JBL Essential And How They Differ From Flagship Releases

JBL has dominated the Bluetooth speaker market for more than a decade, and while the company produces a lot more than just portable Bluetooth speakers, the brand has become somewhat synonymous with them. As the JBL brand has grown, so has its catalog of speakers, which now includes several “essential” variants. But what exactly are these essential speakers and how do they differ from JBL’s flagship releases? That’s what we’ll be looking at, providing you with everything you need to know about JBL’s essentials.

JBL Essential Speaker Models

Not every speaker released by JBL gets an essential variant. Instead, they’ve picked some of their most popular speakers; ranging from the Go series, a small outdoor speaker to the PartyBox Encore, a modestly sized party speaker that is still easily portable. These are the JBL Essential options you’ll find today:

Second Generation Essentials

Flip Essential 2
Charge Essential 2

This means that the other popular JBL speakers like the Clip, Xtreme, Pulse, and larger PartyBox models don’t get an Essential version.

Understanding The JBL Essential Line

So why has JBL created an entirely new line for their already popular speakers? The main reason is affordability. The Essential line of speakers is focused on reducing the overall production cost of the speaker and making them more affordable to consumers, especially in developing countries where it may be harder for customers to justify the expense and where cheaper alternatives exist.

Limited Availability

The original release of JBL Essential models was widely available in the United States, but since the release of the Flip Essential 2 and Charge Essential 2, these speakers have been limited in their distribution, with many developing countries stocking them, without customers being able to buy them from large American retailers like Amazon.

How The Essential Differs From JBL’s Flagship Speakers

To reduce the cost of the speaker, the Essential version will often reduce the amount of features provided, while attempting to retain the same general durability as the flagship. This means that while the design itself may look different, the materials used are mostly the same. Multi-speaker pairing is a feature that is frequently removed for the Essential version, so if you have more than one speaker or plan to add another one in the future, consider how this may impact you.

In the early Essentials, they also had older micro-USB charging ports. That, however, has changed with the release of the second-generation Essential models. Additionally, the Essential is less likely to offer the same voice commands and app support than the traditional models.

Don’t worry, we’ve made it easy to see the differences between the original Essential line and their analogs. Keep reading for comparisons between the more recent Essential 2 and their counterpart.

First Generation Comparisons

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JBL Go vs Go Essential

The JBL Go is a small, easily portable speaker made primarily for outdoor use. Similar to the Clip, the JBL Go is a great travel companion and ideal for when you want music on the move. It is currently in its fourth generation and has recently undergone comprehensive changes.

The Go 2 and Go Essential have minimal differences between their designs, with both speakers looking almost indistinguishable from each other. This is because the shell of the Go 2 is what’s used for the Go Essential. They are both extremely compact and easily portable.

The Go 2 is available in more than 10 different colors while the Go Essential comes in fewer options. When buying directly from JBL, the Go Essential has the benefit of being customizable though, allowing for unique designs.

Despite drawing from the design of the Go 2, the Essential is a much newer speaker and in turn has Bluetooth 4.2 while the Go 2 uses Bluetooth 4.1. This gives the Go Essential a bit more range.

The most significant difference between the Go 2 and the Go Essential is that the Go 2 has a speakerphone feature, which was dropped for the Go Essential.

The Go 2 also has a larger passive radiator, which marginally improves the sound quality. Still, both speakers have the same frequency response range.

Onto the elephant in the room. The Go Essential is a stripped-down version of the Go 2, but it retails at $59, which is more than JBL’s much more recent Go 4 which retails for $49. If the Go Essential strikes your fancy, I’d strongly suggest considering the Go 4 instead, you’ll get better sound, a more durable design (IP67), improved battery life, and the latest in Bluetooth. The Go 4 even has a companion app and multi-speaker pairing.

The JBL Go 3 retails for the same price as the Go Essential ($49) but is a significant upgrade from it. The Go 3 is available in more colors and its fabric-wrapped exterior gives it better durability in the outdoors. Similarly, the Go 3 has dust protection, not afforded by the Go Essential, it has an IP67 rating.

The Go 3 is louder than the Go Essential, owed in part to its 4.2W output (compared to the 3.1W offered by the Go Essential). It also has a broader frequency response range (110 Hz – 20 kHz vs 180 Hz – 20 kHz), giving it a lot more bass.

Battery life is similar between both speakers at an estimated 5 hours of playtime and charging time of 2.5 hours. The Go 3, however, supports USB-C while the Go Essential is limited with its older micro-USB connection.

JBL upgraded the Bluetooth on the Go 3, which supports Bluetooth 5.1 compared to the version 4.2 offered by the Go Essential.

Overall, the Go 3 is a better speaker than the Go Essential. It’s more durable, has improved sound quality with deeper bass, and is available at the same price point. However, with the Go 4 being priced similarly to the Go 3 – I highly recommend the Go 4 over the Go 3 if you have the extra $15.

The latest in the Go series, the Go 4 offers significant advantages over the Go Essential, despite costing the same amount of money. The Go 4 is more durable, retaining the Go 3’s IP67 weather resistance and fabric-wrapped body.

The Go 4 also introduces multi-speaker pairing using Auracast, a feature of the latest Bluetooth 5.3 version. Auracast lets you pair the Go 4 in stereo or use it to connect multiple supported speakers together in a group.

The sound quality is distinctly better than the Go Essential, with lows sounding more natural but still full. The Go 4 has a response range of 90 Hz – 20 kHz, significantly lower than the 180 Hz low cut-off on the essential.

The Go 4 has the best battery performance out of all the Go models, providing up to 7 hours of playtime without using the additional playtime-boost feature that nets you additional battery life. Charging is a little slower than on the Essential, but the extra 30 minutes of charging is worth the extra 2 hours of playtime.

Overall, the Go 4 is an outstanding speaker and an easy pick over the Go Essential. Even compared to other modern speakers, it is challenging to find better value than the Go 4.

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JBL Flip vs Flip Essential

The Flip Essential has been replaced by the Flip Essential 2

The JBL Flip series fits in between the Go and the Charge in size and is intended as a daily driver that can be easily taken on picnics, used by the pool, or at a table with friends. It is currently on its sixth generation of releases.

The Flip Essential is modeled on the Flip 4, and the two speakers share a lot of their core design. The Flip Essential comes in a standard black color, while the Flip 4 is available in six different color variants. They both have the same, comprehensive, IPX7 water resistance that protects them from use in the rain and can withstand splashes, sprays, and limited submergence under water.

The Essential strips away the voice assistant, speakerphone, and Connect+ features that are found on the Flip 4. This means it cannot be paired with additional speakers in the same way the Flip 4 can.

While the Flip 4 has a deeper frequency response with more bass, the Flip Essential is often lauded for its superior clarity over the Flip 4, particularly in the mids where vocals sound more defined.

The Flip 4 has slightly more modern Bluetooth, supporting Bluetooth 4.2 while the Flip Essential supports Bluetooth 4.1. The differences between the two won’t be particularly noticeable, however.

You get up to 12 hours of playtime from the Flip 4 and only 10 hours from the Flip Essential, so if you frequently find yourself running low on battery, this is something to consider. Both speakers use Micro-USB for charging and lack the more modern USB-C port.

Overall, the Flip 4 is a slightly more comprehensive speaker than the Essential when it comes to features, but for those who don’t want the bells and whistles and would prefer a stripped-down alternative with clearer sound, the Essential is a good choice.

Often considered one of JBL’s weaker releases, the Flip 5 wasn’t a significant upgrade from the Flip 4. But how does it compare to the Flip Essential?

The Flip 5 has a similar design to the Flip Essential, remaining close to the design of the Flip 4, which the Flip Essential was built around. However, the Flip 5 has a lot more colorways to choose from, including custom designs.

If multi-speaker pairing or companion app support is important to you, the Flip 5 holds a significant advantage over the Flip Essential, which has a barebone design and lacks both app support and PartyUp features.

For wired connections, the Flip Essential holds an advantage over the Flip 5 with its aux input, something that JBL removed from the Flip 5 and Flip 6.

The Flip 5 has a longer-lasting battery that provides around 2 hours longer playtime than the Flip Essential and uses a USB-C input instead of the micro-USB offered by the Essential.

The Flip 5 has more bass than the Flip Essential, but like with the Flip 4, the Essential sounds clearer in the mids which makes vocals easier to hear.

Overall, I’d recommend against going for either speaker and recommend the newer Flip 6 or Flip Essential 2, which offers improved features and performance at a similar price point.

The Flip 6 is the latest in the JBL Flip series and was released two years after the Flip Essential. It frequently retails at around $100, making it just $18 more than the Flip Essential.

A lot has changed between the Flip 4 and Flip 6, and with the Flip Essential being modeled on the Flip 4, there are also a lot of differences between the Flip 6 and the Essential.

The Flip 6 comes in more colors and can be ordered personalized through JBL’s website. It’s also a bit more durable than the Flip Essential, with dust protection in addition to the IPX7 standard of water resistance that both speakers carry.

The Flip 6 has a USB-C charging port while the Essential has a micro-USB input. You’ll also get a bit more playtime out of the Flip 6, which provides up to 12 hours compared to the 10 hours of the Flip Essential. The Essential, however, has the advantage of an LED battery indicator which the Flip 6 doesn’t.

Soundwise, the Flip 6 is a better-sounding speaker. It’s got more bass and its dynamics are also better than that of the Flip Essential. This results in a more detailed sound, with additional nuance and clarity, especially at higher volumes.

Multispeaker pairing and app support are offered by the Flip 6 but not the Flip Essential.

Overall, the Flip 6 is a better speaker than the Flip Essential and is available at a similar price point. A better comparison is between the Flip 6 and the Essential 2.

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JBL Charge vs Charge Essential

The Charge Essential has been replaced by the Charge Essential 2

Larger and louder than the JBL Flip, the Charge is another popular speaker that is made for regular use indoors and outdoors. It features a durable design and passive bass radiators that add good low-end. There have been 5 generations of Charges released.

The Charge Essential is modeled around the Charge 3, retaining much of the same exterior, but stripping back functions like the speakerphone and JBL Connect, which pairs multiple speakers together.

Both speakers have an IPX7 water resistance rating, meaning you can wash them down with a hose, listen to them in the rain, or use them by the pool without worry.

Similar to the Flip Essential, the Charge Essential is known for its clearer sound when compared to the Charge 3. The Charge Essential has more clarity in the midrange and treble which makes it easier on the ears.

Both speakers use a micro-USB charging port and provide up to 20 hours of playtime. Surprisingly, the Charge Essential still retains the power bank feature offered by the Charge 3 which lets you use the speaker to charge your phone.

Overall, considering the $30 price difference, if you’re not going to be using your speaker in multi-speaker setups, the Charge Essential is a better choice than the Charge 3 for most people. However, the Charge 3 is also now available at under $120, making it appealing for low-budget users.

The Charge 4 was released in 2021, making it 3 years newer than the Charge Essential. It is available in numerous colorways, where the Essential is limited to one color.

Both speakers have the same IPX7 weatherproofing, meaning they can both be washed off with a hose, used around the pool or in the rain. Neither has a dust protection rating.

The Charge 4 has a deeper bass and improved power, offering 30W output instead of 20W. This increase in power is met with improvements to dynamic range, meaning the Charge 4 has better details and sounds better at high volume.

For its wireless connections, the Charge 4 uses Bluetooth 4.2, a slight advantage over the version 4.1 offered by the Charge Essential. Both speakers have an auxiliary input for 3.5mm wired connections.

As could be expected, the Charge 4 is the only one of these two speakers to have app support and allow for multispeaker pairing.

Both speakers are rated for the same amount of playtime and charging time (20 hours of playtime and 4 hour of charging time). The Charge 4 uses a more modern USB-C charging port while the Essential has the older micro-USB input.

Overall, the Charge 4 is a better-sounding speaker than the Essential, but given the $35 price difference, there is good value in the Essential. For a better comparison, consider the Charge Essential 2.

The Charge 5 is the latest in the series and brings noticeable improvements to the Charge 4. But where does it stand in comparison to the Charge Essential?

First, it comes in a lot more colors, allowing for a more personalized speaker. The Charge Essential, in contrast, is available in only one color. There’s also significant differences in the design, since the Charge Essential is based on the significantly older Charge 3.

The Charge 5 is a much more powerful speaker than the Charge Essential, with 40W output compared to 20W. It also has better dynamics, meaning when you do push the volume up on both speakers, the Charge 5 will retain more clarity.

The Charge 5 has significant advantages in Bluetooth too, supporting Bluetooth 5.1 compared to Bluetooth 4.1 on the Essential. This upgrade allows for higher-quality streaming due to improved Bluetooth codecs, and additional reliability.

It also has a dust protection rating, meaning its better suited for frequent outdoor use than the Charge Essential.

The Charge 5 supports multispeaker pairing using JBL PartyBoost and is supported by a companion app, neither of which are available on the Charge Essential. The Essential however, has the advantage of a 3.5mm aux input where the Charge 5 no longer supports wired connections.

Battery life is rated the same on both speakers, at around 20 hours of playtime from a single charge and with a charging time of 4 hours.

Overall, the Charge 5 is a much newer and improved speaker and should be compared with the newer Charge Essential 2. It is about double the price of the original Charge Essential and it’s easy to see why.

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JBL PartyBox Encore vs Encore Essential

While larger than the JBL Charge, the PartyBox Essential is one of the smallest of the PartyBox range, along with the PartyBox On-the-Go. With microphone input and flashing lights, the PartyBox is ideal for group gatherings where you need more power, more bass, and some flare.

The PartyBox Encore is one of JBL’s smaller party speakers but is significantly larger than the other flagship models with Essential variants.

This is often considered one of the best Essential releases from JBL, as the PartyBox Encore Essential is a very similar speaker to the PartyBox Encore, but with a few features removed or changed. They even have the same Bluetooth version (5.1).

Both speakers have the same drivers powering them (5.25″ woofer and 2x 1.75″ tweeters), and have the same general sound quality, with lots of volume and deep bass.

While the Encore Essential still has a microphone input, it doesn’t have microphone adjustments and doesn’t come with the 2 wireless mics that the regular PartyBox Encore does.

Unlike most other Essentials, the Encore Essential is supported by JBL’s companion app, where you can change the lighting effects.

There is a significant difference in battery life between these two speakers, with the PartyBox Encore providing up to 10 hours of playtime while the Encore Essential will only give you about 6 hours of use.

Overall, the PartyBox Encore Essential is a great alternative. It retains most of the essence of the Encore but with a remarkable $100 price difference.

The Introduction of The Essential 2

The first generation of Essentials was modeled off older JBL releases, for example, the Flip Essential and Charge Essential were based on the Flip 4 and Charge 4, respectively. In 2023, JBL began rolling out the next generation of Essential speakers, this time modeled after more recent flagship releases.

At this point, there isn’t a Go Essential 2 or PartyBox Encore Essential 2 – and JBL hasn’t announced whether this is because of a staggered roll-out, or if the Essential 2 variants will be limited to fewer speakers.

One of the most notable changes across the new generation of JBL Essentials is the move from micro-USB to USB-C, increasing charging support and improving charging speed potentials.

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JBL Flip vs Flip Essential 2

The Flip Essential 2 is an upgrade to the Flip Essential, being modeled on the Flip 5 instead of the earlier release of the Flip 4. It offers improved sound quality and connectivity over the original Essential series.

The Flip 5 was released before the Flip Essential 2, with the Essential 2 using the Flip 5 as the core of its design. The Essential 2, like the original Essential release, is limited to one color whereas the Flip 5 is available in numerous colorways.

Both speakers have an output of 20W and use a single driver, resulting in similar sound performance. They both feature a frequency response range of 65 Hz – 20 KHz, allowing for deeper bass than the original Flip Essential series.

The Flip 5 has app support and multi-speaker pairing, neither of which is offered by the Flip Essential 2.

Unlike the original Flip Essential, the Flip Essential 2 now comes with a USB-C charging port, the same as that found on the Flip 5 and Flip 6. The battery life is similar between these two speakers, but the Flip 5 offers 2 hours of additional playtime (12 hours vs 10 hours).

Given the Flip 6 has been released and the Flip 5 prices have fallen, going for the Flip 6 over the Essential 2 or Flip 5 is the better choice. The price difference isn’t a lot and you gain multispeaker pairing and EQ control in the companion app.

JBL’s Flip 6 has a different exterior to the Flip Essential 2, including different color options. Keep in mind that the Flip Essential 2 is modeled on the older Flip 5.

There are noticeable improvements to sound quality on the Flip 6 over the Flip Essential 2, the dynamics in particular. The Flip 6 gets a bit louder than the Essential 2 while maintaining clarity and detail at higher volume levels meaning tracks sound more nuanced. The added bass also makes the Flip 6 sound slightly fuller.

The Flip 6 has better battery life than the Flip Essential 2, providing up to 12 hours of playtime compared to 10 hours. Both speakers use a USB-C charging port, but the Flip 6 charges faster.

Both speakers use the same Bluetooth (5.1), but the Flip 6 can be paired together with others in a chain or in stereo. This feature isn’t afforded to the Flip Essential 2.

The Flip 6 has a slight advantage for outdoor use, with a dust protection rating along with IPX7 water resistance. The Flip Essential 2, on the other hand, has just the IPX7 water resistance.

Overall, the price of the Flip 6 is relatively close to the Flip Essential 2 and this removes a lot of the claimed benefits of the Essential 2, which is supposed to be a budget-friendly alternative. The Flip 6 frequently retails at under $100, while the Essential 2 can be found for between $85 and $90. I’d recommend spending the extra $10 on the Flip 6. Another great option to consider is the Charge 4, which retails for around $10 more than the Flip 6.

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JBL Charge vs Charge Essential 2

The Charge Essential 2 is an upgrade to the Charge Essential. While its exterior is close to that of the Charge 4, the internal components are closer to that of the Charge 5, offering improvements to audio quality.

The Charge Essential 2 is modeled off the Charge 4, with the same general exterior design, but is only available in one color, whereas the Charge 4 is available in various colorways.

Inside, the Charge Essential 2 is closer to the Charge 5 than it is to the Charge 4, with both a separate woofer and a tweeter. The result is that the Charge Essential 2 is a better-sounding speaker than the Charge 4, with cleaner vocals and better dynamics that allow it to reach higher volume levels without distortion. It also has more power, with a 40W output compared to the Charge 4’s 30W potential.

The Charge 4 and Charge Essential 2 both have the same battery performance, providing around 20 hours of playtime on a single charge. Both speakers are supported by USB-C. They also each have a built-in power bank for charging your phone.

The Charge Essential 2 has the upper hand in its wireless connectivity, supporting Bluetooth 5.1 instead of the 4.2 provided on the Charge 4.

As with all Essential models, you’re not going to get the same multispeaker pairing or app support that’s provided by the Charge 4.

Overall, the Charge Essential 2 is a better speaker than the Charge 4 for those who don’t require multispeaker pairing or app support.

The Charge 5 is an interesting speaker to compare with the Charge Essential 2, as it shares many of the same traits, particularly how the drivers are laid out. But as standard with the Essential 2 series, it’s only available in one color while the Charge 5 comes in multiple color options.

These two speakers are remarkably similar to one another in their performance, with the same drivers and power output, each putting out up to 40W. The Charge Essential 2 has the shell of the Charge 4 with the internal components of the Charge 5, which is why it’s able to go toe-to-toe.

As standard with the Essential models, the Charge Essential 2 doesn’t support multispeaker pairing, meaning you won’t get the PartyBoost feature or the companion app.

Battery performance is the same on both speakers, with around 20 hours of playtime and a 4-hour charging time. Both speakers come with a USB-C charging port.

For its wireless connectivity, the Charge 5 and Charge Essential 2 both have Bluetooth 5.1, ensuring effective compression and lower latency than earlier versions.

Because the Charge Essential 2 uses the Charge 4 shell, it’s only protected from water with an IPX7 rating, which means it can be used in the rain, around the pool, or washed off with a hose. The Charge 5 has the same protection, but with the added benefit of a dust protection rating too.

Overall, the Charge Essential 2 is a great alternative to the Charge 5 for those looking to save up to $50. It has many of the same sonic qualities but strips away the additional features. If multispeaker pairing or app support is important to you, the $50 extra may be worth biting the bullet on.

Is It Worth Buying JBL Essentials?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer and the best approach is to understand what each speaker offers and what you’ll have to sacrifice. In some cases, the Essential is almost the same price as the latest flagship release, while in other cases there is value in going for the Essential instead.

If you find yourself prone to multi-speaker pairing or enjoy the ease of use and additional functions that come with mobile apps, it may be better for you to invest a bit more. These are features that are frequently stripped from the Essential models.

In many cases, newer releases have come out since the Essentials, and at times they can offer superior performance than the Essential at a similar cost. It’s important to always compare the prices of new releases with the Essential versions, where better deals may be available.

Overall, the JBL Essentials retain the most important aspects of the original design that they styled the speaker off. But in some cases, these core designs have become outdated and cannot stand up to what’s offered by the later releases from the series.