JBL is among the well-known and popular names when it comes to quality speakers. And with their Flip series, it’s known for being tough and extremely durable. So today, our JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker review will focus on this specific speaker from JBL.
We’ll see how well it fares and if it’s as good as the other products under the series. Is it splash-proof, or did JBL retain its feature of being entirely waterproof? What are its other features and specifications?
Before looking further into it, our JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker review will discuss its packaging and contents.
JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth Speaker Packaging
The JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker comes in your typical JBL box. It displays an image of the product, along with the company’s logo and the speaker’s name on opposite corners. Below the image, you’ll see that JBL noted that their Flip 5 is Bluetooth-enabled.
Now, our JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker review will discuss what’s inside the box. Aside from the Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker, you’ll also find a Type-C USB cable, quick start guide, and warranty card.
We appreciate JBL for keeping the speaker, plus the additional accessories, organised and secured to prevent any damages during transit.
JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth Speaker Review – Design and Functionality
Now, our JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker review will discuss the functions and design of this speaker.
According to JBL, their Flip 5 is heavier and bigger compared to the Flip 4. The thing is, we hardly noticed these differences, so there’s no issue when it comes to its size and weight.
Like the other speakers from this series, the Flip 5 looks amazing and is just as well-built. It has an impeccable finish with a sleek design that goes perfectly with the colour we chose. Of course, we opted for the black speaker to easily match any theme with it.
Like other products from JBL, the Flip 5 has a simple and user-friendly button layout that’s straightforward to use. It comes with a handy battery indicator which is something we consider extremely convenient.
The buttons on the speaker include the play/pause buttons, the volume controls, and the PartyBoost button. The latter is necessary for connecting another JBL speaker.
Aside from these, you’ll find the power button, Bluetooth pairing button, and a USB-C port for charging the speaker. You can determine the Flip 5’s battery level by checking the LED strip that’s available.
Do note that this speaker is free from the auxiliary input that was present on earlier Flip models. Unfortunately, it means you can only connect it via Bluetooth.
Key Features of the JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth Speaker
This is the part where we look into the different features of the speaker. With that, continue reading our JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker review to learn more about it.
Top-notch Audio That’s Better Than Ever
With the new racetrack-shaped driver featured on the Flip 5, you can readily feel your music delivered in high output. Get to enjoy booming and powerful bass coming from a sleek and compact speaker.
Up to 12 Hours of All Your Favourite Tunes
You won’t have to bother charging your batteries because the Flip 5 offers up to 12 hours of music playtime. Get your music going louder and longer with JBL’s signature excellent sounds. Aside from the 12-hour battery life, the JBL Flip 5 only takes 2.5 hours to get a full charge. With that, you can enjoy more music listening.
Splashing with Its IPX7 Waterproof Design
Take your JBL speakers anywhere you go. If you’re headed to a pool party, don’t worry. That’s because the Flip 5 is IPX-7 waterproof, so it can submerge up to 3-feet deep. You’ll get fearless and unrestricted outdoor entertainment to guarantee non-stop enjoyable music listening.
Increase the Fun with PartyBoost
PartyBoost is an exclusive feature from JBL and is enabled for the Flip 5. It allows you to connect multiple PartyBoost-compatible speakers for better party music.
Tough and Durable, Just Like Its Sound
The JBL Flip 5 has a durable rubber housing that keeps it safe at all times. It’s excellent for outdoor use, and you can have fun without worrying about it getting damaged.
Next up, our JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker review will discuss the different specifications of this JBL speaker.
Specifications
The speaker’s music playtime reaches a maximum of 12 hours. Its output power is 20W RMS and has a battery capacity of 4,800 mAh. To get a full charge, you need a total of 2.5 hours for the JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker.
Speaking of Bluetooth, JBL made use of the Bluetooth 4.2 version for this specific product. This speaker is compact and measures 18.1 x 6.9 x 7.4cm, and it weighs only 0.54kg.
Of course, we let the speaker go through our performance tests. So, we’re sharing our experience with it in our JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker review.
Hands-on with the JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth Speaker
Pairing the JBL Flip 5
When we tried pairing the Flip 5, we noticed that it hasn’t changed from the earlier speaker versions. It connected smoothly and seamlessly, and we didn’t have any issues with the process.
What you need to do first is to press the Bluetooth button behind the speaker. You’ll find it next to the Flip 5’s power button. When it starts blinking and making beeping sounds, the speaker has successfully entered pairing mode.
Then, open settings on your device and click on Bluetooth. From here, you’ll see “JBL Flip 5” in the devices area. Just press the icon to get paired, and you’re all set.
JBL Connect App
In the JBL Connect application, you can choose to make the speaker part of a stereo pair. Or, you can have it play as part of a group on both right and left channels in mono.
Aside from this function, the application will display the speaker’s battery life. For the button presses, you can use the app to disable audio feedback.
Audio Quality
JBL is known for providing superb high-quality sounds, and the Flip 5 is no exception. When we tried playing a variety of music, it delivered excellent bass and notable treble notes. It’s all because of its racetrack-shaped driver, plus the 65Hz to 20kHz frequency range.
When it came to the lead instruments and vocals, these were clear, and they sounded present. The audio came out accurately which is all thanks to the speaker’s balanced mid-range.
When we put the volume at top levels, its bass didn’t distort. It was pretty amazing because of the DSP or digital signal processing that thins out deep lows. The bass depth was thicker on more moderate volume levels, but remember that the Flip 5 doesn’t produce subwoofer-like depth.
To make up for this, it pushes out low-mids and lows with the assistance of its passive radiators.
The Flip 5’s overall audio was great. Compared to its predecessor, its bass was more impressive, and its audio spread wider. Aside from our tests, we didn’t have to set the volume to its max level to engage in the music.
When we played music in the open field, the Flip 5’s audio wasn’t distorted. Of course, we didn’t have to sit close to it either since it was loud and clear.
To sum it up, the JBL Flip 5’s audio quality is great for its size and price. That’s all thanks to the 20W power output and the 44mm racetrack-shaped driver that provides better sonic amplification.
Bluetooth Connectivity
The JBL Flip 5’s Bluetooth connectivity is great. Although the latency on iOS is slightly higher than on Android, its latency is still low. That makes it great for streaming videos.
Overall, we didn’t experience issues with its connectivity, and the music played perfectly fine during our tests.
Waterproof Testing
JBL claims that the Flip 5 is IPX7-rated waterproof. This means it can be submerged by one meter underwater for 30 minutes and will still work fine. To see if it’s true, we filled our sink and submerged the speaker for a few minutes.
Even in water, the speaker continued to play music without any distortion on the audio. When we took the speaker out of the water, it dried off immediately, and nothing was compromised. It continued working well and delivered the same audio quality it produced before we submerged it.
JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth Speaker Review Summary
Before ending our JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker review, we’ll share what we think about the product.
For its size and affordable price, the JBL Flip 5 is an impressive speaker that offers powerful audio. What makes it better is it has a waterproof body, making it great for outdoor use.
It may not have the extras like in-app EQ settings or a built-in mic, but it does its job excellently. Aside from good audio, it’s waterproof, so you can fully enjoy your music no matter where you go.
If you don’t have a Bluetooth speaker and need an affordable option, we highly recommend the Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker. It’s an excellent choice if you’re looking for something portable and budget-friendly since it has a durable build and great audio quality.
If you want to have the JBL Flip 5, it’s available for online purchase from the company’s official website.
