- [Reviewer] Today the JBL Clip 2 and JBL Clip 3,
A quick guide to each Bluetooth wireless speaker.
The JBL Clip 2 and Clip 3
Allow you to wirelessly stream,
high quality sound from your smartphone or tablet.
I detail the key differences that matter most,
and solve the mystery of the Bluetooth range.
This one is the JBL Clip 2.
Earlier this year I reviewed the JBL GO speakers,
and the popular JBL Clip
is your next step-up to longer battery life,
and a more robust, portable speaker.
The Clip 2 is around a third less than its
original price when launched,
so your target price should be around £30,
or $40 U.S.
Typically that's around $20
less than the newer JBL Clip3,
and what might surprise you,
is the Clip2 has features you might prefer
over the newer unit.
So price is one factor separating
these Bluetooth speakers.
I purchased both speakers myself,
so just an honest appraisal.
I got mine from local stores,
but later found better value online.
I dropped links in the description
to help you find the latest prices,
and hopefully saves you some money.
If you buy a speaker following the link,
I may in a small amount
which helps support the channel.
Go ahead and subscribe
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or hit the Like button at the end,
if you get what you wanted from the video.
The external design differs for both units.
The Clip2 has a carabiner secured to this chunky
silicon-like pivot point.
It feels like it would dampen vibration
when attached to something like your backpack
or your bike.
On the side you have flush integrated buttons,
for volume up and down,
and a multi-function button
for accepting calls, play, and pause.
On the other side, buttons for power, pairing,
and a micro USB port for charging.
Both JBL speakers are IPX7 waterproof,
which is safe to one meter depth
for up to 30 minutes.
The clip 2 has a line-in cable that you can't lose,
as it's connected to the speaker.
That's a great feature.
I'd be tempted to use this, if connecting to my laptop,
in preference to Bluetooth.
So what changed on the outside of the JBL Clip3?
The carabiner is built-in,
and makes the speaker look like a giant padlock.
It doesn't feel as heavy-duty as the old Clip.
They got rid of the fixed line-in.
The rear of the speaker now has a rubber feel base.
In fact, they don't even supply
a 3.5 millimeter audio cable, that's a cheap move.
In a high street store those cables can be marked up
around five thousand percent
over the wholesale costs.
Yeah I googled it, and did the math.
It would have cost them almost nothing
to throw one in the box.
We now have the volume and play buttons
migrated to the front.
Overall, the JBL Clip 3 is less likely
to get damaged,
and more robust for outdoors use,
whereas the Clip 2 as more versatile.
Review sites give conflicting feedback
on which sounds best.
Both have a single 40 millimeter transducer.
Here's a short burst from each speaker.
(upbeat music)
Did you notice the difference?
It's not a great test because you're listening
to a recording and then played back
through your own speakers,
that said, the same conditions applied.
Both JBL speakers impressed
with substantial mids and bass,
that may not convey in this video.
The JBL Clip2 output power is three watts,
and the Clip3 is 3.3 watts.
You can get slightly more volume from the Clip 3.
The Clip 3 has a 1000 milliamp hour battery,
versus 730 milliamp hour of the Clip2.
Battery life is stated at 10 hours
for the JBL Clip 3,
with charge time of three hours.
And eight hours playback for the Clip2,
with a charge time of two and a half hours.
Curiously the Clip 2 has Bluetooth 4.2,
and the newer unit is using 4.1.
Another big plus for the Clip2
is wireless daisy chain capability.
This allows you to wirelessly connect two
Clip 2 speakers together for amplified sound.
That feature is not available on the newer Clip 3.
The manufacturers don't say the Bluetooth range,
although they do state the transmitter power,
which is equal for both speakers.
Online reports state a crazy 100 feet range
for the Clip 3, and 20 feet for the Clip 2.
Some others say 50 feet,
and some say 20 for both.
That's a real headache, so I ignored all of that,
and tested each speaker myself.
I got 50 feet range Bluetooth connectivity
from the Clip 2, and 60 feet from the JBL Clip 3.
Each speaker has contrasting benefits
making them equally appealing,
and hard to separate.
Both have sturdy build quality and sound amazing.
But they're not the same price,
this one costs less,
and so the JBL Clip2 would be my personal choice.
Which did you prefer?