Hands-on review: JBL Clip 5 Ultra Bluetooth Speaker
Gone are the days of boomboxes and stereos because physical media like CDs and cassettes are pretty much dying these days. In place of these devices, technology companies have opted to make more Bluetooth speakers so people can connect their phones to play music and more.
Bluetooth speakers are very common, and it's hard to innovate because they all basically do the same thing. Most people will take their portable Bluetooth speakers to the beach to play their favourite summer tunes.
JBL, however, has somewhat created a new Bluetooth speaker that differs from the ones I have experienced before. The company has released the new JBL Clip 5 Ultra Bluetooth Speaker, which you can wear!
The biggest drawcard of the JBL Clip 5 is that it has a hook on top of the device. Much like a carabiner, you can open the hook and attach it to your pants like a belt. Instead of holding the device in your hands, you can walk around with the speaker hands-free.
If, for some reason, I didn't want to use my headphones, I can now go on my daily walks with the JBL Clip 5 and listen to my favourite songs. The Clip 5 doesn't weigh that much, so it's not cumbersome to walk around with. The only downside is that passersby will now have to listen to my embarrassing playlist full of Taylor Swift and Dutch girl band songs!
JBL has also made the device both waterproof and dustproof as well. It's a perfect speaker for you to take to the beach or if you are camping somewhere in beautiful Aotearoa.
Aside from being a great portable device, the audio quality of the JBL Clip 5 is immaculate. When I'm not listening to girl groups, I also like to mosh to the likes of Metallica and Rage Against the Machine. Rage Against the Machine songs like 'Bulls on Parade' and 'Killing in the Name' have heavy bass guitar parts, and you can really hear the sound quality using this speaker.
I even watched Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour' movie on Disney+ and the Clip 5 did a good job of mimicking a live performance. The sound quality isn't as good being there live in person, but it's much better than my phone and TV speakers.
Speaking of movies, I even watched Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace using the JBL Clip 5 speaker, and it sounded awesome. The laser blasts sound really loud, and the crash of lightsabers almost made me feel like I was watching the movie in the cinema back in 1999 when I was ten years old.
In terms of battery life, the JBL Clip 5 has 12 hours of playtime and it also comes with its own USB-C cable. That being said, the USB-C cable that comes with the speaker is quite short, so I recommend you buy another one if you need something longer.
The speaker also has some buttons on the front so you can play/pause or control the volume without touching your phone. On the left side is the power button as well as the Bluetooth button for you to pair up the speaker with any compatible device.
I also forgot to mention that the JBL Clip 5 is really affordable because the RRP for the device in New Zealand is $99.99. Noel Leeming currently has a sale on the Clip 5, and you can get it for only $79.99. This is far cheaper than the $199 All Blacks branded Bluetooth speaker my brother bought a few years ago.
If you are looking for a decent wireless speaker, you can't go wrong with the JBL Clip 5. It's cheap as chips, has great sound quality and it's highly portable. This is a must-have if you want to go on a trip next summer holidays.
