This is a loud, portable Bluetooth stereo speaker.
The set I have, the JBL Flip 4 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker (White) & Protective Travel Case Bundle, is actually the JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth speaker in addition to a travel case for the speaker.
The Flip 4 itself comes in a variety of colors (I have white), weighs just over a pound, and is cylindrical in shape (there’s a speaker at each end of the cylinder for stereo sound). The Flip 4 is waterproof with an IPx7 rating, which means the speaker is protected from water immersion up to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. Essentially this means this speaker is optimized for outdoor use, such as around a pool or for an outdoor party. And you’ll be able to party long into the night because the Flip 4 has a 3000 mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery, which gives an impressive 12 hours of play time out of the 2 8W speakers.
Note that there is a rubber flap that is meant to protect the micro USB and headphone jacks from water, so physically connecting to the speaker and then immersing the speaker in water is not recommended.
In the Flip 4 box you get the speaker itself, warranty card, quick-start guide, safety instructions, and a colorful micro USB cable.
The physical controls on the Flip 4 include buttons for volume, Bluetooth pairing, music control or speakerphone, and broadcast mode, which allows the Flip 4 to be wirelessly connected to other JBL speakers. In fact, this last feature can really bring the house down — the speaker can be connected to up to 100 (!) JBL Connect+ enabled speakers to fill your house or outdoor area with sound. You can connect the speakers with the JBL Connect+ app, which also allows you to set up two JBL speakers in stereo mode (one speaker operates as the left channel, which the other speaker operates as the right channel). You can also use the app to activate Siri (or Google’s equivalent) to use the speaker as a mic for voice assistance. The Flip 4 supports Bluetooth version 4.2, and I had no trouble pairing with my Apple devices.
The most notable feature to me is the volume — I’ve never had a speaker the size of a burrito sound so loud. Of course, for such a small form factor you can’t expect much bass response (nor do you get it), but unless you are having a party for audiophiles, folks will probably just be rocking out. Still, how you position the speaker affects sound quality. The Flip 4 comes with a nylon cord, so one use case, for example, is to hang the speaker in the air, allowing both speakers to sound freely.
We enjoy using the Flip 4 for movie night (watching movies on the iPad) and I especially like having the Flip 4 in the kitchen — I hang it from a cabinet handle and enjoy music, news, podcasts, and audio books while cooking.
I also need to mention the case that was included in this particular bundle. The semi-rigid case has a black nylon fabric exterior and a soft gray interior, and the case itself holds the Flip 4 perfectly — there is a stretch band to keep the speaker in place, and the top of the case contains a pocket to hold the charging cable, instructions, and other small items. The case is well made and of high quality, so especially if you are going to carry the Flip 4 with you on travel, the case seems a necessary companion.
So all in all, I really am enjoying the Flip 4 — there’s a lot of sound in this small package, and with its great battery life and wireless connectivity, I find myself using it more and more.
I hope you found this review helpful!
Pricing and Availability on Amazon: JBL Flip 4 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker (White) & Protective Travel Case Bundle (aff)