JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth Speaker Review

JBL Flip 4 colours

The JBL brand is known and loved by many people. With a weight of 515 gram, the cylindrical JBL Flip 4 portable Bluetooth speaker also fits in a bag and can be attached to the wrist with a shoelace-like rope.

Power at your fingerprints where ever you go

JBL dark blue

The cylindrical, solid speaker has a decorative plastic mesh on both sides. It can easily stand on its side. The durable mesh cover allows the free flow of sounds, but does not protect the device from dirt and debris. The buttons are sensitive enough, large in size and easy to push. It has play / pause and volume buttons.

JBL red-connection

The Connect button can be used to connect several (Up to 100 pieces !!) Flip 4 speakers. This sounds great, but keep in mind that you can only pair it with devices that also have the Connect + connectivity. It also pairs with your mobile phone in a matter of seconds with a Bluetooth connection, and the speaker 10-15 meters of range is very remarkable! It also functions as a speakerphone. At the back, the battery charge is indicated by 5 LEDs. The 3000 mAh lithium-ion battery can last up to 12 hours. However, listening to music at full volume, the Flip 4 no longer has that much in it, power capacity in this case is reduced up to 4 hours. If volume is set to 50-75% lower, 12 hours of operation seems realistic. Under the port cover are the charging connector, the micro USB socket and the AUX input. The maximum power of the device is 2×8 Watts, frequency transmission 70 Hz-20 kHz, the signal-to-noise ratio 80 dB. It is available in 6 colours.

IPX7 certificate

Flip-red- under water

It is IPX 7 certified, which means it is completely waterproof. Thus, it can be used in the rain, near the pool or waterfront, or even in the shower, without being ruined by the steam. The Flip 3 was barely spill-resistant, so that’s a pretty serious change. At least according to the manufacturer…… Our curiosity didn’t let us rest, so at the end of the testing, out of boldness, we filled a bucket with water and immersed the JBL Flip in the water for about 10 seconds. After the bath, we let speaker dripping a bit and tried it out. The sound produced was already crackling loudly at higher volumes. Let’s just say it’s spill-resistant, but if you don’t want the speaker to get ruined, don’t take it with you in the pool or scuba diving…

Audio test

We tested the JBL Flip 4 speaker in an office. The office was a room of about 20 square meters, rectangular in shape, and the acoustic treatment was performed by our company here in the past. Sound-absorbing panels, sound-insulating mats and curtains have created an ideal acoustics. We connected the Flip 4 to a smartphone, and got tuned to fictive office team building events and festive corporate parties.

We played Medusa’s recent hit Lose Control. Thanks to the DSP sound quality, we got a balanced, clear, dynamic sound at all volumes. According to the specification, 70 Hz is the lower limit. We heard the basses less loud at higher volumes. The mid-ranges, seeming all the way too dense, faded away a bit. (This is a typical flaw of JBL Flip’s predecessors as well, though they tried to fix it on this model.) The trebles were clear and sharp.

We continued testing the device putting on a song to create real party atmosphere. We downloaded Bruno Mars’s Treasure. In the mid-ranges, we discovered the same error here as well, the vocals were not emphatic enough. But apart from that, we found a product that delivered strong, clean and accurate dynamics.

Summary

The JBL Bluetooth speaker was of our liking featuring portability and clear and powerful sound. Its water resistance is just an icing (it would be) on the cake, but let’s approach this property issue, great pride of the manufacturer, with some reservations. Thanks to its affordable price, it can be a popular audio device for the younger generations. The JBL Flip 5 has a larger battery (however, this model also has a maximum operating time of 12 hours), we can experience more intense depths, but the price is also higher compared to the Flip 4.

G.H.

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