JBL Charge 6 Review

Our JBL Charge 6 Experience

Our first impression of the Charge 6 was that of hardcore durability. Whether that was good marketing making its impression or actual performance was yet to be discovered, but we immediately wanted to take this speaker out to the crag during our next climbing trip because it just looks like it can hang.

Luckily, the Charge 6 lives up to its looks. We dropped it on the floor, full yeet, and no damage was done. It's one of the few speakers that didn't even collect any cosmetic damage from our drop tests, let alone functional damage. It just bounced along like it was made for this - probably because it is.

After testing its mettle in the lab, we felt confident taking this speaker to places we'd usually avoid bringing electronics. We listened while deeply engrossed in woodworking projects in the garage where sawdust settles in a fine layer over everything in sight, and at the skatepark, where a kickflip gone wrong would occasionally knock this speaker off its perch. We would even take it rafting once summer rolls back around. The speaker also has good range and gets louder than we expected for a mid-size model. We could go about our day, even if that meant walking a few rooms over with our phone in our pocket, while still listening to music without any glitches.

Like so many of the JBL speakers we tested, the bass sounds clear and sculpted. It delivers the kind of bump that elevates the energy in the room, which is great for a small house party, or even a dance party of one.

This speaker balances volume and portability in a way that works perfectly for tailgating or hosting campfires at the beach. We used it for a birthday bonfire on the coast, and the music wove its way around and through our group, loud enough to be heard over the waves and other parties that were happening at the same beach.

Other speakers that get this loud tend to be much bigger, while the Charge 6 is about the size of a large water bottle, and light enough that it doesn't weight down a beach bag or backpack. The carry handle can be detached and reconfigured, which is nice for carrying, but we love it even more because it's convenient to loop it around random things like a tree branch or railing.

Analysis and Test Results

Sound Quality

The JBL Charge 6 is a thick boi when it comes to bass. No matter the genre we were listening to, every track got a boost in the lows. It might feel overemphasized for some, but to us, it made everything more exciting and fun. While not as refined as other models (models that cost twice as much), the sound profile is still fairly clean, and the lows never sound blown out. It definitely leans into a sculpted thumpiness to drive the overall flavor of the mix, but it doesn't sacrifice mids and highs. This is an energetic mix that doesn't dwell on the details.

We enjoyed the warm and bright balance between the mids and highs. When listening to Ella Langley on this speaker, her husky, smoky voice pulled us in on both solo tracks and duets like 'Strangers' with Kameron Marlowe. We were pleased with the depth and crisp clarity - no harmonies were lost. Vocals sound realistic and have a wide range of texture, making the Charge 6 great for podcasts as well.

Most of the time, the highs are clean without being harsh or tinny, but you can tell this isn't the focus of the Charge 6. To experience the best highs, you need to have the speaker pointed toward you, and on very few occasions, they felt a tad sharp. For example, in Zach Top's 'When You See Me', his buttery smooth voice floats over the warmth of the acoustic guitars and the lonesome wails of the pedal steel guitar. The textures complement each other by creamily blending together rather than fighting to maintain dominance. However, the pedal steel can occasionally sound keening in some recordings.

We should note that because the speaker is oriented at the front of the unit, the crispness and detail dropped off when listening from any other side. Designating a front and back for a cylindrically shaped design seems silly to us; that said, when sitting in front of the speaker, we felt decently immersed in the full-bodied sound. To get true surround sound, we had to connect it to multiple other JBL speakers via “Auracast”.

Portability

Though a bit bigger than a true personal-sized speaker, the Charge 6 is still surprisingly lightweight. It has the same size and heft as a 1-liter water bottle. And even though it has a larger footprint, we didn't hesitate to toss it in our tote before heading to the beach.

The cylindrical shape also makes it possible to stash the speaker in a water bottle pocket on your backpack (if it's stretchy enough).

The Charge 6 is about the size of an average Nalgene water bottle.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

The strap easily converts to a short loop.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

The Charge 6 can detach and re-strap on to anything.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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The convertible strap is another favorite feature of ours. We griped endlessly about the lack of carabiners on other models, and the Charge 6 solves this problem by allowing you to un hook the carry handle to loop it around anything from a backpack strap to a tree branch, to a fencepost. This came in super handy while we were listening away from home, especially in outdoor environments where a flat surface isn't always available.

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Volume

Don't be fooled by the size of this speaker—it can belt just as much as any boombox or party-specific speaker at 101.2 decibels, the equivalent of standing third row at a rock concert.

We weren't able to listen at max volume comfortably while in the same room as the speaker. We only hit max volume when playing music in a large backyard, or warehouse.

Unfortunately, quality decreases and volume increases. We noticed a slight compression in the bass when we cranked the volume. And while treble beats at the highest volumes weren't blaringly uncomfortable, they also weren't as clean as the mids.

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Durability

JBL advertises the Charge 6 as being completely “life-proof”, and after months of use, we have to agree. The IP68 rating one-ups most speakers by offering a completely dust-tight construction, and the speaker can be submerged continuously in water deeper than one meter, (most speakers only last about 30 minutes, and will be damaged in deeper waters). Most of the speakers we tested will be fine for casual outdoor use, but we would take the JBL rafting, that's how much we trust its durability.

We could knock it into the lake, toss it into the street, and kick it around in the sand, and it still works and sounds the same. Our drop test turned into a bounce test, due to the rubber on the sides and the thick rubber feet on the bottom. All told, the Charge 6 is nearly indestructable, which is awesome because the speaker is so easily portable that you'll want to take it everywhere.

Battery

The Charge 6 lasted for 14 hours and 45 minutes on a single charge at 75% volume, which is shorter than average. It's enough to get you through a full day of listening, or for a week if you only listen a couple of hours per day. If you want to take it on a week-long camping trip, you'll want to bring a power bank with you.

Ironically, the Charge 6 can double as a power bank for your phone and electronics, which was nice when we brought it to the beach about a mile away from our car. We never had to worry about our phone dying, but it did drain the speaker battery much faster.

We love that it comes with quick charging, so we were able to get around two extra hours of listening from just 10 minutes of charging. You can also extend the battery life by enabling the “Playtime Boost”, which is a feature that extends the battery life for several more hours, but it significantly reduces the sound clarity.

Ease of Use

Pairing is easy, and the buttons are well laid out, large, and easy to press. No mystery functions here. We can appreciate a good minimalist set of features that works well without overcomplicating things.

We linked up the Charge 6 with the other JBL speakers we were testing using the “Auracast” feature. It took us a couple of tries to figure it out through the app, but once we connected both speakers, the result was wildly immersive. We loved it. We get that not everyone has multiple JBL speakers on hand, but the brand is so popular, there's a good chance someone in your friend group has a compatible model.

It has one of our favorite apps, with a ton of preset sound options that let us adjust the sound profile. So, when we weren't in the mood for heavy bass, we adjusted the profile to sound flatter while listening to chill focus music or podcasts.

The Charge 6 has one of the longest measured connectivity distances in the group, at 174 feet from our phone before losing Bluetooth connection. This was more than enough range for us to wander around our two-bedroom home without losing connection. The Charge 6 doesn't come with an auxiliary port or a built-in voice assistant.

Should You Buy the JBL Charge 6?

For the price point, we would feel pleased if this rugged, conveniently-sized speaker was the only one we walked home with, especially if it holds up for years of use and abuse like older versions of the Charge we've owned. It's our go-to when we feel like bringing some bass-heavy tunes outside, and anyone who mainly listens to rap and R&B will love the sound mix. Of course, if you're willing to fork out a little more cash, you can get a better-sounding, louder speaker, but you'll lose the excellent portability of the Charge. It's a true jack-of-all-trades option, and JBL has hit the happy medium between long-term durability, easy portability, and fun listening, all while keeping the price reasonable.

What Other Bluetooth Speakers Should You Consider?

If you are willing to step it up in price and size, the Bose SoundLink Max has a more balanced, refined sound profile. It's bigger and heavier than the Charge, but not prohibitively so. We still brought it to plenty of tailgates and neighborhood BBQs, we just made sure we wouldn't be walking too far with it in our bag.