The new version JBL Go 2

The new version JBL Go 2

In the box, you get the speaker itself, and before you throw this box away, make sure you take the micro USB cable out of this small box at the bottom. I like the design of this speaker, and after using it for some time, I can see why it is so popular.

The new version JBL Go 2 is coated with this rubber-like material, which feels very pleasant to touch. This material will catch oils from your fingers quickly, but a solution I found for this problem was not to touch it when your hands are oily.

There is a white LED present under the mesh, looks very nice and turns red to tell you that it’s charging. This champagne color looks very nice, but it also comes in many different colors, which are unique for Bluetooth speakers.

It has this prominent JBL branding on both sides, so they seem to be proud of this product. It doesn’t look bad, though, and on the back, it also adds to the grip. This new version is curvier than before, and I think that it looks better. The front has a metal grill, and the buttons are under the outer layer, so that makes them accessible but protected from water. And yes, the most significant upgrade from the previous model is that JBL Go 2 is now IPX7 waterproof. So, you can use it in the bathroom, or on the beach, or in a bathroom on the beach and you don’t have to worry about rain or other wet things that you might have around you.

The charging port, which should’ve been USB type C, and the AUX input are also sealed with the tight flap that you’ll have to use every time you want to charge this.

There is another upgrade that is related to bass. The single 40mm driver, now also has a bass radiator, while keeping the same size. So that’s great to see. It doesn’t make a big difference in sound quality, but it does make a difference. I found that it sounds better if you keep JBL Go 2 vertical rather than horizontal. It has some metal pieces inside, which makes it heavier so that it doesn’t move while playing loud music, but it’s still very portable and pocketable. You can also play music with it in your pant’s pocket, or on your chest while using it in bed.

JBL Go 2 speaker is straightforward to operate. The power button and the Bluetooth pairing button are separate. So just a single press can make it turn on or off with cool sounds. It doesn’t require any pressing and holding like cheaper Bluetooth speakers, which makes it much more convenient to use. The other buttons are used for increasing or decreasing volume. There is a play and pause button, which will skip to the next track if you double press it. If you hold it, it’ll launch Google Assistant. There isn’t a way to go to the previous track, but I don’t miss that.

The battery of JBL Go 2 lasts for 5 hours, which isn’t a lot, but it should last for longer if you’re listening to something that doesn’t have a lot going on.

Now coming on to the sound quality, it’s excellent for its size, but it is not that great for its price. You are buying this speaker for its portability, waterproofing, design, JBL branding, and the general quality of electronics that come with that. But you shouldn’t buy it for its sound quality.

The bass is good for its size, but this isn’t great for electronic music. Only the mid-bass will be audible, and it won’t have the impact that you can have with more prominent Bluetooth speakers in the same price range. The mids are perfect, and it is excellent for watching TV shows, movies, and YouTube videos. Vocals sound great too, and so makes Indian music. The highs are good, they are very present, but their quality and definition aren’t excellent.

JBL Go 2 has a single 3 watt 40mm driver, which isn’t big even for its size, and the problem with having only a single speaker for stereo playback is that both channels have to be handled by a single driver, so there’s more distortion.

The volume of this speaker is perfect for its size, and it can fill a small room with sound.

The sound also doesn’t distort at the highest volumes, which is very impressive, and it’s also fun to feel the vibrations in your hands or on your body, as the driver pushes itself to its limits when music is played loudly.

Here’s how the microphone sounds; it sounds excellent, and you can easily talk to someone while having this speaker away from your mouth. I am happy with this.

Here are the specs if you’re interested, and I was able to walk around 50 feet away from my phone with these in my hand before the connection started breaking.

So conclusion, I think that if you’re looking for a speaker of this size, which also has waterproofing, and will be lasting long, you should go for it. It sounds perfect for its size. But if sound quality is your priority, you could go for something else. If you do not need waterproofing, the JBL Go 1 is probably a better option, and it also can be attached to a strap, which they removed in this new version for some reason. It doesn’t sound much worse than the Go 2 and should perform similarly well in all areas.