JBL
Go 2 speaker: JBL improves its ultra-nomad bestseller
Aprox. 29€ - see price -
See specificationsJBL, and more precisely Harman, does not put his book a hundred times on the craft, but certainly more than one: each bestseller of the now subsidiary of Samsung has been tirelessly improved, like the Flip, the Clip (the test of the third version is imminent) and the Charge. It is now the turn of the Go, a devastating success in the field of ultra-portable speakers, to benefit from a "facelift", as the other would say: we are promised increased resistance, sound performance more precise and an improved hands- free kit. So let's check!
Positive points
Waterproof.
Improved design.
Good power.
Good autonomy.
Presence of a mini-jack input.
Soundboard effect attenuated.
Complete orders ...
Bad points
... with the exception of going back.
Unsatisfactory hands-free kit.
Lack of extension in the bass.
Our review
Ergonomics
To begin with, the design benefits from subtle modifications that change the Go 2 from the Spartan aesthetic of its predecessor: if it retains the parallelepipedal appearance and the extremely compact dimensions of the Go (82 x 30 x 68 mm), the second of the name becomes slightly heavier (from 130 to 184 g), slightly bulges the torso (namely the front protective grille of the speakers), rounds the corners and gets rid of the rubbery envelope cheap enough to coat a soft material -touch with metallic finish. Four pins are added under the enclosure to guarantee more reliable support on all types of surfaces.
The upper banner of the enclosure houses the old symbols, with the exception of the telephone, swapped for a "play" triangle. These buttons give access to all the usual commands, namely power on / off, volume adjustment, music navigation (play / pause / skip to the next song) and call management (off-hook / on-hook). Returning to the previous track remains impossible directly from the speaker - a choice found with other manufacturers, as with the Wonderboom from Ultimate Ears.
The cover located on the left flank of the enclosure attests to the upgrading of the Go 2, which passes IPX7: the ultra-portable is therefore now protected for up to half an hour against aquatic immersion at 1 m. Behind, we discover a micro-USB port as well as a mini-jack: at a time when many manufacturers are no longer bothered with such a connection, JBL has the advantage of leaving the possibility to its users to go through a wired connection.
Autonomy again blithely explodes its promises, offering 10h25 of independence at 75% of the maximum volume for half a dozen promised. The Bluetooth connectivity is good, the pairing is done smoothly and the connection is quite stable. Multipoint pairing, however, is not available.
The hands-free kit finally, which had disappointed us on the previous model, turns out to be even more disappointing on this one, despite the promises of JBL. Here, above, two recordings made respectively from Go and Go 2, in the same environment (very quiet), 30 cm from the enclosure.
Audio
JBL not having added a passive radiator and having kept the dimensions of the enclosure which make it one of the most compact models on the market, it is not surprising to find the weak extension in the bass: the first frequencies really noticeable are around 130 Hz For comparison, the Soundlink Micro happily goes down to 100 Hz, supported below by the action of a passive radiator.
The modification of the design, notably of course the materials, however allows the Go 2 to finally depart from the particularly pronounced sound box effect that we had noted on the first model, and to lower the distortion rate in low mids. This therefore results in a better controlled, more balanced sound performance.
The power is even higher than that available previously, the Go 2 defending itself particularly well in this field compared to its competitors: for 150 mV (maximum voltage under a load of 32 Ω according to the European standard), at 1 kHz, the GB emits 69 dB SPL while Go 2 delivers 74 dB SPL - monophonic still, of course.
Conclusion
Thanks to its extremely compact dimensions, its good size / power ratio and its modest price, the Go had a tremendous success in 2016. The Go 2, now waterproof, more resistant and aesthetic, offering a better controlled and more powerful sound performance, therefore has all the assets to, in turn, seduce fans of nomadic listening.
Specifications
Reviews
Comparison of 6 portable speakers
I tried out 6 portable speakers:
• JBL GO 2 Portable Bluetooth Waterproof Speaker, black, 4.3 x 4.5 x 1.5
• Bluetooth Speaker, LFS Wireless Speaker Portable Loud Stereo Sound 10W Rich Bass 80ft Bluetooth Range, MP3 Mini Speaker Bluetooth
• Speaker Portable - Mini Bluetooth Speaker w / Superior Clarity and Enhanced Heavy Bass, Powerful Big Sound Driver, 33Ft Wireless Range, Up to 6 Hours Playtime Premium Wireless Bluetooth Speak by Rock Space
• MuveAcoustics Portable Bluetooth Speaker - Loudest Wireless Stereo Sound for Home and Travel, Blue
• OontZ Angle 3 New Enhanced Edition Portable Bluetooth Speaker with 100ft Wireless Range, Volume Booster AMP 10 Watts Power, Custom Bass Radiator, Crystal Clear Stereo Sound, IPX5 Splashproof
• AmazonBasics Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker - Black
I tried them all out for sound quality, and the better sounding ones were (in rough order from best to least impressive): the Oontz, the Rock Space, the JBL, and (kinda surprisingly) the AmazonBasics. The sound quality on the LFS was acceptable but not nearly as good as the others, and the Muve sounded like crap. I did not compare them in terms of battery time, and I haven't had them long enough to comment on their durability. Happy listening!
OHHH THE BASS
Oh the nice bass thumping around in my hand as I carry it around ... Thumping away on the kitchen counter as I cook ... Thumping and wobbling on the bathroom sink as I shower ... I feels goooood!
It's no subwoofer, but yes, decent bass is possible with little bluetooth speakers. JBL is pretty much known for their bassy speakers and this one does not disappoint.
It feels great and looks really sleek and modern. I got the blue one and it's a real nice blue indeed. It's totally waterproof, which is an added bonus; I can use it in the bathroom without worrying about getting water on it ... can use it while cooking without having to wipe my hands dry. Can even dunk it underwater and it still plays just fine!
It hasn't died unexpectantly on me yet, and I use it for 20 minutes to 2 hours at a time. I just charge it once in a while and it's all good. Lovely little speaker!
Great quality for only two bills.
Pretty good sound for a 4 ”box !! My last cheapo amazon brand speaker randomly crapped out so I'm thinking stick to the brands you know. I've always had JBL with no problems and usually excellent sound. Definitely worth $ 40. Also turns off after no useage. Saves battery and makes a distinct sound when on and off.
Nice little speaker.
I bought this to take on a trip where I was looking for acceptable sound in as tiny a package I could find. This meets both those criteria with flying colors.
It sounds fine for the size. I'm 61 yrs old, and it's pretty amazing what comes out of a box this size. When I was about 5 yrs old my dad bought one of the first transistor Zenith AM portable radios. We were amazed that something that small (about twice the size of this jobber) could even make sound at all. Ah, how the world has changed. I wish I still had that radio, I suspect it's collectible as all get out now.
Build quality seems very good, it seems solid and is cute as can be. I can't testify as to battery life yet, but I'm sure it will be sufficient for a few hours by the pool or on the beach, which is why I bought it.
Overall I'm quite happy, for 30 clams it's a nice toy.
I like it , BUT
I really like the speaker. Nice sound for so little money. My gripe is the ridiculous power cord that is maybe one foot long. It has me so aggravated! Now I have to buy another cord for this thing that has a little length to it. I would have bought another one, but not now.
Very impressive
The size of the speaker is about the size of my palm and it's pretty incredible how loud it can get and the amount of bass it produces. I like sounds with a good amount of bass in them and the little speaker holds up pretty well! I wasnt expecting it to be like the bigger JBL speakers but it does the job! In the video the volume of the music playing isnt even on full blast and it's pretty loud too.
Update: I have had the speaker for a few months and I dont use it every day but I still haven't had to charge it!
Great
I Just purchased this Bluetooth speaker to replace my older JBL charge that fell into the hot tub.
I bought this for a quick replacement
And could not be more impressed!
The sound is great for such a small speaker and the fact that it is “WaterProof” is even better
Don't have to worry about it near the pool or hot tub anymore.
Great little portable speaker
Great little speaker with big big sound
Fantastic speaker. Big beautiful sound in such a small box. Easy to pair. I can't say enough good things about it. Love it.