This is the review of the comparison between two speakers from the same brand but from different series. The comparison here is between the JBL Charge 4 and the JBL Xtreme 2. There are day and night differences in their price range which brings differences in their features. To know which one is good for you to buy, go to the detailed review.

JBL Charge 4	JBL Xtreme 2
BUY NOW	BUY NOW
PROS	PROS
Powerful audio performance with rich bass. Gets quite loud for its size. Waterproof. Long battery life. Can charge your portable devices. USB-C charging.	Clean, clear sound. Balanced bass. Solid design.
CONS	CONS
No speakerphone function. Basically the same sound as the Charge 3. The buttons that aren’t lit up are hard to see in the dark.	Big. No wi-fi or multi-room. Presentation too grown-up for some.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Detail Review:

INTRODUCTION:

JBL Charge 4

The JBL Charge 4 is the updated version speaker of the Charge series speakers from JBL. There are only a few changes made in the predecessor the Charge 3 that made the Charge 4 and the changes are both good and bad. This speaker is retailing for around a hundred and eighty dollars.

JBL Xtreme 2

The JBL Xtreme 2 is the much-anticipated follow-up to the smash-hit original JBL Xtreme. When it comes to Bluetooth speakers that are loud enough for backyard parties but still portable enough to travel with, well it’s pretty slim pickings out there that’s why we love the JBL Xtreme 2. It gives us the best of both worlds it gives you the versatility to take it to the beach or barbecue in the park, or you can just chill on your back porch or dorm room.

DESIGN: 

JBL Charge 4

The Charge 4 has almost the same design as the Charge 3 but the Charge 4 is slightly bigger than the Charge 3. This is also a bit heavier than the Charge 3 and the two buttons on the top have moved slightly. This speaker is covered with abrasion-resistant fabric, as this speaker is IPX7 rated meaning you can submerge this underwater for up to 30 minutes, and during my test, I found that this speaker does float.

On the top of the speaker, you have got your JBL Connect button, volume increase, and volume decrease button,  power button, Bluetooth button with the light indicator, and the play-pause button which is also a multi-functional button. This speaker also comes with a built-in microphone, so you can use this hands-free to take phone calls. The front of the speaker has JBL branding and also, the LED indicators that let you know about the battery status. On the back, behind the flap, you have your USB Type-C charging port, 3.5-millimeter jack, and the USB-A out to use this as a power bank.

JBL Xtreme 2

Just a quick look tells you that the JBL is fairly extreme in size. You just know it’s going to pump out some extreme power. It’s got the familiar JBL tough fabric covering that comes in five different colors and patterns, which makes it IPX7 waterproof. It’s perfect for beachside, poolside, or for if you get caught in the rain during that barbecue. You’ve got the dual passive radiators on both ends, we found that just watching the dual woofers pump out the punchy base was a bit mesmerizing.

You’ll also notice that there are two metal loops on top for the optional shoulder strap, so despite its five-plus pounds, it’s still fairly portable. However, throwing the Xtreme 2 into your backpack will definitely weigh you down some. Along the top, you’ll find all the media controls and the power button, these buttons are raised in the familiar JBL style. You’ll also find various ports on the back under the waterproof flap, these include a 3.5- millimeter jack, USB charge out, and a socket for the AC power cord connection. I was a little disappointed that it doesn’t support USB charging.

FEATURES:

JBL Charge 4

The JBL Charge 4 has 30 watts output power, features Bluetooth 4.2, the JBL Charge 4 has a frequency response range of between 60 Hertz to 20 kilohertz, and this will give you about 20 hours of playtime you have to keep one thing in mind that this number will definitely change based on the volu7me and the type of songs you listen to. The JBL Charge 4 weighs approximately 1 kilogram and also, the JBL Charge 4 charges up via Type USB-C. The JBL Charge 4 does not come with any carry strap which is a type of downside if you want to carry this around with you all the time.

The JBL Charge 4 features IPX7 waterproof which is really good to have if you want to carry this to the beach or pool. This speaker also has the JBL Connect Plus feature which enables you to connect up to 200 JBL or Harman Kardon Connect Plus speakers together to play some music at the same time. The JBL Charge 4 also has standard USB ports for charging your devices on the go. This speaker is made of the same rugged material and very rugged fabric, so they are quite durable.

JBL Xtreme 2

The JBL Xtreme 2 has 40 watts of output power, and this speaker is equipped with Bluetooth 4.2. The JBL Xtreme 2 has a frequency response range of 55 Hertz to 20 kilohertz, and this speaker will give you about 15 hours one thing you have to keep in mind that these values will definitely vary depending on the volume and the type of music you are listening to. The JBL Xtreme 2 weighs around 2.4 kilograms, and also, the JBL Xtreme 2 charges via a dedicated power port.

The JBL Xtreme 2 does come with a carry strap which is really good to carry this around. The JBL Xtreme 2 features IPX7 waterproof and also, this speaker has the JBL Connect Plus feature which enables you to connect up to 200 JBL or Harman Kardon Connect Plus speakers together to play some music at the same time. This speaker also has standard USB ports for charging your devices on the go.

The JBL Xtreme 2 is definitely a robust speaker with a rugged build waterproofing, great battery performance, and despite its size and weight, still manages to be portable. The Xtreme 2 will keep your partying going even in the great outdoors with the battery optimized for full-day playback. Where most portable speakers sound thin in open spaces, the Xtreme 2 pumps out a great balanced sound signature, even at higher volumes without breaking up making it a great party speaker. The strap even comes with an integrated bottle opener is really nice to have.

SOUND QUALITY:

JBL Charge 4

From 50% volume and below, the Charge 4 sounds much more clearer. From 50% volume and below the JBL Charge 4 kind of maintains a better-balanced sound than the JBL Xtreme 2. Especially, the treble and the mids were really good but it’s quite lost its bass from 60% volume and above. So, in my opinion, for low listening, the JBL Charge 4 is a better option.

JBL Xtreme 2

At 50% volume the JBL Xtreme 2 sounds kind of more full, which is quite surprising considering that the Charge 4 only has one driver while the JBL Xtreme 2 is equipped with tweeters. The Xtreme 2 compared to the JBL Charge 4, I noticed that the Xtreme 2 sounds slightly muffled at any volume below 50% but anything from 60% volume and above, the JBL Xtreme 2 twitter’s really kicking and it becomes much louder than the Charge 4. The bass on the JBL Xtreme 2 definitely goes deeper and lower than that on the JBL Charge 4, which is definitely expected considering the size difference between these two.

WHICH TO BUY?

In my opinion, both of these speakers are good for you to buy. Even though the price of the JBL Xtreme 2 is higher, it really worth that price because of the features it comes with. The JBL Charge 4 is also worth buying for the price, even though it is retailing for a lower price it has quite good features. It just depends on you, if your budget is low you can buy the Charge 4 and if your budget is high you can buy the Xtreme 2.

Expert Reviews of JBL Charge 4:

By Expert Reviews
Despite cutting a couple of handy features, the Charge 4 is an impressive fourth entry into JBL’s mid-range Bluetooth speaker series…

By What Hi-Fi?
Great sound plus rugged design and handy features equal a top Bluetooth speaker…

By TheStreamingBlog
JBL’s Charge series just gets better with every new release. With Charge 4, we’ve seen that its audio quality has highly improved compared to the previously released Charge 3. It delivered cleaner, clearer, and more refined sounds with mids and…

By Tech Radar
For the money, the JBL Charge 4 is a definite no-brainer. For just $150 (£160, AU$200), you get a speaker that lasts all day, sounds great, can put up with all kinds of abuse, and tops your phone up in a pinch. Yes, there are better sounding speakers…

By PC Mag
The JBL Charge 4 is an excellent option for those who want a waterproof, powerful-sounding portable Bluetooth speaker in a moderately sized frame.

Expert Reviews of JBL Xtreme 2:

By What Hi-Fi?
One of the best portable speakers around, the Xtreme 2 offers sonic subtlety you wouldn’t expect from first impressions

By Sound Guys
The JBL Xtreme 2 is for a specific kind of person and if you got to this point in the review then chances are that person is you. If you want a speaker that gets loud, sounds good, and will last you a full day of listening to music then the Xtreme 2 is hard to beat. Its tough IPX7 build means you don’t have to worry about it getting destroyed at the beach or the park…

By PCMag
The portable JBL Xtreme 2 speaker can be submerged in water and still pump out loud tunes with intense bass depth, making it ideal for outdoor use

By TechHive
The JBL Xtreme 2 is an excellent portable Bluetooth speaker. Setup is a snap, and it sounds surprisingly good for such a small speaker, though the bass can be quite boomy. I wish the JBL Connect app included EQ (even if only simple treble and bass controls), which would help overcome that problem. The Xtreme 2 exhibits virtually no stereo separation by itself, but you can use two of them as a stereo pair. You can also wirelessly…

By cnet
The JBL Xtreme 2 is a jumbo-sized Bluetooth speaker that trades light and easy portability for much fuller sound, both indoors and outdoors.