Get Them Here
⚡️🔋 Anker Prime Base: https://geni.us/GC-AnkerPrimeBase
JBL Clip 5: https://geni.us/GC-JBLClip5
JBL Go 5: https://geni.us/GC-JBLGo5
So just like the JBL Xtreme 5, the JBL Go 5 is here much sooner than I expected. And when compared to the JBL Go 4, the JBL go 5 is larger, its louder and it also have a built in light feature. Overall, the JBL go 5 gets the job done, but today we’re going to check it out and we’re going to compare it to the JBL Clip 5 and lets see if its worth it to you to upgrade.
Regarding pricing, the JBL Go 5 has a retail price of $55, which is pretty up there for a speaker of this size and it is a price increase when compared to the JBL Go 4 which has a retail price of $50. Where as with the JBL Clip 5, this speaker has a retail price of $80, but it does like to go on sale for $60. Nonetheless, if you want to pick either of these two speakers up they’ll be linked down below, or you can always press on the YouTube shopping button, and if you want to further support the channel then you can always watch some of the related videos in the description down below and you can always press the subscribe button as well.
So first theres the design of these speakers, now both of these speakers are small so they are very easy to take on the go with you. They both have a fabicr wrapped body so they feel both durable and premium and both of these speakers are water proof so you can take them to the beach or pool and not have to worry about them. However, when it comes to attach ability, these speakers are very different. With the Go 5, this speaker has a loop, however this loop is not very elastic, so I feel that attaching this speaker to your backpack might be a challenge. I really think the Go 5 should have come included with a careener instead of a light feature. But regardless, the Go 5 is so small you can just through it into your back or even hood pocket. Where as with the Clip 5, as the name implies, you can clip this speaker on to things cause this speaker does have a built in carabiner. However if you’re going to attach either of these speakers to lets say your bike’s handlebars then you are going to have to get a little creative.
But Now another thing to keep in mind with the durability of these speakers is their USB C port, these USB C ports are exposed, and if you plan on taking these speakers to the beach or pool on a regular basis and you know that they are going to get wet, before you can charge them, they have to be dry first, or else your indicator light is going to start blinking. I feel that if you’re looking for a speaker for the pool, maybe you’ll might want to look at something that has a grommet for the ports, plus with these exposed USB C ports, you do run the risk of corrosion.
But then there’s the light feature on this speaker, like I mentioned earlier, I would have preferred a carabeaner over this light feature. Now through JBL’s app you can go in and choose from a few different lighting modes. And personally I don’t think that this light feature is all that impressive and its not color changing. But at least it can be somewhat useful cause if you have this speaker hanging from your backpack at night, then at least people can see you if you’re walking on the street or riding your scooter. But overall, I think JBL is adding very pointless light features to their new speakers. And im willing to bet that the Clip 6 is also going to have a light feature… but at least the light feature on the Clip 6 and Go 5 can make themselves a little useful.
Now when it comes to battery life, the JBL Go 5 has an advertised battery life of 10 hours, which seems impressive, but that’s with this speaker playing with its Playtime boost feature turned on which is going to severely reduce its bass. For the best sound quality you want to use this speaker with play time boost turned off, and at which point this speaker has an advertised battery life of 8 hours while at 50% Volume.
Where as with the Clip 5, this speaker has an advertised battery life of 12 hours and with its playtime boost turned on, it can go for as long as 15 hours. So overall, the JBL Clip 5 does have a significantly longer battery life than the JBL Go 5. And to charge these speakers, they both charge via a USB C port, as they should. However these USB C ports are strictly used for chargning, you can’t use them as a wired connection and you can’t use them to charge your own devices, which is okay for these speakers.
But another important thing here is, with the Go 5, this speaker does not come included with a USB C cable, where as the Clip 5 does. However I think that its safe to say that the Clip 6 will also not come included with a USB C port. And again I would rather have a USB C port than a light feature on the Go 5.
But when it comes to bluetooth connectivity, both of these speakers can be connected to any two bluetooth devices at the same time so you and a friend can both be DJ and latency is not an issue for these speakers so you can use them to watch videos with on your phone.
But with all of that out of the way, lets talk about sound. Regarding speaker set up the JBL Go 5 has a frontward firing 45 millimeter transducer with passive radiairots. Where as with the JBL Clip 5, this speaker just has a single frontward firing 45 transducer, but with the Clip 5, this speaker is rated at 7 watts where as the Go 5 is rated at 4.8 watts. And though JBL’s app you can go in and either choose from a few pre made EQ’s or you can make you own. But now we’re going to jump into the sound test, both of these speakers are playing at 75% volume with their stock eqs.
So when it comes to sound quality, the JBL Clip 5 does manage to sound a little more open than the Go 5 cause the instrumentals have more detail, and the vocals are a little more pronounced. Where as the Go 5 can sound a little warmer by comparison. But overall, the Go 5 sounds very imrepssive for its size. But the main difference between these speakers is going to be max volume performance. Now with the Go 5, this speaker does get noticeably louder than the Go 4… but overall with the Go 5, if you were to use it as 50% volume, its going to be good for like ambiance while you’re at home and if you’re going to use this speaker while you’re in the shower, or if you’re riding your bike or if you’re cleaning the house. You’re most likely going to have to use it at max volume on a regular basis. Where as with the Clip 5, this speaker gets notibcly louder, and I think 80% volume is an adequate volume when your outdoors, which also means your battery stamina is going to be better on the Clip 5 than with the Go 5.
And finally lets talk about pair these speakers up with other speakers, now with both of these speakers, if you have two of the exact same speakers then you can wirelessly pair them up and get them to play in left and right stereo mode. Now JBL calls this “Air Touch” on the Go 5, but its just stero pair. The important thing here is, you can not stero pair a Go 5 with a Go 4 they can only play in sync.
Now both of these speakers are using auracast, so you can pair them up together and get them to play in sync, or you can also pair them up to a Boombox 4 an Xtreme 4 or a Grip or to a clip or flip 7, charge 6 or Xtreme 5 and get them to all play in sync, and you can even pair them up to any of JBL’s larger party boxes that also have aura cast like lets say a Partybox encore 2, or to a Partybox 120, 320, 520, 720 or ultimate. But unfortunalty, you can not connect your JBL Go 5 or Clip 5 up to any of JBL’s older speakers that are using party boost. But overall, if you are planning on growing your collection of speakers, then JBL is a great option.
But with all of that being said, the JBL Go 5 is an incremental upgrade over the JBL Go 4. It gets a little louder and it has a little more bass. But other than that, its not all that different. Now the Go 5 does have a built in light feature now, but I think it would have been better if JBL added a more elastic loop, or a carabeaner with this speaker… and also the Go 5 no longer comes included with a USB C cable. The JBL Clip 5 still the better option here cause this speaker gets louder and sound more open than the Go 5. Also with the Clip 5, you can easily attach it to things thanks to the built in carabeaner. The only thing is, if you’re going to attach this speaker to your bike handlebars, then you’ll have to get creative.