If you want speakers to connect to your receiver and play music in the backyard, there are also a good number of choices. If you’re the kind of person that brings a speaker to the beach or to the BBQ, then the JBL Xtreme 2 is going to check most of the boxes you care about. It has the same tough fabric covering which makes it IPX7 waterproof and the same dual passive radiators on either end.
The passive radiators not only help out the low end by pushing more air, but it’s also super fun to look at (especially when wet).
The JBL Xtreme 2 even has a small stand built into the bottom of the speaker so you can place it down somewhere without worrying if it will roll away. Well, JBL also put two metal loops into the top of the speaker and included a shoulder strap in the box. Lining the top of the speaker is where you’ll find all of the buttons including playback controls and power, while the ports are hidden underneath a waterproof flap on the back. The JBL Xtreme 2 meets that qualification, but if you drop it to the bottom of a 2 meter pool it likely won’t do too well.
So while Bluetooth range was fairly average at around 30 feet and rarely stuttered or skipped within that distance, you won’t be able to take advantage of what aptX or AAC has to offer.
I will say that it seems to work pretty well and the music between speakers syncs up perfectly, making it a great option for giant parties.
We managed to squeeze out 19 hours and 57 minutes of constant playback at an output of 75dB(SPL), which is more than good enough for a day at the beach. The thumping bass kicks through Chanel by Frank Ocean are plainly felt and easy to follow without making it sound like they’re getting in the way of the vocals.
That said, if you look at the graph of the frequency response above you’ll see that the Xtreme 2 doesn’t equally emphasize all notes in the mids and highs. There’s a slight dip which helps keeps the music from exhibiting any harsh sounds, but it comes at the detriment of clarity.
If you want a speaker that gets loud, sounds good, and will last you a full day of listening to music then the Xtreme 2 is hard to beat.
It’s tough IPX7 build means you don’t have to worry about it getting destroyed at the beach or the park and the included shoulder strap makes it easy-ish to transport considering its size.
The key upgrades are that it now has Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C charging, and an IP67 water and dustproof resistant rating. Unfortunately, we can’t recommend going out and buying it until we get one in for ourselves to put through testing, but if you’re thinking of picking up the JBL Xtreme 2 it’s worth keeping in mind that there is now an updated version.
In that event, you should know that JBL’s product lineage is remarkably consistent, and doesn’t often change all that much, save for when their entry-level speaker lineup moved from two small channels to one larger one.
JBL Xtreme 2 review: A jumbo Bluetooth speaker made for tailgating
JBL has upgraded the drivers in the Xtreme 2 so the speaker has bigger, fatter sound with even more bass than its predecessor. By that I mean it’s got some good kick in the bass — it goes pretty deep — and that little bit of treble push, sometimes referred to as “presence boost,” to bring out the detail. With a detachable carrying strap and 10,000-mAh Li-ion rechargeable battery that’s rated for 15 hours of playback at modest volume levels, the Xtreme 2 is designed to be portable, although you could certainly use this as a home speaker in a small to medium-sized room. Due to the size of its battery, it comes with its own AC adapter and doesn’t charge via microUSB like smaller portable Bluetooth speakers do.
You’ll find an audio input under a gasket along with a USB out for charging devices (you supply the cable). Unlike JBL’s Link series speakers, the Xtreme2 doesn’t feature Wi-Fi audio streaming via Google Chromecast.
JBL Xtreme 2 Review
At first glance, the JBL Xtreme 2 seems like a relic from a bygone era of boom boxes, displaying none of the subtlety and refinement that smaller smart speakers usually opt for. No, this is a speaker for party people who like to bring sonic quality with them wherever they go, rather than for your average camping trip.
The tough fabric grille and rubber port covers give this a very high waterproof rating of IPX7.
This means it can survive being dropped down to a depth of 1.5m and is more than capable of withstanding any rain or splashback when used beside a pool. Basically, this is one hardy performer, which looks like it was built well enough to handle the rough and tumble of outdoor use. The shoulder strap is hooked into the top of the speaker via carabiners and is slightly padded in case you need to carry it over longer distances.
The rugged aesthetic is completed by dual passive radiators at either end finishing off the muscular look. All the button controls are on top of the speaker, and the ports are at the back, protected by a waterproof flap. The flap is initially difficult to pry open, which I suppose is a good thing from a waterproofing perspective. A pair of 2.75-inch woofers and a set of 0.8-inch tweeters provide the firepower together with the 3.5-inch passive bass radiators.
An internal amp powers the four active drivers delivering 10 watts to each when plugged into an outlet. You can’t talk directly to Alexa or Google Assistant, although they can be accessed via the touch of a button.
It’s hard to see why JBL didn’t include USB charging options for the obvious convenience this would bring. To look at them, you’d wrongly predict an over-emphasized bass signature to appeal to the young party crowd. The highly obvious passive radiators may give the Xtreme 2 a forceful look, but the sound signature is surprisingly tasteful. If anything, they should have a slightly bassier profile option for use outside as the refined balance can get a little lost in the great outdoors.
Fortunately, we can assure them that the sound profile of the JBL Xtreme 2 is a far subtler and pleasing experience than their outward appearance would suggest. Well, someone that likes to bring their tunes and a serious amount of volume to the numerous outdoor gatherings they regularly attend.
Our favorite aspect of the JBL Xtreme 2 has to be the finely balanced sound signature, which gives this speaker an appeal beyond the younger market. Musical genres across the board sound faithfully reproduced, giving them a broader appeal.
This branding might confuse potential buyers and mislead them regarding the actual nature of the sound. At around the correct price, the JBL Xtreme 2 offers the kind of value you’d expect, with a pleasant and loud sound lurking under the tough exterior.
JBL Xtreme 2 Review
JBL is no stranger to outdoor-friendly Bluetooth speakers—the company knows how to deliver rugged, portable designs that can pump out powerful bass response. Rubberized feet on the bottom panel keep the speaker from rolling around, and dual 20mm/20-watt drivers project sound forward, through the grill-covered front section.
There was no obvious distortion or fuzziness, just some serious dynamic limiting that made the audio dip here and there, but overall, the Xtreme 2 offers better-than-average clarity. JBL estimates the Xtreme 2’s battery life to be roughly 15 hours, but your results will vary with your volume levels and your mix of wireless and wired playback. On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the Xtreme 2 delivers near-subwoofer-like low-frequency response. It’s clear there’s some DSP (digital signal processing) at play here that thins out the bass slightly at top volumes, but not so much that the track loses its power.
From Callahan’s baritone vocals, to the drums, to the electric bass itself, the lows on this track stand out dramatically more than they would on a more accurate system, though the Xtreme 2 does a fine job of balancing things out with some added sculpting and boosting in the high-mids and highs. The higher you raise the volume, the less powerful the bass on this track sounds and the more the high-mid attack of the loop gains prominence.
The JBL Xtreme 2 isn’t cheap, but for the price, it delivers a solid feature set combined with high-quality audio performance.
And if the Xtreme 2 is too bulky and heavy for your tastes, the Libratone Zipp and the Sony SRS-XB40 are solid, slightly smaller options, but they aren’t as powerful.
JBL Xtreme 2 review
On first sight, the JBL Xtreme 2 seems a little brash and out of place – an unashamed boombox in an era of reserved smart speakers dressed in grey fabric. In fact, it’s fair to say that, unless you bought one expecting bass as brazen as its initial appearance, the JBL Xtreme 2 comes as a pleasant surprise.
Too large to stash in airline hand luggage for weekend breaks, and perhaps too bold for some living rooms, JBL has not gone for crowd-pleasing neutrality here. The JBL Xtreme 2 won’t let you talk to Alexa or Google Assistant, just set a button to activate them in the manner of an earphone’s in-line remote.
There’s a five dot LED battery indicator on the speaker’s underside, which allows the Xtreme 2 to function as a power bank for your phone via its USB port. The JBL Xtreme 2 is a rough and tumble speaker, and the design suggests it will have the bass response to match.
As in some smaller JBL models, each side of the Xtreme 2 is a passive radiator that amplifies the bass output. JBL Xtreme 2 tech specs Water resistance IPX7 Battery life 15 hours Bluetooth 4.2 Power 2 x 20W Aux input 3.5mm Dimensions (hwd) 14 x 29 x 13cm Weight 2.4kg
The Xtreme 2’s impressive stereo imaging highlights JBL’s aim of providing great audio, pure and simple. While the Xtreme 2 extends down to the upper 55Hz sub-bass region for realistic-sounding kick drums and bass drops, that kind of juvenile excess just isn’t here.
Amazon.com: JBL Xtreme 2, Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker, Black : Electronics
I bought this one after being very happy with the two Flips, and very impressed with their quality of sound, versatility, utility, convenience, and ruggedness. When paired up with my two Flips it’s even better and more dynamic, plus i can put these speakers anywhere creating a kind of surround sound. Along with adding Stereo Mode for more than two speakers, an EQ, and a volume control and indicator in the app would be really helpful.
I haven’t tested the waterproof of the Xtreme 2, but I have seen videos of them submerged in water, or floating in a pool, and i have had one of my Flips out on my kayak where it’s been drenched and kept right on playing, so I do have full confidence that this one is just as durable.
Customer Reviews: JBL Xtreme 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker Black JBLXTREME2BLKAM
The Unit is well built, nice looking (IMO), and lasts a very long time per battery charge. I confirmed with Best Buy that you cannot go back to the original firmware once updated, and was advised to return the unit if I was unhappy with it, which I did.
JBL Xtreme 2 Review
Don’t buy a JBL Xtreme 2 expecting the kind of ferocious or cartoonish bass response its name and design suggest, however. It isn’t meant to sit in one spot in your living room, you can’t send music to it directly using Spotify Connect, nor can you request songs via voice command as you might with an Amazon Echo. The grille is a tough, most likely a nylon-based fabric, and a chunky rubber seal over the ports on the back grants the JBL Xtreme 2 IPX7 water-resistance. Large passive radiators at each end, those metal carabiner hooks and the high-contrast JBL logo don’t conform to the idea of sophistication.
Much as I have a big soft spot for the JBL Xtreme 2, I wouldn’t want it front and centre in my lounge. Battery life of up to 15 hours is excellent for such a large unit, thanks to a fairly generous 10,000mAh cell. A full-size USB port sits on the rear of the unit, beneath the rubber flap, and an LED indicator behind the grille on the front lets you know how much charge is left. These also let you talk to your digital assistant via the Xtreme 2 – but bear in mind this is functionality on a par with a headphone in-line remote, not a smart speaker.
Imagining the JBL Xtreme 2 playing loud tunes to young party-goers is easy. The predecessor had bass to match the style, with more attention paid to moving air than how coherent it sounds.
It’s powerful and deep, lending kick drums and double bass lines realistic weight. But the “pumped up” and skewed low-end I had considered a near-certainty before hearing the JBL Xtreme 2 just isn’t there.
The mids are well textured; not the scooped vacuum I anticipated, having prejudged the JBL Xtreme 2 before even opening its box. Its combo of two 2.75-inch woofers, two 20mm drivers and those passive radiators provides both great sound dispersal across a room and a very involving, big-scale stereo image. The JBL Xtreme 2 could probably do with an “outdoors” sound mode, since its refined approach to tone won’t necessarily travel as well in wide-open spaces. The JBL Xtreme 2’s low-end is deep and powerful, but the team behind its tuning clearly had higher aims than club-style bass.
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