JBL Charge 6 Vs Flip 7
If you need a portable speaker. The JBL line up is very easy to recommend and actually now more so than ever thanks to the introduction of a new technology. I shall explain. But one problem you might run into is figuring out which compact portable speaker would be best for you. Well that is exactly why I'm making this video. In this one I'm going to help you weigh up the pros and cons. JBL Flip 7 Vs JBL Charge 6. So by the end of this video you'll have a clear idea of which one to get.
Size & Weight Difference
Ok, so the first thing to consider is how small and light is right for you. The JBL Flip 7is clearly the more portable option. With that said though the Charge speaker this year is more compact than ever. In terms of the size difference the width in the Flip 7 is just over 7” the width on the Charge 6 is just 9”. The Height on the Flip is roughly 2.5” and the Charge 3.5”. But interesting the way JBL shaped the charge makes it look smaller than it is as it kind of widens at the base. There is of course a difference in weight, the Flip 7 comes in at 0.8KG (1.82lb) and the Charge is 1.37KG (3lb).
So the difference in weight amounts to a can of beans. 570g. It's not a huge difference and that added weight on the charge brings with it some significant advantages that I'll highlight as we go through this video. However if you're back packing or you absolutely must travel light then based on size and weight you might be leaning towards the Flip 7 right now. But that could change & you'll see why
Form Factor / Versatility Advantages
So speakers use durable materials. With this very tight weave acoustic mesh that's water resistant. Both have impact-absorbing rubber ends, which are slightly translucent this year, which looks nice, especially when light shines through them. Both can survive 1-meter drops onto hard surfaces, and both have an industry-leading IP68 water and dust resistance rating. But there are some advantages to both when it comes to the designs.
The Flip 7 has this very unique push lock system, which allows you to switch between a canvas loop and a carabiner clip. This is great for hanging the speaker of a backpack or a sunbed or something like that. The Charge 6 has a really nice detached carry handle, which makes grabbing the speaker with one hand so much easier. Also it can be used to hang the speaker. And although there's no carabiner clip, you could unfasten the handle to fix it onto a bag; of course, this isn't as convenient as having a clip. But here are a couple of big advantages for the Charge 6. When placed on a surface. The wider and flatter base and its two rubberised feet and slightly heavier weight make it much more stable & less likely to slip. So if you're going on boat trips or anywhere near water. This speaker will be less accident-prone. But do keep in mind that both speakers are waterproof and will actually float if dropped in water.
Buttons & Display Difference
Another advantage for the charge is although both have the same button style and layout. And they both have this really nice battery life LED light bar. The Charges buttons are much more accessible and the life bar is much more visible when placed horizontal. The Flip 7s are located at the back. So when it comes to ease of use when it comes to control, in my opinion the charge has the edge.
Battery Life & Charging
Alright, this is an important factor. The added weight of the Charge gives it three big advantages, and this is one of them. The Charge 6 has a much larger battery and can deliver up to 24 hours of power. The Flip 7 is up to 14 hrs. And this is really cool. Both speakers have an endurance feature in the app that can extend the battery life even further in a pinch. This adds 4 more hours to the Charge 6 and 2 more hours to the Flip. One downside of the Charge is that it takes half an hour longer to charge to 100%. With a full recharge taking around 3 hours.
However, a big win for the charge and the very reason it's called the Charge is its ability to recharge your phone and other devices. Which is something the Flip can't do. For travelling, this could prove to be very useful.
Sound Quality Test
Alright, so there are trade-offs for the smaller, lighter speaker, but when it comes to sound quality, how significant is the difference in clarity, bass, and overall power in the audio? We'll have a listen and let's see. Watch the video for the sound test.
Sound Hardware Differences
So there are sound audio Hardware similarities here. Both of these speakers use more or less the same configuration of larger mid bass race track driver and newly improved tweeter. With eye pleasing and bass enhancing woofers at either end. The difference is that the Charge 6 has a larger frequency response range and thanks to a 37% larger mid bass driver, a 25% larger tweeter, and larger passive radiators. And it has an overall combined output power of 45 watts RMS that's 10 more than the Flip.
App Explainer
Now, while at this point you might think the Charge is the better option for audio and stand alone it is. But you know how the Flip could sound better than a single JBL charge. If you stereo paired two of them. Which is something you can do in the app. So let's say you're going on holiday with friends and you're all travelling light. If you and a friend both have a Flip 7, you could link them up and get proper stereo audio as opposed to the regular mono sound.
And it's very easy to do in the official JBL portable app. Which is really nice by the way. The background colour adopts the colour of your speaker, you get some awesome EQ’s and even an 8-band EQ. Now listen, yes, you can pair two Charge 6’s the same way you can with the Flips, and that would sound better. But that's a lot more weight to carry and more space taken if you're travelling, and it'll cost you more money.
New Technology
Now that new bit of tech I mentioned earlier. See this button right here. This is an Auracast button. And technically speaking this button right here can allow you to connect to an unlimited amount of Auracast speakers. And you can use this via the party together feature in the JBL portable app. And you can do this manually just by pushing the button on one speaker and then pushing the Auracast button on the other. It's really that easy.
But what makes this even better is Auracast is an open standard technology that uses BT LE. So technically this means you could pair these speakers to any speaker that supports Auracast. Which is kind of incredible.
Price Difference
So, here is the last and an important factor to consider when deciding between the JBL 7 and JBL Charge 6 speakers. It's the price. In the UK right now, the JBL Flip 7 retails for £129, and the Charge 6 is £40 more at £169. These can, of course, change, so I have live links (UK price: JBL Flip 7, JBL Charge 6, US price: JBL Flip 7, JBL Charge 6 ) to find the latest deals.
