There are hundreds of speakers on the market these days, so how do you find the best Bluetooth speaker? First, you need to figure out if you want something portable, semi-portable, or solely for the home. The JBL Go 4 and JBL Clip 5 are ultra portable, but their size limits their sound quality. The JBL Flip 6 or the JBL Charge 5 are relatively-portable options which don’t sacrifice audio quality. The Sonos Move 2 is a pricey, high-powered option with thumping bass. And the JBL Xtreme 4 is one of the best outdoor speakers with enough bark to match its bite. Although that bite might also take a chunk out of your shoulder, should you be carrying it.
JBL’s newest Xtreme incarnation is an accessory in and of itself. The speaker is large enough to take up an entire bag, so you better be taking two if you’re transporting this around town. But size means power. Size means volume. And boy, does it have both of those things. The max volume on this thing was loud enough to pulsate through my eardrums. I felt the bass in my jaw. My heartbeat leapt and danced along with the thumping bass. I tested this in a soundproofed room, in a park, and at home, and in every setting, I was blown away.
