REASONS TO BUY
Weighs next to nothing
Fits anywhere
REASONS TO AVOID
Bass is lacking
Not loud enough
JBL Go 4 Review
One of the smallest, lightest portable speakers on the market that plays mediocre music
Credit: Matt Lighthart
By Elizabeth White ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ May 29, 2026
Contributions From: Rachael Lamore
RELATED: The Best Bluetooth Speakers of 2026
Our Verdict
The JBL Go 4's sound quality is pretty poor, compressed, and lacks clarity, especially at higher volumes. It's also tiny, waterproof, and dustproof, and fits in small pockets so you can bring it wherever you go. This little 3.8" x 1.5" x 3.0" speaker is about the size of a lemon and only weighs 0.4 pounds—in the world of speakers, it's hard to get any lighter than that. That said, there are better options in this price range that are just as small, durable, and sound clearer.
Our JBL Go 4 Experience
We've taken this speaker everywhere with us—chucking it into climbing backpacks on the go, taking it to the beach, dropping it in water—and it's still kicking. There's no doubt about its durability, but we wish it sounded better. While the Go 4 sounds better than previous versions we've owned in the past, the music still sounds pretty lackluster, even compared to other speakers half its price.
The JBL Go 4 is a durable little speaker that sounds muffled and flat. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Go 4 was quick and easy to pair to our iPhone. Credit: Matt Lighthart
We find this speaker to be overpriced for what it offers. While it's packable and durable, its sound quality is muddled. There are better options for less.
If you're set on a speaker that's $50 or under, we would suggest saving $20 and buying the Soundcore Select Go 4. This small, portable speaker delivers vocals with much better clarity, and it's also a good option for listening to audiobooks and podcasts. If you want a more robust bass in a pocket-sized, waterproof speaker, we recommend the JBL Clip 5, which can also clip to the side of our backpack or in the shower.
Analysis and Test Results
The JBL Go 4 has disappointing sound quality. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Sound Quality
Overall, we were pretty disappointed by the sound of this speaker, and particularly the bass, which sounds withdrawn and quiet compared to every other JBL speaker we tested. And the “Playtime Boost” feature, which extends the battery life, makes it sound even more dull and compressed.
While we are able to hear the bass, it lacks body and depth. The lows are thin, watered down, and prone to hissing with certain sounds, like synths, or in hip-hop tracks, which we noticed while listening to “NDA” by Megan Thee Stallion. The mids and vocals are warmer and sound like the fullest, most developed part of the mix. That said, they sounded noticeably flatter than other budget speakers. The highs are quite jarring, with overemphasized “ch” and “s” sounds, which we mostly experienced at higher volumes. Once we turned the volume down a bit, the highs sounded smoother, but uninspiring.
While it doesn't have the best sound quality, the Go 4 is pretty powerful for a mini speaker. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The soundstage is suprisingly sprawling for its size. It extends around the front and sides of the speaker, but tends to lack height and sounds muffled from the backside. It also sounds quite muddled and lacks any separation between instruments. There's no true sense of where instruments are placed or spaced from each other, giving it a middling soundstage at best.
The Go 4 can fit almost anywhere. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Portability
The Go 4 is about as light and portable as they come. It's 0.4 pounds, which felt almost like carrying around a handful of sand. It fits in our pocket and all of the side pockets in our daybag. It even has a small cord loop to clip a carabiner onto.
The JBL Go 4 is the lightest portable speaker we tested. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The small loop makes the Go 4 easy to clip to a backpack (but you'll need a spare carabiner). Credit: Matt Lighthart
With an IP67 rating, the JBL Go 4 can be dropped into the ocean and survive for up to 30 minutes while still sounding the same, and it's protected against dust and sand.
The Go 4 could comfortably play music for one or two people, but we wouldn't want to crank the volume for a small gathering. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Volume
The JBL Go 4 can get quite loud for its size, getting up to 83.9 decibels, which is about as loud as a small Bullet blender, but we can also listen to it in the same room at max volume.
We noticed that the sound quality became quite compressed and produced significant hissing at higher volumes.
The Go 4 is built to handle being chucked around. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Drop Test
We've dropped it several times, and it comes out without a dent, so it's very durable against kids, pets, and butter-fingers. Like many JBL speakers, the Go 4 has impeccable build quality.
The Go 4 has an incredibly short battery life compared to most speakers. Credit: Matt Lighthart
You can use “Playtime Boost” to extend the battery life, but it makes the Go 4 sound much worse. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Battery
This speaker's battery life is one of the lowest we tested at 10 hours and 54 minutes, though this is not bad for a mini speaker and will get most through an entire day of listening.
It also comes with “Playtime Boost”, which gives the speaker an additional two hours of listening time, though it does negatively impact the sound quality by making it sound more distant and manufactured.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare JBL Go 4 versus top competing products:
| Awards | |
|---|---|
| Price | $50 List Check Amazon (on sale!) |
Overall Score  |
|
| Star Rating | |
| Bottom Line | One of the smallest, lightest portable speakers on the market that plays mediocre music |
| Pros | Weighs next to nothing, fits anywhere |
| Cons | Bass is lacking, not loud enough |
| Rating Categories | JBL Go 4 |
| Sound Quality (35%) | |
| Portability (30%) | |
| Volume (20%) | |
| Drop Test (10%) | |
| Battery (5%) | |
| Specifications | JBL Go 4 |
| Measured Battery Life | 10.9 hrs |
| Measured Weight | 0.4 lbs |
| Dimensions | 3.8" L x 1.5" W x 3.0" H |
| Water Resistance | IP67: Dust-tight and protected against immersion in water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes |
| Measured Volume | 84 dB |
| Claimed Battery Life | 7.0 hrs |
| Multipoint Pairing | Yes |
| Speaker Syncing | 100 JBL speakers |
| Sound Customization | Yes |
| Voice Assistant | No built-in microphone |
| Measured Bluetooth Range | up to 97 ft |
| Wired Audio Input | None |
| Floatable | No |
| Included Accessories | - Type C USB cable |
—Elizabeth White and Rachael Lamore
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