In this piece, we offer our JBL Charge 3 review of the features, specs, facts, and impressions. We cover this small-to-moderately size waterproof speaker’s performance, and accessories. Also we discuss how you can charge your mobile devices with its power bank feature.
JBL Charge 3 Review: Intro
The JBL Charge 3 sounds great and can play pretty loud. Furthermore, it has noticeably more bass than those models in the JBL Flip family. Plus, even when playing at top volume, the built-in rechargeable battery lasts up to twenty hours per charge.
And, perhaps the most practical feature. You can recharge your mobile device right from this speaker’s 6000 milliamp hour battery. Pretty neat!
We see perhaps one notable downside. That is that its two bass radiators at each end have little protection. Thus, the instructions warn against touching or pressing them.
Yet for outdoor, beachside use, we feel that JBL should cover these vibrating diaphragms with some sort of hard grill. Why? Because this would guard against damage from someone pressing them too hard.
Otherwise though, this JBL 3 Bluetooth speaker is an awesome purchase, for just over a hundred US dollars.
We explore its high and low points below. And, we think that you’ll then agree. The JBL Charge 3 is an excellent Bluetooth speaker and power bank over all. So to ahead and buy one this summer to take oceanside. It really livens up the party indeed.
JBL Charge 3 Review: Advantages, Benefits, Pros, and Features
As we’d expect from JBL, this Bluetooth speaker has far more advantages than disadvantages. Next, we give what we found to be it’s positive features and advantages.
Built In Pedestal Stand
The Charge 3, when laid horizontally, does not roll so easily as the Flip models. Why? Because it includes a permanently attached rubber like support stand pedestal, as shown next.
This boot-like perch stops most speaker rolling when placed on flat, level surfaces. It also prevents the grill cloth from touching the ground and getting dirty. Thus we’re glad that JBL included this big foot in this Charge series model. It indeed keeps the speaker more clean. Plus it prevents it from rolling away.
Lots of Useful Controls
This third version of the JBL Charge wireless speaker has six buttons. These include Power, Play-Pause, Volume UP and DOWN, Pairing, and Connect+. See these in the next picture.
Multi Function Power Lamp
Note the glowing white power button. So when you turn the speaker on, this button may light white. This means that the speaker is standing by, but not currently paired. But when pairing is active, this button turns bright blue. Thus you always know speaker status by how the power lamp glows.
Splashproof and Waterproof
This JBL splashproof speaker can take a few drops of water, and can even be submerged in water for short periods without damage. Just be sure you have the charge port door completely snapped shut. Otherwise, water might get inside and damage BT speaker electronics. IPX7 rated. Rain will not hurt it. If you drop it into a chlorinated swimming pool, just rinse this JBL Flip waterproof speaker in fresh tap water when the party is over.
The JBL Charge 3 Is Rechargeable
The JBL Flip battery that comes in this Bluetooth speaker fully charges in under four hours. With medium play volumes, this battery lasts roughly twelve hours per charge.
Battery Status Lights
The JBL Charge 3 has a five LED battery level gage. When the speaker is ON, one or more lamps light up on the gauge. These show how much charge remains in the battery. Furthermore, to save power, they go out after several seconds. However, you can read them again anytime you want. Just press the volume UP or DOWN keys, and then the gauge comes to life once more.
Sealed Micro USB Charge In and Out Ports
How to charge JBL Charge 3? The Charge 3 has a port cover, as pictured above. Open this cover by prying with a fingernail, coin, or key, and find the USB power port inside. Connect the BT speaker with any 2.3 amp or higher USB charger. They include one along with a USB cable. So plug the adapter into AC power, and let charge for about four and a half to five hours.
USB Charging Cable
The JBL Charge 3 comes with a micro USB charging cable. The cable we received is bright orange in color, and is about forty inches long. Quite flexible. You use this cable not only for recharging the Charge 3 speaker. But it also works when recharging a mobile device that accepts a micro USB input charging.
USB Charger Adapter Included
JBL includes a 5 volt 2.3 amp AC USB adapter with this speaker.
Recharges your Mobile Devices, Phones, Tablets, and Other Speakers
The 6 amp hour power bank battery acts as a mobile power supply. So it recharges many models of USB devices. The larger of the two USB ports (the USB A connector) provides USB power.
Connect a high current USB cord between this port and the phone / tablet / USB device to charge. Also, charging from the speaker progresses about as fast as charging from a wall charger.
However, depending on the size of device that you’re recharging, the speaker may not be able to fully charge it. And that’s even when the speaker itself has a full charge.
Our tests find that the JBL Charge 3 charges our iPad tablet from forty to sixty percent full before dying. But the Charge 3 has plenty of juice when it has a full charge. So it can fully charge smaller phones or other less power hungry USB devices, several times in some cases.
Can Act as a Speakerphone
When paired with a smartphone, you can answer calls with buttons on the JBL Charge 3. They’re quite clear too, owing to the built in echo and noise reduction circuits.
Siri and Google Now Support
So you may pair this Bluetooth speaker with phones that support these voice assistants. Then you can access these assistants with a button press on the speaker. Thus to set this up, go into the JBL Connect app. There, you can set the function of the Play / Pause button. It can act as the usual Play / Pause button. Here it pauses and resumes streaming playback. Or you can set it to summon Siri when someone presses it.
Large Excursion Passive Bass Radiators
You can easily see the ends of this speaker (the passive radiators). So watch them moving while playing heavy bass music especially.
Stereo Sound Mode
You get 10 watts of audio power per channel, for 20 watts total sound output. You can also connect to other JBL Charge speakers as a stereo pair with the JBL Connect+ app. Instantly reverse channels right from your phone.
Party Mode
Or, connect them in party mode so that each speaker plays the same content from both (or all) speakers.
This speaker, and other JBL Connect Plus compatible models, can link together in a single group. This allows up to a hundred Connect+ speakers to join. Then they all play the same content without echoes, pops, or delays.
Multiple Bluetooth Sources
Supports as many as three streaming mobile devices paired at the same time. This allows quick playing music from three different libraries. Or, three people can take turns playing their favorite songs over this JBL 3 wireless speaker.
JBL Connect+ Support, JBL Connect Plus Compatible
You can stream to more than one speaker at the same time with speakers that support the JBL Connect+ protocol. This is like Google Chromecast or Amazon’s Multi Room Music feature. Both of these allow streaming the same content to multiple speakers together. The Connect app also allows setting of various speaker parameters. Furthermore, it allows you to set these on a per speaker basis. And it checks for and installs new firmware updates on the speaker, and finally, shows overall speaker status.
Comes in At Least Several Colors
You can buy the JBL Charge 3 in many colors. It comes in red, blue, black, gray, and aqua. So we went with the black model.
JBL Charge 3 Review: Disadvantages, Cons, Problems, Drawbacks, and Limitations
Cloth Grill can Easily get Dirty
Yes, handling this speaker on the beach might get sand and dirt in the grill. But you can remove these with a garden hose spray. Just squirt off the speaker.
No Case Included
Some cases for the JBL Charge 3 are available online however. So, we bought the Faylapa EVA hard travel carrying case from Amazon for our Charge 3. Specifically, this case offers excellent protection. Plus it has compartments for the AC adapter and USB cable inside. And you get all of this for under $14 US dollars.
See the Faylapa Travel Case for the JBL Charge 3 at Amazon for further case details.
Does Not Fully Recharge Our iPad Air
We find that on a full charge, the Charge 3 only recharged our iPad Air twenty percent higher. Then the power bank ran dead. So, it doesn’t fully charge ALL our mobile devices fully. But you do get enough juice to save whatever you were doing before your phone / tablet battery runs down
JBL Charge 3 Review: General Specifications
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- Dimensions: (W x D x H) 213 x 87 X 88.5 (mm)
- Weight: 800g
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Battery type: Lithium-ion polymer, 6000 mAh, 22.2 Wh
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The battery charge time: 4.5 hours @ 5V 2.3A
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AC Adapter (included): 5 volts, 2.3 amps.
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USB Charge Output: 5 volts, 2.0 amps MAX.
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Bluetooth Transmitter Frequency Range: 2.402 – 2.480 GHz.
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The Bluetooth Transmitter Power: 0-9dBm
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Bluetooth Transmitter Modulation: GFSK, π/4 DQPSK, 8DPSK
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The Bluetooth version: 4.1
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Music playing time: Up to 20 hours (varies by volume level and audio content)
- Support: A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.5, HFP V1.6, HSP V1.2
- Transducer: 2 x 50mm
- Output power: 2 x 10W
- Frequency response: 65 Hz. – 20 kHz.
- Signal-to-noise ratio: ≥ 80dB
- Case design: Waterproof to IPX7 standards with the charge port door closed tightly.
Our Rating on the JBL Charge 3
We find the JBL Charge 3 a decent value. Lots of solid bass. Little distortion heard, even at highest volume. It’s high tech, yes.
But JBL built this speaker well too. It never crashes and rarely stops playing. Furthermore, it has a lot of range, and works well even when nearby radio interference sources are strong.
We especially like its power bank function. Yes, it’s true that you can’t charge bigger mobile devices to full with the Charge 3. Yet it does provide enough power for a minimal charge, to get you through an emergency.
Over all, we admire the workmanship and well-though designing that’s so obvious in this product. Its wide excursion diaphragms and acoustic design make it a high fidelity speaker indeed. So we rate this Charge 3 speaker by JBL at 96 out of 100.
Where to Buy the JBL Charge 3
We bought ours at Walmart for roughly $125. But you can also find it on Amazon, eBay, and Crutchfield among other outlets. JBL Charge 3 price ranges from approximately $100 to $170.