JBL Charge 6 Review

Our JBL Charge 6 Experience

This handheld speaker is incredibly drop-proof, and we know, because we dropped it from several feet onto concrete. It also has a good Bluetooth range and continues playing music without any glitches when our phone is multiple rooms away from the speaker.

Like so many of the JBL speakers we tested, the bass sounds clear and sculpted—the sound is so enveloping that we found ourselves dancing around the house for hours.

This speaker was also loud but portable enough for tailgating and hosting campfires at the beach. We used it for a birthday bonfire on the coast, and the music was immersive and loud enough to drown out the other parties happening at the beach.

We love the adjustable strap, which allows us to clip it to our backpack or carry it like a purse as we walk along trails.

The Charge 6 doubles 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 loved being able to link to multiple JBL speakers via “Auracast”. 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.

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 our 1200-square-foot home.

Analysis and Test Results

Sound Quality

The JBL Charge 6 is designed for those who love bold, bass-heavy beats and who enjoy accentuated lows in all of their music. While not as refined as the models twice its price, the sound profile is still fairly clean for the price and never sounds blown out. This speaker has a pleasing, energetic mix that doesn't dwell on the details.

The JBL laid the bass on thick with every track we listened to, regardless of genre. It definitely leans into thumpiness for sculpting the overall flavor of the mix, but doesn't sacrifice mids and highs. That said, the lows sound a bit compressed when we cranked the volume. While some may not enjoy the overemphasized bass, it made our soundtracks sound more fun and exciting.

We enjoyed the balance between the mids and highs, which sound warm and bright. Vocals sound realistic, with a wide range of texture, making the Charge 6 great for podcasts as well. Ella Langley's husky, smoky voice pulled us in when listening on this speaker. Whether it was a solo track or a duet like “Strangers” with Kameron Marlowe, we were pleased with the depth and crisp clarity that ensured no harmonies were lost.

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. That said, when oriented at the front of the speaker, we felt decently immersed in the full-bodied sound, though the effect was more one-dimensional than other premium speakers we tested. To get true surround-sound, we had to connect it to multiple other JBL speakers via “Auracast”.

Portability

This waterproof and dust-tight IP68 speaker is lightweight at 2.2 pounds and very packable. We barely noticed the extra weight when carrying it in a tote bag or backpack.

We also appreciate the cylindrical shape, which allowed us to store it upright along with other items.

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 a standout feature that enhances portability, letting us carry it like a purse or attach it to a backpack.

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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.

Unfortunately, the volume gets a bit distorted at the highest volume. While treble beats at the highest volumes weren't blaringly uncomfortable, they also weren't as clean as the mids. The bass also lost some detail at the lower volumes. While still discernible, it wasn't as clean.

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Drop Test

We would dare to say that this speaker is completely life-proof. We could knock it into the lake, toss it into the street, and kick it around in the sand, and it would still work and sound the same. We dropped it multiple times onto a hard floor, and it still works fine. This is likely due to the rubber on the sides and the thick rubber feet on the bottom, which help it bounce back from impact. All told, the Charge 6 is the perfect balance of portability and durability.

Battery

When testing the battery life, the Charge 6 lasted for 14 hours and 45 minutes on a single charge at 75% volume. While this was one of the lower battery lives, it's still a decent amount of listening time for casual users. 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.

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.