There are thousands of words to describe poor sound quality… NONE of them will feature in this review.

The JBL Flip 7 is here! It’s portable, it’s loud and in the coolest way possible… It’s cool!

As someone who predominantly uses a speaker for travel, a random get together or a sing in the shower, I’m not in the market for an absolute TANK of a speaker. The JBL Flip 7 was exactly what I needed.

It’s incredible! I feel like I’ve held V cans bigger than the Flip 7. It really is easy to throw in your bag for a road trip or a trip to the beach. Plus, with up to 16 hours of playtime, a good charge often lasts the getaway.

When you’re on the go, the best kind of speaker is one you don’t have to worry about. The Flip 7 has a fantastic battery life. It’s also waterproof, dustproof and drop proof! (Up to 1m). But honestly, one meter’s all you need. If I’m passing it to a mate, tossing it to my beach towel or it gets bumped off the table during game night, I know the beats will keep on blasting. (Plus, if you’re dropping your speaker from any higher, that’s on you.)

JBL does have an app for their speakers that allows for updates and audio customization, but as someone who understands ‘the sound’ more than the specs, I’m stoked with the out of the box experience. Fantastic balance, a surprising amount of bass and it can play LOUD. You can also pair it with your other speakers using Aura cast, you know, in case you ever need even more UMPH!

At this point, I don’t know if it’s industry standard or JBL standard, but it’s always nice when you can get music playing without a glance at the manual. I charged it, pressed the on button, held the Bluetooth button and paired it. That’s the way it should be.

The only negatives I have with the Flip 7 are very minor. For example, the speaker does not come with its own charger (USB-C). I understand it is a very common cord to own nowadays, but it’s always nice to have one per device. The horizontal foot of the Flip 7 is also more of a kickstand, so when it’s on its side, it does have a tendency to roll when knocked.

But realistically, I’m getting a bit pickier than the average adventurer. The interchangeable carabiner and loop feature put all those concerns to the back of my mind. That feature is innovative, fun and gives the speaker some personality. That’s something modern devices need more of, creativity to keep things from getting stale.

Overall, the speaker gets a 4.6 out of 5 from me. It’s not perfect but it’s certainly earned its spot as my day to day speaker. So how can I give it any less!

The post JBL Flip 7 Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

JBL’s next generation Flip 7 and Charge 6 portable bluetooth speakers have launched, with a bold new look and new audio features to deliver bigger sound, deeper bass and better performance.

Built to improve on the listener experience, both speakers feature JBL’s proprietary AI Sound Boost technology to analyse music in real-time and optimise the speaker driver without distortion.

“The Flip and Charge series have always been popular in New Zealand, thanks to their ability to pump out big sound from a compact, ultra-portable and robust speaker design. In this latest iteration, we’ve packed in even more audio technology to give listeners a best-in-class sound experience. There are also some new design and connectivity features, such as Auracast, and new options for straps and carabiners, to make it easier to share and take your tunes with you on the go,” says Michael Sherman, Senior Strategy Manager at JBL New Zealand.

Whether you’re chilling in the garden or meeting up with friends at the park, the new Flip 7 has been redesigned with an interchangeable finger loop and carabiner hook making it easier to take your music anywhere. Equipped with AI Sound Boost for powerful bass without distortion and an upgraded tweeter with a dome design, Flip 7 offers clear and crisp sounds at higher volumes, no matter the setting.

Out and about? The new IP68 waterproof and dustproof rating makes it easier to carry your tunes with you, without worrying about spills or drops. Other new features include increased battery life for up to 16 hours with Playtime Boost, the latest Bluetooth 5.4 capabilities for improved wireless connectivity, and Auracast pairing with other JBL Auracast enabled speakers.

The Charge 6, now equipped with a detachable and versatile handle strap, has evolved to make high-quality audio more accessible than ever. With the introduction of AI Sound Boost and an upgraded woofer for deeper bass, prepare to feel the beat across any room. The introduction of Auracast allows friends to sync their compatible speakers for even more sound. Keep the party going for longer with up to 28 hours of battery when using Playtime Boost. Remaining true to the name, the speaker not only electrifies the dancefloor, but comes equipped with the built-in USB-C powerbank for charging devices at a moment’s notice.

The new JBL Flip 7 and JBL Charge 6 are available now in black, blue and red.

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JBL continues its legacy of innovation, with the latest addition to its popular True Wireless lineup, the JBL Live TWS 3 series.

Featuring JBL’s Smart Charging Case, the new Live series takes the true wireless experience beyond audio, thanks to the 1.45” inch LED touch display.

“At JBL, our strategy is to push the boundaries with each generation of our headphones, to offer consumers the best possible technology at each pricepoint. The Live 3 TWS series is no exception,” says Michael Sherman, Senior Strategy Manager at JBL New Zealand.

“Alongside the Smart Charging Case, a first for our Live series, we’ve also added enhanced wireless audio technology, including Hi Res audio, True Adaptive NC and Spatial Audio for a more immersive experience.”

The latest version of the JBL’s first Smart Charging Case provides consumers with full control of almost all features and functions in real time, with just a tap on the 1.45″ inch LED touch display.

Customise your listening experience by adjusting volume and EQ, controlling your music, taking phone calls, and seeing messages, without needing to open your device. You can even customise the screensaver with your favourite photos.

Building on the sound quality of the previous generation, the JBL Live 3 TWS series delivers monumental audio, with dynamic drivers powered by JBL Signature Sound. Each driver is perfectly tuned to deliver deep bass, balanced mid-range, and refined high frequencies at any volume level. JBL Spatial Sound makes you feel like you’re at a concert as the sound comes from virtually everywhere around you.

Tune out the outside world entirely or customise just how much ambient sound you decide to let in, with four noise-sensing mics that automatically adapt to your surroundings in real time. The auto compensation in the JBL Headphones app adjusts and optimises the Adaptive Noise Cancelling level to your wearing and ear canal conditions, ensuring effective noise cancellation tailored to your personal hearing experience.

With three different wearing styles available – Buds, Beam and Flex – the JBL Live TWS 3 series ensures comfort and flexibility.

All models are available in Black and Silver on the 1st August 2024.

The post JBL’s New Live TWS 3! appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

It’s small but got boom.

The JBL Go 4 is just slightly larger than a credit card, easily pocketable and ready to rock out when you are.

Waterproof and rugged, the Go 4 has onboard play and volume controls with a single USB-C charging port.

Pair it up via Bluetooth  to your smartphone or tablet to take on the go. To get the most out of your JBL Go 4 you’ll need to download the JBL Portable app.

With this you can tweak the audio settings either via preset EQ options, or customise to your liking.

With around 7 hours of battery life, the JBL Go 4 will keep up with you all night, or all day.

If you’re caught short – on the app is a Boost. This will optimise the audio to extend the remaining battery life by up to 2 hours.

Using the JBL Go 4 in and out of the house I was able to squeeze around 6 hours out of the tiny speaker before it got down to 15%. Trying the battery life boost did exactly what it claims, ad more than once I was able to get another 1 to 2 hours before it finally died.

Price wise, these punchy, bassy super loud portable speakers come well under $100. So, I would recommend having a couple of them, so you can pair them up for stereo sound – or use Aura Cast.

Infact the audio that’s produced from a speaker that can literally fit in your pocket is fully beyond what it should be able to produce. It can fill an entire room with sound and then some.

Small but mighty the JBL Go 4 is definitely the most portable high quality bluetooth speaker I’ve come across. If the quality of sound is important to you while out and about, the JBL Go 4 is going to impress.

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JBL is unveiling exciting changes to its popular portable audio lineup with the launch of the JBL Xtreme 4, JBL Clip 5 and JBL Go 4.

For the first time, Kiwi music fans can experience Auracast with JBL portables, unlocking unlimited connectivity options for stereo or multi-speaker pairing across different speakers.

Auracast is a new way to broadcast audio, which allows any audio transmitter, such as your smartphones, laptops, and televisions, to connect to an unlimited amount of receivers, such as earbuds, speakers, and more.

“We’re very excited to be one of the first brands to bring Auracast enabled portable speakers to market here in New Zealand. This technology will be a step change in the way we experience and share audio content. Incorporating this innovation into JBL speakers gives end users more flexibility and options to enjoy their music and audio, especially as Auracast enabled devices become more widespread,” says Michael Sherman, Senior Strategy Manager at JBL New Zealand.

JBL Xtreme 4

Take sound to the next level anywhere and anytime with the JBL Xtreme 4. The latest of the popular Xtreme series is enhanced with AI Sound Boost which analyses audio in real time with an AI algorithm to optimise the acoustic output level, leading to more powerful and less distorted sound.

Two woofers, two powerful drivers and dual-pumping JBL Bass Radiators effortlessly deliver dynamic, immersive sound with deeper bass and plenty of detail. You’ll get lost in the music wherever you are.

As per previous generations, the JBL Xtreme 4 has a large battery capacity providing up to 24 hours of playtime and a power bank to charge your phone on the go. The battery is replaceable, to extend the lifespan of the speaker. The Xtreme 4, and the other two newly launched speakers, will all feature Bluetooth v5.3 with LE audio capabilities, IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating and multi-speaker connection via Auracast.

JBL Clip 5

It’s now easier than ever to take you music on the road. The JBL Clip 5 features a redesigned carabiner with a bigger and more accessible opening, making it easier to clip on.

The stylish travel accessory continues to bring the sound with an increase in driver power that allows for more streamlined sound and consistent bass at every volume. With up to 12 hours of playtime, the JBL Clip 5 is the perfect adventure companion.

JBL Go 4

With a more robust sound and punchier bass than its predecessor, JBL’s smallest portable, the JBL Go 4, continues to surprise with its sound capabilities.

Made to bring anywhere, the new mini speaker has an updated silhouette and wider and more durable strap, making it more hand-friendly. Boasting up to 7 hours of playtime and available in six colourways, the JBL Go 4 has everything needed to grab and go.

JBL Xtreme 4 and JBL Clip 5 now incorporate post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials for 70% of their plastic, and 80% PCR materials are used for the plastic in the JBL Go 4. All speakers use 100% PCR fabric for the speaker grille.

“JBL has been working towards producing more sustainable product designs and packaging and by using recycled materials in our portable speakers we’re able to reduce our environmental footprint,” says Sherman.

“We have always been proud of our portable audio lineup at JBL and by increasingly doing our part to reuse materials that would otherwise go to waste, we’re able to help our end users make more sustainable purchasing choices without compromising on style or sound.”

All portable speakers are available now.

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Flip it, splash it, play it.

Small on size but mighty on volume JBL’s newest portable bluetooth speaker, the Flip 6, is near pocketable and ready for your playlists when and where ever you are.

There are a couple of ways to pair up. Either you can simply bluetooth it to your smart device, or if you want full control use the JBL app.

Using the app allows you to be able to tweak the basic audio settings and of course control the speaker.

I tested the JBL Flip 6 in an outdoor setting in a dog walk park and the backyard. The volume is more than ample so would be for any gathering.

Inside, either lounge or bedroom it’s super booming, which surprised me given its teeny size.

The saying little but loud is a true statement for the JBL Flip 6.

If you’re going take a splash in a pool or if rain ruins your party – it’s not going to ruin the JBL Flip 6.

Rated IP67 waterproof you’ll be right if it gets a bit wet.

Inside the JBL Flip 6 is a two way speaker setup with a tweeter and separate sub to pump out the bass without missing the high tempos.

On the speaker are tactile buttons for pairing and volume.

The battery, from full charge is going to keep the party going for up to 12 hours. I’ve used the JBL Flip 6 for over that amount of time during a one week period and it’s still pumping.

If you have a few JBL bluetooth speakers around you can also link them up.

For a couple of hundred dollars you can take the party with you, literally anywhere.

The post JBL Flip 6 Bluetooth Speaker Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Pick it up or throw over your shoulder and go.

Soundboks take the audio power from their Soundboks Performance Speaker and pack jam it in to a smaller and definitely lighter all weather, all environment casing so you can literally take the party anywhere you go.

Connecting to your smart device via Bluetooth and the Soundboks app (Android and iOS) the Soundboks Go has enough grunt to be a standalone at pretty much any event or gathering – or you can pair up with another Soundboks using the TeamUp function.

With a 10 inch sub and a single tweeter which are powered by two 72 watt amps inside the casing to a maximum output of 121 decibels.

The Soundboks Go intuitively channels the audio so you always get the right mix of deep low bass and high tempos.

Being a single speaker unit does mean that your audio is mono – to gain intelligently dispersed stereo you’ll need to TeamUp with another Soundboks.

On the speaker itself there are tactile buttons for power, TeamUp / connect and volume. The speaker also has a 3.5mm socket to plug in a mic.

Designed to be robust for any situation, the Soundboks Go is splash proof, should do okay if it rains on your parade and has rubber reinforcing to stop any vibrations when you crank up the jam.

Speaking of, as you guessed it, the Soundboks Go can really, really go.

In a small room, like a bedroom you’re not likely to get it to full volume (teenagers likely will though), in a larger setting such as a lounge or open office space your music will fill all four corners.

During my time with the Soundboks Go I tested in my spare room and didn’t even get to near quarter volume before loud become extreme loud.

In the living room I was able to crank it a bit more. Slightly over half tilt and you could hear my playlist very clearly from outside.

In an outdoor setting you can max it out as there’s no walls for the sound to bounce off. In a local park I had folk coming out of their house to see what was going on.

During this time I still had the Soundboks Performance Speaker with me – so I gave TeamUp a go.

Let’s say that having two of these beasts rumbling and pumping in ones house is sure to upset the neighbourhood. Connecting them both up to eachother was seamless, having one as the host and the secondary feeding from the other.

To fine tune your audio to your liking you’ll need to use the app.

Being a portable speaker, the Soundboks Go comes with a mighty battery – 99W.

Removable from the speaker, the charge up time is not quick – a painful 3+ hours. So you’ll want to prepare earlier if you’re going to use the Soundboks Go away from home.

This said, once fully charged you’ll get a very impressive 40+ hours providing you’re not at full volume. If you do opt to crank it, you’ll get around 10 hours.

In all I managed to squeeze over 56 hours from a full charge – this was of course at differing levels.

The Soundboks Go outputs superior max audio like no other bluetooth portable speaker can and given the longevity of the battery life you’re going to be the life of the party for longer, anywhere.

For some, the only downer may be the price tag.

The post Soundboks Go Bluetooth Speaker Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Hey Skullcandy, drop me a beat.

Music for your ears since 2003, Skullcandy has been making audio products to use on the go.

Knowing that we mostly use our headphones, earbuds and music streaming services when out and about Skullcandy have created Bluetooth earbuds so you can escape the grind and immerse yourself in to your playlists,

Aptly named Skullcandy Grind True Wireless they’ve taken turned up the volume by adding smarts to the buds.

Voice controlled specific to the buds you can say your commands with ‘Hey Skullcandy …’ Start music, turn volume up or down, answer a call and with Skull I.Q. software as a part of the app for your smartdevice the Grind buds will learn and adapt to you.

And like any good smart assistant the Skullcandy Grind True Wireless buds are always prepped and ready once set up.

If having as brief convo with your Skullcandy smart assistant isn’t appropriate at the time, or just plain not for you, either earbud has tactile buttons to control your audio and calls.

It’s also within the Skullcandy app you can adjust the audio output to your liking, pumping up the bass.

I tried using voice command in a busy environment to see just how intuitive the Grind buds are. They heard and enacted every command, never missing a beat.

This is made possible by each bud having dual noise cancelling microphones and this also sets the perfect clarity experienced with handsfree calling.

Noise canceling can be toggled on or off, if say you’re in a hectic city street and need to hear your surroundings,

Skullcandy want you to keep your phone in your pocket or bag as much as possible so they added Spotify tap. This is exactly what it sounds like. One tap on a earbud and Spotify is good to go.

The Grind earbuds can be used in mono mode (one bud only) and can share your audio to another set of Grind’s.

The life of the Grind is damn good.

The earbuds themselves will give you around 9 hours constant use. A total of 40 hours when included with the charging case.

Rapid charge will see you right from zero to 2 hours use from a 10 minute charge.

Myself wearing both the charge case and buds down, I gave them a rapid charge of 10 minutes and then streamed Spotify for the said 2 hours. After this they still had 17% charge in them, which I estimate could have given me another 1 or 2 hours. Possibly more.

But there’s no wireless charging – you’ll need to cable.

The Skullcandy Grind True Wireless are the earbuds that you’ll never lose. Skullcandy added a Tile locator chip inside so you can find and track your buds if you misplace them.

Comfy to wear and a snug fit the Skullcandy Grind True Wireless buds have a lot going on and stay on, likely being the only bluetooth earbuds out there can keep up with you.

Priced at well under $200 (NZD) they offer alot more than more expensive competitors and with  Mother’s Day coming around the corner it might be time to replace your Mum’s headphones that were ‘cool’ in her day and bring her in to the future of on the go audio with Skullcandy Grind True Wireless earbuds.

The post Skullcandy Grind True Wireless Earbud Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Life of the party? Sure, or BE the party wherever you are with a lightshow and booming bass pumping out from the JBL Partybox 110.

A moderately sized, but still portable boom box of a bluetooth speaker has been designed to be the soundtrack to your hoedown in nearly every environment and condition.

Rated at IPX4, the JBL Partybox 110 is splash proof. So if rain dampens the parade, you should be all good. If someones water bomb plunge in the pool is way too impressive, it can handle a splash or two.

Just don’t party underwater.

The design of the JBL Partybox 110 sees you being able to mount your smartphone on top of the speaker which connects via Bluetooth and ultimately becomes the controller for the speaker.

The builtin lighting array is fully customisable and synchronises with the JBL smartphone app which will pulse and change to the music, giving off the right ambience at night fluidly motioning around the two 5 inch subs and two tweeters.

JBL’s Partybox 110 has a few ports too.

You can plug in a mic for those embarrassing karaoke sessions or a guitar to broadcast your own jams.

This also makes the JBL Partybox 110 your ultimate portable DJ for events, whereby you can pump up the jam, cut the music and MC via microphone.

The builtin bass boost will get the floor vibrating and those dishes rattling in your cupboard and as for volume… wow. Sure the JBL Partybox 110 is not a small Bluetooth speaker, but it’s not an overly big one either – but it dwarf’s its own size by the extreme booming it can belt out – up to 160 watts.

During my time with the Partybox 110 as tempted as I was to rank up the volume much to the probable annoyance of immediate neighbours, I turned it up enough to be able to hear it from the end of my driveway. That was nowhere near full tilt.

This makes this speaker super excellent for larger halls and venues and of course large open outside areas.

I did the same in an enclosed space (bedroom) at same volume. It was too loud and my entire house was vibrating. A teenagers dream bluetooth speaker.

JBL have built an astoundingly powerful one-stop party machine with the Partybox 110, but they didn’t just stop there.

You’ll get up to 12 hours of life from full charge, so there’s no need to stop the rock. But be prepared if the speaker is dead flat – a full charge up takes over 3 hours (you can use AC power though).

The speaker also has USB and other than streaming music from a drive or stick you can also keep your phone or tablet charged (this will decrease your overall battery lifetime of the speaker).

As for overall portability, the JBL Partybox 110 is perhaps not something you’d want to use as a on-the-run boom box. It’s definitely a place to place to speaker, weighing in at 10kgs.

JBL will truly have you partying hard, indoors, outdoors, anywhere and with 12 hours of life the JBL Partybox 110 will likely outlast the crowd.

The post JBL Partybox 110 Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Splash it, pocket it and go. JBL have released their JBL Go 3 portable speaker that’s small on size but packs a punch on sound.

The ultra-loud mini-boombox connects to your smartdevice via Bluetooth and transforms any mundane moment in to a literal on-the-go party.

Playout your greatest hits at the beach, when you’re going for a walk, around the house or annoy other folk on public transport.

When the review unit came in to STG’s office, I wasn’t expecting much.

But as I’ve learned through decades of reviewing never judge something on its appearance.

The JBL Go 3’s audio prowess and deep bass knocks the likes of Ultimate Ears’ portables to the side-line on both quality and price. Colour me impressed.

This tiny yet beefy Bluetooth speaker is able to fill a room with super clear audio.

A mix of hard wearing fiber and rubber casing ensures that the JBL Go 3 can take a few knocks and spills. It is rated as IP67 waterproof – so don’t the rain dampen your one-person rock out.

The JBL Go 3 recharges via a USB-C port with up to 5 hours of continuous use. A full charge up will take about 2 to 2.5 hours.

From a full charge when the device first came in I was able to get around 4 hours total at a mid-volume setting.

Then, oddly, after another full charge at same volume level, just over 6 hours.

Volume controls are placed on the side of the JBL Go 3  with power and Bluetooth connect on the underside.

Simple to connect, simplicity in use the JBL Go 3 is for everyone to get in to the mix and go.

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