Charge 5 - Portable Waterproof Speaker - Black

The JBL Charge 5 has been excellent. I bought it for camping, working around the shop, garage use, outdoor trips, and general everyday listening, and it has easily lived up to expectations. Sound quality is very good for the size. It gets loud, stays clear, and has enough bass to sound full without turning into muddy noise. It works equally well for music, podcasts, movies, or just background audio while working. The battery life is one of the biggest strengths. It lasts a long time between charges, and the built-in power bank feature is genuinely useful for topping off a phone or small device when you are away from outlets. For camping or travel, that is a nice feature to have. I also like that it is waterproof and built tough enough for real use. Mine has been around dust, gear, outdoors, and general abuse without any issues. The green color also looks great. For a portable Bluetooth speaker, this thing hits a really good balance of sound quality, durability, battery life, and practicality. Definitely worth it.

Great sound, long battery life, easy Bluetooth connection, and durable waterproof design. Worth the money and highly recommended!

I purchased this speaker to play podcasts, audible books, and Sirius in and around my home. I did a search on “top Bluetooth speakers” and the JBL Charge 5 was #1 in several reviews. $180 is a hefty price so I opted for the “used/like new” option for $115. It came a few days later and looked perfect- sealed box & speaker! I also bought a silicone case: https://a.co/d/0o4lLtJ that fits it perfectly and looks great. Charge 5: The speaker is smaller than I thought it would be- about as long as a football but thinner and more cylindrical. It looks classy and has a large JBL w an exclamation point in the name- mostly black with an orange outline. The connectivity is great through Bluetooth although you can also go through wifi but I don’t understand how. If you connect through one device, you have to go into the menu of another device to switch over. The sound is very good and really rocks streaming music. The subwoofers really vibrate on both ends and the midrange & tweeter are in the middle facing forward behind the JBL! icon. In the app “JBL Portable” you can update its firmware as well as adjust a 3 bar sound equalizer. I put them all 3 all the way up for full sound, which is considerable when turned up! It has an option where you can link it to other Charge 5 speakers called “PartyBoost.” This would sound awesome..the only criticism I have about this speaker is that it is smaller and the stereo quality isn’t really there with just one unit. The charging is easy through the back is a USB-C to USB connection and so far, it has a long battery life. If you leave the speaker on without using it, it will turn off automatically after about 1 hour. There is also an ability to charge devices like cell phones in the back behind a rubber flap that is USB to whatever your device requires (see attached pic.) It comes with 1 USB to USB-C 3’ cord. co2CREA silicone case: I chose the black silicone case because there wasn’t an orange one. That would be choice #1 but the black looks classy. It fits tightly around the Charge 5 and has a handle on the top. My only criticism of this case is that the handle is soft silicone and flexes when you pick it up. If there were an embedded plastic piece in the handle it would be perfect. The slots that are open to allow sound are perfect, and the slots on the top under the handle allows you to adjust everything and see if the speaker is on. This case also comes with an adjustable shoulder strap with hook buckles that attach to raised silicone tabs. I’m not sure how much I will use this strap, but it seems pretty nice. It comes with a silver carabiner clip that can be used on one of the silicone tabs to clip to a backpack. I wouldn’t do this however, due to the softness of the silicone and the weight of the speaker.

The JBL Charge 5 is the BEST speaker I have ever owned. I have had the average run-of-the-mill bluetooth speaker that has around a $20 value, for over a year, and I thought it was good sound quality, and I never thought I needed something “fancy.” Well, that speaker started having problems, and I was carefully searching for another speaker. I found this speaker and I thought I would try something new. I only had one thought as I played music out of it for the first time. WOW! The JBL Charge 5 has the best sound quality I had ever heard from a bluetooth speaker. I don’t ever plan on getting another speaker; that is, a speaker that isn’t JBL or an upgraded version of the Charge 5. The clarity is absolutely stunning! The bass is DEEP. I can feel the bass through my whole room! The volume is insane. I rarely have it over 50%, but in the event where I need it louder, I turn it up. I once had music filling a whole event center that was quite a reasonable size. If I could choose one word to describe this speaker, it would be “Stunning,” “Powerful,” or “Supercharged!(Pun intended.)” On that note, the battery life on this thing is long! I once had the speaker provide some background noise for about two days and the battery life was barely lower than 70% (I think…it’s hard to tell exactly with the battery indicator; definitely above 60%). Of course, the battery drains quicker when you have the speaker playing at high volumes. Also, it can take some water. Some being a little, I prefer not to put it to the test. Here is my takeaway: DESIGN: 9/10 Great! I love the fabric covering. The JBL logo is made of metal, which makes it look very nice and official. The buttons are easy to distinguish, and the light is on the power, bluetooth, and there is a ring of light around those two buttons when PartyBoost is in effect. There is a battery bar right below the JBL Logo, and it serves as a general battery indicator. You can get the 100%, 75%, 50%, and 25%. You can get more info on the battery via the app. The weight is surprisingly light, considering the volume this speaker is capable of. Although, it isn’t the most portable of portable speakers as it is a little big and has a football shape. You can get a case for it that has a strap though. For the skip feature, you have to press the play/pause button twice. Make sure that when you do this, you maintain a consistent interval of time between the two presses. If you do it too fast it will just pause. If you do it too slow, it will just pause then play again. BATTERY: 10/10 Perfect! I absolutely love the battery. I’m the kind of person that prefers the longest possible battery, and doing whatever it takes to preserve it. I don’t have to worry much about this battery. Like I said, it has provided some low music for almost 2 days and the battery wasn’t that affected. However, the battery life will drain much more rapidly when using the speaker at high volumes. I currently use this speaker with a projector to watch TV. I have watched lots of movies and TV shows, and I don’t have to pay much attention to the battery. I just plug it in every other night, and it does great! And having a battery bank is the cherry on top. I haven’t used it much, as I keep most of my devices fully charged, but I think it is awesome that it has a battery bank if I need it. SOUND QUALITY: 10/10(10.5/10) Stunning! I didn’t expect that sound quality could get this good for a bluetooth speaker. JBL means business! When I turn it to high volumes, I can actually feel air blowing from it! On that note, it can go REALLY high in volume. I did not expect that at all. Insane volume. As stated earlier, I use this with a projector, and for all my TV. Watching movies with this speaker makes the entire experience cinematic! A much bigger upgrade compared to the sound TV’s come with. I would even say that it can contend with some soundbars out there (not the JBL Surround Sound System though…that one seems like the top-tier of JBL). This speaker was my first experience with JBL speakers (other than the car speakers) and I was very impressed. It has been the best sound experience I have ever had. Really clear and crisp audio, and when I say “really,” I mean truly! When playing music, I can hear every instrument, every breath, and incredible bass. The bass is a superstar in and of itself. Like I said, the bass shakes my whole room when playing music, and when watching movies! The side radiators really, really pack a punch! There is even an adjustable EQ on the app. Though I prefer what the speaker came with. It is a little pricey, (just a little) but know that you get what you pay for! I don’t think that I can ever go back to what I had… PARTYBOOST: 9/10 Great! I had one, so I bought two more so I could create a surround sound with my TV. It kinda worked. I think I had some sort of connectivity issue, so all I’ll say is that the range might not be that great, so make sure you keep them somewhat close. If you have a projector that has bluetooth and you want to use PartyBoost, I would consider researching what you can do with the Bluetooth latency (As stated earlier, I watch TV with this, and please note there IS some lag between sound and video, as bluetooth will do. However, that is just bluetooth technology, not JBL. Over time my ears and eyes have adjusted, and now it is not that big a deal). In addition to standard bluetooth latency, PartyBoost will make this delay greater (I ended up returning the other two because of this issue). For music, this is not a problem, because it is just sound and no video. With music, PartyBoost is pretty cool! It really creates a much louder and much cooler sound experience. You can even use just two for a stereo effect, and it works great! Overall, this has been the BEST bluetooth speaker experience I have ever had. You better believe I’ll be there for the Charge 6 or 7 or wherever they decide to take this. They really have something good going here. I would 110% recommend this! If you are reading this review, and you would like an upgrade to your typical listening experience, know that this is one of the best out there! And if you catch this at a discounted price, you’ll know you are getting a great deal. JBL has been the best listening experience for me. I will continue buying their products if they keep supplying a high-quality experience. I mean, let the 27,000 ratings with a 4.8 overall rating speak for itself. Here is a simplified pro-con list: PROS -Excellent audio clarity -Excellent bass -Excellent overall sound -Exceptional volume -Long battery life -Battery bank feature -Waterproof feature -Adjustable EQ -Stereo Effect -PartyBoost for multiple speakers CONS -Button timing for the skip track -Could be slightly more portable (We do have the Flip speakers for that though)

The JBL Charge 5 is a solid portable Bluetooth speaker with impressive sound for its size. The audio is clear with strong bass, and it fills a room or outdoor space nicely without distortion at higher volumes. Battery life is another big plus. It lasts a long time on a single charge, which makes it great for things like outdoor gatherings, travel, or just listening around the house. The built-in powerbank feature is also useful since you can charge a phone or other device directly from the speaker. The waterproof design is a nice added feature as well. It feels durable and works well for outdoor use near a pool, at the beach, or during camping trips. Overall, this is a great portable speaker if you want good sound quality, long battery life, and a rugged design.

I bought the Charge 5 as a temporary fix, not a solution. My main system—a very expensive, very well-engineered multi-speaker home theater with up-firing channels, horn-loaded fronts, rear surrounds, and dual 12" subs—lost its power supply. Great brand, great support, replacement on the way. In the meantime, I was stuck with my TV speakers. That didn’t last long. My 85" 8K TV’s built-in speakers couldn’t get past volume 8–10 without distortion, rattling, and dialogue turning into mush. Voices were the first thing to fall apart, which is basically unforgivable if you’re watching movies. Out of mild desperation, I paired the Charge 5 to the TV over Bluetooth just to finish a movie. That’s where things got weird. I expected a massive downgrade. What I got instead was clear dialogue, balanced mids, controlled highs, and bass that—while obviously not two 12" subs—was clean, present, and surprisingly satisfying. No harshness. No vibration. No “tiny speaker trying too hard” sound. The shocking part wasn’t that it sounded “good for its size.” It sounded good, period. Enough that when my replacement system arrived, I realized I had no urgency to hook it up. And that’s saying something, because reconnecting it is basically just an HDMI-ARC cable and letting the wireless speakers re-pair. Do I miss bass you can feel from across the house? Sure. Do I miss anything else? Honestly… no. For movies, TV, and general listening, the Charge 5 delivers clarity and balance that puts many TV speaker systems—and even some soundbars—to shame. It doesn’t pretend to be a home theater. It just does the fundamentals extremely well. If you’re looking for chest-thumping, wall-shaking bass, this isn’t magic. Physics still exists. But if you care about clean sound, intelligible dialogue, and a speaker that punches way above its weight, this thing is absurdly competent. What started as a stopgap became a lesson: sometimes modern audio engineering beats size, complexity, and price tags—at least for everyday use. That’s not hype. That’s me procrastinating on reinstalling a system that cost several thousand dollars it's because this little cylinder refuses to sound bad. What it's been replacing is a very good brand with exceptional ratings.

sounds great, noticably missing a bit of midrange and cannot figure out how to fix it even in my phone's or the app's eq panel. but plenty loud, punchy bass, my 2nd favorite bluetooth speaker ever.

We were in need of a portable Bluetooth speaker for our poolside music, and trips to the beach (and other outings). While size and weight were both somewhat important, there was no requirement for it to fit into a cup holder or anything like that. I have been a live sound audiophile for decades and I have my own high end PA, play in a band, and do DJ'ing for select family and friends as a hobby with my equipment. I mention this just to let you know that I know good sound when I hear it. Ergonomics: The unit can be easily carried in one hand and it is very light. The unit sits firm when you set it down. The controls are both easy to use and obvious to find. Sound quality: This thing can fill a private pool area with music EASILY. The bass response indoors seems a bit much when you turn it up a little (seems OK at lower volume inside); but outside, it is EXACTLY what the doctor ordered. Outside, the Charge 5 sounds full, warm, and articulate. You can easily hear the various instruments in the mix. Personally, I wouldn't use a bluetooth speaker indoors .... or if I did, I would opt for one that was made for that specific purpose (higher quality codec, more balanced eq, etc). It is clear that the Charge 5 was made for going outside (IP67 rating, super long battery life, etc). It isn't a bad speaker for indoor listening (especially if you aren't an audiophile as I am and just want something to listen to while you do dishes/laundry/etc, etc). Listening indoors, I was pleased enough (although my PA has nothing to worry about ;). One would certainly hope that a 10K front of house PA would sound better than a $180 bluetooth speaker). With respect to output volume, this little speaker can get quite loud. Unless I was hosting a huge party (where I would use my real PA anyway), this speaker has more than enough output for anyone. To sum up the sound quality, it is very good indeed. Bluetooth connectivity: Simple and easy to connect to. I had no issues. The speaker appears to have a greater range than my house area! My wife left in her car, and even in her car, it continued to play until she got out of the driveway. Pretty impressive. More than enough range to cover an outdoor area, or an entire floor in your house (maybe even 2 floors ..... but why wouldn't you just carry it upstairs with you?). Features: Ok, one minor quibble that I have eluded to. The unit doesn't have an adjustable EQ as of the current firmware. I am really hoping that JBL gets on the ball and corrects this. This would be particularly useful for trimming the bass at higher volumes inside where the bass is a bit too much with the standard eq it comes with. Of course, most people will not play it that loud indoors, and some will love the emphasized bass response exactly as it is (perhaps not the audio purist :)). The rest of the features are very good and well thought out. For $180.00 USD, this speaker is as good as it gets.

I'm quite impressed by this product. For its reasonable size and weight it puts out very good sound at a reasonable volume. The sound is nice and clear on top, good mid-range punch, and some tight low end. Perfect for sitting in the back yard, working in the garage, or other activities where ear-buds are not appropriate but you still want to enjoy quality audio. Bluetooth range is very good, so I can have my iPhone or my computer a reasonable distance from the unit and it still works perfect. The phone app for the product has also been helpful for being able to monitor battery levels remotely (among some other features). For the price paid, I believe I received good value for my dollars. The battery life has been very good, able to last a long time between charges. Overall, I'd highly recommend this product.

Super enceinte vraiment on l’adore elle est top le son parfait!

Muy buen sonido y buena calidad

منتج اصلى وأكثر من رائع ، لسه مستلمها النهاردة لكن هرجع اقيمها تانى بعد فترة من الاستخدام .

non c'è paragone la marca è una garanzia e la cassa ha dei buonissimi bassi. il suono è molto buono e qualità ottima e la batteria dura tanto