I'm bringing the JBL Clip 5 to every beach day this summer - especially at this price

The JBL Clip 5 talker produces a batch of dependable for specified a tiny device.

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

On Amazon, the JBL Clip 5 received a $30 discount, going from $80 to $50. This woody applies to each colour option, from the elemental Black to the much elaborate Squad green.

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The JBL Clip 5 is disposable for $79 connected Amazon.
• This tiny talker packs a superior punch and tin easy past up to 12 hours connected a afloat charge.
  
• Its audio tin beryllium a spot compressed, and the lows aren't precise deep.
  

I've tested galore Bluetooth speakers implicit the years. I mostly find their midrange dependable lacking, but this is chiefly due to the fact that of Bluetooth's nature.

Sure, you tin find speakers that nutrient well-defined, dynamic dependable with a decent dependable stage, wide lows, cleanable mids, and crisp highs. However, astir Bluetooth speakers unrecorded successful the mediate ground, wherever audio prime often takes a backmost spot to features and decibels.

Also: Why I urge these JBL earbuds for enactment and question - particularly astatine this price

As acold arsenic dB is concerned, Bluetooth speakers thin to make a level of dependable that straight correlates to their size. After all, tiny drivers can't usually present large sound. Unless we're talking astir the JBL Clip 5. This Bluetooth talker that is nary bigger than your thenar tin pump retired immoderate superior decibels -- and without overmuch distortion.

JBL Clip 5 tech specs

• Output powerfulness - 7 W
• Dynamic frequence scope - 95 Hz - 20 kHz
  
• Battery beingness - 12 hours playing clip positive 3 hr with Playtime Boost
  
• Dimensions - 3.4 x 5.3 x 1.8
  
• Weight - 0.628 lbs
  
• Waterproof - IP67
  
• Multi-speaker transportation with Auracast
  
• Bluetooth 5.1
  
• Colors - Red, Black, Black/Orange, Blue, Pink, Purple, Sand, Squad, White
  
• Price - Amazon - $79
  

I truly admit the JBL sound. I've tested respective of their products recently, including the JBL Bar 1000 soundbar, which offers a fantastic location theatre acquisition and an unmatched clarity of sound. 

I besides recognize what to expect from JBL's speakers. The signature dependable curve punches up the bass, somewhat dips connected the little extremity of the highs, and past mildly rises to the precocious extremity of the frequency. It's a clean, progressive dependable that tin accurately reproduce audio successful a mostly pleasing way, but not needfully perfect for each genre.

Also: I'm bringing this Bluetooth talker to each cookout this summertime - and you should too

The Clip 5 defaults to that JBL signature dependable and, successful a tiny signifier factor, truly compresses the soundstage. What does that mean? There's little separation betwixt instruments and/or voices. To the discerning ear, that tin dependable a spot compressed oregon "muddy." To the mean ear, it's hardly noticeable. 

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

There is besides the JBL Portable app (Android/iOS), wherever you tin prime from 3 antithetic EQ settings (unfortunately, there's nary Custom option), upgrade the firmware, radical aggregate speakers together, and alteration PlaytimeBoost.

To trial retired what this small talker tin do, I connected the Clip 5 to my Pixel 8 Pro, opened Spotify, and pressed play connected "Analog Kid" by Rush (my go-to trial song). To me, the dependable was compressed but inactive reasonably exciting. I could perceive Geddy's bass enactment wide enough, and Neil Peart's drums were arsenic superb arsenic ever. There wasn't astir arsenic overmuch punch arsenic I similar connected the debased end, but this is simply a tiny speaker, truthful I didn't expect to consciousness the footwear drum punch maine successful the chest. 

Given however challenging Rush tin beryllium for speakers of this nature, I moved connected to Orbital's "Halcyon And On" and recovered it amazingly lively. Yes, the midrange is simply a spot overmuch for my taste, but crank that babe up, and you'll find yourself dancing, whether idiosyncratic is watching oregon not.

Also: Why Sonos' cheapest astute talker is 1 of my favorites - adjacent a twelvemonth aft its release

The opening of Stephen Paulus's "The Road Home" (a gorgeous choral piece) was a spot harsh astatine louder levels, and erstwhile the chorus truly came together, it did distort a bit.

Ultimately, however, the large gully of this talker is however large it tin get. Given the Clip 5's size, you'd deliberation it is susceptible of possibly fractional the measurement it tin produce, but this babe tin crank. And with the built-in carabiner clip, you tin connect this to conscionable astir thing and transportation your sounds with you, nary substance wherever you go. Walking, hiking, a time astatine the beach, connected your bike; wherever your travel takes you, the Clip 5 tin hang.

ZDNET's buying advice

The JBL Clip 5 comes down to this: If you request large dependable from a tiny instrumentality portion connected the spell (and earbuds oregon headphones won't bash the job), this small talker is everything you need. On the speaker, you'll find a play fastener and measurement buttons to power your music, but not overmuch more. The carabiner clip is beardown capable that you won't person to interest astir it breaking. 

This small talker is rugged and large and volition support you enjoying immoderate you perceive to for hours.