JBL Charge 5 Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review

Surprisingly Big Sound from a Small Package

Introduction

JBL has been in the audio industry for quite some time and is well-known and highly regarded for producing quality and great-sounding audio products. One such product is its JBL Charge 5 Bluetooth Speaker. This compact and lightweight speaker can easily be taken on the go and is small enough to be packed into a backpack or even a purse. This compact speaker is capable of producing big sound from a very compact enclosure.

Design & Features

The JBL Charge 5 is lightweight, solidly constructed and is made of rugged rubberized housing which adds to the aesthetics of the speaker design.

The Charge 5 is IP67 waterproof & dustproof rated which means you can submerge the Charge 5 in water up to 1 meter (3′) for up to 30 minutes.

PartyBoost allows you to pair two JBL PartyBoost compatible speakers together for stereo sound or link multiple JBL PartyBoost compatible speakers creating an immersive surround sound experience.

The JBL Charge 5 also acts as a portable charging station for your devices such as your smartphone via its USB-A port.

Easy Bluetooth connectivity allows for quick pairing to your mobile devices. All it takes is a long press of the power button to enter the speaker’s pairing mode and select the Charge 5 from your device’s Bluetooth settings.

The JBL Charge 5 has a two-way speaker design that features a ¾” Dome Tweeter, an optimized 2” x 3.5” long excursion woofer, and dual 2.25” passive radiators. Passive radiators are not electrically powered drivers and are designed to extend the bass output from the speaker enclosure by using the air pressure generated by the woofer to extend the speaker’s bass output. The tweeter and woofer have dedicated power amplification delivering 10 watts and 30 watts respectively.

Product highlights:

• Bluetooth 5.1
• IP67-rated waterproof and dustproof
• Frequency response: 65-20,000 Hz
• JBL Portable app:
  • free download from Apple App Store® and Google Play
  • remotely controls volume
  • pair two Charge 5 speakers for stereo
  • wirelessly connect an unlimited number of compatible JBL speakers for simultaneous playback
  • pair with two devices simultaneously
• 2″ x 3-1/2″ long-excursion woofer, 3/4″ tweeter, and two side-firing passive bass radiators
• USB-C charging port (cable included)
• 7500mAh built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasts up to 20 hours
• Separate USB-A power output for charging mobile devices

Performance

When listening to the JBL Charge 5 in a medium-sized living space the speaker delivered room room-filling sound that was full-bodied, open, and spacious from such a compact device. It was able to play very loud before it started to reach its sonic limitations. But for most listeners, the volume output levels the speaker is capable of will be more than enough for normal listening sessions.

I listened to a variety of music genres including pop, R&B, and jazz. While listening to different music tracks the JBL Charge 5 delivered refined and detailed sound with good clarity. Vocal tracks were clear and distinct and sounded natural, and there were no added vocal colorations from the speaker enclosure itself. It simply played what was presented on the audio tracks.

High and midrange frequencies from the Charge 5 were crisp and clear and allowed instruments within the sound field to be heard with distinct separation. And depending on what I was listening to, the Charge 5 filled the listening space with an enveloping sound.

Now on to the bass. I was impressed with the amount of bass output this compact speaker delivered. I heard solid mid-bass frequencies that had a decent amount of punch and impact for a small Bluetooth speaker. Overall, the bass blended well with the mid and high frequencies.

I also had to opportunity to listen to the Charge 5 on my friend’s patio, and to my surprise, the speaker was able to produce full-bodied, and refined sound in the outdoor elements without any sonic compromise.

Conclusion

JBL has done a great job with the Charge 5 portable Bluetooth speaker. This compact powerhouse delivers great sound in both indoor and outdoor environments, and can easily be taken on the go to enjoy music in any situation.

Is the JBL Charge 5 right for you? If you’re looking for a compact Bluetooth speaker that sounds great, is easy to use, has a long battery life, and is portable enough to take on the go. Then I highly recommend the JBL Charge 5.

Check out HDTVs and More’ YouTube video review for the JBLCharge 5 Portable Bluetooth speaker here.