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This is going to be perhaps the toughest versus video I've made yet, so lets get to it. JBL Flip 4 vs the Sony XB20. these are both small bluetooth speakers, and if you're going off to college in the next few weeks having a portable bluetooth speaker like these is pretty clutch. So which is right for you? lets find out. Don't forget to like, comment and subscribe.
Matter a fact, I'm going to do a give away. If this video gets over 5 thousand likes i’ll select one winner and send them their choice of speaker. Just be subscribed, like the video, share the video, and comment below whats your favorite album right now. I’m pretty hooked on Jay-Z’s 4:44 Album right now.
So both of these speakers retail for $100 and they come in various color ways. The JBL Flip 4 was released earlier in the year and comes in black, blue, gray, red, teal, and white. The Sony XB20 also has a few color ways, Black, Blue, Gray, and Red. I wish they made a green version like the XB950N1 head phones, I think that would look sick. If you want to pick either of these speakers up I’ll have links in the description below and I’ll keep them updated so you can get the best deal possible.
Sizewise, these speakers are very similar. But the Sony XB20 is just slightly longer and a little thicker, but the difference is basically negligible. You can only lay the Sony XB20 flat, but the JBL Flip 4 gives you the option of also standing it on its side. They both have a micro usb port and AUX jack on the back. Both of these speakers have control buttons and they are both very easy to use and have great tactile feed back. you can control your music playback, adjust the volume, answer and end calls, and even activate siri from either of these speakers. But oddly enough, you cant go back a track on the JBL Flip 4 by triple pressing the Triangle button, but you can go back a track with the Sony XB20 by triple pressing the Play pause button. Its not a big deal but it is a minor annoyance. Both of these speakers have soft touch rubber on them but the JBL flip 4 has a nylon mesh weave covering the majority of the body while the Sony XB20 has a painted metal grill in front of its speakers. Although the metal grill looks great, I'm afraid that if you bump it too much it'll get dented and the paint will chip. But for the same price as the JBL Flip 4 the Sony XB20 also has a light up feature. It cant change colors like the larger XB30 or XB40 but it does look good. But concerning durability, its going to have to go to the JBL Flip 4. Also, the JBL Flip has nylon rope too so you can just tie it to your back pack if you're taking it on the go. Its acutely come in handy. And the JBL Flip 4 also has a little fuel gauge on the back so you can see your current battery status at a glance. The XB20 dosnt have a fuel gauge so you have to press and hold the phone button on the top to get a verbal read out.
Both of these speakers can also pair to other speakers in their respective product line ups. The Flip 4 can connect to other JBL Connect plus enabled speakers and the Sony XB20 can connect to other sony speakers. You can connect up to 10 sony speakers together and you can connect up to 100 JBL speakers together. Obviously you're not going to connect 100 JBL Speakers together, but it would be pretty cool if you did.
Concerning the tech inside, both of these speakers are using bluetooth 4.2. so you can be paired to multiple devices at one time and it makes switching between devices super easy. But the range on these speakers is very different. the Sony XB20 has a range of about 40 feet and the connection will struggle if there are a few walls between you and your phone. the JBL Flip 4 on the other hand has a range of around 100 feet and I've noticed it takes more walls between the Flip 4 and your phone to actually cause any connection issues. Battery life is also very different between the XB20 and the Flip 4. In my testing i found the XB20 had a 9 hour battery life with the music set at 50% volume, the light show turned on, and the extra bass feature turned on too. If you listen to the XB20 at a lower volume with the light feature turned off you'll be able to squeeze out a 12 hour battery life. JBL on the other hand over delivers, they advertise a battery life of 12 hours but I usually get a solid 14 or 15 hours out of my JBL flip 4. Both of these speakers charge via a micro USB cable so you don't have to worry about proprietary cables on either of these speakers. Both of these speakers aren't afraid of a little water. both speakers will be just fine if you splash them. But the Sony XB20 is IPX 5 certified while the JBL Flip 4 is IPX 7 certified. This means the JBL Flip 4 can be submerged under water with out any issues while the XB20 cant.
Now, when it comes to sound quality both of these speakers sound really good. both speakers only shoot out sound through the front. although at first glance you might think the JBL Flip 4 has 360 degree sound but it doesn’t. The JBL Flip 4 has passive radiators on either side of the device that delivers crisp and powerful bass. The XB20 has a small opening on the back of the device that lets out a little bass too.
But the funny thing is, even though the Sony XB20 boasts an extra bass feature, the JBL Flip 4 has a little more bass than the XB20, which is a little ironic and funny. But when it comes to sound quality I have to give it to the Sony XB20, although the JBL flip 4 does get a little louder, the XB20 sounds a little crisper, theres less distortion when the volume is cracked all the way up, the sound stage is wider, and theres just this depth to the sound that i feel sony does very well. but this is only stuff you'll be able to notice if you listen to these speakers back to back like i can.
Both of these speakers also have companion apps that let you update the speakers, manage settings, and help you though the set up process when pairing multiple speakers together. You really don't need to use JBL’s companion app that much, but sony’s app is a little different. Sony’s app allows you to swtich between EQ’s and you can adjust the light feature on the XB20. You can pick between rave, chill and strobe. personally I like to keep mine on chill cause i think it looks the best.
So, when it comes down to it which should you get. even though I really like the Sony XB20 cause it sounds slightly better and the light up feature is pretty cool I know the majority of the people will be better off with the JBL flip 4. the JBL flip 4 is slightly more durable, has a better range, has a much longer battery life, and its IPX 7 certified. I might not be the biggest fan of JBL’s headphones but they make some really great speakers.