Hi all,

I've been reading up on this, and trying the speakers in-store. But I'd like to get your thoughts, especially those who have both or listened to both. I can get either at the same price due to boxing day sales and coupons online. This will be something that I'll buy but eventually give to my father once I go home. I honestly have no idea what my father likes more. He's just been asking for a speaker. It's most likely going to stay by his bed.

Admittedly, I have not found a store where both displays work. It's always just one or the other. But what I've noticed is that:

1. JBL is louder - but the sounds become "more together" in a way - like you can't hear the different instruments separately. Please let me know how that is supposed to be described (I've heard sounding more "open" being thrown to it, though I'm not sure if it's the same thing).

2. Bose is less loud, but the instruments seem to be more separated. I am a fan of hearing the lead guitars and such in music. I'm not sure but I think there is a puncher bass too, but that might be more due to the choice of sample music in the demos.

Overall, I feel like Bose has more "clarity", if that's the right word. And, I don't know if that's the only thing I should put most weight on, but it's the one I notice quite a bit when listening to stuff.

Please feel free to chime in as to which you think is better. Maybe help me get my sound descriptors correct? Haha.

I appreciate all of your feedback.

Deciding between these two. Mostly going to be using them in a room/house, for everyday listening. Prefer a good quality sound that is balanced, and good quality bass is also a very nice bonus.

Have read reviews and comparisons and still unable to decide

People say you can listen to Bose longer than you can to other non-Bose speakers. How is this so? Will my ears get tired after listening to a non-Bose speaker after 1 hour or so?

EDIT: Watched this comparison video, and isnt it clear that the JBL Charge 5 wins?

Thanks in advance

Hey folks,
I'm stuck in a loop trying to choose between these three speakers — Marshall Emberton 2, JBL Charge 5, and Bose SoundLink Flex (Gen 2). They all cost more or less the same, and the more reviews I watch, the more confused I get 😵‍💫

Here’s my dilemma:

• Marshall Emberton 2: I love the vintage Marshall design and brand vibe. Feels premium and aesthetic. But I’m a little unsure if it’ll give me enough bass and loudness for the kind of music I play (a lot of indie, rock, sometimes EDM).

• JBL Charge 5: Seems like a bass monster and probably the loudest of the lot. But it’s slightly bulkier than the other two, so I’m wondering if it’s too much to carry around during trips — though still doable.

• Bose SoundLink Flex (Gen 2): Bose has that classic audio tuning and build. But I’m not sure how loud it gets and if it gives any kind of stereo or immersive experience.

My usage is pretty chill — mostly indoors, some picnics, treks/travel stuff. Just want something portable, reliable, and sounds great both in quiet and open spaces.

Any personal experiences, comparisons, or regrets with any of these?
Would love to hear your thoughts before I pull the trigger!

I have been going back and fourth on these two for the past few days. Now just for the record I am no audiophile. I just love listening to music and jamming out. I go to the beach and cookouts a lot and wanted to pick one up. I love a good punchy sound but not when bass is overtaking the mids and vocals. I like the sound to be more clean and balanced. Between these two, which would be a better fit based on my personal preference? Thanks!

I'm super confused between these two, I like the portability and sound clarity of the Bose, but bass on JBL charge 5 seems superior and it's louder.

I want a portable speaker with good bass and clarity, mostly for indoor listening, but also outdoor sometimes.

I love listening to songs with deep bass. Apart from music, I will also be watching movies, and listening to podcasts with the speaker.

Can someone who has these speakers help me make a decision between the two?

Which is the better speaker between Bose Soundlink flex vs JBL charge 5? Iam really confused. Few years back i bought the JBL charge 3 for really expensive price. But it really disappointed me. Because of the cracking sound i had after using it for few months. I don't understand why people love JBL so much. Maybe, because of the design. I wanted to try Something sony XB 33 but then it went out of stock. I wanted to try Bose Speakers. Will i regret buying the Bose Soundlink flex? Good citizens please help.

From my experience: JBL charger 5 has much better build quality, sound bass, battery life and sound quality! Also much louder and rugged! Buy a JBL charger 5!

I’ve been looking for a speaker and I’ve settled on either the JBL Charge 5 or the Bose SoundLink Flex. Both have good reviews and are in my price range. What would be the best option between the two in terms of sound quality? I don’t really care about portability. Also if it helps I like strong bass.

I'm searching for a portable speaker that fits easily in a small backpack or alongside my school supplies. My priority is rich, deep bass and powerful volume output, along with at least 9 hours of REAL USE battery life and water resistance. i watched a lot if reviews, and these 3 are my main options. Does anyone have one or two of those speakers to compare? or if there's another speaker that fits these criteria, I'd appreciate recommendations. Regarding size, I'm aiming for something between the JBL Xtreme 3 (L size) and Flip 6 (S size), similar to the Charge 5 (M size).

I want some input from you guys as I am currently torn between a Bose Flex or JBL Charge 5. I have no problem with the size of the JBL Charge 5 instead of the Flex. Both sound quite good to me and I can't decide. Thoughts?

The lineup is Bose SoundLink flex, new beats pill 2024, and the Charge 5.

I am testing these out, all connected to a dap to get the cleanest sound, without any interruptions from my phone.

This is all of the opinion of my ears.

Bass: So far I've found that you can hear a deeper bass from the SoundLink flex, although not hearing enough higher bass noises. The charge 5 has strong bass, but not anything out of the 3 that would make it stand out. The beats pill has a great bass signature from my ears. It can be felt through a table and is not overpowering to the rest of the sound signature has. The bass on the SoundLink flex is a bit weaker then the rest, not really having anything from the higher end of the bass spectrum that I hear from the other 2 speakers.

Treble: Bose SoundLink flex has the weaker of the treble responses, although it does sound great but it's just not something I would choose when comparing. It just doesn't come off as weak, just more blended in to the bass (not a muddy sound, just something that can be potentially annoying to some). It does sound very well tuned there but I would like a bit more treble response. Beats Pill sounds very good with a higher treble response. It could get annoying to some people but it does mean that I can hear more of the background instruments a bit more clearly, along with the vocals. The Charge 5 being the biggest speaker in this comparison, the treble is super clear with it not being overwhelming at all. I would consider it to be tuned between the Bose and the Beats, in terms of how much treble to bass you get.

Volume: To start this off, the Charge 5 of course is going to sound the loudest and can get the loudest at the top volumes. 37% volume and it's louder than the other 2 speakers. The beats pill is in second, and at 44% it's loud, still quieter than the JBL, where I'd want to turn it up to hear some songs. The Bose SoundLink Flex is set to 64%-68% before it gets to a comparable sound level between the other two.

Portability: If you want the smallest of the 3 speakers, the SoundLink Flex is the smallest, being slim and easier to throw into a bag. The beats is second, JBL third. Throwing this into a bag to bring to your friends house or to travel, I'd personally grab the beats as it doesn't seem to feel too much bigger than the Bose. If you want something to bring to the beach with you, or just bring on a camping trip, it would be a pick between what has the best rated battery, Beats Pill 2024, or the more rugged JBL Charge 5.

Conclusion: All-in-all they are all great speakers. From my ears, they sound decent. Nothing wrong with choosing any one of these. The bass to treble on the Beats Pill is blowing me away, seeing how they used to all be just pure bass with "passable" treble. I may actually choose to carry around the Beats Pill with me if I need to go out somewhere that asks me to bring a speaker (I have too many for them to default to asking me every time lol!). If I go to the beach I will still take the JBL just because the amount of times I brought it and just put it in the shower to wash it off made it worth it. Esp since it just sits in sand and can take it.

I wanna know what one you would choose.

Which speaker is better for use in the shower? I already know I prefer the Bose for its better treble focus and richness in sound but I don't know if it would be loud enough in the bathroom.

My Sony SRS-XB20 just broke, so I'm looking for a new speaker, mainly for home use. I've heard mixed opinions and I'm having a hard time deciding. I prefer the design of the JBL, and from the YouTube videos I've watched, it seems to offer much better EQ customization. I’ve also heard it gets quite loud without much distortion—though I’m not sure about the Bose in that regard. The Bose is said to sound great straight out of the box, but as I mentioned, it doesn’t offer as much flexibility when it comes to sound customization.

If there are any better options in this price range (both are currently on sale in Italy on Amazon—JBL for €164 and Bose for €109), I’d definitely be interested in checking them out. I can't go any higher budget-wise at the moment.