Hey everyone.
I'm Max Dalton, and in this video I'm going to review the JBL Charge 4 Bluetooth speaker.
In tradition with other JBL Charge speakers, the JBL Charge 4 sits between the JBL Flip
4 and the JBL Xtreme in terms of size, weighing just over two pounds.
It's not small enough that you can easily put it in a purse or backpack and carry it
around, but it's not so big that you can't move it if you really want to.
Buttons on the device are easily accessible, sitting along the top of the device in a row,
with the Power and Bluetooth buttons easily visible.
It's worth noting that on some JBL devices the Play button can be configured to access
your Siri or Google voice assistant.
You can't do this on the Charge 4, where the Play/Pause button is just that -- a play/pause
button.
The JBL Charge 4 offers slightly better power output than previous incarnations of the JBL
Charge, with a rated power of 30 Watts RMS.
Additionally, the device uses USB Type C for charging, can achieve a full charge in 4 hours,
and offers 20 hours of playtime on a full charge.
The charge time and playback are similar to what was offered on the JBL Charge 3, so there
isn't much of a benefit there, but those numbers are roughly twice as good as the JBL Flip
4 -- if you're thinking about getting that device.
Again, similar to the JBL Charge 3, the JBL Charge 4 is rated IPX7 waterproof, which means
it can withstand one meter of water for up to 30 minutes.
The JBL Charge 4 does feature JBL Connect PLus, so it can be wirelessley connected to
more than 100 other JBL speakers that also have JBL Connect Plus.
It's worth noting that you can't connect a JBL Bluetooth speaker with JBL Connect to
a JBL speaker with JBL Connect Plus.
Just an FYI if you have some older JBL speakers.
One of the biggest differences between the JBL Charge 4 and other devices is that it
includes a USB port on the back of the device that you can use to charge other devices.
If you connect an MP3 player, you can play audio from that device through your Charge
4 while it's connected and charging.
Next to the USB port there's also a 3.5 millimeter audio cable input for hard-wiring an audio
source to the JBL Bluetooth speaker.
Now, let's discuss the audio quality.
The audio quality on the JBL Charge 4 does sound a bit muddy and washed out compared
with other speakers.
Let's do a quick sound test between the JBL Charge 4 and the JBL Flip 4.
Here's a 10 second audio sample on the Charge 4.
And here's the same 10 second sound clip on the Flip 4.
You'll want to listen to the JBL Charge 4 in a store to make sure the audio quality
is something you're comfortable with as it relates to any other Bluetooth speakers you're
considering.
In closing, the JBL Charge 4 is a great speaker at an alright price if you're looking for
something with a degree of portability that has a fair amount of power.
The battery life is impressive, and the ability to charge and play other devices through the
USB port is nice.
If you're looking for something that's going to primarily live in a shared family room
space, the Charge 4 is a good fit.
If you're looking for the type of speaker that can sit on your desk or in an office,
something along the JBL Flip 4 is probably a better fit.
Thanks for listening to my review of the JBL Charge 4.
Leave your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.
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