Picture of the JBL Flip 4 portable Bluetooth speaker, showing logo side, horizontal view.

JBL Flip 4 Review of this Waterproof Speaker

In this piece, we review the JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth speaker.  First, we cover this portable waterproof speaker’s performance, and accessories.  This JBL BT speaker sounds great and goes pretty loud. Plus, even when playing at top volume, the built-in rechargeable battery lasts up to twelve hours per charge.





The only major drawback we saw with this JBL speaker, is that the bass drivers are exposed at each end of the speaker cylinder.  The instructions warn against touching or pressing them.  But especially for outdoor, waterside use, we feel that JBL should have covered the woofers with a protective grill.  Other than that though, this JBL 4 Bluetooth speaker is a great buy for under a hundred US dollars.  So, we explore its high and low points below.  Finally, we’re confident that after that, you’ll agree that the JBL Flip 4 is an excellent portable Bluetooth speaker over all.  Get one this summer to take to the swimming pool.

Picture of the speaker box, front view, horizontal. JBL Flip 4 review.
The speaker box, front view, horizontal. JBL Flip 4 review.

JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth Speaker Review: Advantages, Benefits, Pros, and Features

As we’d expect from JBL, this Bluetooth speaker has far more advantages than disadvantages.  Next, we tackle a little of that good list of features.

Picture of the speaker, top view, showing speaker controls, horizontal.
The speaker, top view, showing speaker controls, horizontal. JBL Flip 4 review.

Lots of Useful Controls

Next, this forth version of the  JBL flip wireless speaker has several buttons.  These include Power, Play-Pause, Volume, and Pairing.  

Multi Function Power Lamp

Picture of the speaker, top view, powered ON. JBL Flip 4 review.
The Bluetooth speaker, top view, powered ON. JBL Flip 4 review.

Note the glowing white power button on this Flip JBL 4 speaker in the picture above.  When you turn the speaker on, this button lights white, meaning that the speaker is running but not currently paired.  But when successful pairing occurs, this button turns bright blue.

Picture of the JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth speaker, top view, powered ON, paired, showing blue power lamp.
JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth speaker, top view, powered ON, paired, showing blue power lamp.

Splashproof and Waterproof

Picture of the speaker box, front view, showing the speaker dipped in water. It's waterproof! JBL Flip 4 review.
The speaker box, front view, showing the speaker dipped in water. It’s waterproof! JBL Flip 4 review.

This JBL splash proof speaker can indeed 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.  





Built in Rechargeable Battery

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.  

Sealed Micro USB Charge Port

Picture of the portable speaker with USB charge port highlighted.
The portable speaker with USB charge port highlighted. JBL Flip 4 review.

How to charge JBL Flip 4?   The Flip 4 has a port cover, as pictured next.  Open this cover by prying with a coin or key, and find the USB power port inside.  Connect the BT speaker with any 1.0 amp or higher USB charger with the included USB cable.  Plug the adapter into AC power, and let charge for about three and a half hours.

JBL Flip Charging Cable Included

Picture of the orange JBL micro USB charge cord in bag. JBL Flip 4 review.
The orange JBL micro USB charge cord in bag. JBL Flip 4 review.

The JBL Flip 4 comes with a micro USB charging cable.  Furthermore, the cable we received is bright orange in color, and is about forty inches long.  Quite flexible.

Can Act as a Speakerphone

When paired with a smart phone, you can answer calls with buttons on the JBL Flip 4.  They’re quite clear too, owing to the built in noise reduction circuits.

Siri and Google Now Support

When paired with phones that support these voice assistants, you can access these assistants through the speaker with a button press.

Large Excursion Speaker Drivers

You can actually see the ends of this speaker (the drivers) moving while playing bassy music and spoken word recordings.

Picture of the waterproof speaker, held in hand.
The waterproof speaker, held in hand. JBL Flip 4 review.

Stereo Sound

You get 8 watts of audio power per channel, for 16 watts total sound output.  You can also connect to JBL Flip 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 (mono sound from both speakers).

Multiple Bluetooth Sources

Supports as many as two streaming mobile devices paired at the same time. This allows quick playing music from two different libraries.  Or, two people can take turns playing their favorite songs over this JBL 4 wireless speaker.

JBL Connect+ Support

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.

Comes in Six Bright JBL Flip Colors

You gen buy the JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth speaker in red, blue, black, gray, white, and aqua.

Picture of the right side horizontal view of the speaker. JBL Flip 4 review.
The right side horizontal view of the speaker. JBL Flip 4 review.

JBL Flip 4 Portable Splash Proof Bluetooth Speaker Disadvantages, Cons, Problems, Drawbacks, and Limitations

Cloth Grill can Easily get Dirty

No Stand

The Flip 4, when laid horizontally, can roll.  The button panel on it often does not stop this rolling.  Plus, the fabric covering can get dirty resting right on the ground.  JBL might attach feet to future Flip series models, to keep the speaker more clean and to prevent rolling.

No Case





No USB Charger Included

Picture of the waterproof speaker, left side horizontal view.
The left side horizontal view of the speaker. JBL Flip 4 review.

JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth Speaker Specifications

Dimensions:                    (H x W x D) 68 x 175 x 70 (mm)
Battery type:                   Lithium-ion polymer (3.7V, 3000mAh)
Battery charge time:     3.5 hours @ 5V1A
Music playing time:      Up to 12 hours (varies by volume level and audio content)
Bluetooth version:         4.2
Support:                           A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.6, HFP V1.6, HSP V1.2
Transducer:                     2 x 40mm
Output power:                2 x 8W
Frequency response:    70Hz – 20kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio: ≥ 80dB
Weight:                            515g
Case design:                    Waterproof with charge port door closed tightly.

Our Rating

We find the JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth speaker a truly great value.  It’s advanced, yes.  Quite advanced indeed.  Yet this is a very solid wireless speaker. It never crashes or goes out, has a lot of range, and works well even when nearby radio sources are strong.

Over all, we appreciate the workmanship and thoughtful designing that went into this JBL product. Its wide excursion speakers and acoustic design make it a high fidelity speaker in spite of its small size.  So we rate the Flip 4 by JBL at 97 out of 100.

Where to Buy the JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth Speaker

We bought our JBL Flip Bluetooth speaker at Walmart for roughly $90.  But you can also find this JBL Flip speaker for sale on Amazon, eBay, and Crutchfield among other outlets. JBL Flip 4 price ranges from around $70 to $150.  





Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does the JBL Flip 4 charge your phone?

No.

Is JBL Flip 4 compatible with iPhone?

Yes.  You can pair the Flip 4 to an iPhone just as you would pair any other Bluetooth speaker to that Apple mobile phone.

Does the JBL Flip 4 come with a charger?

No.  But JBL does provide a micro USB charging cable.  Therefore, use this cable with a USB charger of yours.

Can you connect JBL Flip 4 to Charge 3?

Yes.  In fact, you can charge your Flip 4 from the Charge 3 by connecting a micro USB to A cable from the A connector on the Charge 3 to the micro USB power input port on the Flip 4.  Then, if the battery in the Charge 3 has enough power, your Flip 4 will charge, though perhaps not to full.  But enough to get some extra music playing hours out of her.

Does the JBL Flip 4 Turn off automatically?

Yes.  When not paired with any device, or when paired by with no audio coming through for several minutes, the unit does indeed power down.

Can JBL Flip 4 Charge Phone?

No.  The Flip 4 is not a “powerbank” speaker.  For this, try the JBL Charge series Bluetooth speakers.  These can indeed charge your smart phone.

Does JBL Flip 4 work with Alexa?

Yes.  See our post How to Pair JBL Flip 4 with Amazon Echo Dot Speakers  for details about using your Flip 4 with the various Alexa smart speakers.

Why is my JBL Flip 4 cutting out, or making crackling noises?

Try moving the Flip 4 closer to the paired Bluetooth source device (your phone, tablet, or other mobile device).  Indeed, this spotty play can occur due to weak signal from the source device.  Or, interference from other Bluetooth or WiFi devices can create cracking sounds on your Flip 4.  So to fix this, try moving your speaker and mobile device to a different location.

Can you pair JBL Flip 4?

Yes.  The Flip 4 features Bluetooth pairing mode.  Now you start pairing mode by pressing the Bluetooth button on the speaker.  Then, you can find this speaker while scanning on other Bluetooth devices.

Why won’t my JBL Flip 4 turn on?

The speaker’s internal battery may be dead.  Thus, try recharging it for several hours.   Be sure that the charger used is working.

What are the buttons on the JBL Flip 4?

See our   JBL Flip 4 Buttons Meaning, Lighted Buttons Described  post for a complete description of all buttons on this speaker.

Why does my JBL Flip 4 die so fast?   

The Flip 4 can go dead quickly if either it was not fully charged the last time you charged it, its battery needs replaced, or you play the speaker at very loud volumes.  In fact, the louder you play it, the shorter the battery life per recharge will be.





Other Posts About the JBL Flip 4 Portable Speaker

  1. JBL Flip 4 Alexa Pairing Bluetooth Speaker Instructions
  2. How to Adjust Volume on JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth Speaker
  3. JBL Flip 4 Wall Charger, Which AC Adapter Works Best
  4. Charging Instructions for the JBL Flip 4 to Get the Longest Play
  5. JBL Flip 4 Buttons Layout, What Each Button Does

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  4. JBL Flip 3 Review of this Portable Bluetooth Speaker
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References for this JBL Flip 4 Review

  1. JBL Flip 4 Wireless Speaker Official Product Page, from JBL
  2. Portable JBL Flip 4 Speaker at Amazon.com
  3. Where to Buy the JBL Flip 4 Waterproof Speaker, on Google.com

Revision History

  • 2020-04-09: Added more tags.
  • 2019-05-29: Tweaked the targeting for ‘ JBL Flip 4 Review’, and added tags and links.
  • 2019-02-28: Improved key phrase targeting.
  • 2018-05-06: First published.