JBL Clip 5 review

It’s been roughly three years since the release of the JBL Clip 4, a popular Bluetooth speaker that you’ve likely seen dangling from someone’s backpack. Now sporting a more premium look and offering companion app support, let’s hook this portable speaker on and see what else is new in this JBL Clip 5 review.

What you need to know about the JBL Clip 5

Like its predecessor, the JBL Clip 5 is a portable, outdoor-ready sonic travel companion. There are better alternatives if you’re looking for a Bluetooth speaker to use primarily around the house. The Clip 5 is meant to be taken on adventures and hung up in a tree to enhance the camp vibes rather than be the center of attention all night.

Its IP67 rating makes the speaker waterproof and dustproof, which should be the standard for a speaker designed for outdoor use. Some notable upgrades over the Clip 4 include a wider carabiner for more placement options, thicker silicone padding on the back of the unit (the Clip 5 can also perform laying down), and now features support from the JBL Portable app for further sound options and customization.

We also see an increase in wattage. The Clip 5 offers 7W of output compared to the 5W provided by the Clip 4, but it’s still essential to have reasonable sound expectations regarding ultra-portable Bluetooth speakers. For $79.95, the 7W of output this little speaker provides should be sufficient for you and a few friends, but you won’t exactly be bringing down the house with a 1.75″ driver and one passive radiator.

What’s good about the JBL Clip 5?

As mentioned, we see some minor design improvements and changes with the Clip 5, but it’s still dead simple to use. Your playback controls are in the same spot on the front of the speaker, but your Power, Bluetooth, and Auracast buttons are now recessed into a rubberized silicon control strip on the speaker’s side.

The Clip 5 connects to your device via Bluetooth 5.3. While there isn’t any codec support for higher bitrate listening options, it does support multipoint connection if you and a friend want to take turns cueing up your favorite tunes. Regarding battery life, JBL states 12 hours of playback off a single charge, compared to the Clip 4’s 10 hours of playback. Of course, this time will vary depending on your playback volume, EQ settings, and overall usage.

Aside from the additional 2W of power over the Clip 4, the most significant upgrade to the Clip 5 is that JBL’s Portable app now supports it. While it’s a bit lean, downloading and installing the JBL Portable app will give you access to a few different EQ modes, and I was also happy to see a 5-band customizable EQ. You can also use the app to pair a second Clip 5 for stereo performance, or, using Auracast or “Party Together,” you can link to other Auracast-supported speakers like the JBL Go 4.

This speaker’s first job is to be portable, and its second job is to be durable. That being said, sound-wise, the stock “JBL Signature” is a relatively safe EQ setting. The Clip 5, in stock form, provides decent clarity when listening to epic hard rock tunes like “From the Pinnacle To The Pit” by Ghost. Still, there isn’t much left-right separation when it comes to the layers of distorted guitars—one of the many sonic trade-offs that come with smaller, mono Bluetooth speakers.

However, diving into the 5-band EQ will help squeeze a bit more low end out of the Clip 5. This kicks up the track’s driving bass guitar intro a notch. Increasing the treble frequencies also naturally helped reveal some cymbal-related details, not to mention liven up some of the reverberated vocal tones. Adding a 5-band EQ and the ability to customize my sound made my time with the Clip 5 even more enjoyable, even though adding the extra bass might cost me some battery life.

What’s not so good about the JBL Clip 5?

There is little to complain about regarding the improved JBL Clip 5, but if you plan on cranking this one up despite its small size, your music will start to sound a little crowded. The treble frequencies will also get more and more shrill-sounding the closer to the max volume you get, but this isn’t anything unique to the Clip 5.

If you plan on pairing speakers, it’s worth noting that connecting to other JBL speakers via Auracast will still result in mono sound, and your speaker’s EQ settings will also automatically default to the JBL Signature EQ. To achieve stereo playback, you must connect to another identical JBL speaker.

Lastly, while “PlaytimeBoost” claims it will “boost up your sound and prolong playtime,” it only achieves this by bypassing your EQ setting and cutting all low-end frequencies so the battery gets a break. As a result, the speaker’s sound gets relatively thin, but if you’re dying for one last Willie Nelson tune around the campfire before bed, it’s better than nothing.

JBL Clip 5 specs

Should you buy the JBL Clip 5?

If you’re looking for a compact, portable Bluetooth speaker, the new JBL Clip 5 is a safe buy. It offers significant improvements over the Clip 4. For less than $80, this speaker is straightforward, offers customizable sound, and is durable enough to accompany you on any adventure.

If you’re after stereo playback and at peace with a larger design, the Anker Soundcore Motion 300 ($79.99 at Amazon) is also available for the same price. The Motion 300 offers 30 watts of stereo sound and is designed to perform in three positions: standing, lying, and hanging via a strap attachment. You can assign a different EQ to each of these positions, and simply changing the speaker’s orientation will trigger a change to the assigned frequency response. It’s also ready for the road and travel with rubberized protective housing and an IPX7 water resistance rating.

Frequently asked questions: