JBL Flip 6 evaluate: Transportable, highly effective perfection

The Bluetooth speaker market has modified rather a lot since JBL’s first Flip speaker entered the market a decade in the past. From built-in sensible assistants to room calibration, Wi-Fi, waterproofing and every little thing in between, the record of transportable speaker options has grown exponentially from when a speaker with a 3.5mm jack and a USB charging level was “nuanced.”

Whereas loads have jumped on board this bandwagon to various levels of success, JBL’s Flip sequence has considerably saved issues easy. Now in its sixth technology, the JBL Flip 6 brings with it some rigorously thought-about tweaks and additions, however that does not take away from its dedication to highly effective sound on the go.

JBL Flip 6

Really useful

The JBL Flip 6 provides an excellent rugged design and a punchy, highly effective efficiency. Whereas not probably the most feature-packed speaker in the marketplace, it delivers impressively bassy, clear, and room-filling sound in a compact, transportable physique.

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.1

Battery

12 hours

Water Resistance

IP67

Execs

• Highly effective sound for measurement
• Clear, clear midrange
• Rugged design
• Adjustable EQ

Cons

• Barely harsh treble at quantity
• Battery life might be higher

A well-known design that simply works

Lookswise, the JBL Flip 6 hasn’t modified lots in contrast with its predecessor, or certainly the 4 that got here earlier than it — it is nonetheless a cylindrical speaker, lined in cloth (in a reasonably in depth vary of colours) with its signature seen passive bass radiators at both finish.

It nonetheless wears its out of doors speaker credentials on its sleeve, with its rubberized finish caps, however truly will get extra to shout about right here, with an improve to incorporate mud resistance in addition to water resistance, and an official IP67 score.

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At 550g, it is comparatively light-weight with out feeling low-cost, and goes largely unnoticed when chucked in a bag or backpack. It is also an excellent, grabbable measurement for on the go, sitting securely and comfortably in a single hand, with a carry twine for assist with out hindering audio efficiency. I benefit from the speaker’s portability and use it as my leisure fixed. It serves as my focus accompaniment, pre-game party-starter, and make-shift preparing Karaoke machine.

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JBL has gone loud and proud with its branding this time spherical, changing the small purple JBL badge with a a lot bolder brand within the middle, and there is a new rubber kickstand that retains it steady when vertically positioned on a flat floor.

Simply above it is a quite simple rubberized management panel, with buttons for energy, pairing and a USB-C enter for charging, plus that now sturdier anchor twine. Raised playback controls sit on the highest in the identical coloration as the material, mixing in properly whereas nonetheless being tactile below hand, making them simple to seek out with contact alone.

They cowl play/pause and quantity, in addition to one click on entry to PartyBoost, which lets you pair the Flip 6 with different JBL audio system — both in mono/Social gathering mode with older technology audio system just like the Charge 5 or Flip 5, or in stereo with one other Flip 6.

Transportable, however highly effective sound and battery

As for what is going on on beneath the design, the Flip 6 has a lot improved sound. The racetrack-shaped driver that has featured earlier than is again once more, with the identical 20 watts of amplification, however it’s also joined by a separate tweeter, powered by its personal 10 watt amplifier for a complete RMS output of 30 watts.

Battery life stretches to round 12 hours, which isn’t dangerous for this measurement of speaker, though it’s a way off the 26 hours promised by the Huawei Sound Joy. So, in case you are planning on taking it to offer leisure in your pool day, we suggest bringing the charger together with you.

The Flip 6 focuses on sound, and it pays off

As a Bluetooth speaker with only a few bells and whistles, it does one factor very properly — play your music.

The JBL wastes no time leaping into motion once we pressed play on Beyoncé’s upbeat Cuff It, and it seems like that is precisely the type of music that the Flip 6 was made for, accentuating the low drum beats and making Queen Bey’s honey clean voice sound much more velvety.

Even at a low quantity when listening to espresso store jazz at my desk, the snare drums nonetheless ship a crisp sound that fills my small house, making it really feel like I really am working at a jazz café.

Highs, lows, and mids, are all top-tier

In fact, push the amount right here and the Flip 6 rises to the problem with out lacking a beat. There’s plenty of energy readily available, with a decent, punchy and full-bodied low finish that units the muse for a assured efficiency all through. It has no bother filling a room with its sound, and really belies its smaller measurement.

The midrange additionally packs loads of house and a barely ahead presentation that ensures vocals lower by even the richest of basslines with crispness and readability.

There’s nothing laid again concerning the JBL Flip 6. It does every little thing it will possibly to seize your consideration and get your toes tapping, driving the music ahead with a stable deal with on timing throughout the frequencies.

It is solely within the larger registers, and on the a lot larger volumes, that you just may encounter a bit harshness with some recordings. The brand new tweeter offers the Flip 6 the boldness to push larger into the treble, however whereas that pays off for the higher the vast majority of the time, it will possibly simply tip it over to sound a bit harsh, which I witnessed when listening to Haul and Oats’ Wealthy Woman at 100% quantity.

Fortunately, its tonal and dynamic consistency throughout quantity vary means you don’’ should push the sound as much as inject it with life, and the EQ settings additionally make a distinction,

Verdict: The right on a regular basis speaker

There’s one thing fairly admirable about the way in which the JBL Flip 6 goes about its enterprise as a small transportable speaker. It does not aspire to greater than it’s, by together with stacks of options that hardly ever get utilized in a product like this. As a substitute, it focuses all of its efforts into getting good high quality, highly effective sound right into a rugged speaker for on the go, and it completely succeeds.

Now in its sixth technology, it’s persevering with to evolve — each inside and outside. For instance, it now has IP67 certification for improved safety from the nice outdoor, and packs a brand new tweeter that helps carry improved readability and element to its punchy, energetic efficiency. That comes with some downsides, and its newly bold excessive finish can often sound harsh at prime quantity. Nonetheless, contemplating this speaker can fill most rooms with a toe-tapping sound with quantity notches to spare, it is simply averted.

General, it is a implausible little speaker that belies its measurement and solely builds additional on the legacy of excellent audio system that got here earlier than it.