PortableBluetooth speakersare about as close as possible to a good in the audio world . One glance at Amazon and it ’s obvious — there are hundreds of models to choose from . And yet , JBL ’s newfangled $ 150 Flip 7 show that even in a sea of similar mathematical product , it ’s possible for a Bluetooth speaker to place upright out .
What’s changed?
Before we get into the point , a quick face at what JBL has changed on its seventh - gen version of the Flip :
JBL Flip 7 specs
Design
Put theFlip 6and Flip 7 side by side and you ’ll be hard - pressed to spot the dispute .
The Flip 7 retains the same shape and weight as its harbinger , which means it rest one of the best speaker for traveler . short than a beer bottle , and weigh 1.23 pounds , it fits easily into a backpack or carry - on suitcase , which is exactly what I did on a recent vacation . You could believably stick it vertically into a cable car cupholder , though I take on I did n’t try that .
JBL has simplify the button layout . The PartyBoost button is gone , replace by an Auracast clit that now sits beside the power and Bluetooth pairing buttons , leave just play / break and volume up / down in the primary position . That was a serious call as it was all too easy to arrive at the PartyBoost push when fumbling for the bulk - down button .
But the variety that deserves the most attention ( and extolment ) is JBL ’s clever new “ pushlock ” mechanism . It lets you swap the two included attachments ( a carry loop-the-loop and a carabiner ) instantly , count on your pauperization . It ’s right smart more versatile than the Flip 6 ’s individual wrist strap , though some folks may miss it since the carry loop can only oblige two fingers . Hopefully , JBL ( or a third party ) will make more pushlock accessories available in the time to come .
With an IP68 military rating , it does n’t get any more dust and waterproof than the Flip 7 . It ’s easily one of the toughest speaker system you may buy . Just be organise : it may be pool - proof , but it will drop like a stone if you let go .
Despite the USB audio option , there ’s still no analog aux input . JBL steadfastly refuses to contain speakerphone functionality . If this is a must - have , theBeats Pillis an excellent choice .
Sound
The Flip 6 and Flip 7 do n’t just look alike , they also sound very similar — at least at first . You still get the noteworthy JBL Flip experience with impressive amounts of volume and lucidity for such a small speaker . Out of the box , the Flip 7 ’s treble is a bit boosted compared to the Flip 6 . It has a somewhat all-inclusive soundstage ( despite still being a mono loudspeaker ) , and there were moment when it feel deeper , too .
You ’ll need to zigzag it up to learn these differences , which only become manifest above 50 % volume .
But here ’s a very serious good word : Download and add the JBL Portables app ( iOS / Android ) . I sleep with most folks do n’t use apps for Bluetooth speakers since they just desire to power them on , get connected , and start the tunes . Trust me , you need this one .
It ’s the same app that lets Flip 6 owners modify EQ preferences using a fairly canonic three - stria equaliser . But when a Flip 7 is connected , JBL offer an expanded set of options , including several EQ presets like JBL Signature , Chill , Energetic , Vocal , plus a custom modality that lets you dial in your own setting with a seven - band equalizer .
commonly , I would n’t expect more EQ option to have a significant impingement on the strait from two such standardized speaker unit . However , a preset like gumptious unlocks way more gloomy - end boost on the Flip 7 than you could achieve using the Flip 6 ’s three - band equalizer . It makes the Flip 7 far more versatile for those who want to achieve a dissimilar sound signature tune than the factory nonpayment .
JBL also uses an AI Sound Boost algorithm on the Flip 7 , which may help contribute to its good performance . The company arrogate that it can “ optimize the speaker driver without distortion . ” Since distortion often sneak in when lows are further , it ’s possible JBL hold get to the Flip 6 from attempting to regurgitate these frequencies , while the Flip 7 has been hold more leeway .
Still , some distortion manages to make its way into the mixture . It ’s obtrusive on tracks that have ultra - low-spirited bass lines ( like Billie Eilish’sbad hombre ) , and the louder you play , the more noticeable it gets . Overall , the Beats Pill is a clean choice , even if it ca n’t match the Flip 7 ’s utter production in full term of business leader .
Lossless audio
New for the Flip 7 is the power to punch the speaker directly into a USB - C output on a computer , headphone , or tablet for lossless audio recording . For this to work , you ’ll need a data - able cable television with at least one USB - C destruction and JBL does n’t offer one in the box .
You ’ll also need to press the shimmer button as you introduce the USB cable into the speaker unit , otherwise the Flip 7 assumes you ’re just examine to bill it .
Does it make a difference ? Yes , but it ’s subtle . If you have accession to lossless content ( e.g. most music service exceptSpotifyorYouTube Music ) , you may be able to get wind an improvement in detail . For me , that translated into a more relaxed sound , with less shouty high and lows that were a small less boomy .
To be clear , even with a lossless link , the Flip 7 wo n’t be anyone ’s idea of a hi - fi speaker , but there ’s still an improvement .
alas , the speaker ca n’t shoot down while in USB audio fashion , so you ’ll still need to periodically take it out of USB audio mode . It also wo n’t maintain a Bluetooth connexion , which means the it will stick with the last EQ setting you enable .
Stereo pairing and party mode with Auracast
JBL has transition its wireless speaker sharing technical school from its proprietary PartyBoost to the young , Bluetooth LE Audio Auracast standard . In possibility , this could activate the Flip 7 to melody into public Bluetooth broadcasts , but that ’s not how JBL uses it .
or else , it drive advantage of Auracast ’s one - to - many sharing feature to give the Flip 7 an almost unlimited amount of expandability . constrict on the Auracast button lets any other Auracast - enable JBL verbaliser ( like theXtreme 4or armorial bearing 6 ) play the same audio as the Flip 7 . And since JBL is adding Auracast to its entire line of portables ( include itsparty verbaliser ) , that ’s a lot of potential expansion choices .
Using the JBL Portables app , you could also stereo yoke two of the same speakers ( two Flip 7 , two cathexis 6s , etc . ) . I did n’t get a chance to test the stereoscopic picture conjugation , but audio share-out works seamlessly .
The real downside to the transposition to Auracast is that the Flip 7 can no longer audio portion with previous PartyBoost or JBL Connect speakers . Auracast - enable models now exist in their own separate ecosystem .
playfulness fact : weightlift fun / pause on a secondary Auracast speaker mutes just that loudspeaker , but press that button on the basal speaker system pauses the music on all connected speakers .
Battery life
JBL claims the Flip 7 gets up to 14 hour of playday per charge , a small but nice bump over the Flip 6 ’s 12 hour . However , there ’s also a novel PlaytimeBoost fashion that can be activate via the app , which can supposedly lead that time another two hours . This comes at the expense of incapacitate any EQ options you may have applied , but if you ’re far from a power reference , that seems like a desirable tradeoff .
I did n’t expend enough time with the Flip 7 to fully try out these numbers racket , but my usual caution on electric battery life sentence still apply : unless you limit yourself to 50 % loudness , you probably wo n’t get the declared survival .
It ’s worth note that if battery liveliness is a key concern , for the same price as the Flip 7 you could get the new Beats Pill , which packs an astonishing 24 hour of take power .
Conclusion
For most folks , portable speaker are supposed to fun , ready to hand , ( and affordable ! ) accessories for casual listening . If you ’re not fussy about small improvement in sound calibre , hold open some money and grab the JBL Flip 6 now that it ’s discounted . It ’s still a great speaker . If you already own a Flip 6 ( or even a Flip 5 ) , you should n’t sense any want to upgrade at this fourth dimension .
On the other hand , the Flip 7 move the acerate leaf on well-grounded quality , ruggedness , and battery life . Admittedly , not by major amount , but enough to justify the $ 20 price increase .
