New Article: Review of JBL Boombox 2 Audio System: Powerful Bass on Land and in Water

Almost any audio system from HARMAN, produced under the brand JBL, always features incredibly attractive design, unique capabilities, and of course, high sound quality. The latter is generally aimed at a young audience that prefers electronic music genres, pop music, rap, hip-hop, and other directions where bass is significant. There’s no hiding it – many love JBL primarily for its expressive bass, and only then for everything else.

Today, we have the true king of bass in our test lab! According to the manufacturer, the new audio system JBL Boombox 2 is one of the loudest boomboxes in JBL's line of speakers, featuring deep and powerful bass similar to that found in a good club's sound system. Additionally, you can take this speaker to the pool, as nothing will happen even if you pour water on it from a bucket and then 'accidentally' send it floating. Although diving with it is not recommended, the JBL Boombox 2 can withstand immersion up to one meter, which we will also test today.

⇡#What's in the Box

The speaker comes in a large cardboard box with handles for carrying on the sides. The box is quite heavy. We have two JBL Boombox 2 speakers, differing from each other in color.

The contents are quite simple. Along with the speaker in the box, we found the following accessories:

• power adapter;
• two detachable power cables of different standards;
• a printed user manual to get started with the device.

Perhaps, a transport case would have been useful for such a type of speaker, but it was not included. However, the new model is quite well protected from external influences, so the lack of this accessory is not critical.

⇡#Technical Specifications

* Average price on 'Yandex.Market' at the time of writing.

The JBL Boombox 2 features four speakers. Two of the woofers are a respectable 4 inches, while the tweeters are 0.75 inches. The sound output is more powerful when connected to mains power compared to running on battery. It's rare to find such an impressive speaker setup in a portable audio system of this size. However, the new model does weigh in at nearly six kilograms due to several factors, including the large woofers, the built-in battery with a capacity of 72.6 Wh, and its sturdy casing.

The casing, by the way, is sure to impress the owner of the JBL Boombox 2, as the speaker has an IPX7 rating, which means it can be briefly submerged in water up to a meter deep. Just as a reminder, this is not a pair of headphones or a small compact speaker that fits in your pocket, but a full-sized boombox. You can actually swim in the pool with it while listening to music. For this, you can easily forgive its larger weight.

Moreover, the new model sets records in terms of battery life. According to the manufacturer, the built-in lithium-ion battery allows the speaker to play continuously for up to 24 hours. The volume level is not specified, but we will try to find this out during testing. Additionally, the JBL Boombox 2 can serve as a portable charger: among its interfaces is a standard USB Type A port, to which you can connect a smartphone – a sound source that is likely to run out of charge before the speaker does.

The JBL Boombox connects via Bluetooth 5.1 and supports A2DP 1.3 and AVRCP 1.6 profiles. However, the manufacturer remains silent about codecs. Apparently, the speaker only works with the SBC codec. Additionally, a sound source can be connected to the JBL Boombox 2 using a standard 3.5 mm audio cable. If you have a second JBL Boombox 2 or any other JBL audio system compatible with PartyBoost technology nearby, you can combine the devices into a single system to increase output power twofold or more. There will be one sound source, but there can be an unlimited number of speakers. It’s hard to wish for anything more from a portable speaker. The JBL Boombox 2 has everything you need.

⇡#Appearance and ergonomics

The appearance of the JBL Boombox 2 is so bright and expressive that it’s impossible to walk by without pausing to take a look. The designers at HARMAN have worked hard on the new model, paying attention to the tiniest details. The speaker is available in two color schemes: a traditional black and a striking military-style finish. We received both versions for testing.

The speaker has an elongated barrel shape with slightly slanted ends and a robust carrying handle. The outer part of the casing is made of pleasantly smooth plastic with soft inserts in some areas. Specifically, the inside of the handle is made soft for more comfortable grip, and the sidewalls have protruding soft parts that provide protective functions for the passive radiators located on the sides. The latter do not have magnetic heads and only move due to air displacement inside the casing while the active speakers are operating.

All four active speakers are located on the front side of the barrel-shaped casing. The large low-frequency speakers are in the center, while the high-frequency speakers are on the edges. The casing is tightly wrapped in fabric with a coarse weave. The fabric seems to be glued to the casing since it doesn’t shift even when a considerable effort is applied. Overall, the quality of materials and craftsmanship of the JBL Boombox 2 gets a perfect score of ten out of ten. It is impossible to find even the slightest flaws or manufacturing defects.

The speaker rests on a large protruding stand made from a relatively soft material. The stand has a ribbed surface, which should prevent the speaker from sliding when placed on smooth wet surfaces like tiles around a pool.

The speaker also includes elements that serve purely decorative functions. For example, these are the large 'JBL' and '!' emblems located on the passive speakers, or the brand logos on the handle and front panel. However, most of the design is aimed at ensuring comfort in use or protecting the device from external influences.

The control panel next to the carrying handle consists of six short-stroke buttons, two of which are highlighted in a separate block with backlighting – these are the power button and the button for connecting to a sound source via Bluetooth. The other buttons are intended for adjusting the volume, connecting additional speakers using PartyBoost technology, and controlling playback. For the latter function, there is only one button: a single press starts or stops playback, while a double press skips to the next track. All buttons provide a crisp, pleasant press. At the very bottom of the front panel is a battery charge indicator in the form of a vertical glowing strip.

All wired interfaces of the JBL Boombox 2 are located on the back of the case. They are hidden behind a large rubber (or silicone) cover with three sealing contours. The cover tightly seals the interface panel, so there is no need to worry about waterproofing. Even if the cover is not fully closed, neither splashes nor a waterfall will damage the speaker. However, the chances of the cover accidentally opening are much higher in this case than if it were securely closed.

Behind the cover, there is a port for connecting the power adapter, a USB Type A port, a 3.5 mm mini-jack for wired connection to a sound source, and an additional Micro-USB interface for servicing the speaker.

A few words should be said about the power adapter, which for the JBL Boombox 2 features an elegant design with rounded edges. Unlike similar products that come with other speakers, this power adapter is simply pleasant to hold. The adapter's power is 100.8 W, so finding a comparable one in case of loss or damage will be challenging. Overall, the aggressive expressive design, the quality of craftsmanship, and the thoughtful arrangement of all components of the JBL Boombox 2 are deserving of the highest praise.

⇡#Testing

To unleash the full power of the JBL Boombox 2, we decided to head into the woods. To a rather remote area (by Moscow region standards), where there are no people within a kilometer radius. Of course, it's not nice to scare off the local wildlife with loud bass, but there was really no other way for us to truly test its maximum capabilities. We didn’t disturb the forest animals for long, as with the maximum volume that the JBL Boombox 2 can achieve, it's not easy to handle. This is truly the loudest portable speaker with the deepest bass we've ever heard. Meanwhile, the sound quality hardly changes with volume adjustments — even up to the maximum level. In any case, we didn't notice any difference. The only thing is that at high volume, the speaker gets quite hot — it's better not to place it in direct sunlight.

In this case, the low frequencies are quite soft but incredibly rich. When the speaker is operating indoors at high volume, it creates a pressure on your ears similar to that experienced from powerful club speakers. Any track takes on a bassy tone. If we were considering ordinary speakers, this would be a serious drawback, but in the case of the JBL Boombox 2, which is primarily designed for loud parties and outdoor excursions, this feature can confidently be considered one of its advantages.

However, the bass tuning does not mean that the mids and highs of the JBL Boombox 2 get drowned out or become background noise. While the midrange might only be partially represented during playback, the upper frequencies stand out clearly thanks to the tweeters. There is no sign of whistling or shrillness. In this case, we can talk about a certain frequency balance that the manufacturer has managed to achieve, placing a significant emphasis on deep bass while not forgetting that the task of the JBL Boombox 2 is full music playback.

The speaker handles any electronic, dance, and popular music effortlessly. Vocalists are heard distinctly. There’s no need to guess the lyrics that might be drowned out by the bass, as is often the case with cheaper outdoor speakers. Moreover, with the JBL Boombox 2, you can relax at home or outdoors in peace, gently playing some light electronic music. You could even sweetly fall asleep to the sound of this speaker, rather than just having a good time in a noisy crowd. Of course, regular good speakers handle instrumental music and solo performances much better, but taking them to the country, city streets, or riverbank is rather challenging. The JBL Boombox 2, however, is easy!

Speaking of ease. Despite the convenient carrying handle and relatively compact size, carrying this speaker by hand for long periods isn't particularly comfortable. It’s manageable to carry it for a kilometer, but traveling with the speaker in hand all day can be quite problematic, unless, of course, you visit the gym three to four times a week, where, by the way, the JBL Boombox 2 can also find its use.

In terms of battery life, the manufacturer did not lie. The speaker can indeed operate continuously for a whole day, and not at a barely audible volume, but at a quite decent 50-60% of maximum. To give you an idea, at this volume, it becomes difficult to hear someone speaking in the room while the speaker is playing. In a typical apartment, it’s generally best not to raise the volume above 30%. You know, the neighbors... If you plan to use the speaker for solo music listening in the evenings, the battery should last you a week.

We tested the PartyBoost technology as well. Our two speakers connected to each other in literally a few seconds. However, to take full advantage of this feature, you'll need to install the JBL Portable app on your smartphone. With it, you can not only link the speakers into one system but also choose one of two operating modes for this 'network'. By default, the speakers connect in 'Party' mode, where the second, third, and any subsequent speakers play the same sound as the first. You can connect an unlimited number of speakers — whether five or ten, however many you find. No delays during playback were noted.

The name of the second mode, 'Stereo', speaks for itself. In this mode, two speakers operate. The first transmits the sound of the left channel, while the second handles the right. Perhaps this is the only useful feature of the JBL Portable app. Here, you can also check the battery level and mute the sound produced when pressing the buttons.

Finally, in conclusion to our testing, we decided to check the level of protection of the speaker system. Unfortunately, we couldn't find a pool or a country villa during our week of testing, but we didn't have to search long for a spacious bathtub. The speaker was connected to a smartphone playing music. First, we tested the JBL Boombox 2 under the shower, then moved on to submerging the device underwater. You can find out what happened from our short video below. The music in the video is not added in post-production — it's coming from the tested speaker!

It turned out that the JBL Boombox 2 is not completely waterproof — it takes in water when submerged and releases it after being removed. The water spills out of the speaker, while it continues to play — a mesmerizing sight! However, all the electronic components are securely protected from moisture in a sealed internal compartment. Additionally, this speaker is practically unsinkable. It contains so much air that it floats on the water's surface like a buoy, despite weighing six kilograms. Even if dropped into a very deep pool or lake, nothing serious will happen to it. The speaker continues to play and float as if nothing happened. Just remember, if you turn it with the speakers down into the water, there will be no sound. So, the JBL Boombox 2 performed wonderfully in water testing!

⇡#Conclusions

If you need a portable speaker with deep bass, loud quality sound, and a design that will definitely impress your friends, then the JBL Boombox 2 is exactly what you need. If you also want a moisture-resistant body to not worry about rain, pools, and unpredictable guests who might spill drinks on the equipment, then the JBL Boombox 2 may very well be the only option available on the Russian market. Moreover, in terms of sound quality, this speaker can serve many potential users as a universal audio system, used both outdoors and at home. In any case, its capabilities are definitely enough for watching movies.

Here are the main advantages of the new product:

• eye-catching attractive design and top-notch build quality;
• relatively compact body with a convenient carrying handle;
• waterproof protection rated at IPX7;
• PartyBoost technology for linking any number of speakers
• USB port for charging your smartphone;
• very high maximum volume level;
• very deep immersive bass;
• fairly balanced sound for this type of speaker;
• long working time without recharging.

However, there are some drawbacks. JBL Boombox 2 There is practically nothing. The only thing discovered is the lack of support for aptX or AAC codecs. However, this is unlikely to be important for a street speaker, as this device is clearly not intended for audiophiles. The price of the new model, around 25,000 rubles, may seem overly high to many, but finding a worthy competitor for this device, especially one with water resistance, will be quite challenging. The speaker is worth its price. It can be a great gift not only for street disco lovers but also for those who engage in sports at outdoor venues, skate parks, and simply enjoy spending time outside the four walls of their home.

Source: 3dnews.ru