Useful JBL Speaker Tips

I have been using JBL speakers for a while and I though this would be a good place to share some of the things I found useful when buying and using these speakers. I own two flip 5’s, a charge 5, and an extreme 3. I use these speakers as an all in one portable sound system for projector movies, parties, and for at home multi-room audio. Here are some useful tips not given by JBL for those interested in using or buying these speakers for similar use.

1. As of now, the flip 5 is the only speaker capable of party boosting when connected to a laptop over Bluetooth. (This feature was disabled on all other models).

2. The extreme 3 and boombox 3 can party boost while connected to their auxiliary inputs.

3. Speaker lag (movies and video) is determined by the speaker’s Bluetooth version and not by the transmitting device’s bluetooth version. Newer JBL speakers with higher bluetooth specs will have less lag even when paired to older phones or computers.

4. Speakers before Bluetooth 5 (flip 5, etc.) will have a measured delay of around 250ms, and a delay of around 300ms while party boosting. This delay is consistent and can be removed by advancing the audio in VLC or other similar video players.

5. Speakers with Bluetooth 5 and higher (charge 5, extreme 3, etc.) will have negligible delay over Bluetooth as well as over aux. (if it has it). Party boost brings about 100ms of lag to both Bluetooth and aux. connected speakers.

6. If an underpowered phone or laptop is connected to the speakers (low Bluetooth version or running very hot) you will most likely experience audio interruptions or cutouts. This will cause lots of issues with party boost. (I use an iPhone 8 without issue, but my older laptop has issues when it is running other intensive tasks.)

7. Speakers such as the extreme 3 or boombox 3 can output about a third more power when plugged in. This makes a significant difference in volume and bass response. The power output listed for these speakers on JBL is for when they are receiving wall power.

8. Two devices can be connected to one speaker by hitting the Bluetooth pair button after the speaker is already connected to a device. The second device paired will not auto-pair once the speaker is turned off and on again. (Useful for sharing music control without getting your Bluetooth interrupted later on). This will not work if a laptop is connected to the speaker (only phones).

9. Battery life on all these speakers is quite good, but there is a large reduction when the volume is above 80%.

https://www.reddit.com/r/JBL/comments/12ukzin/useful_jbl_speaker_tips/