JBL has delivered some great portable Bluetooth speakers in recent years. The brand has been super-consistent with its designs and sound quality, and we’ve tested and handed out five stars to multiple ranges at various price points. And the JBL Xtreme 4 is hoping to continue the brand’s fine track record.

Although it might have been tempting to kick back and just give its previous iteration, the Xtreme 3, a lick of paint, JBL has implemented tweaks designed to improve functionality, the user experience and performance. And the star rating speaks for itself…

Price

Like a lot of tech over the past couple of years, the JBL Xtreme 4 hasn’t escaped a slight bump in price. It now costs £330 / $380 / AU$430 compared to its predecessor, the Xtreme 3, which we originally tested at £300 / $350 / AU$400. There are some big-hitting rivals for it to contend with at this level, including the Award-winning Dali Katch G2 (£349 / $499 / AU$799) and the new Bose SoundLink Max which comes in at £399 / $399 / AU$599.

Design

For the Xtreme 4, JBL has stuck to an evolution of the existing design rather than a revolution. But you won’t find us complaining. While JBL’s changes compared to the Xtreme 3 haven’t been huge, they have subtly improved things.

It’s still the cylindrical shape we’ve come to know and love, with the same tactile, ruggedised elements such as the wrap-around grille, which is made from a combination of recycled plastic and fabric. It’s still waterproof and dustproof – well, it wouldn’t be very ‘Xtreme’ if it fell over at the first sight of a raindrop, would it? 

On the top of the speaker, the button layout has switched from a strip on the Xtreme 3 to a central block of six. The line-up includes a new button for the speaker’s Auracast functionality, which we’ll come to later.

Flip the speaker upside down and you’ll see another change. The Xtreme 4 has a new base which features two strips of silicone bubble feet to give the speaker a bit more grip, and greater stability so it reduces the chances of it rolling over. (If you look at either end of the speaker you’ll also see the silicone bubble material is now used to protect the edges.)

For those wondering, the driver configuration for the Xtreme 4 is the same as the previous model so there are two 70mm woofers and two 20mm tweeters behind the grille. You also have the usual JBL-logo-wearing passive radiators at either end that you can see pulsing along in time with your tunes.

You could argue rivals like the Bose SoundLink Max and Dali Katch G2 boast a classier design, but we think there’s plenty of room for everyone in this category.

Features

For the JBL Extreme 4, battery life gets a big boost and now stands at 24 hours compared to 15 hours on the previous model. If that’s not enough, for the first time the Xtreme features a replaceable battery – remove a couple of screws in the bottom of the speaker, slide out the pack and replace it with the optional JBL Battery 400 (£80).

If 24 hours isn’t enough (and it probably will be for even the biggest party animal), JBL’s Playtime Boost feature can also squeeze an extra six hours out of the battery. However, we’d recommend steering clear of this feature. From our testing, we think it boosts mids and highs but also sucks the weight and solidity out of the bass which makes for an overly lean sound.

The JBL charges via USB-C and should take around three and a half hours to go from zero to full, while ten minutes with the supplied charger should supply a couple of hours of juice. Like other portable Bluetooth speakers at this level, when you’re away from the mains, the Xtreme 4 can also charge connected devices via the same USB-C socket using its built-in battery.

AI Sound Boost is a new feature making its debut on Xtreme 4. It’s a technology that’s always on and is there to help the speaker maintain sound quality at loud volumes and prevent distortion. It uses an AI algorithm to predict the speaker’s movement and power response and it seems to do the trick – we push the JBL hard during testing and it remains composed and controlled even when we crank it past 11.

Auracast Bluetooth tech makes an appearance and replaces JBL’s PartyBoost feature. It still offers the same functionality, i.e. you can pair two Xtreme 4 speakers together in stereo or you can connect multiple compatible JBL units, but it also gives the speaker an element of future-proofing too, should other features roll out in the coming months.

To help with the user experience, we’d suggest downloading the accompanying JBL Portable app which you can use to keep on top of updates and customise the sound. It offers EQ presets and a more in-depth five-band equaliser.

Your default preset is the JBL Signature sound setting, which in our opinion has the best balance. In the name of testing, we rotate through the other presets to get a flavour of how the speaker reacts, but we soon find ourselves reverting back.

The ‘Chill’ setting seems to smooth everything off – highs lose some of their spark and there’s a lack of clarity and dynamics too.

‘Energy’ seems to remove some of the richness, thus giving the impression of greater vibrancy, but it also leaves upper mids and highs a bit more exposed. We find it draining to listen to over time.

Something we haven’t come across before but do find interesting is that the JBL’s power output is 80W when just using the built-in battery and rises to 100W when it’s plugged into the mains. And in our opinion you can hear the difference this makes, especially at louder volumes. You can hear the sense of scale and power drop off when you unplug the power cable. It’s not a massive negative though, and the character of the sound stays the same…

Sound

Which is great, because we’re huge fans of how the JBL Xtreme 4 sounds. You’d think, given the JBL’s relatively big, bold and showy exterior that it would be a bit of a bass machine, but this is the thing that’s constantly impressed us about this Xtreme and its predecessors.

For such a chunky speaker it produces a fantastically refined sound. If you’re not used to the range it might even come as quite a surprise, but it really does work to the JBL’s benefit.

It produces a wonderfully clear and consistent sound across tracks. Low frequencies are poised and punchy but don’t lack weight. Highs are crisp enough so they don’t feel rolled off.

Detail levels are excellent for the money and it’s still exciting and fun to listen to which is exactly what you want from a product like this.

We start testing with Brazil by Declan McKenna and the JBL entertains us from the off. It captures the playful electric guitar and percussion, and delivers the song with plenty of energy. When the bassline kicks in it sounds weighty and goes deep, but there’s detail and texture and you can hear the difference in weight between each note. Compared side by side, we notice that the clarity on offer is actually a step up from the Xtreme 3.

Switching over to Yungblud’s Breakdown and the JBL does a great job of delivering the emotion and feeling in his vocal, and mixing it in with the flow of the track’s melody. The track’s sweet-sounding piano play sets the song on its way with expertly defined edges before the song’s drum’n’bassy bassline kicks in. There’s real speed and precision to each probing bass hit, with the speaker cutting a precise groove. It’s a close-run thing between the JBL and the likes of the Bose SoundLink Max and Dali Katch G2, but the JBL’s clarity, cohesion and solidity are a real highlight here.

Verdict

When it comes to prolonging the life of a successful product line, consistency is key. It isn’t always about trying to make huge leaps in performance, it can also be about small, subtle adjustments here or there that are carefully considered and well executed.

Which is exactly what the JBL Xtreme 4 delivers. It hasn’t rewritten the rule book for Bluetooth speakers, nor has it rested on its laurels. It’s just a superb all-round performer that’s difficult to fault.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 4
• Build 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Bose Soundlink Max

Also consider the Dali Katch G2

Best Bluetooth speakers tried and tested for every budget

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world’s leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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