And they showed how a technology fanatic would not get bored in the forest. One of the valuable items was a small but loud speaker JBL Flip 3. Bright, moderately compact, sonorous, and also inexpensive.
Now it's warmer, people go to parks, ride bicycles and other fashionable types of city transport like gyro scooters and monocles. JBL speakers are often seen in the hands or backpacks of walkers, representatives of the Flip family are found regularly.
Design
The column can be placed vertically, or you can put it on its side, you can also hang it on a carnation and a hook, if you bring it with you to the summer cottage. Is it possible to walk with a speaker in hand? You can get a kind of mini-dumbbell.
JBL Flip is easy to spot by its looks if you are interested in technology. A large logo in the center, an elongated shape, and most importantly - bright colors immediately catch the eye. Now there are columns in new shades, if you want beauty, look and choose. Here is a trendy camouflage, here are red and blue crosses.
Of course, 8 standard options remained on sale, but now the choice of colors has increased and new ones have appeared. What's more, JBL showed off the Flip 4, but the old speaker is still on sale. Let's see what happens to the prices, but in a way it's an attractive thing. Write about a separate great overview it makes no sense, Flip 3 has been on sale for almost 1.5 years, but it's worth reminding about the existence of such a thing.
Sound
The speaker has two 8-watt speakers, is that a lot or a little? Of course, this is not for you Jbl xtreme, if you want to have a wild party on a summer evening, depriving all neighbors of sleep in the plots closest to the dacha.
The task of a small speaker is to give musical accompaniment during a walk or in a room, to play songs at summer street gatherings - it copes with this perfectly. The column maintains a bluetooth connection with 3 devices at the same time, so if you want to play music one by one from several phones, everyone will be happy.
The speaker does not wheeze at maximum volume, does not distort the sound, plays cleanly and is great for electronic music. Should I listen to classical music or jazz on it? In my opinion, no, for such purposes more expensive devices are needed, which will reveal the essence of the composition. Still, a small speaker, so we will be adequate with our claims, but even the bass is present.
The column is not afraid of water, this is important - it is not recommended to throw it into the water, diving is contraindicated by the manufacturer, although you can wash it under the tap. For summer, it’s the best thing, you can take it to the beach or put it on a table during a summer siesta, but do not be afraid that a sudden downpour will destroy the device.
The speaker is charged via microUSB, the kit contains a cable, and charger not attached. It takes 3 hours to charge, and the speaker plays music for 9-10 hours, it all depends on the volume level.
What is the price
JBL Flip 3 is inexpensive, about 4.5-5 thousand rubles. The price is adequate, I liked the acoustics: it plays well, looks beautiful, it is pleasant to take it in hand. Is tactile sensation important for a device that in theory just stands and plays music? In my opinion, they are important, I want the thing to be pretty, and JBL has complete order with this.
Opinion
JBL has turned out to be a successful accessory in all respects. The column is beautiful, bright, and made of pleasant materials. It seems to be a utilitarian thing, but the result is an accessory that revives the interior. This time. The second point - the column works for a long time, is not afraid of water, and the sound quality for such small device very good. The third point is the price, with this, too, everything is in order, the JBL Flip 3 costs adequate money, you can and should take it if you like listening to music and do not want to be bored in silence.
Good sound in a compact body, decent battery life.
Minuses
The glitchiness of the electronics used, which negates all the advantages.
Review
I received a column as a gift, brought it from another city and the purchase receipt was 900 kilometers away. And he was required, because the service was requested almost immediately. At any time during operation, a cyclic uncontrolled constant reboot could occur with loud sounds of on and off, connect and disconnect. I did not respond to buttons. Then, left somewhere, from where this outrage is not audible, after some time "thought better" and could work for a long time and well - until the next time. Still, she waited for her check and warranty repair and her board was replaced. She worked flawlessly for 3 months and suddenly one day she didn't turn on. In the midst of the summer season, when you need it! No reaction to buttons and to plugging in the charger. And the guarantee is over! I really didn't want to carry it to the service for money, because it could cost half the price of a new column. I lay there until October, when I decided to connect the charger again. A miracle happened - one charging LED blinked! Then I managed to turn it on! Then it was fully charged. And working! What was it? Unclear. The sediment remained. It is unlikely that one can hope for it - it will fail at any moment. And in general, I began to be wary of JBL products. The beautiful design was ruined by buggy electronics.
- 1. Package Contents
- 2. Specifications
- 3. Design and assembly
- 4. Sound
- 5. Autonomy
- 6. Where can you buy
- 7. Conclusion
- 8. Video review of JBL Flip 3
The first speaker models in the Flip line were quite budgetary. They were distinguished by a completely plastic body, limited functionality and mediocre sound. JBL tried to bring the last copy as close as possible to the standards of the company's more expensive acoustics.
The JBL Flip 3, the review of which we have prepared, can still be called an affordable portable audio system: its price ranges from 4-5 thousand rubles. At the same time, the column is no longer afraid of water, can be synchronized with other devices and significantly surpasses its predecessors in sound quality. Read about the rest of the innovations below.
Equipment
The packaging of the audio system is in the classic JBL style. On the top cover there is an image of the column and the main advantages of the device, on the back are the main specifications Flip 3. The inner surfaces of the box are padded with foam, so that the contents are reliably protected from damage during transportation.
- JBL Flip 3;
- MicroUSB cable;
- Documentation.
Specifications
- Number of channels: 2.0;
- Power: 16W;
- Frequency response: 85Hz - 20,000Hz;
- Signal to noise ratio: 80 dB;
- Battery: Li-Ion, 3000 mAh;
- Dimensions: 169 x 64 x 64mm;
- Weight: 450 g.
Design and build
Compared to the previous two models in the model line, the Flip 3 has made significant progress towards the right design. The device is made in the form of a cylinder with slightly rounded edges on the top and bottom base. Unlike its predecessors, most of the outer surface of the device is covered with a grippy textile surface.
The only place not covered by the fabric chain mail is made of soft-touch plastic. There is also a speaker activation key, a button for pairing it with other portable audio systems (for example, you can combine several Flip3s together), an indication of the charge of the built-in battery and a plastic cap. A microUSB connector and a 3.5mm AUX-input are hidden under the flap. The function of charging external devices in the power bank mode is not provided.
The icons of the rest of the buttons are applied in the form of raised embossed markings on textiles. Among them are two volume keys, a search button affordable smartphone via Bluetooth and a key to answer a mobile call. The functional elements are easy to find, but their response time is not very encouraging, since the column reacts to some clicks with a slight delay.
There is also no familiar play and pause keys. Its functions are performed by the same key to activate the speakerphone. A single press stops the current track, two clicks in a row switch to a new track.
The Flip 3 does not have any stands, the speaker can be installed vertically on one of the passive radiators or placed horizontally. In the second case, it will not roll on a flat surface due to the attachment of the strap from above. Traditionally, JBL offers a wide range of audio system colors. There are a total of eight Flip 3 body color options to choose from.
There are no complaints about the assembly and dimensions of the device. The textile surface in the form of chain mail, which covers the speakers, is pleasant to feel in the hand, and the plastic inserts do not collect fingerprints. By the way, Flip 3 is protected only from splashing water; it is not recommended to immerse it under water for a long time. Make sure the plastic plug on the wired interfaces is tightly closed before use.
Sound
During the first activation, the device immediately goes into synchronization mode with other speakers. To start pairing with a smartphone, just click on the Bluetooth audio system icon. Turning the Flip 3 on and off is accompanied by a fairly loud beep.
Two 40-mm speakers with a total power of 16 watts are responsible for the acoustic performance of the device. In theory, the Flip 3's speakers operate in stereo. In practice, this effect is very difficult to discern if there is only one column. Much clearer stereo sound is heard when in sync with another audio system from JBL.
Up to three third-party devices can be connected to the Flip 3. It can be a laptop, tablet or smartphone. This function is very convenient at a party, where everyone can put their favorite track right from the phone.
Despite its rather small dimensions, the speaker is capable of delivering sufficiently deep bass without compromising high frequencies. The composition sounds exactly over the entire length of the frequency range, no distortions were noticed even at the maximum volume value. The Flip 3 does a great job with almost any genre of music. The device does not claim to be hi-fi, but it can satisfy 90% of users.
Another advantage is the minimum difference in sound quality when playing from a computer and via Bluetooth. Wireless communication Flip3 holds at a distance of about 10 meters.
Autonomy
Inside the Flip 3 is a non-removable 3000mAh battery. The manufacturer promises about 10 hours of stable operation of the device at medium volume. In reality, it was possible to squeeze out a couple of tens of minutes from the column before the final shutdown.
Battery discharge is indicated by a red LED on the plastic insert in the housing. There is no sound alert, so annoying signals will not distract from listening to music. Approximate charging time is 3.5 hours.
Where can you buy
Conclusion
- Compactness;
- Large selection of coloring pages;
- Excellent build;
- Splash water proof;
- The presence of a speakerphone;
- Powerful bass.
- Not the fastest response time to button presses;
- Modest equipment.
The average cost of JBL Flip 3 in online stores in Russia is about 5,000 rubles. For that kind of money, it is quite difficult to find an alternative that is suitable in terms of quality, since there are practically no shortcomings in this audio system.
The speaker is compact, fits easily into a bicycle cup holder or small bag. At the same time, the quality of its sound and autonomy deserve really high marks. We recommend to purchase!
JBL Flip 3 video review
The first Flip were fairly ordinary budget speakers, but the JBL Flip 3 is a small celebration: the design has completely changed (passive emitters, like in Charge!), There is protection against water, a speakerphone. Price - 5 990 rubles ...
Design, construction
I hasten to remind you that Flip is one of the most budget columns JBL, a kind of bridge between Clip, Micro and more serious systems. The company has long been seriously entrenched in the portable audio market, and therefore it should not be surprising that the functions of a number of devices overlap. It's all about the price, RRC for Flip 3 - 5,990 rubles. Yes, it cannot charge your smartphone, like the Charge, but it is inexpensive and very, very angry. Take a look at the official list of features of the new device.
- Supports playback through Bluetooth version 4.1 and 3.5mm input.
- Battery capacity 3000 mAh - up to 10 hours in playback mode.
- Speakerphone function with noise and echo cancellation.
- Splash and water resistant, rinse under running water.
- The ability to connect up to three devices at the same time.
- BassRadiator for better bass performance.
- Frequency range - 85Hz - 20kHz.
- The total power is 16 watts.
Great? Yes. Especially for 5,990 rubles. The Flip 3 also comes in a variety of colors, and they're all fun.
To remember how boring the first Flips were, here are links to model reviews - by the way, they are still on sale, it is quite possible to buy.
This will give you a better understanding of how much has changed here. First, you immediately notice the movable passive emitters, like those of the Charge and Xtreme. They are small, invisible in standby mode, but when you turn on the music, they begin to move to the beat of low frequencies. By the way, you can install Flip 3 both on the end and on the side, the lace interferes with rolling. Secondly, a cool idea with a lace, like a trifle, but nice. Can be hung by hand or hook in the bathroom. Thirdly, the design of the case is something like a chain mail made of fabric. It is unlikely that something will happen even after a couple of years of active use. Matt translucent plastic, raised buttons, battery indicator, sounds when switching on and off - all this creates a positive impression of the product. It's good when every detail is thought out, isn't it? And here it even applies to packaging, although for many it does not matter. There are many colors: yellow, orange, red, pink, mint, blue, gray and black. The build is excellent, the dimensions are small, the Flip 3 should fit even in a bottle holder on a bike.
I want to note that the changes compared to the previous columns are simply grandiose, the column looks a hundred times better.
A little about management. The power button, the hourglass icon signifies the ability to pair a pair of Flips together. There is a separate button for answering a call, in the same bathroom it is convenient, no need to take the phone with wet hands. The quality of speech transmission is not bad, you can speak without raising your voice.
On the case, under the cap, there is a 3.5 mm input for connecting the speaker via cable to any device.
Dimensions are 64 x 169 x 64 mm, weight - 450 grams.
Separately, it is worth mentioning protection from water, the company says that it is not necessary to throw it into the water, but, at the same time, a short stay in the water is allowed in the videos and during demonstrations. I would not recommend flushing the Flip 3, it will withstand being in the pouring rain, but in the pool it will most likely simply stop working. Ideal for use on the beach, next to the sea. Or next to the pool. Even if Flip 3 is poured with water, nothing terrible will happen, the column is not afraid of sand either.
Working hours
A 3000 mAh battery is installed; a standard microUSB connector is used for charging, it is located under the flap. It takes 3.5 hours to charge, the speaker works for about 10 hours when playing at medium volume. Not bad. I also want to draw your attention to the cable, it is in its own style. Another nice little thing.
Music
The speaker enters pairing mode when you turn it on for the first time, if you need to connect another device, press the Bluetooth button. You can connect three devices at the same time and turn on music from each of them, it is interesting for gatherings in a company, each can turn on his own in turn.
The sound quality has changed dramatically and changed for the better. Dual 40mm speakers, 16W total power. The volume reserve is great, very large. I listened mostly to electronic music, and everything is fine, low frequencies prevail, for rap JBL Flip 3 is also suitable. You might think that any device would do, but if a company wants to turn on DOOM or something like that, then you need both volume and so that the low frequencies do not clog the vocals. The column sounds very energetic, without failures, without artifacts, no attempts to pretend to be something from the world of audiophiles - just good sound for the masses. I would have bought it myself without question.
conclusions
I announced the price, 5,990 rubles, this is the RRTs. For this money, it will be very difficult to find something better. The Flip 3 has no downsides. I see an excellent design here with a lot of interesting chips, these are passive emitters (this is closely related to the sound quality), and a fabric covering, and protection from water, and a large selection of colors. There is a speakerphone, the ability to connect three devices at the same time, the sound has changed for the better. In general, a very pleasant, comfortable and interesting device for your money, these are the things that the market really lacks now. And it is gratifying that JBL continues to improve its products from year to year - and it is gratifying that there are our compatriots in the design team.
