The JBL Flip 6 is a decent music speaker. It has a neutral sound profile out of the box, making it suitable for listening to a wide range of music genres. Its well-balanced mid-range ensures that vocals and lead instruments are reproduced accurately and precisely in the mix. However, it lacks low-bass, as do most speakers of its size, so you won’t be able to feel the deep thump and rumble in bass-heavy music like EDM or hip-hop. Fortunately, you can customise its sound with the graphic EQ in its companion app. It also has a large and natural soundstage.
When you compare the JBL Flip 6 to its predecessor, the Flip 5, it’s a game of spot-the-difference. JBL has toned down the “ruggedized” rubber accents on the tubular speaker’s edges, and the passive bass radiators now feel cool, textured, and metallic rather than smooth and rubbery. The power and Bluetooth buttons are still located next to the USB-C port, but they are mounted on a slightly smaller rubber panel that no longer spans the entire length of the speaker.
The Flip 6’s stability is now aided by a small rubber foot beneath the panel, which prevents it from flipping off your desk. Previously, the larger rubber panel concealed the joining point of the speaker’s fabric jacket, but now it is fully exposed. We bring this up because JBL made a similar choice for the Go 3 and discovered that it created a weak point that became susceptible to fraying over time. This spine, on the other hand, feels well finished, with no skeins exposed for pulling.
Other changes include the wrist strap, which is now a continuous loop of cord rather than two strands fastened with a fancy knot, and a useful slider for better security around your wrist. JBL has gone for a larger metallic branding this time, as well as some new colorways, but it is still a refined choice and completes a functional yet good-looking build.
This burrito-sized speaker has been significantly enhanced beneath the fabric jacket. It retains the Flip 5’s racetrack-shaped driver (powered by 20 watts of amplification) and dual passive radiators, but adds a separate tweeter powered by a dedicated 10 watt amplifier. The new Flip, on the other hand, is only 10g heavier, and the same 17.28Wh battery pack claims to fully recharge the speaker’s 12-hour playtime battery in 2.5 hours.