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JBL · Speaker

JBL

Excellent8.5/10

American audio brand under Harman, spanning cheap earbuds and party speakers to pro studio monitors.

Founded
1946
From
United States
HQ
Northridge, United States
Owned by
Harman International, owned by Samsung since 2017
Made in
Mostly China
www.jbl.com

Speaker

Good8.5/10Mid-range

JBL is the default recommendation for portable Bluetooth speakers, with the 2025 Flip 7 and Charge 6 regularly topping reviewers' lists for sound, toughness and battery life. It is stocked everywhere and often on sale. The main drawbacks are a bass-heavy default sound and a split between older and newer multi-speaker systems.

Good at

  • Flip and Charge are benchmark portable Bluetooth speakers
  • Rugged, waterproof designs with long battery life
  • Auracast multi-speaker linking on 2025 models
  • Huge range from Go and Clip up to PartyBox

Weak at

  • Bass-forward sound can crowd vocals
  • New Auracast models can't link with older PartyBoost ones
  • Cheapest models sound basic
Reliability
Value
Features
Service & warranty
FlipChargeClipGoXtremeBoomboxPartyBox

Best for: Most people wanting a tough portable speaker at a fair price

nzauukushk

Speaker brands in New Zealand

JBL is #2 of 11, best rated first.

#BrandRatingPriceDetails
1KEFUnited Kingdom8.5/10GoodPremium
2JBLUnited States8.5/10GoodMid-range
3EdifierChina8/10GoodBudget
4BoseUnited States8/10GoodPremium
5Ultimate EarsUnited States8/10GoodMid-range
6SonosUnited States8/10GoodPremium
7SoundcoreChina7.5/10GoodBudget
8Bang & OlufsenDenmark7.5/10GoodLuxury
9MarshallUnited Kingdom7.5/10GoodPremium
10SonyJapan7/10GoodMid-range
11CreativeSingapore7/10GoodBudget

Researched September 2026 from public reviews, consumer groups and retailer listings, and summarised by hand — ratings are a judgement, not a lab score. Check current reviews and local retailers before you buy.