XTreme. In terms of portability, the XTreme is designed for it, whereas the SP is designed to sit on a desk, therefore the XTreme is a clear winner in overall functionality. That said, the XTreme has what I consider a design flaw around the charging ports, which are hidden behind a zipper...yes that's right, you have to "unzip" the unit to access the ports, and the pouch is a rather tight fit requiring a two handed operation to hold the pouch open while trying to connect your charging cord. And, that charging cord is not USB, it charges off A/C, meaning you need an outlet. My Ranking (based on sound only): 1 (tie). XTreme 1 (tie). Sound Platform 2 3. UE Megaboom 4. Sony XB40 5. JBL Pulse 2 (note this is a class down in terms of year/models) Fix the (inevitably will break down the road) zipper thing and provide a USB charging option and the XTreme would be a 5 star unit based on the loudness, quality of sound, and portable/water resistant nature of the design. At $299, the price is a little steep for what you get (these are still smallish, battery powered BT speakers after all), however, on sale ($200 range), this little unit packs a punch and is a great bang for the buck compared to the competition.

Been trying to decide between the new JBL charge 3 and this Xtreme. Watched a lot of comparisons on Youtube. Didn't want to spend the extra money for the Xtreme and went to BB to get the new Charge 3 after I made my mind up. I thought I did until I heard them in person. Xtreme was the way to go. No comparing the 2. For some reason the Charge 3 looked a lot smaller than it did watching it in Youtube videos. Got the Xtreme on sale for $249. Well worth the money. Sounds very good on low and high volumes. The bass stays "tight" and deep even on low listening levels.

This speaker is amazing great volume and bass clear too!!!!!

Great speaker with a good battery life. Easy to connect to phone.

It sound good to me it sounds better outdoors than indoor ,when turne up it sounds kind of boomy with a boosted bass

the jbl is a nice unit if you are just hanging on a deck or a room. if you use them in a large area the volume is low. if you pair them be prepared for one of them to drop off. this is very frustrating, but if they stay paired you will enjoy them. battery life is about 10 hours on a full charge. i guess playing at full volume eats more fuel. everyone who listens to them says they are going to get one

I had the original JBL Charge for 5 years and I couldn't be happier. I was in need of something with bigger sound and this fits the bill perfectly. Fuller sound with more bass but not too boomy. The sound is clearer. I recommend it!

Great speaker has lasted me over 3 years would highly recommend for people who just wanna a nice bass boosting and loud speaker

I love this this speaker not only sounds good but it is also waterproof!

Stop wasting time on the other Bluetooth speakers and get this one. You will not be disappointed. Sounds very clear and very good bass even at loud volume.

Love this item. It is small enough, but very powerful.

The best Bluetooth speaker extreme powerful bass I love it my speaker

This product exceed my expectations. I used the speaker while at an outdoor event and the sound was nice.

If you are looking for portable speaker with great sound and bass, then you just found it!!

Heard and read alot of good reviews online. The sound is loud and the bass has a nice kick, however, if I step away from it the sound starts cutting out. Just so the reader can imagine, I was playing music while washing my mid-size pickup truck. The speaker was set near the front of the vehicle. If I was near the back side of the vehicle, the sound would start to cut out. There are other instances as well at even shorter ranges with the sound cutting out. Love the sound, needs better Bluetooth signal.

Got this for my husband and he absolutely love it! Great sound!

Let me start my review by saying I've had this speaker now for about 1.5 years and the sound, to me, was unbeatable for this price range when compared to speakers like the UE Megaboom and other similar speakers. That said, after using this speaker now for about 1.5 years, the battery will hold a charge for about 20 minutes and will then completely shut off. It will play when plugged in, but that defeats the purpose of a wireless speaker. Even though this speaker is "Xtreme", the battery is not. Let me also say the speaker has never been water damaged and has also been used in what I'd call natural settings (no extreme heat or cold or anything). JBL Customer service is less than helpful in the matter either since I'm over the 1yr manufacturer warranty period. They are unwilling to help cover a $300 speaker that has completely failed after 1.5 yrs. If you do decide to purchase, enjoy the speaker for a short time! Do some research on this - apparently it's a documented issue and there are many other reviews that mention this. I missed it when I purchased mine apparently.

I think that I wasted my money on this. It sounds amazing but it skips the first 2 seconds of an intro of each song when I fast forward to a new song from my iPhone and iPad. I exchanged it just in case the first one that I bought was a bad batch but the second have the same problem. It is really annoying.

Love it!! I bought it and I am using it a lot. Great product! I highly recommend it.

Bass Distortion is a problem with the speaker I have large Bluetooth speakers this one cannot keep up. Battery life is fine works perfect. Only problem is with low frequencies. Other than that it works fine.