JBL Charge 5 vs Flip 6
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Differences Summary
Similarities
Audio Quality
Build Quality
Verdict
Differences Summary
The Charge 5 has superior sound, gets much louder, and has stronger bass.
The Charge 5 has a listed 20 hours of battery life and the Flip 6 gets up to 12 hours.
The Charge 5 can be used as power bank to charge other devices.
The Flip 6 is smaller and can be placed in a deep pocket. The Charge 5 is too large for that.
Similarities
Even though these JBL speakers are from different lineups, they were only released about 8 months apart, so they share some of the same functionality.
Both devices connect using Bluetooth 5.1. They can have their firmware updated in the JBL Portable app. This unlocks the ability to use them with the equalizer inside the app.
Additionally, both speakers use PartyBoost inside the app which lets you connect over 100 JBL speakers together and play them simultaneously as long as they all support PartyBoost. I don’t have 100 myself, but I did successfully try this out with the Charge 5, Flip 5, and Flip 6 all together flawlessly.
Audio Quality
The sound of the Charge 5 trounces the Flip 6. Because it has a larger form factor, the drivers inside the Charge 5 can be bigger without space limitations.
The frequency response specs might lead one to believe the bass response between these is similar. The range is 60 Hz - 20 kHz for the Charge 5 and 63 Hz - 20 kHz for the Flip 6. In practice, the Charge 5 rumbles deeper, louder, and fuller with low distortion.
The Flip 6 has a brighter sound signature, so the highs can breathe a bit more, but the overall quality of the Charge 5’s audio is beats it out. The lower mids are full on the Charge 5 even at high volumes, and the treble never gets too harsh.
Of course, if you don’t like the default sound signature of either device, be sure to make your own EQ setup in the JBL Portable app.
Speaker A is the Charge 5. B is Charge 4.
The power of the Charge 5 lets it fill up a backyard more without the sound thinning out as fast from a distance like the Flip 6. And that’s not to hate on the Flip 6. For its size, it packs a punch - just not as big of one.
Build Quality
The size difference between the Charge 5 and Flip 6 is also relevant when it comes to portability. The Charge 5 is going to have to stay inside a bag or just be carried in hand, while you can stuff the Flip 6 in a baggy pocket. The latter also has a small loop to hang it off of something.
To keep the speakers in place, there’s a plastic grip at the bottom of each. The Charge 5’s grip is a lot bigger, with a bunch of “stripes” of padding if you will. The Flip 6 just has one small nub to stop it from rolling away.
Neither device fears water or dust as they share the same IP67 water and dustproof rating.
The Charge 5 also packs a larger 27 Wh battery giving it up to a listed 20 hours of life. The Flip 6’s 17.28 Wh battery maxes at 12 hours, but it was really more like 10 in my use case. The Charge 5 can be used as a power bank to charge other devices as well.
The one advantage of the Flip 6 in regards to battery is it only takes 2.5 hours to charge when compared to the 4 hour charging time of the Charge 5.
Verdict
Left to right: Charge 4, Charge 5, Flip 5, Flip 6.
