JBL Charge 2 review
JBL Charge 2: Heavy-Duty Portable Speaker and Charger with Bluetooth 3.0
A combo speaker and charger JBL Charge 2 looks quite promising for outdoor activities. It looks durable, connects via Bluetooth 3.0, and has a high-capacity battery for powering various gadgets. On another hand, it doesn’t offer AM/FM connection and touch-sensitive buttons but belongs to the middle price range.
I put the Charge 2 through its paces both indoors and outside, listening to music, using it as a speakerphone, and charging. Do you want to see what I came up with? Continue reading!
Dimensions
With 8.5 x 6.8 x 4 inches, the JBL Speaker Charge 2 is bulkier than the JBL Flip 3. However, the latter features two times smaller battery and drivers.
The Charge 2 speaker weighs 16oz and is equipped with two stereo drivers of 1.77-inch diameter
Features
The Bluetooth connection works well around 28-30 ft. It supports A2DP (version 1.3), HFP (version 1.6), HSP (version 1.2), AVRCP (version 1.5) protocols, and can be used as a speakerphone as well. The quality of mic transmission was very clear indoors and OK outdoors. The mic catches the sound only in close proximity.
The intriguing “Social Media” feature in the JBL Charge 2 specs means it can keep a connection to 3 sources at once and play the music in turn. However, it prioritizes the first source. I had to stop the playback on Source 1 to hear Source 2. Still, I enjoyed the almost no-gap change of signal. For wired connection, you can use an AUX port (if you have an AUX cable).
The USB A port charged first my smartphone, then a tablet. The powering is fast (2.1A) and doesn’t affect playback. Still, it shortens the battery (6,000 mAh) charge, so in my case, it lasted about 8 hours. The manufacturer grants 12 hours of pure playback, and it seems feasible. It took 3 hours to charge the battery to 100%.
With over 80 dB sensitivity, the JBL Charge 2 speaker can get very loud. Its ported design makes lows sound confident despite the stated frequency range 75Hz — 20kHz. Voices are detailed, and the soundstage is bigger than expected. The midrange mightn’t be too clear for an audiophile listening, while the blending and dynamics are quite good.
Features estimation: 9 / 10
Design
The housing is made of rubberized plastic and features metal grills that are a bit recessed inside. Connections are located under the back grill and are easy to reach. The bottom has a low-profile stand, which isn’t too stable. The micro feet on the side let you put the speaker vertically. When I occasionally knocked it, the speaker rolled and stopped without showing the damage or ceasing the playback.
The rubber surface doesn’t attract dust. It’s water-resistant, so light splash isn’t an issue. The side ports are covered with logos attached via membranes, and vibrating during playback. They create a nice visual effect.
The controls make 6 buttons that are well recognizable by touch. Right under the control panel, there are light indicators showing how much power the battery has.
Design estimation: 8 / 10
Conclusion
Having a simple design, the JBL Charge 2 splashproof portable Bluetooth speaker implements some of the higher class functionality like keeping simultaneous connection from different sources and serving as a speakerphone. It also sounds clear and loud and can serve as the powerbank, too. It’s not the slimmest and the most lightweight but rugged and can be used in extreme conditions.