JBL’s new speaker line wants to make you feel like the DJ of your own living room — or the great outdoors. There’s something for everyone here.
JBL announced today several new speakers to its portables category, including the Xtreme 3 ($US350 ($474)), Go 3 ($US40 ($54)), and Clip 4 ($US70 ($95)). And the company has also announced two new additions to its souped-up, light show-syncing, big boy speaker line-up with the all-new PartyBox On-the-Go ($US300 ($407)) and the PartyBox 300 ($US500 ($678)), both of which will be available for purchase on October 25 in the U.S.
Editor’s Note: Stay tuned for local Australian pricing and availability.
JBL launched its PartyBox speaker line less than two years ago with a focus specifically on entertaining. Starting at around $US350 ($474), existing speakers in this line are engineered for peak partying: They come with built-in light shows, they’re built for extended battery life with Bluetooth support, and they’re equipped for plug-and-play jam and karaoke sessions. The new and more mobile-friendly PartyBox On-the-Go unit comes with a goddamn bottle opener, for god’s sake.
The On-the-Go, now the smallest and most affordable of options in this line, is splash-proof with an IPX4 rating, allows for multi-unit pairing, promises up to six hours of battery life, and supports 100 watts of Pro Sound. A wireless mic is included, as is a padded shoulder strap. The PartyBox 310, meanwhile, supports 240 watts of Pro Sound, up to 18 hours of battery life, an IPX4 splash-proof rating, wireless mic and guitar inputs, and vocal-tuning. A compatible JBL PartyBox app can also be used to control the speaker’s music and lighting. Both speakers can be paired with a separate unit.
You may not be the kind of person who necessarily needs or even wants this kind of Bluetooth experience — and that’s perfectly fine. God knows not everyone needs to feel like Diplo when connecting to a Bluetooth speaker, and JBL makes a number of affordable portables as well — particularly if you’re looking in the budget range. The waterproof and dust-proof Clip 4, for example — which has a new, and frankly better, carabiner design from the Clip 3 — will get you up to 10 hours of playtime. The Go 3, while also dust- and waterproof, will get you up to five hours on a single charge — though that’ll largely depend on your listening habits and environment.
The Go 3 goes on sale in October, while the Xtreme 3 and Clip 4 will roll out in November and December, respectively.
Additionally, JBL is introducing new lightweight, in-ear headphones to its gaming line with the JBL Quantum 50 ($US30 ($41)). Two new models of true wireless headphones will also join JBL’s 2020 lineup, including the latest in its Club Series, the Club Pro+ ($US200 ($271)) — currently one of the most expensive true wireless options offered by the brand — and its Endurance Peak II ($US100 ($136)), a waterproof model with up to 30 hours of playtime between continuous play and backup power from the charging case.
All three will be available in select regions beginning October 25.