Believe it or not, Bluetooth speakers haven’t been around for ever. Go back 13 or 14 years, and the market was just starting pick up steam.
One of the brands that helped to drive it and continues to push it along is JBL.
Our original JBL Flip review was full of praise. We said, “A sensational blend of portability and performance makes the JBL Flip a belting Bluetooth speaker.”
And it wasn’t a one-hit wonder. We are now onto the seventh generation of Flip, so I thought it might be interesting to dust down the original, to see just how far this Bluetooth speaker has come.
And flippin’ heck, it’s been fun.
Design
Placing the original next to the Flip 7, I’m impressed with how similar they actually look – even if they feel quite different when you hold them in your hand.
That cylindrical shape has really been the speaker’s defining feature over the years, and it’s pretty obvious the Flip 7 is still cut from the same cloth.
It might appear a little dated, but I think the original Flip still looks smart for the time, although it is perhaps a bit more functional than fun – especially when compared with the jazzier appearance of the more modern model.
The Flip 7 has grown in size and stature compared with the original, but not by much. More notable is the contrast between the materials used and the design language.
The original now feels a little cheap in comparison, but you have to remember that, at the time, this is how many of its key rivals stacked up at this level too.
JBL made the switch to using more ruggedised materials with the Flip 3, and that’s when I think the Flip really found its identity.
That iteration also happened to see the introduction of bass radiators at either end of the speaker, which really helped with sound quality. But more on these differences later.
The build quality of the Flip 7 is really impressive. It feels solid, sturdy and capable of dealing with life’s bumps and bruises without any complaints. It knows exactly the type of person it’s trying to appeal to.
It also leans even more heavily into being properly portable, thanks to its neatly integrated and switchable carry loop which can be switched out for a carabiner. It’s design touches such as this which really cement this Bluetooth speaker as one you can throw in a bag and forget about.
By contrast, the original Flip came with an old-school neoprene carry case to protect it from dinks and scratches.
Features
The original Flip certainly feels more vulnerable to the elements, where the Flip 7 appears to be built to withstand everything a backpacking holiday can throw at it.
Its lofty IP68 rating means it is dustproof and can handle long-term submersion at certain depths. I haven’t seen many Bluetooth speakers that can play music and float at the same time – it’s certainly something the original Flip wouldn’t survive.
13 years is a long time in tech, and as you would probably expect, there have been further advancements in terms of the features which JBL now offers with the Flip.
The most obvious is a jump in battery life – I was surprised to be reminded that the original Flip was good for only around five hours of play time.
In contrast, the Flip 7 offers not only 14 hours per charge, but it also has a USB-C connector on the back, which isn’t just for charging the speaker; it can also be used to charge your smartphone or tablet too.
The original came with a power adapter for charging and had a 3.5mm auxiliary input.
You could actually make and take phone calls on the old speaker (the controls were located on the left side of the speaker, or the top if you had it positioned upright). I always found this a strange feature to offer on a budget Bluetooth speaker, and it was actually removed for the fifth generation Flip.
By contrast, on the Flip 7, JBL does a nice job of blending the playback controls into the surface of the speaker, while you have additional controls for pairing, power and Auracast, which JBL uses to enable you to pair compatible speakers together, something you couldn't do with the original.
Sound
The way the two JBL logos are positioned on the original Flip encourages you to use it either horizontally or upright.
In our original review, we did actually note that JBL sounded best standing up, “we found the angle of attack for the listener to be better with the speaker on the vertical – this way it’s angled slightly up towards your ears.”
Putting it through its paces 13 years later, the Flip does sound clearer with better separation when standing upright. Horizontally the speaker injects a tiny bit more weight, but the mix of different elements when listening to Dry Your Eyes by The Streets sounds messier and cloudier.
It’s still a fun, engaging listen, though, with an expressive midrange and crisp highs – these areas are where this speaker’s strengths most certainly lie.
It’s not the weightiest of sounds and I can still hear the slight thinness at the top end that we noted in our review first time around, but it’s not too distracting.
I switch to the JBL Flip 7, and the difference is immediate and seriously impressive; it’s not that much bigger in terms of physical size, but the sound is on a completely different scale.
The difference in bass weight blew me away, with the Flip 7 just sounding so much more substantial and powerful. It makes the original sound seriously lacking in that department.
Playing Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy and the bassline struggles to make any impact when listening through the original – it feels as though you’re getting more of a faint outline, whereas the Flip 7 hits you with weight and solidity and doesn’t let up.
That thinness of the original has been filled in. It feels as though the DSP is making more of a concerted effort to deliver a much more even balance.
I can also push the latest iteration much harder. The original starts to distort and beg for mercy at higher volumes, whereas I can practically hear the Flip 7 goading me on, asking if that’s all I’ve got? I’m reminded that it punches well above its weight, size and price.
The Flip 7 still has the framework and foundations of the original – it still sounds entertaining, lively and fun, but it's obviously so much more grown up now.
Verdict
After spending time with both, I can’t help but be impressed with how far the Flip has come. Some products struggle for longevity, but it’s testament to the JBL team that the speaker has evolved into something so capable and desirable at that level.
After testing the original, we said “Listen to the JBL Flip and there’s a good chance you’ll fall head over heels for it”. That phrase rings as true now as it did back in 2013.
MORE:
Check out our pick of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy
Read our full JBL Flip 7 review
And our original JBL Flip review
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