The JBL Xtreme 3 is a tough act to follow, but the Xtreme 4's 30-hour battery, AI smarts, and gorgeous, clear sound make it 2024's Bluetooth speaker to beat.
JBL Xtreme 4 MSRP $380.00 Score Details “The JBL Xtreme 4's bold and sweet sound, boundary-pushing battery, and rugged design make it the premium Bluetooth speaker to beat this year.” Pros Cons I spend a ton of time at the beach in the summer. And while at first glance my huge, thatched Billabong hat, mirrored sunnies, and oversized Yeti may scream beach bum, make no mistake: I am hard at work.
The JBL Xtreme 4 could be the best Bluetooth speaker of the year for its class, but is it worth its $380 price? It’s a tough job, I know, but I logged a lot of beach time to find out. A quick-start guide in the box gives you everything you need to know about the Xtreme 4, including how to pair it with your phone or other devices, which is dead simple. I didn’t even need to put the speaker into pairing mode — I just opened my phone’s Bluetooth preferences and it found it and paired it. Re-pairing is easy enough as well by holding down the dedicated Bluetooth button on the speaker.
The Xtreme 4 is about the size of a rugby ball at 11.7 inches long by 5.9 inches tall by 5.5 inches deep. And it’s not heavy but feels substantial and sturdy for its size at just 4.6 pounds. Hanging from my shoulder during the slogs to and from the beach, or wherever else I trekked with it, didn’t bother me in the least.
Speakers, power, and controls Behind the Xtreme 4’s mesh covering and JBL logo sit four drivers, just as they did in the Xtreme 3. That includes two 2.75-inch woofers and two 0.75-inch tweeters, and then of course on both sides of the speaker sits a single 2.75-inch bass radiator also brandishing the JBL exclamation mark logo.
This brings us to another new addition to the Xtreme 4 : Auracast. The new Bluetooth technology allows, among many other things, the Xtreme 4 to connect to an unlimited number of other JBL devices with Auracast to create a bigger sound profile and even a multiroom setup. You can also use it to create a stereo pair with another Xtreme 4, and the speaker will still connect to older PartyBoost-capable JBL speakers through the handy JBL Portable app.
Sound and performance There are definitely speakers out there that cost less, are more powerful, and offer more features than the Xtreme 4, but few have even come close to sounding as good as this speaker has. The JBL Xtreme 4 is the best-sounding Bluetooth speaker I’ve heard all year. The Xtreme 4 performs really well across all these EQ presets and caters to the dynamics of the songs you’re playing, as a good speaker should. This may be because of the new AI tech that JBL has put into the Xtreme 4 — AI Sound Boost — that the company says, “analyzes audio in real time with an AI algorithm to optimize the acoustic output level, leading to more powerful and crystal-clear sound.”
The Energetic preset does just that: adds some sparkle with a lower-mid boost, and Vocal goes ever further with the increased mids and reduced highs to bring vocals to the forefront if you really like to hear the lyrics. Tracks like the Flaming Lips’ Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and the Beatles’ Blackbird sound beautiful on these settings. And don’t get me started on Eilish’s track The Greatest — a soaring, atmospheric gem soaked in reverb that the Xtreme 4 just loved.
Best Bluetooth Speakers Bluetooth Speakers JBL JBL Xtreme 3 JBL Xtreme 4
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