Speaker Comparisons
The Small, Useful Steps Up From the JBL Charge 4 to the JBL Charge 5
JBL has had some ups and downs in its Charge speaker line, and we haven’t always recommended the newest version when JBL makes an “upgrade”. But the JBL Charge 5 is a suitable, minor improvement over the Charge 4, and depending on your specific feature needs and the pricing at the time you read this, …
JBL Pulse 4 vs Flip 5 vs Charge 4: What’s Different Between the Celebrated Mid-Sized Bluetooth Speakers
Update as of December 2021: Note that these speakers have been replaced by newer models; see our comparison of the JBL Flip 5 vs. Flip 6 for more, as well as our comparison of the larger JBL Charge 4 and Charge 5. The broad differences between these speaker lines remain the same however, and the …
The Complete Comparison: JBL Charge 4 vs. Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
We’ve reviewed many dozens of Bluetooth speakers and two of our favorites at the moment are the JBL Charge 4 and the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3. These are the speakers you’d go to if you’re looking for something portable, about the size and shape of a wine bottle without its neck; want to spend less …
JBL Charge 3 vs Charge 4: Is the Upgrade Really Better?
Update: These speakers are both now outdated; check out our review of the JBL Charge 4 vs. JBL Charge 5. Newer is not always better; we’ve seen this sometimes even with JBL’s speaker designs. So we were curious to unravel the differences between the JBL Charge 3 and the newer JBL Charge 4. First of …
JBL Charge 4 vs Xtreme 2: Comparing These Mid-Sized Road Party Speakers
UPDATE: JBL has released better versions of both of these speakers; check out our new comparison of the JBL Charge 5 and Xtreme 3. They are both a small but solid step up in sound performance and features. (You can also check out the differences between the JBL Charge 4 and 5 and the JBL …
JBL Link 10 vs JBL Link 20: Does the Bigger Guy Really Sound Better?
We’ve run a full comparison of the JBL Link 10 and JBL Link 20 to see how these two speakers compare. As usual, we’ve taken into account reviews and criticism from around the world from audiophiles, customers, and consumer organizations. These are currently two of the best-sounding smart speakers on the market, and yes, as …
JBL Flip 4 vs. JBL Charge 3: Which Is Better?
Update: While these were fine speakers they’ve been supplanted by newer models. For the latest, see our comparison of the JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 6 and the JBL Charge 4 vs Charge 5. We’ve run our usual thorough analysis on JBL’s two most convenient and portable Bluetooth speaker options: the JBL Flip 4 and …
The Bose Soundlink Micro vs Color II and Other Lovely Bose Speakers
We ran our usual, exhaustive meta-analysis on the new Bose Soundlink Micro Bluetooth speaker, comparing what the best audio critics had to say about it with their comments on the well-known (and quite fêted) other Bose speakers, especially its close cousin the not-quite-as-small Bose Soundlink Color II. We’ll also share how these stack up against the other …
Ultimate Ears MegaBlast vs UE MegaBoom: Which Sounds Better?
We’ve run a thorough investigation of UE’s foremost smart speaker, the Ultimate Ears MegaBlast, and compared it to the company’s similar critical darling, the UE MegaBoom. Both speakers are excellent portable outdoor options; frequently people want to know which has better bass, which is louder, which sounds better, and if the small price premium of …
Marshall Stockwell vs. Kilburn: Head-to-Head Comparison
In examining every scrap of press on the latest Bluetooth speaker releases, we’ve seen Marshall speakers coming to the top of critics’ lists. So here we’ll look at the portable speaker offerings from Marshall, the famed guitar-amp manufacturer. There are only two truly portable (that is, battery-powered) Marshall speakers to consider: the Marshall Kilburn and …