JBL Xtreme Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
JBL Xtreme Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker is for those who take music seriously. As the name suggests, this model of JBL’s Bluetooth speakers is the extreme version of JBL Charge 2+. The makers have put Charge 2+ on steroids and the result is quite apparent. The JBL Xtreme is bigger, heavier, louder, boomier, and of course costlier.
Not many would be inclined to use ‘portable’ and ‘JBL Xtreme’ in the same sentence. The speaker weighs nearly 5lbs and we need to start working out just to carry it. That said, there is no denying the fact that JBL Xtreme is one of the most powerful portable Bluetooth speakers currently available.
People who love loud music, powerful bass, and don’t mind shelling out a few extra bucks, will find the JBL Xtreme to their liking. Besides the Xtreme size and enhanced performance, the speaker is gaining the attention of consumers for its features and functionality.
How good is the JBL Xtreme Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker? Let’s find out.
| The Great |
| Splash proof, available in four shades |
| 10,000mAH battery, 15-hour battery life, can be used to charge other devices |
| Loud music and powerful bass |
| JBL Connect, speakerphone |
| The Not-So Great |
| Larger and heavier than most other wireless speakers |
| Not the best speaker to play midd bass |
| Key Highlights |
|
Ratings
| Design | Features | Sound | Warranty | Overall |
Specifications
| Price Range | $$ |
| Weight | 4.65 lbs |
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 5 x 11.1 x 4.8 inch |
| Battery Life | 15 hours |
| Frequency | 70Hz – 20KHz |
| Power | Battery, DC |
| Wireless Remote Control | Yes |
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Lets Break It Down
Design
Why change a winning design? Yes, that might be the idea behind creating the extra large JBL Bluetooth speaker. We must give them credit for making a nearly 5-pound speaker, portable and easy to carry. The JBL Xtreme is huge and heavy, but to make our carrying task easier, the makers have affixed hooks on both sides of the speaker. All I had to do was attach a strap to the hooks and haul the speaker over my shoulder. The extra bulk hasn’t diminished the visual appeal of the gadget. JBL has draped the speaker with splash-proof fabric; it’s pleasing to look and smooth to touch. The JBL Xtreme is available in four different shades – Camo, Red, Blue, and Black.
Like other JBL speakers, the controls are on the top. The power (on/off) button, the volume controls, the Bluetooth pairing button, JBL Connect and the play/pause button are neatly positioned in a straight line. The play/pause performs a number of tasks. Temporarily pause the music, play it again, skip tracks forward and backward, and attend calls – all this can be done via a single button.
On the back end, there are connections to attach the 3.5mm Aux input cable and two USB ports for juicing up the speaker and charging other USB-enabled devices. The speaker is splash proof, but for it to resist water, users have to use the zipper to safeguard the Aux and USB ports. The JBL Xtreme speaker comes with two feet at the bottom; the rubber stand prevents the speaker from rolling off when placed horizontally on a flat surface.
Functionality
Large 3-inch passive radiators, 2.5-inch transducers, and the 10,000mAH rechargeable battery occupy the lion’s share of the space in the Xtreme speaker. The large battery offers around 15 hours of play time. The lithium-ion rechargeable battery can also serve as a charger for other devices. The speaker has two USB-ports at the base for this purpose.
At a given time 3 devices can be paired to the JBL Xtreme speakers using Bluetooth. The speaker wirelessly plays music via Bluetooth. To play music from devices that aren’t Bluetooth-enabled an auxiliary input feature is provided at the base of the speaker. Clearly, there is no point in having a portable Bluetooth speaker if there is no remote feature. Luckily, the JBL Connect app makes Xtreme worth buying. Use the Connect feature to link other JBL speakers to augment the audio performance.
The speakerphone and microphone feature in the JBL Xtreme Bluetooth Speaker makes attending phone calls an enjoyable experience. The noise and echo reducing speakerphone ensure the call audio is loud and clear even to someone who is many feet away from the speaker.
Performance
Until now we have sung praises of the JBL Xtreme speaker; explaining its design, features, and functionality. So, let me start this section with negatives. Even though the negatives are very few, I have to mention them. At the beginning of a music track, I notice a slight stutter. The stutter lasts for just a fraction of a second. Furthermore, I wasn’t too pleased with the speaker’s mid bass, especially at low volume.
But except for these two sore points, the speaker performs well as expected. I was certainly impressed with the audio when Flip 3 and Xtreme were connected. The two external radiators performed exceeding well in low frequencies. Sometimes I felt the lows bleeding into the mids, but for the major part, the outcome was satisfactory. I noticed that at mid frequencies the vocals were very clear.
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Our Verdict
The hooks and strap make the JBL Xtreme portable in spite of the size and weight. Xtreme has all the features and functionality that many other JBL speakers have. The speaker is splash proof, uses JBL Connect Technology, charges other devices, and boasts of excellent performance. People who enjoy loud audio with powerful bass won’t think twice to spend $200+ on JBL Xtreme.