Different types of music can either relax you or set you in the mood to do something. For some people, listening to music can make them productive during work. One way to listen to your favourite music would be by using your headphones but after long hours of wearing them, they could lead you to fatigue. Headphones could also make your ears sweat. Though headphones are best to use especially when you want sound isolation, sometimes having something over your ear could be a nuisance.
Why would you keep the music to yourself when you can share it to your office mates? Having the JBL Charge Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker lets you connect your music player or smartphone wirelessly and play your songs on the air. It is a small device but with a big crystal clear sound, you wouldn’t think it’s capable of doing that.
Product Description
The JBL Charge Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker is a 2.3 pounds device which can be used laid down flat or standing up. Either ways, you still get the same sound quality from the speaker. This device comes in three different colors to choose from which are grey, blue and green. It has three buttons to operate it, the on/off power button slash pairing button rolled into one and the volume rocker. The speaker’s battery can last up to 12 hours of continuous music playing and will only take a few hours to recharge it back to full.
The JBL Charge is not only designed to communicate wirelessly with your music players but it can also communicate via its 3.5mm auxiliary audio port if your device doesn’t have Bluetooth capability. Even if your MP3 player is far from your portable speakers, it can still continue to sync for as long as it is within a 25 feet radius. The reason why this device is called JBL Charge is because you can actually plug in another device for charging. It works like a power bank for your devices.
Technical Details
- The 8 x 7.5 x 3.3 inches dimension of this speaker makes it a good travel buddy, small enough to fit in your compartment.
- It has 3 easy to operate buttons that include the power switch and Bluetooth pairing is sharing the same button. The two remaining buttons are for the volume.
- It has a built-in lithium-ion battery that can last for 12 hours of music playing.
- It takes about 3.5 hours to charge the battery back to full through the AC adapter or you may opt for trickle charging that could take 5 to 6 hours via USB connection.
- It has a wireless range of up to 25 feet.
- It can be used as a power bank to your smartphones, MP3 players or any devices that charges thru USB.
Pros
The JBL Charge Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker’s most commendable feature is its long lasting battery life. It is double the playing time than the usual portable speakers that you can find in the market today. It can both connect to your music player wirelessly or through the audio cable. It comes with a neoprene bag that makes carrying even easier. You can still continue to enjoy listening to your music even when the speaker is inside the bag. The speaker can also charge your devices by means of the USB cable. Why buy a power bank when your speaker can serve as one?
Cons
The speaker mainly consists of plastic materials except for the grills. The plastic feel makes it lightweight but over-all it is still a sturdy little speaker. Its weight is about 2.3 pounds which is almost a pound heavier than other mini speakers. It doesn’t have the speakerphone capability since its main purpose is for playing music or video sounds. The bass may not be enough for music lovers who are into bass-punching music. It doesn’t have the capability of remembering devices that was synced to it. You will have to re-establish connection like the first time with the speaker if you want to use another music player. Pairing your device with the speaker though is as easy as one push of the Bluetooth button.
Who Should Buy It?
People who love travelling will benefit from the JBL Charge Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker most especially during long travel periods. The speaker is not only for listening to your favorite songs it can be a handy charger for your iPhone or MP3 player. You don’t have to worry about your phone not having enough juice to last you for the day, make use of the JBL Charge. If you are the kind of person who loves listening to music while hanging outdoors, the speaker can be the best companion you’ll have. Go on camping and still continue to listen to your favourite songs as if you are in the comfort of your own bedroom.
Why Should You Buy It?
Listening to music through your music player’s built-in speaker is not enough especially in an open space. The sounds coming from the built-in speaker may crack and distort your music if it is set to the highest volume. Having a portable external speaker will make listening to your songs a better experience. It can boost up the volume and even the quality of the sound to premium. It would be like listening to your home sound system. The JBL Charge Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker is the best compromise if you have an ear for sound details. No matter what genre of music you play, the speaker will give its best sound stage for you. JBL has been known for its unique sound signature. It would be like listening to your favorite band live in concert. It is not only a speaker with dual connectivity but it is also a charger, hence the name Charge. You will never have to worry again if your phone or MP3 player’s battery is almost empty because you have your JBL Charge with you to boost their battery life. With just $150 on the price tag, you can never go wrong in the purchase of this useful portable speaker.
I am not a conessuier of speakers but I LOVE this thing. I haven’t used the charger yet but am glad it’s there because I plan to travel with my speaker. The bass is good I switch between hooking it into my iPad and iPhone with no problem and listen to music in the shower as well as watch movies on my ipad with it. We all know the speakers on the IPad aren’t that great.
Great sound quality for the price, beats the JamBox in my view, more clarity of sound. Of course it’s no replacement for any 2.1 or higher audio system, packs a decent punch for its beer mug size, and can fill up a smallish room – can hold its own in a party of 6-8 ppl. It is what it is..a good portable speaker, super easy to work with, strong Bluetooth connectivity without sound breaks, and battery life as advertised.
I’m a proud owner of a Jambox Big Jawbone. I paid $299 for it and it sounds great. But upon listening to 5 different songs from very different types of music I am super impressed with the JBL Charge! It handles songs with heavy base equally as well as folk/acoustic. And man can it pump out volume for its very compact size. I used my Galaxy S4 and adjusted the equalizer via my phone and was able to get nice low and mid level bases. If you don’t have an equalizer option (like on an iPad for example) you might not get the most out of the speaker. But it still sounds solid even with no equalizer. But definitely a lot better once I adjusted the equalizer. To be completely honest I think this might sound better than my Jambox, and for half the price and in a much more portable size.
Smart phones and Tablets have changed how my wife and I communicate, shop and use entertainment. Not until I got a Bluetooth speaker did music become part of the experience. The JBL Charge has been awesome. The sound is very good and holds up well at full volume. Loud enough for a small group of friends to enjoy outdoors and overkill for normal size rooms. Best feature of this unit over the competition IMHO is the physical size, shape and build of it. Other units are extremely boxy with hard edges and corners. The tapered cylinder shape of the Charge makes it a joy to handle and take along wherever I go. I put it in a zip lock freezer bag and take it into the shower. It fits right into the cupholder in my car. I’ve discovered that while it does not technically feature a speakerphone function it works great as a phone speaker in the car for hands free calling. My phone is the microphone. I can hear the caller much better and for whatever reason, they hear me better too! I’ve also carried it while walking the dog. It is a great companion.
I have an expensive receiver with airplay, but we have always had interference issues with microwave etc, so ended up looking of alternative options. JBL Charge turned out to be a great option, its give crystal clear sound and hardly any interference. The only negative is that the charge option is quite lame, it doesnt have enough juice, but otherwise a solid speaker. Recommended.