It’s Hard To Go Wrong With These Two Great Speakers With Different Strengths.
The Charge 5 and Flip 6 are two of JBL’s flagship Bluetooth speakers, both suitable for everyday use. But which one is worth buying? The Flip 6 is a smaller speaker with less volume and is quite affordable while the Charge 5 is slightly heavier, with more bass, but costs a little extra. Is it worth investing a bit more into the Charge, or saving the cash and going with the Flip? Having used both these speakers thoroughly, here’s what I believe are the most important differences to know.
Key Takeaways:
- The Charge 5 sounds better than the Flip 6, with more bass.
- Both speakers have durable, waterproof designs.
- The Charge 5 has significantly more playtime.
- On a limited budget, the Flip 6 still has value.
We’ve also covered these speakers in our product reviews, where you’ll find a more detailed breakdown of each speaker’s performance:
- Read the full Charge 5 review
- Read the full Flip 6 review
JBL Charge 5
Winner
JBL Charge 5
The Charge 5 is a slightly better speaker than the Flip 6 overall. It has much better battery life, easier-to-use controls, and can reach higher volume levels.
JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Flip 6 Specs
| Model | Charge 5 | Flip 6 |
| Water Resistance | IP67 | IP67 |
| Output Power | 40W | 30W |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Bluetooth Profiles | A2DP 1.3, AVRCP 1.6 | A2DP 1.3, AVRCP 1.6 |
| Battery Life | Up to 20 Hours | Up to 12 Hours |
| Charging Time | 4.5 Hours | 2.5 Hours |
| Frequency Response | 60 Hz to 20 kHz | 63 Hz to 20 kHz |
| Party Pairing | Yes (Stereo Pairing) | Yes (Stereo Pairing) |
| Weight | 2 lbs | 1.2 lbs |
| Dimensions | 8.7 x 3.8 x 3.7″ | 7 x 2.6 x 2.8″ |
| App Support | JBL Portable | JBL Portable |
| Price | Check Price | Check Price |
Design, Build, & Durability
- The Charge 5 is larger and heavier than the Flip 6.
- Both speakers have the same durability and waterproofing.
Durability
Winner: Tied
Both these speakers have the same general design, with a fabric wrap that protects them from scratches and rubber edges that extend outward from the bass radiators on the sides. In my experience using them, I haven’t found that either one is more durable than the other.
Portability
Winner: JBL Flip 6
The Flip 6 is quite a bit smaller than the Charge 5 and weighs nearly half as much, but both speakers are suitable for daily use and can each be carried in one hand. The Flip 6 is small enough to fit into a shoulder bag or handbag, while the Charge 5 won’t fit into smaller bags and is better suited for backpack storage when out on the go. The JBL Flip 6 also has a removable carry strap to improve its portability, while the Charge 5 doesn’t.
Waterproofing
Winner: Tied
Both speakers incorporate an IP67 rating, meaning they are both resistant to dust intrusion and water damage. They can be hosed down to clean them or used in rainy weather without the risk of damage. Additionally, I’ve found that they can both effectively survive submergence in water for short periods.
Controls, Connectivity & App Support
- The Charge 5 has easier-to-reach controls.
- No track skipping backward on either speaker.
- Adjust the sound on either speaker using JBL Portable’s 3-band EQ.
Inputs & Outputs
Winner: Charge 5
The Flip 6 adopts a minimalist approach with no inputs and outputs other than the charging port. The Charge 5 holds a slight edge with a built-in USB-A output, which can charge phones and other USB devices directly from the speaker.
Controls
Winner: Charge 5
Both speakers feature the following buttons:
- Volume up
- Volume down
- Bluetooth pairing
- Power on/off
- Play/Pause (Track skip forward)
- Group pairing
The Flip and Charge both use the same controls, with only the play/pause button having a secondary function, which skips tracks forward on a double-press. Unfortunately, neither speaker can skip tracks backward.
Despite their similarities, the layout controls are quite different. The Flip 6 has separate control panels, one sitting near the speaker’s base and controlling the power and Bluetooth pairing. Another row of buttons features track and volume controls, which sit offset to the center when lying horizontally. In contrast, the Charge 5 lays out all its buttons in a single control panel at the top of the speaker.
Because the Flip 6 has its buttons offset from the top and splits the controls between two rows of buttons, it can feel frustrating to use, especially because you cannot see the controls on the Flip 6 without pivoting over the speaker or rolling it towards your direction. The Charge’s buttons being grouped together and sitting at the top center of the speaker are much more practical.
Bluetooth
Winner: Charge 5
Both speakers use Bluetooth 5.1 for their wireless connection. Still, there is a performance difference between them, with the Charge 5 providing lower latency and slightly better range than the Flip 6. This could be because of enhancements to the antenna, allowed by the Charge 5’s spacier design.
App Support
Winner: Tied
The Charge 5 and Flip 6 use JBL’s Portable app, which is available on iOS and Android. The app’s abilities are relatively narrow in scope, offering a 3-band graphic EQ and stereo pairing. The limitation of a 3-band EQ falls short of competitor brands and I feel like a 5-band EQ is likely on the way when the Charge 6 and Flip 7 are released.
Audio Performance
- The Charge 5 is louder, with more bass.
- The sound profile is similar on both speakers.
- Both have a clarity drop-off as volume increases.
Sound Quality
Winner: Charge 5
Both speakers sound decent in today’s market but fall short of many modern competitor releases. This is in part because of their age, with significant improvements to audio quality having been made in the last 3 years, particularly through newer Bluetooth codec support.
The Charge 5 stands out from the Flip 6 due to its more noticeable bass, which is both more punchy and deeper. Vocal clarity is good on both, but I find that it’s improved when pulling up the mids using the custom EQ in the JBL Portable app.
The highs, which is where a lot of electronic music gets its nuanced and immersive sound from, are decent but not great on either speaker and can also do with some slight EQ adjustments to get the most out of it. I find the highs just need to be brought up a little.
Soundstage & Dynamics
Winner: Tied
Dynamics and soundstage are more detailed concepts, but in short: dynamics refer to the amount of subtle detail the speaker can reproduce between different frequencies, while soundstage refers to how immersive and wide the sound comes across.
Dynamics were good at the time of their release, but nowadays, both speakers feel like they’re overdue for an update. Even though they both sound good at low to moderate volume levels, I find that by pushing the volume over 85% or so, the speakers suffer from compression, reducing the clarity.
With a single full-range driver and supplemental tweeter in both the Flip and Charge, neither does particularly well with soundstage performance. They produce mono sound on their own, but can also be paired in stereo to produce separate left and right channel sound. Both speakers have average directionality and sound best with the drivers facing towards the listener.
Battery Performance
Winner: Charge 5
A major shortfall of the Flip 6 is its limited battery life. It is advertised to last up to 12 hours, but controlled tests during our review of the Flip 6 yielded around 7 hours of playtime at 50% volume. On the other hand, the Charge 5 is rated for up to 20 hours of playtime, with real-world tests providing closer to 15 hours at similar volume levels.
The Flip 6’s limited battery life makes it better suited for occasional short listening sessions, while the Charge 5 is better suited for social gatherings that may go on for hours or for those looking to use their speaker daily.
The Flip 6 charges much faster than the Charge 5, going from 0% to 100% in just shy of 2.5 hours, nearly half that of the JBL Charge.
Both speakers feature an LED battery indicator light; the Flip 6’s light indicator is on the lower portion of the speaker and forms a part of the power control panel. On the Charge 5, the indicator is easier to read as it is positioned vertically under the front logo.
Price & Value
With the Charge 5 costing around $80 more than the Flip 6 – it’s only worth it if you’re chasing bass, volume, or longer battery life. The sound quality isn’t much different in terms of clarity, and the mobile app gives them both the same general control.
For personal audio, the Flip 6 is likely all you need – but for groups of friends, where more volume is needed, the Charge 5 is the better pick. Since it has significantly more battery life, the Charge 5 is a better choice for those who aren’t looking to charge their speaker as regularly.
Conclusion
Overall – the Charge 5 is a slightly better speaker than the Flip 6. Its improved bass and louder volume are some key differences. I find the Charge 5’s controls to be easier to use because they’re situated on top of the speaker and not off to the side, one frustrating element of the Flip 6’s design. Outside of size/weight, volume, sound quality, and controls – there’s very little that separates these two speakers.
- Bold JBL Original Pro Sound
- Take the amazing power of JBL Pro Sound with you. The JBL Charge 5 has an optimized long excursion driver, a separate tweeter, and dual JBL bass radiators, all delivering impressively rich and clear audio. Get that big room sound, even when outdoors.
