JBL’s Finest Bluetooth Speaker Simply Received Higher

Over time, JBL’s Flip has turn out to be my favourite Bluetooth speaker, providing the very best discount between sound, dimension, and sturdiness. My trusty Flip 5 will not be probably the most hi-fi mannequin in my arsenal, nevertheless it affords clear and full audio efficiency, and its handy mixture of usability and mobility makes it the one I flip to after I want music on the go (or on the patio).

The Flip has gotten a notch higher with every iteration, and the brand new Flip 7 retains tempo. It provides a welcome battery enhance, new options like a detachable carry strap, sound upgrades in a tweeter tweak, and a brand new “AI Sound Boost” DSP system for extra punch. Sadly, the characteristic creep comes with a value rise (thanks, inflation). It’s solely $20 over the Flip 6, however that skinny margin of separation between rivals just like the UE Increase 4 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) and Beats Tablet (8/10, WIRED Recommends) was a part of the Flip’s attraction.

The brand new speaker additionally trades JBL’s handy PartyBoost system that connects a number of older fashions in tandem for the subsequent large factor, Auracast. That’s irritating for JBL collectors and will make grabbing the same Flip 6 on sale a wiser purchase. These factors apart, the Flip 7 is a superb speaker that sounds higher than ever. If you happen to’ve been holding out, it’s a worthy improve and as soon as once more among the many finest Bluetooth audio system you should purchase.

(Barely) New Digs

The Flip’s primary design hasn’t modified a lot over time, with the identical tubular profile wrapped in a flack jacket in six completely different colorways. That’s really the gross sales pitch: “Same size, bigger punch,” although the speaker received a teensy bit taller at 7.19 inches. The matte metallic JBL emblem on the entrance supplies a trendy improve over the ageing Flip 5 however seems to be almost similar to the 6.

The few noticeable adjustments embody an additional protruding rubber prong across the endcaps, rearranged onboard controls, and a brand new loop that detaches with a button press. The breakaway design isn’t probably the most secure—I misplaced the loop momentarily throughout my analysis by presumably urgent the discharge key unintentionally—however you do get a backup with a carabiner.

Many of the new stuff is undetectable, together with shockproof testing for one-meter drops to match audio system just like the Increase 4 and Megaboom 4. I’ve kicked round my non-shockproof Flip fairly carelessly with out challenge, however I respect the added safety, particularly since one drop of my Tablet off a cabin stairway resulted in some nasty scars.

The Flip 7 can be IP68 climate resistant, versus the extra commonplace IP67. The “6” means top-tier dustproofing for seashore escapades, whereas the “8” is nebulously outlined by producers; on this case it equates to secure dunking at 1.5 meters of water for half-hour fairly than IP67’s 1 meter.

JBL says it redesigned the Flip’s half-inch tweeter dome for extra refined sound, which pairs with a 1.75- by 3-inch racetrack woofer for a mono soundstage. Beats’ Tablet supplies stereo tweeters, whereas the Increase affords a 360-degree soundstage. Regardless of that, the Flip 7 excels with among the finest sound you’ll discover at its dimension. JBL says one other a part of the sound equation is its up to date digital sign processing, known as AI Sound Increase (JBL loves the phrase “Boost”).