JBL Charge 6 Review: The Champ Is Here
The JBL Cost 6 has some large footwear to fill. Its predecessor, the Cost 5, persistently acquired excessive marks for its sturdiness, utility, endurance, and naturally, its audio efficiency. Fortunately, the Cost 6 has issues nicely in hand. The speaker is at present one of the vital sturdy Bluetooth audio system available on the market. And because the title suggests, you possibly can nonetheless high off your smartphone or pill when its battery’s low. Talking of battery, the Cost 6 now packs a full day of cost plus 4 hours with the Playtime Increase function, and it’s acquired quick cost. And with Auracast, the Cost 6 can share audio with a limiteless variety of units.
And what about that audio? Accused in previous iterations of being a bass monster, the Cost 6 takes a extra measured strategy to audio. Sure, the bass is unquestionably there, with the power to ship tiny little aural shivers down your backbone. Nevertheless it’s not a lot that the mids and lows get misplaced. The truth is, the Cost 6 presents a reasonably balanced efficiency with a beneficiant soundstage. Are there moments when there’s slightly distortion? Certain, however they’re few and much between, which is spectacular, particularly for a speaker this dimension that solely prices $180.
Briefly, if you happen to’re on the lookout for a transportable speaker that’s large on each sound and worth, you owe it to your self to take a look at the JBL Cost 6.
JBL Cost 6
The JBL Cost 6 presents spectacular audio efficiency with practically 30 hours of battery life
Professionals
- Cute, tremendous sturdy design
- Highly effective audio regardless of its dimension
- Wonderful battery life
- Can cost some cell units
- Limitless audio share with Auracast
Cons
- The highs and mids can get distorted at max quantity
Pricing and availability
The Cost 6 is obtainable for pre-order now on JBL’s web site for $200 with a ship date of April 6. That worth level places the JBL on a par with the UE Megaboom 4 ($200) and the Sonos Roam 2 ($180). The Bose Soundlink Max is a pricier proposition at $400.
Design
With its deal with connected, the Cost 6 appears to be like like a cool purse, to the purpose the place I can envision myself dressed to the nines carrying it as such. Identical to its little brother, the Flip 7, the Cost 6 is an environmentally pleasant piece of tech. The black material exterior is comprised of 100% recycled material, whereas the plastic all through the machine contains 85% post-consumer recycled plastic. And with a sturdiness ranking of IP68, it’s considered one of hardest S.O.B.s available on the market. Along with being water and dirt proof, the speaker can face up to drops of as much as 1 meter onto concrete or hardwood.
Like its predecessors, the Cost 6 has the JBL brand prominently displayed on the entrance. Outlined in crimson, the lettering has an nearly 3D-like impact. The speaker’s endcaps are product of semi-transparent plastic with an enormous, honking exclamation mark. Simply above the JBL brand are raised, laborious plastic buttons for quantity management and play/pause with a small console for Auracast, energy, and Bluetooth. The 2 divots flanking the buttons are a transparent giveaway on the place the strap is connected. I’m not going to lie, I used to be slightly frightened concerning the skinny plastic strip holding the strap in place, however I’ve shaken the bejesus out of this factor with no unwell results.
There’s a USB-C port within the again that you should utilize to both cost the speaker or a tool that’s working low on juice—therefore the title. You may join the Cost 6 to a laptop computer, smartphone, or pill and get some Lossless audio going if you happen to’re an audiophile with discerning tastes. Lastly, there’s a pair of ft alongside the underside to maintain it from toppling over.
Weighing 33.8 ounces, the 9 x 3.9 x 3.7-inch Cost 6 is a chunky factor. It’s not as hefty because the Soundlink Max (4.7 x 10.4 x 4.13 inches) which weighs 78.4 ounces. Nonetheless, the Megaboom 4 (8.4 x 2.4 x 2.4 inches) and Roam 2 (6.6 x 2.4 x 2.36 inches) are lighter at 32.98 and 15.2 ounces.
Options
What’s higher than one speaker? Two audio system, after all. I’ve acquired excellent news for these trying to broaden their speaker’s energy. The Cost 6 can pair with one other Cost 6 by way of the PartyTogether function within the free JBL Transportable app for some stereo motion. And if you happen to don’t have one other Cost 6, the expertise ought to work with any PartyTogether-compatible JBL audio system. Plus, since that is an Auracast machine, the Cost 6 can broadcast to a limiteless variety of suitable units, supplied they’re in vary.
One other prime function the companion app presents is Playtime Increase, which disables the equalizer whereas boosting the amount. This ends in roughly 4 further hours of battery life, which turns out to be useful for these marathon session events. And talking of the EQ, there are 4 distinct equalizer settings along with a customized one you possibly can tweak your self. Of the choices, most individuals will most likely depart it on JBL Signature, which is the default setting.
Efficiency
Cuteness apart, the Cost 6 isn’t to be taken calmly. JBL’s been tweaking with the components, retooling the package with a few of “one of the best engineers” in an effort to ship the “most practical sound replica but.” The corporate additionally added its proprietary AI Increase tech, which delivers optimum audio efficiency with the least quantity of distortion by analyzing your music in actual time. I spent two hours streaming from my fundamental Spotify playlist, swapping between a plethora of genres to get an actual really feel of the speaker’s capabilities. And the Cost 6 didn’t disappoint.
After I began streaming music to the Cost 6, a track got here to thoughts, EnVogue’s “Giving Him One thing He Can Really feel,” as a result of JBL did precisely that. Whether or not I used to be listening to Janelle Monae’s “Yoga,” “Carry Me Pleasure,” The Layabouts and Portia Monique collab, or Durand Bernarr’s “Influence,” I felt that bass.
The speaker’s highly effective vibrations traveled via my desk into my fingers and gently caressed my backbone. It’s a pleasant sensation. However within the midst of that, by no means did the lows get so aggressive that they submerged the remainder of the monitor. Quite the opposite, generally the Cost 6 employs a pleasant, extensive soundstage that enables nearly every bit of a composition to do their factor. I had no downside listening to the tiny plosives from Alanis Morissette on the quieter elements of “Ironic.” And Sleepy Brown’s hypnotic baritone seductively oozed from the speaker throughout “Oh Ho Hum.”
There have been a few missteps, nevertheless. A bit of harsh on the highs, as demonstrated on Kendrick Lamar’s “coronary heart pt. 6”—the strings sounded congested, I nearly misplaced the organ within the background. It was the same story with the background vocals on No Doubt’s basic “Spiderwebs.” Nonetheless, smaller audio factors like claps, maracas, trilling keys, and snaps have been absolutely current.
Battery life
I used to be happy to see the Cost 6 shipped with 65% battery life. JBL estimates the Cost 6’s 4,722mAH battery can final a full day enjoying music. And if you happen to throw in Playtime Increase, that point jumps to twenty-eight hours, which is sort of spectacular. With out Playtime Increase enabled, I managed to run the Cost 6 down in 23 hours and 42 minutes at 50% quantity. And when it’s time to cost the speaker, it ought to solely take three hours to attain a full cost. If you happen to’re strapped for time, 10 minutes will get you 150 minutes of music playback, give or take.
The Cost 6 has that moniker for a cause. As a result of along with pumping out a tasty lick or two, the speaker also can cost a smartphone or pill. Sadly, it may well’t high off your laptop computer. It’s a cool wishlist function, particularly for anybody who plans to faucet into the Lossless audio function when plugged in.
Verdict
As cute because the JBL Cost 6 is, I wouldn’t fault you for assuming it has subpar sound. I’d, nevertheless, fault you for not going past your preconceived notions and taking a hear. Since you’d be lacking out on probably the greatest Bluetooth audio system of the yr. And pals don’t let pals miss out on nice tech.
Hidden beneath that unassuming material shell are a robust mixture of woofers, tweeters, and traducers that handle to provide audio that’s principally clear, heat, and balanced. And sure, it’s ‘principally,’ as a result of in a speaker this dimension, there are going to be some situations the place the highs and mids may are available in slightly scorching or the bass will get slightly aggressive. However these moments are few and fleeting with the assistance of JBL’s AI Increase expertise.
After which you’ve ancillary options like Auracast that may flip the speaker right into a broadcaster able to sharing audio with a limiteless variety of units. And for these marathon listening classes, the Cost can final for nearly 30 hours and get proper again to jamming with a 10-minute recharge. It might probably high off a tool or two with its built-in powerbank. And when it’s time to go outdoors, the Cost 6 is hard sufficient for slightly misadventure.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for a transportable Bluetooth speaker that’s powerful, highly effective, and goes straightforward in your pockets, the JBL Cost 6 stands heads above the competitors.
