JBL Xtreme 4 BT, IP67 with extreme JBL Pro sound (AV review)

13/08/2024
By Ray Shaw
In Reviews

The JBL Xtreme 4 is a Bluetooth, waterproof, portable stereo speaker with extreme JBL Pro sound and Auracast-compatible for linking more speakers to an Auracast-compatible BT host device. Oh, and it sounds fantastic.

The $429.95 JBL Xtreme 4 supersedes the JBL Xtreme 3 stereo BT speaker and is ready to rumble, which scored (adjusted to 2024 ratings) 8.3/10 for its excellent neutral JBL sound signature, satisfying bass, terrific low-distortion volume. It is a stereo speaker (most BTs are mono). We called it Class and price leading sound.

Differences between JBL Xtreme 4 and JBL Xtreme 3 (in brackets)

2.1kg (1.9kg)
Sound signature is the characteristic JBL Neutral (the best) with slightly more bass and better controlled treble.
85dB (80dB)
Battery Life: 68W/24hours (36W/15hours) both with power save feature
Charge time: 3 (2)
Swappable battery: Yes (no)
New JBL Portable app that makes using a 5-band EQ more intuitive (3-band)
Aux Input: No (yes)
BT 5.3, SBC, multi-point, and Auracast (5.1, yes, yes, no)
Woofers: 2 x 70mm (2 x 65mm)
Tweeters: 2 x 20mm (same)
Passive side radiators: 2 (same)
AI sound boost to maintain sound quality at loud volumes and prevent distortion (no)
Playtime boost (no)
Power bank: yes (same)
Shoulder strap with a built-in bottle opener (same)

If you have an Xtreme 3, upgrading is unnecessary unless you want that extra battery life.

JBL covers all bases

JBL has updated the JBL Clip 5 ($89.95) and JBL Go 4 ($59.95) – both personal mono BT and now Auracast speakers in a huge range of colours that are perfect for kids or attaching to a backpack to explore the wilds.

Australian review – JBL Xtreme 4

Website	Product Page Quick Start Guide
Price	$429.95
From	JBL Online, Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, Bing Lee, Myer, Officeworks
Warranty	1-year ACL
Made in	China
Company	JBL (Est. the mid-40s) is short for James B Lansing. (Yes, he was the Lansing in Altec Lansing.) It is now part of the Harman group of companies owned by Samsung.
More	CyberShack JBL news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

We are also tightening up on grading. From now on, Pass, for example, means meeting expectations for the price bracket. We consider a Pass mark to be 70+/100 with extra points added for class-leading and excellence.

First Impression – JBL rugged portability and excellent sound

This is not a lounge room speaker unless you live in a bunker and like rugged. It is 297 x 149 x 141 mm x 2.1kg. It is stereo, and a stereo pair would give you excellent home music, but some speakers are better designed for that purpose.

The JBL Xtreme 4 adds considerable battery life, a removable battery, and, for the first time, AI to manage sound quality at louder levels.

We tested this on software version 0.5.5.0 23/5/24, which added Party Boost Tone and Auracast mode.

Speakers – Pass+

It has 2 x 70mm woofers, 2 x 20mm tweeters, and two passive bass radiators—one at each end. The radiators pump air, which is necessary for bass, especially from a sealed IP67 speaker.

When on mains/battery power, the speakers produce 2 x 30/20W and 2 x 20/15W, for a total of 100/70W RMS (real wattage—not false peak power).

Placement – Front-firing

The speakers are front-firing, while the radiators are side-firing. The best placement is at desk height and in front of a wall.

While JBL has thoughtfully designed the end caps, if placed vertically to lift the speaker off the surface to help disperse the passive bass, it only works moderately well on sound-reflective surfaces. Remember this is a forward-firing stereo speaker, so put it in the middle front of your listening area.

JBL Portable App – Pass

It is an uncomplicated app, which is good. It allows firmware updates, a factory reset, and a new EQ.

The presets are JBL Signature (neutral – good), Chill (recesses treble), energetic (recesses bass) and vocal (recesses bass and treble to focus on 1-4kHz for clear voice. However, the most significant change is a 5-band EQ allowing +/- 6-step customisation from 40/250/1000/4000/16000Hz.

EQs cannot boost the native signature (see later) but can recess some to make it appear that the others are boosted.

Sound – Exceed

We tested at 100% volume (about 84dB over Bluetooth) and again at 75% volume to see if the AI Sound Boost (maintains sound quality at high volume) really works.

While the signatures were essentially the same, the AI smoothed out distortion and is a worthy addition to the speaker.

Sound summary

Frequency	JBL Xtreme 4 (on power), and We tested on JBL Signature preset
Deep Bass 20-40Hz	Nil
Middle Bass 40-100Hz	It starts at 43Hz and builds quickly to 60Hz, then flat
High Bass 100-200Hz	Superbly flat
Low Mid 200-400Hz	Flat
Mid 400-1kHz	Flat
High Mid 1-2kHz	Flat
Low Treble 2-4kHz	Flat but some clipping at 100% volume – far better controlled at 75%
Mid Treble 4-6kHz	Flat
High Treble 6-10kHz	Dip to avoid harshness, then reasonably flat to 20kHz.
Dog Whistle 10-20kHz	Reasonably Flat
Volume	84dB (limit imposed by Windows and Android)
Sound Signature type	Neutral: The audiophile standard is a flat (good) response that neither adds nor subtracts from the original music! The only issue here is garbage-in and garbage-out – the better the music quality, the better it sounds.
Soundstage stereo	It is not much wider than the speaker.
Left/Right separation	As the two woofers are placed side by side in the speaker’s centre and tweeters beside them, you only get limited left/right directionality. Interestingly, DA content gives great directionality.
Soundstage Dolby Atmos/DTS:X	If the host device can decode DA, then the sound stage widens about 10-15cm all around the speaker
Comment	Bass is satisfying and precise – thump, not whump. Crisp and clear mid adds clarity and balance. Low and Mid treble is good and adds defining character. High treble does not quite reach the sense of sound direction and a feeling of ‘air’, a reality as though the music were really there.
BT (headphones)	BT SBC or AAC codec is typical and crushes the mid-bass and high treble. There is decent Left/Right separation.
Read	How to tell if you have good music (sound signature is the key – guide).

Battery – Pass+

It is a removable JBL Battery 400 FG4CELL21700G 7.2V/9.444A/68W. It is on the JBL USA website at $99.95, but not on the Australian one yet. Replaceable means that this is a keeper, but you could also buy a spare, although the battery can only charge in the speaker.

We expect it to be a 500-recharge cycle battery, and given that you will use it on power most of the time, that means several years of life.

I would buy an Anker Prime 27650mAh 250W power bank A1340 or a Chargeasap Flash Pro 210W power bank or something similar and use that A$200 better for all my USB-C devices.

Charging is via a USB-C PD 5/9/12/15/20V x 3A = 15W/27W/45W/60W charger. It’s a shame it is only PD (fixed voltage), not variable 3-20V PPS. You can still use any PD or PPS charger.

JBL claims a 3.5-hour charge (tested 3.1 hours) and a fast charge of ten minutes for two hours (not tested).

Battery Life depends on volume. JBL claims 24 hours (presumably at 50%), and we got 21 at 75%.

Power Bank – Pass

It can act as a USB-C PD power bank 5V/3A/15W, 9V/2A/18W and 11V/2A/22W. It should be able to charge a typical smartphone three times.

IP67 and floats – Pass+

It is waterproof at depths of 1m for 30m. It also floats. The woven covering dries very quickly.

Auracast

It is a new Bluetooth standard from 5.2 (this is 5.3) that allows almost unlimited Auracast speakers to connect to a single host. That means you could use these in a party environment.

But it also has a multi-speaker connection – Party mode – with compatible speakers.

Missing – not expected

USB audio in – USB-C is only for charge
3.5mm 4-pole headphone/mic jack
Aux in
Mic/Voice Assistant
Wi-Fi (it is not a smart speaker)

CyberShack’s view – JBL Xtreme 4 carries on the JBL tradition

Forgive me if I sound like a JBL groupie – I am – but only because any JBL speaker at any price point sounds consistently excellent. As our retail spies say, it is a no-brainer buying JBL.

I really liked the JBL Xtreme 3, but the double battery capacity, replaceable batteries, and a slight improvement in mid-bass and mid-high-treble make this even better value with a slightly smoother sound. Auracast is not well established yet, but it will be as we see it come to headphones, TVs, and BT casting devices.

Few BT speakers are genuine Left/Right stereo, let alone have four speakers and amps. Few have that lovely mid-bass for excellent Blues Brothers Jazz. Few have mid and treble for Manhattan Transfer instrumentals and crisp notes.

It competes sound-wise with the $799 Sonos Move 2 – portable oomph anywhere, not so much in ‘elegance’, but in a great sound signature and rugged IP67 rating. And it is half the price.

I can’t find any direct stereo competitors at this price. There are heaps of mono speakers.

Rating

2024 ratings use a pass mark of 70/100. Older reviews used 80/100. For parity, deduct 10 points from older reviews.

Features: 85 It has everything expected of an IP67 BT portable speaker and stereo.
Value: 85 – It is class-and-price-leading.
Performance: 85 – excellent sound signature and loads of volume.
Ease of Use: 85 – Charge and go. You don’t need the App. Auracast may be a game-changer.
Design: 80 – All these BT waterproof speakers look the same, but this is stereo.