The JBL Flip 5 speaker comes in a rectangular cardboard box. You can see an image of the speaker on the front and some indications about its technical characteristics on the back (autonomy, waterproofing, party boost mode, etc.) Once you have everything unpacked, you get the Bluetooth speaker, a guide to the introduction, and a USB-C charging cable. A Styrofoam box protects the speaker, however, you cannot use it as a carrying case. You can buy one on the Internet for about ten euros. As for the speaker, it is sold for 129.99 euros.
As usual, the manufacturer offers several colors. The Flip 5 can be purchased in white, black, blue, gray, red, green, and camo. You have to be hard not to find a color that matches your personal tastes.
JBL Flip 5 test
The design of the Flip 5 has hardly changed from that of the Flip 4. It has the same shapes and is made of the same materials. In its body we find a nylon-type mesh that offers very good resistance and the ends are made of rubbery plastic. The passive speakers placed at both ends of the speaker are the same style as the ones on the Xtreme 2 speaker. They seem a little sturdier than on the Flip 4. There’s really nothing to say about that. its solidity and its finishes. Aesthetically it remains sober and has the most beautiful effect. Once again, JBL did a very good job. The dimensions of the level are 18.1 x 6.9 x 7.4 cm and it weighs 0.54 kg. You will have no problem carrying it with one hand or in a backpack. A wrist strap is pre-installed on the speaker so it can be hung on supports (bike handlebars, tree branch, railing, etc.).
The JBL Flip 5 is IPX7 certified. This means that it is protected against the effects of temporary immersion up to 1 meter and for 30 minutes. You can be sure that water will not be a problem for him. This time the manufacturer has not integrated a hatch to protect the connections. There were no issues with waterproofing during our test. The enclosure continued to function properly after being completely submerged in water. Partially floats when submerged. Therefore, landing near a water source will not be risky. Connectivity level we only use the USB-C port and the Bluetooth connection. JBL removed the 3.5mm jack so the speaker could be waterproof. On the plus side, the speaker offers a multipoint connection. You can connect two sources simultaneously.
Features
The control buttons are placed on the nylon cover. There’s the power button to turn the speaker on/off, the Bluetooth pairing button, the play/pause button, the “+” and “-” for volume, and the button to pump up the party. The latter refers to the association of several JBL Flip 5 with each other. This feature does not allow the Flip 5 to connect with other models of the brand. JBL Connect mode will allow you to pair two or more speakers for stereo or simultaneous streaming. There is a downloadable smartphone app that will guide you through this manipulation. The app also offers other options, such as changing the name of the speaker or turning off the sound prompts. JBL decided to remove the microphone from the Flip 5 (the flip 4 has one), so it does not have a hands-free kit function.
There has been no change in the Bluetooth connection and that’s a shame. The speaker remained in version 4.2. We will surely have to wait for the next generation to take advantage of the 5.0 standard. But otherwise, we did not detect any problems with the Bluetooth connection during our test. The pairing is done in a classic way. You activate wireless pairing via the dedicated button on the speaker and then go to your source device’s Bluetooth menu to select Flip 5. It’s quick and easy to do, by the way, for everyone. Those who have already used this type of enclosure are used to this manipulation. JBL should still have added an NFC chip to simplify pairing.
Audio performance and quality
The JBL Flip 5 has a single 4.4 x 8cm speaker at the front and there are two passive bass radiators at the ends. The visual spectacle is always so mesmerizing when the music is released. We are captivated by the movement of passive radiators, especially when water is placed on them. You see it vibrate to the rhythm of the music. The flip 5 really impressed us during our test. In particular for its power and the range of its sound reproduction. Bass extension is made possible by the two passive radiators. We lose a bit when specifying the bass at a high volume, but the performance is still very satisfactory.
We can even say that the audio quality of the JBL Flip 5 is impressive. Both in the mids, treble, and bass. We have a very good sound, the set is really qualitative. Remarkable sound balance and sound control for nomadic speakers. The Flip 5 only shows its limits when it comes to maximum volume. But you won’t need to push it all the way to enjoy your music anyway. In this model, we appreciate the clarity and separation of sound sources. We really took advantage of the mids and highs. You will be dazzled by the reproduction of the voices. Power level you will have enough sound for a small evening with friends in your garden. Sound Performance Level The Flip 5 is one of the best speakers in the nomad category.
At the top of the speaker, there is a small indicator that indicates the battery level and right next to the USB-C port that allows charging. It will take about two and a half hours to fully charge the battery (USB-C cable is included in the box). The level of autonomy of the JBL Flip 5 has not changed since the Flip 4, we have 12 hours of use with the volume set to 50%. This is still decent performance, it’s in the middle of what speakers of this size offer.
The Flip 5 looks a lot like the Flip 4 on the aesthetic level, but that’s not a bad thing. The materials, assembly and workmanship are truly top-notch. We found no faults there. It has a compact size that is convenient to carry (you can easily slip it into a bag). Plus there’s the little strap that lets you hang it from a stand to share your music with those around you. We also benefit from an IPX7 certification, so the speaker is waterproof. It will continue to work even if it is completely submerged in water. Finally, the audio quality is really excellent. For us, the Flip 5 dethrones competing sound level speakers (UE Boom 3, sony srs -XB22).
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