Summer 17 is practically here, well at least here in New York cause its 100 degrees right
now… and that means vacation and cook outs.
And you’re going to need some music.
I’ve recently reviewed the JBL Flip 4 and the UE Wonderboom and i think its now time
to put them up against one another.
So which recently released $100 speaker should you pick up? lets find out.
The UE Wonderboom currently comes in 6 colors ways and retails for $99.99 over at amazon.
If you’re looking for a small wireless speaker with style then the wonder boom might be for
you.
The JBL Flip 4 on the other hand comes in 7 color ways and retails for $99.95 over at
amazon as well.
But knowing amazon, they’ll randomly put either one of these speakers on sale from
time to time.
If you want to pick either one of these up I’ll have links in the description below
and i’ll keep them updated the best i can so you can get the best deals.
OK, so lets get the obvious stuff out of the way.
Both of these products are bluetooth wireless speakers that charge via micro usb.
they are both fairly rugged and they both have plastic and a weaved exterior. and they
are both fairly compact and meant to go with you almost anywhere.
And they both have built in buttons so you can control your music playback.
And they are both IPX7 water proof.
And thats really where the similarities end.
For starters the JBL Flip 4 and UE Wonderboom have very different battery lives.
The JBL Flip 4 has a 14 battery life and has no problem lasting a little longer depending
on how loud you’re playing your music.
The UE Wonderboom on the other hand has a max battery life of 10 hours and if you play
your music at a higher volume then your battery life will suffer.
When I played my music at max volume my wonderboom only lasted 3 hours.
Which could be a problem for some.
So Battery life goes to JBL Flip 4.
Both of these speakers also have the ability to pair up with other speakers so they can
play music simultaneously but the way they do it is very different.
The JBL Flip 4 features JBL Connect plus and it allows you to pair up to 100 JBL Connect
Plus Enabled devices.
And if you have 2 JBL Flip 4’s you can pair them up together and have them play music
in a stereo mode.
The UE Wonderboom is a little more limited only allowing you to pair a max of 2 Wonderbooms
together.
and when those 2 wonder booms are paired they only play music simultaneously and DON’T
create that stereo effect.
Connectivity points also goes to JBL Flip 4.
Concerning sound quality, I prefer the JBL Flip 4 over the UE Wonderboom.
In general the JBL Flip 4 sounds better, has a wider sound stage and has a cleaner resolution
than the UE Wonderboom.
Where as the UE Wonderboom tends to sound rather shallow compared to the JBL Flip 4
and the Mids and highs then to crash a little harsher at high volumes.
But the UE Wonderboom does shoot sound in all 360 degrees while the JBL Flip 4 only
shoots music out through the front of the device.
don't get me wrong, neither one of these devices sound incredible at higher volumes, and they
shouldn't cause they are small speakers but the JBL Flip 4 is superior over the UE Wonderboom.
The JBL Flip 4 also has and auxiliary jack while the Wonderboom doesn’t, so you can
enjoy the benefits of better sound quality through a wired connection or save some battery
on your phone if you don't want to use bluetooth.
JBL takes the sound quality point too.
But like i mentioned earlier, both of these speakers are IPX7 rated which means they are
water proof.
Both of these speakers have no problem being submerged in water, but one big difference
between the two is that the Wonderboom floats.
So if for some reason either one of these speakers where to fall into a pool or a lake,
the wonder boom would be easier to save, the the Flip 4 would just sink to the bottom,
and if the Flip 4 sinks to the bottom of a lake then you can just say good bye.
Also in genreal the UE Wonderboom is a lot more rugged than the JBL Flip 4.
and since there are no moving parts you don't have to worry about the Wonderboom getting
damaged if its packed in a cramped bag.
So the UE Wonderboom get the tough mudder award here.
Ok, and here are a few arbitrary things i want to point out before i wrap things up.
although both of these speakers are using bluetooth 4.2 and can pair to 2 devices at
the same time.
the UE Wonderboom does have a slightly longer range than the JBL Flip 4.
The JBL flip 4 also has a built in microphone so you can take phone calls and talk to siri.
And The buttons on the JBL flip 4 also have battery tactile feed back than the UE Wonderboom.
Also, the JBL Flip 4 also has a built in battery gauge that allows you to see your estimated
battery on the Flip 4.
Unlike the UE Wonderboom which plays a tone when you press the plus and minus button at
the same time.
So if you’re looking for a small bluetooth speaker that sounds good, has a long battery
life, and you’re going to take it with you from time to time and you have $100 to spend,
than i say get the JBL Flip 4.
If you need something more rugged and durable then go with the wonder boom.
Like i said in my initial review, the wonder boom is a great second speaker if you already
have a decent speaker at home.
The wonderboom is a good speaker to have dedicated for camping trips, pool parties, or cook outs.
But i wouldn't get the wonder boom if its going to be my one and only speaker.
Checkout my full JBL Flip 4 and UE Wonderboom Videos for
more in depth reviews.