Review of portable acoustics JBL Charge. Playing cylinder. How to use the jbl speaker Connection, controls

19.10.2023 -

The port, in the form of a classic USB connector, suitable for recharging any gadgets, is mounted on the end of the case and covered with a protective rubber cap. The JBL Charge itself should be charged from the AC adapter. Firstly, it is more logical. Secondly, faster.

Impressions of use

During testing, the mobile acoustics worked like a Swiss watch. To listen to music, we used the seventh generation Apple iPod nano, and as soon as Bluetooth was turned on, “JBL Charge” appeared in the list of available devices literally within a second. Next - everything is like clockwork. The “range” of the system looks typical; while maintaining visibility conditions, the distance can be ten or more meters, and one or two walls in the apartment can be “broken through” without problems.

The sound met our expectations and turned out to be quite worthy. It's loud and full-bodied. In view of this, the speaker is suitable not only for home use, but also for various noisy outdoor trips. The sound pressure potential will allow it not to get lost in the surrounding space. By the way, the side bass reflex really works, so there is even a hint of upper bass. In general, the available frequency range is quite enough for normal perception. The only negative is the presence of a constant background. But this will be noticeable if the acoustics are installed next to the listener; from two to three meters nothing can be heard.

Competitors

The niche in question (portable speakers for iPod and iPhone) is very promising, so JBL Charge has a lot of competitors. If we discard frankly budget crafts made from cheap plastic, then somewhere nearby you can put a Monster Beats by Dr. speaker. Dre Pill.

Charge 2 is a high-quality, stylish and generally glamorous thing for lovers of portable audio. The latter is always a compromise, mainly between sound quality and portability. In this case, in addition to all this, JBL also offers a stylish appearance, as well as additional functionality. Which one? We'll talk about this in the review.

Equipment

The bright packaging made of thick cardboard with high-quality printing hides, of course, the speaker itself, as well as an impressively sized power supply (5V, 2.3A), a one-meter long Micro USB cable and a bunch of accompanying documentation. Where would we be without this? By the way, all accessories are made to match the gadget. For example, the red column comes with adapters and wires of the same color.

The kit included another adapter for English sockets. You never know who might find this useful.

Design

Barrel! This is one word that can describe the appearance of the gadget. Of course, this is almost a standard form factor among similar devices. This is primarily due to the nuances of sound extraction. Therefore, manufacturers can only play up the appearance of their creations through the materials of the body, various inserts and frills.

Let's start with the materials. The speakers here are covered with a metal mesh, and the rest of the body is made of plastic with the familiar soft-touch coating. The speaker is pleasant to touch and hold in your hands. You can feel the quality of the item and the glamor it exudes.

On the sides there are passive radiators that are responsible for transmitting low frequencies. When playing audio, their vibrations are very noticeable to others and this especially impresses everyone. By the way, it is strongly not recommended to touch the surface of radiators.

In the video below you can clearly see what it looks like in real life.

On the top plane are all the controls with their own icons. First things first (from left to right).

The first is the power button. Like the other keys, it is not touch sensitive, but simply bends under pressure until it clicks. The ride is soft and clear.

Next comes the Bluetooth connection activation key. And after it are minus and plus, of course, responsible for adjusting the volume. Of course, the sound power is adjusted either on the Charge 2 itself or on the sound source. Everything is synchronized.

There is also a strip of LEDs located here, which are an indicator of the remaining charge. By default, they light up in white, lunar color, and when there is a minimum charge remaining, the outermost one is illuminated with a red light.

Next comes an icon of three men. This key is responsible for activating Social Mode. Later I will tell you more about this feature.

The last key is responsible for accepting (rejecting) calls. When there is an incoming call to a paired device, the speaker starts playing something like a MIDI melody. Such a cheerful and cheerful anthem.

Since we are talking about challenges, it is worth talking about the following.

Let's return to design. We ended up with white acoustics and this is not the best color option. Yes, the appearance is very nice.

Pure white adds a special charm and airiness, but it is completely impractical. Quite quickly the body becomes covered with stains of unknown origin.

Actually this is normal. Don't keep the gadget under a glass.

On other colors, this will most likely be much less noticeable. Actually, the following palette is available: black, white, red, blue and purple.

On the bottom of the acoustics there are connectors: Micro USB port, standard 3.5 mm audio input, as well as regular USB. Why the last exit is installed here, I will tell you in the section about power.

The speaker should be installed either on a rubber edging stand located below, or vertically. Especially for this purpose, small ribs are provided at one of the ends. The position does not affect the playback quality in any way.

There is various technical information inside the stand edging. It’s nice that the manufacturer took care of partial Russification of the text here.

JBL Charge 2 Specifications:

2 x 45 mm (1.75 in) speakers
total power 7.5 W
reproduced frequency range 75 - 20,000 Hz
signal/noise ratio 80 dB
Bluetooth 3.0 with the following profiles:
A2DP V 1.3, AVRCP V 1.5, HFP V 1.6, HSP V 1.2
Bluetooth transmitter power is 0 - 4 dB/mW
battery (lithium polymer)
dimensions 185.2 mm in length and 79 mm in diameter
weight 540 g

Pairing

Connection via Bluetooth is clear and fast. No additional codes are needed to establish a connection. On the speaker, just hold down the “blue tooth” key, and on your smartphone (tablet) just start searching for devices.

That's not all.

Charge 2 has support for connecting to three devices at once and playing music from each of them in turn (Social Mode).

In fact, it turned out that three devices located in close proximity interfere with each other, so playback from some devices causes noticeable stuttering and interference. Two gadgets in a grid do not have any mutual influence on each other.

I almost forgot to tell you something else. If a call is connected to one of the connected devices, playback from the other stops and the speaker starts working in Hands-free mode.

Playback and sound quality

The most important and interesting.

Firstly, the speaker is very loud. It is very difficult to communicate in a room with the volume turned up to maximum - you have to shout.

In addition, such a seemingly miniature contraption can pump up a rather impressive-sized apartment.

Secondly, the low frequencies are really present here. Moreover, if some similar speakers need to be installed on a resonating surface (wooden shelf, parquet floor) to extract bass from them, then Charge 2, in principle, does not need this. The acoustics can deliver bass right out of your hands.

However, the speaker is not very well suited for deep and rich music.

For example, the same AC/DC sound quite good, but the acoustics can no longer cope with something faster, for example, with Nightwish. The instruments merge into a continuous viscous audio mush. However, it is worth paying tribute: squeaks, whistles and various wheezing do not appear even at the highest volume.

The gadget copes well with other melodies that are simpler in terms of richness. It plays, it rumbles, and it doesn't hurt your ears in any way.

Battery life

Power is supplied by a built-in lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 6000 mAh (3.7 V). On the one hand, this is not much, on the other hand, the manufacturer promises 12 hours of continuous audio playback. Of course, this will vary depending on the volume level and quality of the content.

Practical tests have shown that the device is completely discharged in less than 9 hours of playing music at maximum volume. Of course, the content was broadcast to the speaker via Bluetooth. Full charging takes about 3.5 hours at a current of 2.3A.

There is another nice functionality. The acoustics can recharge third-party devices using any Micro USB cable. I tried this trick with a Sony Xperia Z3 (3100 mAh battery). The gadget gave all its charge to the smartphone in less than an hour, while the phone was charged only 67 percent. In theory, the charge volume should have been enough for almost two full charging cycles of the Sonya. Most likely the reason is that the output current power is 2.1A, which provides uneconomical consumption of the power supply capacity, but a fairly fast rate of energy replenishment.

In other words, gadgets charge quickly, but Charge 2 consumes its capacity, so to speak, irresponsibly.

Bottom line

Currently official JBL Charge 2 price settled at around 6,990 rubles. For this money you can get a cool, loud and bassy sound that will not let go for half a day. And here the body is stylish and pleasant both to the eye and to the touch.

As a portable battery, the speaker did not perform well. Its capacity is not enough to fully charge a modern smartphone, where 3000 - 3500 mAh have already become the norm. However, such functionality will definitely not be superfluous.

It is unlikely that one would buy such a thing for one’s loved one. Again, almost all such electronics are an excellent and cool gift. Of course, music lovers will be most pleased with the gift. However, you should not give it to fans of hard and intense rock for the reasons I mentioned above. People are capricious because they like to distinguish between rhythm and bass guitar playing by ear. Or something like that. Do you need it, then to be the object of secret insults from the gifted?

One of the most popular brands of audio equipment in world markets is the JBL brand, created in 1946 and owned by the Harman International concern. The company produces various devices, ranging from car subwoofers to headphones and portable speakers. The latest model in the line is the JBL Charge 2 portable speaker.

Specifications

Uses Bluetooth 3.0 protocol to wirelessly connect up to three devices simultaneously.
TRS 3.5 mm connector for wired connection.
Possibility of working in wireless headset mode.
Two passive radiators.
Two wide range speakers.
Maximum noise level - 80 dB.
Frequency range - from 75 to 20 thousand Hz.
Integrated 6000 mAh battery.
Ability to charge third-party gadgets via USB connector.
Small weight - 602 grams.
Compact dimensions - 184x76x76 mm.

Contents of delivery

The JBL Charge 2 portable speaker only comes with a power supply, replacement plugs and instruction manual. No additional accessories are implied.

Charge 2 design

The appearance of Charge 2 is practically no different from the previous model and is focused only on mobile and general use. The original JBL Charge 2 looks like a cylinder, making it easy to attach, for example, to a bicycle frame using a standard holder.

The large battery had a negative impact on the weight of the speaker: it exceeded half a kilogram. Perhaps this characteristic of the JBL Charge 2 is the only one that can cause inconvenience to the user.

The body is mostly made of rubberized plastic. One of the distinctive characteristics of the JBL Charge 2 is the thoughtful shape of the case, in which the speakers are covered with plastic grilles recessed into the base material. The full-range speakers are located on the manufacturer's logo side, while the second grille is installed only for symmetry in the design.

The grilles are separated at the top by a control panel equipped with backlit keys. The buttons are not touch-sensitive, as is common on modern devices, but pressable. This characteristic of JBL Cherge 2, such as the absence of protruding parts, is a good advantage, especially if the acoustics are used in extreme conditions. You can distinguish the buttons tactilely, blindly, the volume swings are embossed. Next to the tube there is a small hole - a microphone.

Passive radiators are located at the ends of the column. They are not protected by anything, but at the same time they are recessed quite deeply into the body, due to which, as users especially note in their reviews of the JBL Charge 2, there is no impact on them. During operation, the emitters vibrate quite noticeably.

On the right side of the case there are small legs that allow you to install the speaker in a vertical position. In the JBL Charge 2 acoustics, a distinguishing characteristic is a special indicator located under the volume buttons.

Under the grille located on the back of the speaker, three connectors are hidden: for charging third-party devices - a high-ampere USB input, for connecting sound sources - TRS 3.5 mm, and for charging a gadget - microUSB.

Due to the elongated base, the column does not have sufficient stability, which is why it easily tips over. Despite this, in the reviews, users note that this does not threaten the acoustics, since after several swings its speakers remain pointed upward.

Column measurements

Many users in their reviews conducted various tests of the characteristics of JBL Charge 2. For this class of acoustics, the uniformity of the frequency response graph is acceptable in the intervals from 75 Hz and 2 kHz and from 5 kHz to 12 kHz. It is worth noting separately that the graph reaches an acceptable level quite early.

The maximum sound pressure, which is often measured by specialists, is one of the important parameters of acoustic systems. The test is simple: the speaker is placed on a chipboard table so that the main speakers are directed towards the measuring microphone. A measuring microphone is mounted at a distance of a meter at the same height and connected to a spectrum analyzer.

Synchronizes with a smartphone with the maximum volume level set. During the test, average dBA readings are recorded for half a minute of sound in any so-called pink noise player.

Based on the results of the tests, we can say that the JBL Charge 2 portable acoustics are practically not inferior to their analogues in sound quality and volume.

Sound

JBL speakers have excellent sound quality: even the JBL Charge 2 fakes have a more open and loud sound than their original competitors - for example, the Sound Blaster Roar. The lower and upper registers are more detailed, which allows you to convey the nuances of the sound of various musical instruments.

The instructions for JBL Charge 2 note such a function as simultaneous synchronization of up to three third-party devices. The gadget that was connected first remains priority: the rest do not join until playback on it is completed. When you press the corresponding key, priority is transferred to the device that is currently connected to the speaker.

The disadvantage of the JBL speaker as a wireless headset is the reduced sensitivity of the microphone: in order for the interlocutor to hear anything, you need to move close to the speaker. Despite the fact that the maximum volume is low, the timbre of the voice is transmitted without any distortion.

The maximum volume level is enough to sound a room of 20 square meters. At a volume of 50-70%, the JBL speaker copes well with any genres and compositions, delighting listeners with clear high notes, detailed bass and a good midrange. This gadget is ideal for both background sound and for creating a working atmosphere.

JBL Charge 2 is perhaps the first speaker on the acoustics market capable of playing heavy compositions at fairly high volume levels. Loss in detail and depth of low frequencies occurs only at maximum volume. Despite its compact size, the speaker clearly and accurately reproduces many genres of music. Controversial compositions are best played at medium volume levels.

Separately, it is worth mentioning such a feature of Charge 2 as fast connection via Bluetooth - a pair is created in almost a second, while analogues require five to seven seconds to connect. The JBL Charge 2 instructions indicate a battery life of 12 hours, during which trouble-free music playback is carried out. The mentioned time can be reduced several times if the portable acoustics are used as a charger for a tablet or smartphone.

The acoustics from Harman were not just improved by the manufacturer, but completely redesigned, which made it possible to create one of the best speakers in its class and at this price for the JBL Charge 2. The gadget has good bass, reproduces music quite well for its category at maximum volume level and is equipped with a capacious battery that allows you to charge third-party devices. The average price of JBL Charge 2 is 7 thousand rubles.

Autonomous operation of the column

At an average volume level when connected to a tablet, the JBL speaker can work for 18 hours, after which the battery is completely discharged. A large, high-power battery allows JBL Charge 2 to show good battery life results in comparison with similar devices of the same price category, being slightly inferior in this indicator to some other portable speaker systems.

Connection options

You can synchronize the JBL Charge 2 portable speaker with any devices and gadgets via a Bluetooth connection or using a 3.5 mm cable. Unfortunately, such a cable is not included in the kit; it will have to be purchased separately. The Bluetooth 3.0 profile is used for connection - a high-speed, high-quality connection.

Distinctive features of acoustics

As mentioned above, the main feature of JBL Charge 2 is the aforementioned Social Mode, that is, the ability to charge third-party gadgets. Using a standard USB cable, you can connect any device - smartphone, tablet, player - to the portable speaker and charge it while listening to music. This function is very beneficial and useful and will serve well in situations where it is difficult to access the network to fully charge the gadget.

Review results

Throughout all the years of its existence, portable acoustics from the JBL brand have made a good impression on users, impressing with their quality and excellent sound. Together with its original and unique design, the Charge 2 speaker significantly outperforms its main competitors in the same class and price category. The ability to charge third-party devices can help the user out when traveling or long walks, as has been repeatedly noted in numerous reviews of the JBL Charge 2. The cost of the Charge 2 with such a set of functions and characteristics does not look so high: the speaker can easily compete with expensive products from famous brands. brands, bypassing many of them.

The new portable speaker is an absolute novelty on the electronics market and, without a doubt, we can classify it as the highest premium class among similar systems. The device has successfully replaced the system of the previous model JBL Charge and can please us with its excellent characteristics, both external and internal. In addition, you can use the speaker in any weather because it is equipped with special protection. Reviews of the JBL Charge2 confirm the manufacturers' statements; the acoustics reproduce very high-quality and clear sound. And you can enjoy your favorite music for 12 hours.

Charge2

JBL Charge2 Waterproof Wireless Speaker – This is a very successful and smart technological solution that has excellent stereo sound. And it has a capacious 6000 mAh battery. The battery reserve is enough for 12 hours of continuous listening to music, and in addition, you can also charge your smartphone or tablet from the speaker, if necessary.

Wireless speaker specifications

Power - 15 W
Power - batteries, USB
Operating time - 10 hours
Features - built-in microphone
Dimensions - 185Х79Х79
Weight - 600 gr.
Material - metal, plastic, rubber
Additional characteristics - 2 passive radiators.

The speaker system comes with an AUX cable, a Micro-USB cable, and a warranty card for the device. The manufacturer provides a 1-year warranty.

Speaker colors

The following colors are available to customers:

black;
grey;
beige;
blue;
turquoise;
red.

You can easily choose exactly the color that suits you perfectly.

Main features of a JBL portable speaker

Charge2 acoustics can completely replace two powerful speakers, both in quality and sound power. In addition, the device is lightweight and small in size, making it quite compact. You can easily carry the speaker with you and use it at any time you need.

You can also use the device as a microphone and talk on the phone with it.

On the side panel of the column there are control buttons that are equipped with color indicators:

on off.;
Bluetooth;
volume control;
answering a call;
volume and charging indicator.

In addition to everything, the device has USB connectors for connecting devices.

Comparison with analogues

There are other speaker systems on the market with similar characteristics to the Charge2 wireless speaker:

Nude Audio Move S;
Creative Muvo Mini;
JBL Flip 3;
UE Roll 2;
Marshall Kilburn.

Nude Audio Move S is a budget speaker system whose main advantage is its compact size. The disadvantages include a quiet sound, which, if you want to increase it, becomes hoarse and rattling. Another disadvantage of the device is that it cannot be used in rainy weather.

The Creative Muvo Mini is around the same price point as the JBL Charge2 waterproof wireless speaker. Its price ranges from 3-4 thousand rubles. The device is compact, but produces poor sound and is not equipped with moisture protection.

JBL Flip 3 is waterproof, has a built-in speakerphone, and can operate for 10 hours on a single charge. But the price-quality ratio is not justified. The speaker costs more than 5 thousand rubles, but the buyer will receive poor quality sound, which is also distorted when the volume is increased.

The UE Roll 2 is waterproof, has a good and loud speaker, and lasts 9 hours on a single charge. The disadvantages include the high cost, about 7 thousand rubles, and the lack of speakerphone.

Marshall Kilburn boasts a battery life of more than 10 hours and high-quality stereo sound. However, such a system costs more than 15 thousand rubles and due to its large dimensions, you will not be able to take it with you.

The main advantages of the JBL Charge 2 system

Let us highlight the main advantages that successfully distinguish the JBL Charge2 speaker system from its analogues.

multifunctionality;
waterproof;
availability;
compactness;
light weight;
large battery capacity;
clear, powerful, spacious sound.

The wireless speaker is equipped with all the necessary functions and technical capabilities to please any user and can easily fit in a backpack.

On the right and left there are passive radiators (emitters). They are located slightly in the recess to make them more difficult to damage. Also, the right edge of the JBL Charge 2 portable speaker has small feet to stand it vertically.

Reviews about JBL Charge 2 can be read on any forum or online store. Users are happy to share their impressions of using the speaker. Therefore, if you want to know exactly what purchasing it will bring you, do not be lazy to familiarize yourself with them.
"I chose this speaker because of its power and sound quality. I looked at a lot of reviews before ordering, but the abundance of positive comments convinced me that I should buy it.

The JBL Charge 2 wireless speaker leaves a good impression. With its help you can not only listen to music, but also use other functions. Its other advantages are:
Ergonomic design High-quality and loud sound Autonomous operation Ability to recharge other devices.
The product has a stylish design and rubberized material that is pleasant to the touch. The price of JBL Charge 2 may not seem small to you, but in terms of cost-quality ratio it is most attractive to buyers.
How to purchase JBL Charge 2?

At the bottom, if you place it horizontally, there is a rubber stand, so the speaker will not slide. At the top there is a control panel with several buttons. They are not touch sensitive, they are just slightly raised and need to be pressed until they click. The very first is the power button with a standard icon.

It has high-quality stereo sound and can play music for 12 hours straight. It’s easy to connect any device to it, and you can even charge it from it. When traveling to the beach or nature, this universal device is suitable for listening to music in any conditions.
It’s worth buying the JBL Charge 2 speaker, if only because, despite its compactness and low weight, it has very powerful and clear sound (more than 80 dB).

A non-original device may have another slot - for a flash card. It will also have a different design color for the passive radiators (they may be glued crookedly) and different body materials. There may be no battery or volume indicators. The packaging must have high quality printing and there must be one. There is also an image of a party on the back of the box lid, which is missing from the fakes.
Reviews from real customers.

JBL Charge 2 is a portable speaker system that is waterproof and works via Bluetooth. It has high-quality stereo sound and can play music for 12 hours straight.
JBL Charger2 - portable wireless speaker
JBL Charger2 is a portable wireless speaker.

Payment is made upon receipt of the product.
How to distinguish JBL Charge 2 from a fake? You can pay attention to the location of the connectors - the original has a Micro first, then a regular USB port, and between them there is an audio input.

The remaining 2 buttons are the Social Media function and receiving calls (if your phone suddenly received a call while you were listening to music). The first function is the ability to listen to tracks from 3 devices at once. This happens without much pause or stuttering.
In any JBL Charge 2 review you can also find a description of the product as a speakerphone, i.e. It is possible to receive incoming calls. The voice is transmitted clearly, noise and echo are suppressed. But a person should be no further than 1 m from the device. The last thing worth mentioning is the 3 connectors at the bottom of the speaker system.

The JBL Charge 2 speaker can replace 2 regular ones, and the quality or frequency power will not decrease as a result. It is easy to carry and weighs only 600 g. Other characteristics:
Diameter - 79 mm, length - 185 mm Dimensions of transducers - 45 mm (2 pcs.) Rated power consumption - 15 W Frequency characteristics - from 75 Hz to 20 kHz Lithium-ion battery Power supply - from battery or USB Operating time in playback mode - up to 12 hours Charging time is about 4 hours.
The JBL Charge 2 device works with version 3.0 of Bluetooth and can simultaneously connect to 3 devices. It has a 6000 mAh battery, so you can even charge your phone or tablet from it. The speaker is very comfortable to hold in your hands; almost the entire body is made of plastic with a soft-touch coating.

Clear bass, if you don’t know that this is just a portable device, you might think that speakers with a subwoofer are playing. As a connoisseur of high-quality sound, I really liked it. I recommend it to everyone!"

Whether it's dubstep, hard rock or classical, thanks to the two 45mm speakers you can enjoy any track. The product is splash-resistant, but this does not mean that it can be completely submerged in water. This will cause permanent damage.

JBL Charge 2 is a portable speaker system that is waterproof and works via Bluetooth. It has high-quality stereo sound and can play music for 12 hours straight. It’s easy to connect any device to it, and you can even charge it from it.
JBL Charge 2 is a portable speaker system that is waterproof and works via Bluetooth.

Its acoustics are higher than its analogues, and its functionality meets all modern requirements. It won’t be difficult to understand how the speaker works, and it also comes with instructions in several languages.
Characteristics of a portable speaker.
Bluetooth speaker JBL Charge 2 is a modern device that can produce music of any genre.

I have never regretted the money spent: with such a size, it produces an unrealistically loud sound. Charging at full power lasts for 6 hours for sure, we haven’t tested it further. The only thing that disappoints is that there is no cover in the set."
“For going out into nature or to the countryside, it’s simply an irreplaceable thing. Without charging, it worked for us for 2 days, and we listened to music quite often. I also really like the design, I bought myself a red speaker.