The World Cup is over, and that's left a lot of us with a gaping hole in our summer schedule. What are you supposed to do without wall-to-wall football to keep you entertained into the wee hours of the morning?
Well, you could go out and touch some grass, as the kids say, and there's never been a better time to do so. The footie's over, the weather's great, and JBL's five-star Xtreme 5 Bluetooth speaker has dropped to its lowest-ever price, making it the ideal companion for those out-of-the-house adventures.
We've previously seen the Xtreme 5 fall to £300, but now that it's currently £279 at Amazon – a saving of £51 – that figure has been well and truly beaten. Result!
Best JBL Xtreme 5 deal
It hasn't been around for long, but Xtreme 5 has gained a reputation as a robust, rugged speaker with a clear, detailed and musical sound, all housed in a super-durable build and backed by more features than you can shake a stick at.
An increase in power from its predecessor – the Xtreme 5 offers a claimed 130W when mains-powered, 90W when running off the built-in battery – is immediately obvious, bringing a greater sense of scale and size compared with the Xtreme 4.
In short, the high volume levels will easily go loud enough to power a summer party. Or annoy the neighbours, depending on your mood.
Bass weight is impressive without overpowering the rest of the track, and JBL's speaker is so clear it makes the Xtreme 4 sound slightly hazy and cluttered in comparison.
As we wrote in our review: "Play Run by Stephen Fretwell, and there’s more separation around the individual elements, so you can hear what each one brings to the music.
"You can inspect around the edges of that crisply defined percussion and piano, but the whole presentation remains cohesive, and the track remains confidently knitted together with the lead vocal at the centre. It’s still a hugely musical listen and captures the slow, gentle rhythmic flow and rise and fall of the track."
The Xtreme 5 is a tad chunkier than its predecessor, but it comes with a carry strap that easily attaches to the floating loops. There are also light strips on the front that are perfect for parties, as is the built-in bottle opener.
When it comes to features, there's Bluetooth 6 and Auracast, the latter of which allows you to connect multiple compatible JBL speakers together. There's also lossless audio up to 24-bit/48kHz through a wired connection and Playtime Boost, which extends the battery life from 24 hours to 28 hours, though with a rather drastic impact on sound quality.
If you want one of the most powerful and best-sounding Bluetooth speakers around, then the JBL Xtreme 5 is the speaker for you. It'll handle any outdoor gathering you throw at it, and a £51 saving at Amazon will almost certainly help you beat those post-World Cup blues.
MORE:
Seeking an alternative? Read our Bose SoundLink Max review
Want something cheaper? Check out the JBL Charge 6
Discover our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers for every budget
