One of the best Bluetooth speakers around now has a sequel. The Award-winning JBL Charge 5 has been riding high in our list ever since launch, earning the coveted spot of 'best overall'. Given the calibre of the competition, that's an impressive feat.
Now a new model has entered the fray: the Charge 6. It promises everything we loved about the 5, with a bigger sound, more bass and a few new features.
So which should you buy? Read on to see what's new.
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JBL Charge 6 vs Charge 5: price
The JBL Charge 6 and Charge 5 on a red and grey background with a versus sign between them.
(Image credit: Future)
Bad news: it looks like the Charge 6 is getting a price rise. While the Charge 5 cost £160 / $180 / AU$199 at launch, the Charge 6 is priced at £170 / $199 / AU$TBC.
But there is a silver lining. The Charge 5 regularly goes on sale, so the Charge 6 is likely to do the same (eventually, at least).
Because the Charge 5 is now end of life, even bigger discounts are likely – at time of writing, it sells for around £120 / $120 / AU$200, which is very close to its lowest price ever. Eyes peeled.
JBL Charge 6 vs Charge 5: design
JBL Charge 6 speaker held in hand
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
The Charge 5 and 6 might look very similar, but there are some subtle differences.
The button layout for starters. The Charge 6 moves the power and Bluetooth buttons from the top for a more simplified layout.
It also has a new detachable carry strap for lugging it around, complete with clip bits on the top of the speaker.
Not all the design improvements are purely aesthetic. The Charge 6 gets a boost to IP68, up from the IP67 of the Charge 5. That means the 6 is completely dust-tight, and more waterproof than the 5.
But the Charge 6 retains a lot of what made the 5 such a great speaker. Its rubberised underbody still has diagonal anti-slip lines to keep it steady on a surface. It also has the same chunky rubberised ends, which JBL claims will help it survive a 1m drop onto a concrete floor.
JBL Charge 6 vs Charge 5: features
JBL Charge 5
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
The Charge 6 has some new features, too.
You can now play lossless hi-res audio via the USB-C port, though we're still waiting to hear the exact sampling rates that it will support.
The general sound quality should also be improved. That's thanks to JBL's 'AI Sound Boost', which analyses sound waves in realtime and optimises the speaker's audio without introducing any distortion – bigger sound and deeper bass is the promise. Though of course we'll be the judge of that, come review time.
The Charge 6 has an upgraded subwoofer, which should give a deeper bass response. And it promises 28 hours of run time per charge, over the Charge 5's 20 hours.
Like its predecessor, the Charge 6 can be used to juice up a mobile or tablet on the go. Hence the 'Charge' moniker.
Audio-sharing protocol Auracast also comes as standard. This lets you daisy chain numerous speakers together wirelessly for a much bigger sound.
The Charge 5 has plenty to like about it. The bass driver and 20mm tweeter help create the Award-winning sound, while wireless connectivity comes courtesy of Bluetooth 5.1.
There's no Auracast, but the Charge 5 does have PartyBoost, which does much the same thing, but uses more power and connects to a lesser variety of devices.
JBL Charge 6 vs Charge 5: sound
JBL Charge 5 in red charging phone
(Image credit: JBL)
We haven't reviewed the Charge 6 yet, so can't comment on how it sounds. But given its sonic enhancements, it promises to sound even better than its Award-winning predecessor.
Which sounds very good indeed. We praised the Charge 5's agile, energised performance, describing it as "an expansive mix for a portable speaker of this size."
It can do bass oomph as well as any speaker in its category, but it's also skilled at bringing out the more delicate elements of a track. In a word: brilliant.
We can't wait to put the Charge 6 through its paces to see how it compares.
JBL Charge 6 vs Charge 5: early verdict
The JBL Charge line has long ranked among the best Bluetooth speakers money can buy, so a new model is very welcome news.
With a tweaked design, supposedly beefed up sound quality and new features, the Charge 6 looks like a no-brainer against the outgoing Charge 5.
But of course, the newer device is more expensive, especially given the Charge 5's recent discounts. If you can't stretch to the Charge 6, the Charge 5 will make a fine stand-in.
We'll update this article once we've reviewed the Charge 6.
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Read ourJBL Charge 5 review
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