Today's review takes a look at one of JBL's most popular portable speakers, the Charge, now in its 5th generation. And as the name suggests, this time JBL managed to eliminate one of the often criticized ailments that plagued previous generations. Let's see how this year's novelty performed in the test.
Specifications
Even with the fifth generation, the Charge retains the main characteristics that made it popular with a huge number of owners. In this case, the sound is provided by a pair of dynamic drivers, the first measuring 53 x 93 mm, which serves as a woofer, and the second a 20 mm tweeter. Overall, the set of two drivers has a combined frequency range of 60 Hz - 20 kHz and a combined performance ofonem 40 W (30 W RMS woofer, 10 W RMS tweeter). Inside the speaker is a relatively massive battery with a capacity of a very solid 14 mAh (equivalent to 100 Wh), thanks to which the speaker can last for about 52 hours of playback (depending on the method of use), or which can charge, for example, a connected phone. Charging the battery takes about 20 hours when using 6V/5A.
From the point of view ofoneIn terms of functionality, we find Bluetooth 5.3 and, above all, WiFi (compatible with all modern standards), thanks to which, for the first time in the Charge product line, it is also available. Apple AirPlay 2nd generation. In addition, the speaker also supports other forms of network traffic, such as Alexa Multi-Room Music, Chromecast, Tidal Connect or Spotify Connect. The speaker will also offer IP67 certification and support for the JBL companion app OneThe speaker itself weighs exactly 1 kg and is only available in one color, black.
Execution
In terms of design and performance, the speaker retains the same features as the previous generations, although some design changes have been made. The speaker is still cylindrical in shape, with most of its surface made up of durable ridged fabric. On the bottom of the speaker we find a rubberized base that ensures a stable placement of the speaker. On the front side we now find a large embossed JBL logo, under which there is a notification diode showing, for example, pairing mode, but above all the battery charge level. On the top side we find the usual palette of control buttons (see below) and on the back side we find theonewhich equipment. Specifically, it is a USB-C charging cableonewhich and USB-A (unfortunately) toonewhich is used to charge a connected device, such as a phone or tablet. The sides of the speaker are rubberized and equipped with anti-impact reinforcements, which should at least slightly miniminimize any damage caused by the speaker falling to the ground.
JBL Charge 5 WIFI
Control
Controlling the speaker is very easy and straightforward, both via the physical control buttons and through the application (or interface). AirPlay). The physical button palette on the speaker includes + and – buttons for adjusting the volume, a pair of main function buttons for on/off and Bluetooth pairing, and a pair of companion buttons that include a play/pause/skip button and a button dedicated to the JBL Moment feature, which is available after registering in the JBL app. One.
JBL One app
Control in the application is also very simple and takes place on a classic control panel. widgetu, which is similar to the system one for AirPlay. In addition to basic controls, the application also offers the possibility of individualizing the equalizer, basic device management options and, of course, settings. AirPlay or other equivalent solutions. The whole process is very easy and can be handled by any user.
Sound
The most important thing is of course the sound and here JBL manages to prepare a very pleasant and modern-sounding speaker with each generation. Of course, the 5th generation is no exception and even in the factory settings the Charge 5 provides a clean performance with relatively strong bass (which even in the default settings seems slightly amplified). As mentioned above, the character of the sound can be adjusted quite significantly via the three-band equalizer in the JBL application One. However, it is necessary to point out a shortcoming here, because in the application (mini(at least now) it is not possible to create equalizer presets. It is therefore possible to use the currently set one, or reset it to the default values. This is a shame, because having several ready-made options is definitely not a bad thing and otherwise you want to set the sound profile for listening to a podcast loudly, and otherwise for different music genres. However, in this case it is a shortcoming that could be solved in the future, for example, by updating the JBL application OneApart from the above, there is not much to criticize about the speaker in terms of sound. The sound performance is solid, the volume level corresponds to the size and overall performance, compatibility with AirPlay then allows various variamulti-channel connection and if you have multiple devices connected to WiFi at home (or anywhere else) AirPlay compatible speakers, you can literally do crazy things with them.
Gallery
záver
JBL Charge 5 WIFI successfully follows on from the previous generations of this popular series. In this particular case, the speaker also erases one of the main ailments that were often blamed on previous generations historically. The presence of WiFi and compatibility with Apple AirPlay significantly expand the capabilities and usability of the speaker in the home. This, combined with very good durability, traditional sound performance and trouble-free quality of workmanship, makes this model a very attractive speaker, which, like its previous generations, will find many satisfied owners. And if the presence of WiFi and compatibility with Apple AirPlay is important, Charge 5 is also sold in a basic configuration, which is about 1 CZK cheaper.
