The JBL Flip line of Bluetooth speakers is almost the reference design of most Bluetooth speakers these days. The design is commonly replicated in the industry, and every year JBL manages to sell truckloads of these.
We got our hands on the Flip 5 (courtesy of T-Mobile) to see how it holds up in a very competitive market with some seriously good alternatives. Let’s dig in.
Classic design
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. JBL hasn’t changed up the design of the JBL Flip 5 much at all, even going all the back to the original Flip 1. It’s still the same old cylindrical shape with controls on the back, passive radiators on the sides, and a mesh design that doubles as protection from water and splashes.
However, you’ll notice that the speaker is trimmed down from its predecessors. The controls on the backside include a power button and Bluetooth button beside an LED indicator for charging status, play/pause button, volume controls, and the activator for pairing up multiple speakers in pairs for stereo sound. No 3.5mm input for wired connectivity, and there’s no microphone anywhere on the speaker.
That makes the Flip 5 a much more straightforward speaker that tries to do less better, but if you’re used to taking phone calls and integrating smart assistants into your Bluetooth routine, you’ll miss a few things here. It’s also just a bit heavier than the previous models thanks to a larger battery.
Big sound
Now these omissions are more than just cost cutting measures, because the Flip 5 does get some improvements in other areas. It utilizes a racetrack-shaped driver internally that’s also 4mm wider than what’s in the Flip 4, so you get a bit of extra volume and push out of the Flip 5.
That driver design change creates a more dynamic sound out of the Flip 5 that just begs to be turned up at a party. It delivers a ton of low-end and thump, keeping up with kick drums and bass riffs without breaking a sweat. Sometimes we see these midrange kind of speakers try and load up on low-end and it gets away from them, sounding muddled and blurry, but the JBL never struggles. It’s easily one of the best bass performances you’ll get out of something in this price point and size.
The midrange is full but not overwhelming, allowing the meat of your music to shine through without overwhelming or being overwhelmed.
The high-end is bright and offers a ton of clarity, which excels in a big party situation, but some situations might make the Flip 5 seem too bright. It works in a party situation because even turned up and across the room you’ll still get a ton of clarity and definition out of finer details and vocals, but in a quieter setting where you might just have the speaker playing on a desk next to you, the treble can feel fatiguing and sharp sometimes.
Regardless, it’s still an excellent sounding speaker, all things considered. JBL doesn’t disappoint.
Battery and features
JBL has included a bigger battery in the Flip 5, but it interestingly does not increase the battery life much over the 12 hours that the Flip 4 also offered. Most of that extra juice is most likely reserved for powering the bigger driver, which I think is a worthwhile tradeoff; 12 hours of music is still more than the entire workday’s worth of tunes, and the inclusion of a USB-C charger makes keeping the speaker topped off a breeze.
You can fully recharge the speaker in about 2.5 hours with a sufficiently fast charger, and whatever you’re using for your phone should work. You also won’t need to keep lugging around a MicroUSB cable just for the speaker, so all in all this is a marked improvement over the Flip 4.
The companion app for the Flip 5 leaves a lot to be desired, though, leaning even further into the idea that this is just a straightforward Bluetooth speaker without many bells and whistles. You can pair up the speaker with additional JBL speakers, but it loses compatibility with older models. You’ll only be able to pair up newer models, since the older speakers use Connect+. Might be a problem if you’ve got an extensive collection of older speakers that you had synced up, or if you were just chasing a stereo pair.
It’s also disappointing that the app doesn’t have a built-in EQ, which I think would help smooth out some of that harsh treble in certain situations. Fortunately the speaker still sounds great without the additional EQ, but JBL only gets away with that because the speaker does sound great right out of the box.
The Flip 5 is IPX7 rated like some other speakers in JBL’s lineup. There’s no protection against sand, so be careful at the beach, but bringing this near your shower or to the pool won’t be any kind of concern for your tunes.
Worth it?
The Bluetooth speaker category is very crowded, but JBL has a long history of delivering some of the best-sounding audio equipment on the market. The Flip 5 doesn’t disappoint.
It’s absolutely a stellar sounding speaker that both casual listeners and enthusiasts can both enjoy. Even without the wired connection, fancy app, or extended battery life, this is still one of the best that you can buy.
There has been a price increase since the Flip 5 was originally introduced, though, likely due to tariffs and component price changes. Having launched at $99 like other Flip speakers, it’s jumped to $119 in the last year or so. It’s still worthwhile at that price, but there are some other great speakers below $99 that seem pretty attractive if you aren’t chasing the best sound possible. Certainly worth paying attention to and maybe searching out a sale if you’re going with JBL’s option.
JBL Flip 5 | $119 | Amazon, JBL, T-Mobile
