JBL Charge 5 – Review Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Intro

Today we take an analytical look at a speaker created especially for outdoor parties, the JBL Charge 5. Thus, the distinguishing feature of this speaker is the range and spread of sound. This powerful portable Bluetooth speaker offers above-average sound quality and long battery life. The speaker in question was manufactured by JBL, a U.S.-based loudspeaker and acoustic speaker company owned by Harman International Industries. This company’s production features products with excellent electronic components and a modern, durable design.

Ultimo aggiornamento 2023-09-30 / Link di affiliazione / Immagini da Amazon Product Advertising API

The JBL Charge 5immediately stands out for its modern and durable design, but above all for its extremely high power and sound quality. The Charge 5 is recognized as the most durable and best sounding case compared to the previous four Charges. The materials are of good quality and the overall quality is very high. This powerful and versatile portable speaker offers an outdoor party sound experience given by the high quality and spread of sound. It is equipped with a sound system with a woofer and a tweeter, which allows any frequency of sound to be heard optimally. Its shape and size make it easy to carry around and it is very durable and suitable for any environment.

If you are looking for Bluetooth Speakers, we recommend our article: Best Bluetooth Speakers.

This speaker falls in the high end of bluetooth speakers and therefore provides high sound output and excellent power output. In this article we will take an analytical look at the various characteristics of this product so that we can understand what are the major qualities that set it apart.

Size, Weight, Shape and Design

This powerful case has a size of about 9.7 x 9.4 x 22.3 cm and a weight of about 960 g. Mainly it is made of impact-resistant rigid plastic. The front grille is made of water- and dust-resistant fabric, while rubber parts on the sides and top protect the speakers and buttons against impact. The eventual charging base, on the other hand, is made of durable metal. Given its weight and size it is quite compact, but more importantly it is really very durable.

This case is medium-sized, has the size and dimensions of a cylinder. This case after the durable plastic layer has a grid of durable mesh fabric to promote sound release. It is easy to grab, slip into a backpack and is very drop-resistant, making it a perfect crate for outdoor, beach parties and barbecues with friends.

The side plates are made of rubbery polymer, with a lined material at the ends and a rubberized reinforcement that cushions any blows. The case ends boast slightly stronger rubberized reinforcement than the older versions, these cover the passive radiators that make deep bass. The power, playback and volume buttons are at the top of the case, there is also a JBL PartyBoost button that aims to replace the previous Connect+ technology. This button allows you to boost the sound of your portable device by connecting the Charge 5 with up to 100 other PartyBoost-enabled JBL Bluetooth speakers.

Compared to the Charge 4, we no longer find the 3.5 mm port for wired listening, but there is the new USB-C charging port. Under a smaller rubber cap, you still get the useful USB-A port for using the Charge 5 as a powerbank, so you can charge uncharged devices. If we do not want to charge it with cables, we can buy the version with the charging base.

This model has a very simple power button, which creates a clean and essential look that we can call modern. It is in fact not only a portable bluetooth speaker for use at the beach or outside the home but also a good piece of furniture for the rooms of a modern home.

Ultimo aggiornamento 2023-09-30 / Link di affiliazione / Immagini da Amazon Product Advertising API

Technical and Additional Features

We mentioned that this speaker has high sound power thanks in part to the built-in woofer and tweeter. These are speakers dedicated to reproducing the low and high frequencies of the audio range. The output power is also high, of 20 watts RMS + 30 W for the woofer and 10 W for the tweeter, thus enabling powerful sound with excellent diffusion. The output response is also very good with a range from 65 Hz to 20 KHz.

In terms of connectivity, it uses Bluetooth 5.1 that allows us to connect up to about 15 meters away; however, it has no 3.5mm AUX or RCA inputs.

In terms of battery life, we are on a very good level since the battery life is about 20 hours of playback, the battery is 7500 mAh. Clearly this parameter is calculated with an average volume of music, if we use the speaker at maximum volume we should expect a few hours less playback. In any case, the charging time is not too long, and we will be able to reuse it after a charge of about 2 1/2 hours.

This case is IP67-rated for dust and water intrusion, meaning it can survive a 30-minute immersion in fresh water to a depth of one meter. We can also use the Partyboost app to help us connect with other units. This speaker has a built-in microphone and voice assistant, supporting Alexa and Google Assistant.

It is usually priced between €140 and €200, but given its high quality it is still very good value for money even at the high end.

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Let’s look at a brief summary on the Technical Characteristics:

Power output:	20 watt RMS + 30 W woofer + 10 W tweeter
Outgoing response:	65 Hz – 20 KHz
Speakers	1 tweeter + 1 woofer
Autonomy:	About 20 h
Charging time:	2,5 h
Waterproof grade:	IPX67 resists water and dust
Size and weight:	223 x 97 x 94 mm, 925 g
Connectivity:	Bluetooth 5.1, no 3.5mm aux input, no RCA input
Price:	Between 140€ and 200€
Additional features:	Has built-in microphone and voice assistant, supports Alexa and Google Assistant, PartyBoost app to connect up to 100 units

General Benefits

This model was created by JBL to create an improved version of the Charge 4. This product offers superior performance when it comes to audio quality thanks mainly to the tweeter, woofer, and audio technology. In terms of sound power, it can be heard even meters away, making it perfect for impromptu parties. When we are not at a party, we are therefore unlikely to find ourselves using it at full volume since even at half power it can be heard very well.

The bass is extraordinarily powerful and well managed with passive radiators, sure to please all bass lovers. In addition to the bass, the Charge 5 can handle the entire frequency range of sounds in a well-balanced way, thanks to the tweeter even the higher sounds are very sharp and powerful.

Compared with the previous model, sounds are sharper, voices can be heard more energetically and are well placed. The overall sound creates a crisp and rich expansive mix, this is really an added value for a portable speaker of this size.

The high frequencies are very high-performing, and likewise the bass is full-bodied and full. The JBL Charge 5 has such a mix that it is able to convey delicacy and nuance in songs while still maintaining bass power and vigor.

This speaker is really perfect for listening to almost any genre. Since this speaker excels in low tones it is very suitable for genres such as psy-trance, tekno and hip-hop. However, the performance is also very good with other genres such as pop, blues, and rock. This model is also perfect for those who are looking for a bluetooth speaker model with a durable and party-friendly line ; in fact, it adapts to all situations and can even be submerged in water.

Ultimo aggiornamento 2023-09-30 / Link di affiliazione / Immagini da Amazon Product Advertising API

Value for money and availability

The Charge 5 can be ordered from Amazon for €164 in the UK at the moment, its price usually fluctuates with deals between €160 and €200. It has a good price for a Bluetooth speaker, particularly when compared with other models on the market. This is more than just a speaker, however, as it is produced primarily for outdoor and party environments, as well as being very durable.

The price-performance ratio is really good for a high-end product, although you can find very good products in the mid-range and budget range as well. As for availability, in Italy and Europe it is quite easy to find this case, both online and in electronics stores.

Conclusions and Final Judgment

Overall, the Charge 5 is an excellent and complete speaker with a well-balanced sound, suitable mainly for parties and events with friends. This speaker is primarily suited to tekno and hip-hop music, and that is where it excels most, but it does very well with most genres of music.

This speaker is economical for the high end compared to other Bluetooth speakers on the market, has a modern and durable design , and is therefore suitable for indoor as well as outdoor use. It also has great drop and dust resistance in addition to water resistancewith IPX67, resisting immersion for up to 30 minutes in water. This is an extremely durable and very easy to carry around case that combines compactness and performance. Also very interesting is its battery life, which allows us to use it up to even 20 hours of playback.

Charge 5 offers stunning audio considering its small size, the bass is extremely good thanks to the woofer and passive radiator that do their job well. In general, the audio mix is also well balanced, rich and enveloping. The treble is also well optimized, making it overall the best JBL Charge at the moment , as well as one of the best JBL speakers.

In the great competition from other speaker brands, the Charge 5 stands out for its powerful and crisp sound, bass, durability, range, and sound diffusion. A perfect speaker for listening to outdoor music, combining high sound quality with excellent value for money.

Finaljudgments:

Design: 6.5/10

Sound quality: 9/10

Sound power: 9/10

Endurance: 9/10

Autonomy: 8.5/10

Functionality: 7/10

Ultimo aggiornamento 2023-09-30 / Link di affiliazione / Immagini da Amazon Product Advertising API