JBL Xtreme 2 Review
With good sound systems in your house, you can relax and enjoy music freely. A party speaker is simply the best for multiple purposes! While you can choose from various party speakers manufactured by different renowned companies, we suggest browsing through JBL’s lineup.
JLB by Harman is one of the most reliable American companies for audio systems and audio assistance. Their headphones and speakers are at par with the likes of market leaders such as Bose. If you’re looking for party speakers, JBL’s Xtreme 2 is one of the company’s best products.
Where to Buy?
| Seller | Price |
|---|---|
| Amazon | Check Price |
Product Specifications
- Dimensions – 3 x 5.4 x 5.2 inches
- Weight –28 lbs
- Waterproof – IPX7 rating. Sustains under 1.5m water immersion.
- Battery Type – Lithium Polymer
- Battery Life – 10000 mAh, 15 hours of 3.5 hours of charge.
- Charging Type – AC Adaptor
- Bluetooth Version –2
- Frequency Response – 55-20,000Hz
- Signal to Noise – 80 dB
- Warranty – 1-year limited warranty
Design and Build Quality
The speaker’s design preference is a subjective matter. If you’re looking for a small portable Bluetooth speaker, the JBL Xtreme 2 might not be your favorite. However, if you’re looking for reliable dedicated party speakers, this product might win your heart.
Design
The speaker is not built to fool anybody with its design. It is chunky, huge, and built like a concrete tank. The JBL Xtreme 2 looks like an expanded version of the company’s Charge 4. The JBL Xtreme 2 is made to look like a giant boombox speaker with wireless functionality.
The speaker is shaped like a barrel with stereo woofers on each side. The cylindrical shape is covered with a formidable fabric grille. The fabric is nylon-based and built for durability and ruggedness.
The bottom side features rubberized feet for stability and motion absorption. They keep the speaker from rolling around on the surface and disturbing the sound quality. You will also find the battery power indicator in the bottom panel.
The top panel features two metallic loops. They are used to attach the stapes included with the speaker for convenient toting.
Along with the loops, the top panel also includes the control panel. The control panel includes
- The central power button along with the connectivity to Connect + app button.
- The Bluetooth pairing button and the volume down button on the left side.
- The play/pause button along with the volume down button on the right side.
The play/pause button doubles as the voice assistance button. The lack of track navigation buttons is a major drawback of the JBL Xtreme 2.
The back panel includes a shutting compartment for the USB charging port, power adaptor, micro-USB service poet, and the 3.5mm headphone jack. To preserve the speaker’s waterproof aspect, this compartment is very tight and could be difficult to open at times.
Weatherization and Durability
One thing we like about the JBL Xtreme 2 is its weatherization. The speaker has an IPX7 rating. Therefore, even if it submerges into the water, it will be okay up to the depth of 1.5m. Even if the speaker stays submerged in that dept for about 30 minutes, it will be okay. However, it might not hold up if it falls to the bottom of a pool and stays there for more than a few minutes.
The speaker’s rugged exterior is great for protecting it from extreme weather conditions and allows it to be quite shock-proof. The rubber legs and coating allow the speaker to have a good grip and enjoy stable durability.
Size and Portability
The JBL Xtreme 2 is marketed as a portable part speaker. Since it comes with portability bands and dedicated band hooks, it does seem to be a portable speaker at a glance. However, it is so huge that you wouldn’t want to carry it around, especially if you’re looking to pack light.
The speaker is not great for stashing into hand luggage to take on weekend trips. Its massive size might not make it suitable to even place in some small living rooms. One thing is clear, JBL has not gone for design and size neutrality to please a massive crowd with this product. It is built for a specific group of people who would do anything for great sound.
Sound Connectivity
You can get good audio output through the JBL Xtreme 2 through various connectivity options.
- Bluetooth: This speaker rocks Bluetooth 4.2 with the default SVC codex. The connectivity is well established within the 30-feet limit. There are very low latency and delay, which is especially important if you’re using it to play videos.
- Headphones: It is less likely for anyone to use party speakers to listen to audio through headphones. In fact, having the 3.5mm aux output is quite surprising. However, added audio output options is not a problem.
- Other Devices: You can connect the JBL Xtreme 2 wirelessly to other JBL speakers through the JBL Connect + app.
JBL Connect + App
To set up the device, you can connect the speaker to the JBL Connect + app. This app provides several advantages such as:
- Speaker personalization.
- Connectivity to other JBL devices.
- Voice Assistant activation and configuration.
- Volume and track regulation from your smartphone.
Even though the app serves several functions, there are some major drawbacks to it.
- The app is very rudimentary.
- Adding devices might take time.
- There are no equalizer settings in the app.
Microphone
There is no doubt that the JBL Xtreme 2 wins all the brownie points regarding microphone quality. If you have connected the speaker to your phone and happen to get a call, you don’t have to unpair your devices to take the call. The built-in microphone offers great speakerphone functionality.
The microphone catches crisp sounds from up to 20 feet and almost any angle. When you speak to someone through the speaker’s microphone, they might find your voice a bit tinny, but it doesn’t make a lot of difference. The noise cancellation is decent, considering that it is not the primary purpose of any party speaker.
The mic is primarily used to control the voice assistant features. The interface will properly receive your commands with none to zero disturbances.
Battery
Most companies hesitate in making their Bluetooth-powered party speakers. The reason is quite simple – it is not easy to include a battery in a portable speaker while upholding performance and lightweight.
JBL took charge and went ahead, powering their massive JBL Xtreme 2 speakers with a Lithium Polymer battery. There are mostly only raises for this step taken by the company. The battery-powered function allows the speaker to be truly wireless and portable. However, the portability is hindered due to the battery’s size and weight.
The battery is rechargeable through the AC input port situated in the shut-off compartment at the speaker’s back. The problem with charging the speaker is the fact that you require the included in the package. The giant AC adapter can be very inconvenient to carry.
It almost makes no sense for the speaker to have a 1000 mAh battery, which requires the dedicated charger instead of allowing a 1000 mAh battery pack to be added separately.
The battery can be completely charged within 3.5 hours, which doesn’t seem like a bad deal. It is expected to provide 15 hours of playtime. But surprisingly, you can squeeze up to 17 hours with the optimum and effective playing options.
The best thing about the massive battery is that you can charge your other devices through the USB port at the back of the speaker.
Sound Quality
Now that we’ve covered all of the party speaker’s secondary features, let us look at its primary function – sound delivery. As we mentioned while discussing the speaker’s portability, JBL did not aim to please the crow with its appearance with this speaker. The company focused on delivering good sound through the speakers, and it shows through the audio performance.
Bass
When you take a fleeting look at the JBL Xtreme 2 speaker, you can expect to hear some aggressive bass. However, that is not the case. The speaker can deliver quality, deep, and powerful bass, but it is not overpowering. Therefore, the sound balance is great.
The front panel of the speaker includes two sound radiators. They function to amplify the bass output making it even more crisp and punchy. The coherent and measures bass is one of the best things about the speaker’s sound quality.
If you like punchy bass but not the kind that overlooks all other audio sounds, you will like this speaker. You will enjoy the light bass in acoustic songs along with the heavy bass in EMD music.
Mids
Mids are often ignored by most audio equipment manufacturers, no matter their reputation and product quality. However, good mids account for superior sound quality. When a speaker offers good mids, you will be able to hear the clear difference between the bass and the melodies and enjoy music to its highest quality.
JBL is known to be notorious for killing mids. However, the company seems to have become very tasteful with the JBL Xtreme 2. This party speaker allows for crisp mids, making each sound distinguishable.
If you’re a fan of vocal music, you will love the quality of this speaker’s mids. Each note sounds extremely rich, clean, and crisp through this speaker.
Treble
When you look at a speaker as rugged as the JBL Xtreme 2, you do not expect a good treble out of it. Such speakers are made for high-bass performance. However, you will be amazed at how well-rounded the JBL Xtreme 2 is when you hear its treble delivery.
The JBL Xtreme 2 delivers a very gentle yet clean and clear treble. The speaker’s construction adds only a tiny granular and huskiness to the treble, but that is acceptable owing to a speaker of this size.
You can hear the kick drums and the metallic snares to their full potential through this speaker. The JBL Xtreme 2 leaves no room for juvenile sound imbalances and impurities.
Stereo Sound Quality
One of the biggest highlights of the speaker’s audio performance is its powerful stereo woofers. These woofers are perfect for enhancing the sounds of every range within an audio piece. They help create a large sound environment within the room.
The stereo speakers are also perfectly balanced and well-integrated and allow each sound to hold its own. No two sections get muffled or imperfect through this speaker. It is surprising how delicate and realistic this rugged speaker can sound. The speakers are perfect for making the audio sound pure and simple.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Excellent party speaker with good volume
- Clean and balanced sound with solid bass
- Rich sound with crisp highs
- IPX7 rating for strong weatherization
- Voice activation features
- Clear speakerphone functionality
- Good battery life
Cons
- Bass is not ‘Xtreme’ as some users might expect
- Lack of track navigation buttons
Final Verdict
When you’re looking for party speakers, the most important thing you want to note is the speaker’s sound output. The JBL Xtreme 2 is perfect for anyone who cares for the sound over anything else.
When it comes to the portability of the product, calling it a portable speaker seems redundant. Yes, the speaker can be toted; and yes, it is battery-powered. However, the sheer size doesn’t have a desirable portability option, no matter the portability features. With a durable build and good battery life, the JBL Xtreme 2 can hold up for a long time.
