Audio, Reviews

JBL Pulse Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review – #HearTheTruth

March 2014

The JBL Pulse wireless Bluetooth speaker is definitely a showstopper. But how's the sound quality and build? Check the review for features.

I’m sure you’ve seen all types of wireless speakers everywhere. It’s becoming a bit harder to pick and choose. While you can always go for trusted name brands, they also have a lineup of speakers. One trusted brand is JBL. They are known for quality audio products. I’m reviewing the JBL Pulse Wireless Bluetooth Speaker.

JBL Pulse Design

The design on the JBL Pulse is the familiar pill-like shape. The ends are flat. It allows you to stand the speaker up vertically. It also has one flat side to allow you to lay it horizontally. The metal mesh build of the Pulse is a very sturdy quality build. JBL has more inexpensive options such as the Flip. But once you look at the Pulse, you will see that you pick this speaker for more than the audio quality. The JBL Pulse has lights under the mesh build (think of a colorful equalizer), that light up along with the music.

Check out our review of the JBL Pulse 3 Wireless Speaker HERE

On the flat side of the speaker you have the micro USB charging port, the 3.5 mm auxiliary input and the battery indicator light. The top flat side has the power button, Bluetooth button, volume (plus and minus) buttons, and color dot buttons for the light show.

Buy the JBL Pulse Wireless Speaker from JBL or Amazon.com

Experience

Sound

I always expect quality sound from JBL. That’s because of the years they have in the business and the pricing. The Pulse has great sound. It’s loud for its size. When you go to the loudest level, the bass gets a little flat. But I expect that from every portable speaker. The sound barely distorts at high levels, which was very impressive.

It can fill my small living room quite well at 70% volume. That’s a great level to enjoy the music without losing sound or without the music getting distorted. Even if it does get a flat at the loudest levels, the Pulse still has decent bass, for its size especially. It has the clarity of most wireless speakers that size.

VIEW: JBL Synchros S700 Headphones Review

Light Show

If you have taken a look at the JBL Pulse, you know that the main attraction is the light show. That’s the main differentiating factor of this speaker from the rest out there. The light show is behind the grille mesh of the speaker that makes the speaker glow along side the music. While many say it’s a gimmick, and it kind of is; it’s a good gimmick.

I am not afraid to admit that I just love the light show. It gets my attention every time. The Pulse’s light show isn’t just some crappy lights that flicker on and off. It’s on point with the songs’ beats and you can use the JBL MusicFlow app to create your own light themes, or you can use the light theme button that is on the speaker itself. It has a button that has 5 preset shows, but you can do a bit more by downloading the app. Of course when using the light show, the battery life will decrease. You can expect that.

Check out our review of the JBL Link 20 with Google Assistant HERE

JBL MusicFlow App

With the JBL MusicFlow app you can mess around with the light show and reassign the presets. The 5 presets are Rainbow, Equalizer, Club, Chill, and Fog.

Download the JBL MusicFlow App HERE (FREE For iOS only)

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Overall

If the light show isn’t important to you, you can get the JBL Flip. But the light show will definitely be a conversation piece at parties. The JBL Pulse is a great party speaker, that can be minimalistic (when you turn off the light show) or the life of the party. It may be a little pricey for some, but you’re getting a quality brand speaker. Overall you will get a well-built speaker with great sound for small gatherings and areas. The JBL Pulse is a great mix of sound and personality. It’s definitely a show stealer.