The JBL Flip Essential is the speaker made for those looking for balance. After all, it promises to deliver comfortable audio to the ears due to its sound balance, great battery life and an affordable price.
However, after owning and testing several Bluetooth speakers over my almost 30 years, I will give my opinion paragraphs on this product. Even because it is known that not everything is rosy when it comes to a technological device.
But based on the whole, is the JBL Flip Essential worth buying? So, check out my opinion in the full review!
pros
- compact format
- Striking bass, but not overkill
- battery life
- Price
cons
- Recharge time
- Outdated Bluetooth version
Design and Construction
It is notorious that JBL follows the vibe of “as a team that is winning, do not move”. After all, Flip Essential’s design follows a shape that has become a hallmark of the brand, and it makes sense that they would keep it across different product lines.
Being a more “simple” model, the Essential’s format is compact, but it is very positive that it is like that. Considering portability as a differentiator, the speaker being this smaller in size and being lightweight makes it easy to slip it into a backpack to carry to camping trips or parties.
Overall, the body of the product is covered in fabric, but the control buttons are rubberized. And the same material of the keys is seen in the area of the subwoofers, and this also helps in fixing the device upright, as the box can be used horizontally or vertically.
Essential’s physical buttons allow you to toggle the volume, start or pause a song, and also activate the PartyBoost function to pair with other compatible brand speakers. One advantage is that the Bluetooth speaker is IP67 certified, being water and dust resistant.
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Ivo Meneghel Jr/Canaltech
Is the JBL Flip Essnetial’s audio good?
The sound quality is very different from what I expected, but in a good way. Listening to music, it is noticeable that the tonalities are divided in a coherent way with the purpose of this box.
The bass is strong, and the low mids are also present. The most interesting thing is that the audio reproduced by the speakers is more “open”, and the clarity provided does not give that feeling of listening to a muffled sound all the time.
In more melodic songs, like Hoobastank’s “More Than a Memory”, the intro with the guitar solo is clean, and each note is heard in a natural way. Even in podcasts, the voice of presenters is more open and evident.
The volume of the box is high, and I didn’t feel distortions in the sound while listening at full power. So that’s nice because it’s an experience that’s pretty close to what we see in more premium models.
battery and connectivity
The battery of JBL Flip Essential has 3,000 mAh. Comparing with the updated version, Essential 2, this number represents half of the capacity of the most complete product. However, it is still possible to achieve good results with the 2021 Bluetooth speaker.
A negative point of this speaker is Bluetooth 4.1, which is a version of the technology launched almost 10 years ago. As a consequence, the range does not allow keeping the smartphone very far from the device, and this product may not be the best option for use in the IoT (Internet of Things).
Another feature that annoys me about the Flip Essential is the recharge time. That’s more than 3 hours to fill the Bluetooth box’s battery. Already in autonomy, JBL promises up to 10 hours. In practical tests, listening to music of varied rhythms with the volume at 50%, I managed more than 12 hours of autonomy.
direct competitors
The JBL Essential is a speaker with good physical characteristics, but the LG XBOOM Go PL5 is a great competitor to be considered. In design, the South Korean model calls my attention the most because it goes beyond the obvious.
However, comparing the sound quality, I feel that the JBL device brings more bass midrange to favor the distribution of frequencies. However, the LG model brings a more “closed” subwoofer, and this makes that low tone more striking.
However, this configuration is not always pleasant, as there are many songs that need more treble to bring the correct sensation to those who listen to them. On the other hand, the price of BRL 450 draws attention, which is BRL 50 less than that of the Flip Essential.
Conclusion
The JBL Flip Essential is a great Bluetooth speaker. For those who enjoy a compact device with good sound quality, it is the best cost-effective alternative in the sound market.
Obviously, it is not a perfect product, as it is difficult for a model to be released in 2021 with Bluetooth 4.1. This greatly influences the possible distance between the cell phone and the box, as it can cause failures in sound reproduction.
In addition, the recharge time makes the speaker stay longer than desired outside the period of use. On the other hand, the battery lasting more than 12 hours helps to “camouflage” this negative point.
Regarding the price, finding it for less than R$ 500 demonstrates that the amount applied to it makes sense for what the Flip Essential provides.
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