Summary – JBL Flip 4 Review
The JBL Flip 4 is a fully waterproof Bluetooth speaker that is designed especially for outdoor enthusiasts. The sound quality of the Flip 4 is a vast improvement over its predecessor – the JBL Flip 3 – with stunning midrange, crisp highs and punchy bass that feels powerful and present. It features dual external passive bass radiators on the side of the speaker to enhance the bass response, which provides punchy beats in outdoor spaces to keep the party going. It features a built-in 3000mAh rechargeable battery which provides an incredible 12 hours of playtime on a single charge. You can also simultaneously connect up to 2 mobile smartphones or tablets to the JBL Flip 4 for wireless music streaming and switch between them at any time. Overall, the JBL Flip 4 is a really solid Bluetooth speaker that delivers great sound performance both indoors and outdoors and comes highly recommended.
The Pros. The JBL Flip 4 is a really solid speaker with very good sound quality – crisp highs, detailed midranges and solid bass performance. It has a built-in 3000mAh battery that delivers 12 hours of continuous music playtime with the ability to connect to 2 mobile devices simultaneously. The speaker also has an IPX7 water-resistant design and can even be submerged underwater.
The Cons. The JBL Flip 4, while an excellent Bluetooth speaker, comes at a steep price range. The USB charging port can also feel flimsy and will require extra care not to damage it while inserting the USB cable.
Sound Performance
The sound performance of the JBL Flip 4 far exceeded our expectations – it delivers extremely detailed midrange and crisp highs, with deep low-end frequency bass response that is enhanced by its passive bass radiators. Music performances through the Flip 4 sounded clear, crisp and well balanced; it can also go louder than its predecessor, the JBL Flip 3 which is an added improvement. The sound quality feels rich and detailed, and you can crank up the volume on this outdoor speaker without any distortion at near maximum volume levels. Vocal performances sounded detailed with amazing soundstage and music separation which felt incredibly life-like. Listening to electronic and hip-hop music also sounded very good and enjoyable to listen to with deep and punchy beats. We were truly impressed with the sound performance of the JBL Flip 4 considering its compact and portable size. It is a really well-designed rugged Bluetooth speaker you can rely on to deliver great sound performance in an outdoor open environment.
Design
The JBL Flip 4 is designed to be rugged with an IPX7 waterproof exterior which makes it fully waterproof – you can even submerge the Flip 4 underwater without having to worry about damaging the speaker circuitry. The speaker weighs only a mere 1.4 lbs and is designed to be highly compact and portable. It also has a nice carabiner-like string at the top of the speaker which you can use to tie the speaker to your backpack or bicycle while outdoors. The button controls are located on the top of the speaker and are intuitive and easy to use – it has a power on/off button, Bluetooth connectivity button, pause/play and volume controls. The speaker also indicates the battery life at the top of the speaker when powered on, which allows you to know exactly when to recharge. We also liked the fact that the JBL Flip 4 came with the JBL Connect+ feature which you can use to link to more than 3 speakers at a time to create a bigger and wider soundstage, which is an incredibly useful feature outdoors.
Bluetooth Connectivity
The Bluetooth connectivity on the JBL Flip 4 works like a charm and connecting it to our mobile device took a few seconds. The speaker will remember your device and automatically pair the next time you switch the speaker on – this is a really convenient feature which helps save time. The music quality streamed over the Bluetooth connection was really good and we did not experience any sudden dips or drops in sound quality. The Bluetooth range lasts a good 33 feet before the connection starts to dip off. The JBL Flip 4 also comes with a built-in noise and echo cancellation speakerphone for you to take hands free calls on the go. This is especially useful if you need to switch between listening to music and taking calls while driving or riding a bicycle.
The Verdict?
The JBL Flip 4 is an all-purpose Bluetooth speaker you can find for the outdoors and delivers really solid sound performance with deep bass response. You can really crank up the volume on this speaker without any distortion. The speaker is capable of producing very high quality sound with crisp highs, detailed midrange and a good deal of bass with its passive bass radiators on both sides of the speaker. The sound performance of the Flip 4 is simply incredible considering the compact size of this speaker. The JBL Flip 4 also feels high quality and durable, and is rugged enough for you to take it outdoors without any issues. It also comes with an incredible 3000mAh rechargeable battery that delivers an incredible 12 hours of continuous music playtime. On the whole, the JBL Flip 4 definitely delivers great sound quality and performance with good battery life, and is a great pick for outdoor enthusiasts who want to listen to music in rugged conditions.
Be sure to check out our top picks for the loudest Bluetooth speakers and best outdoor Bluetooth speakers that deliver superb sound performance with long battery life.