Pros
- Fantastic sound in a small package
- Compact and lightweight with multiple clip options
- Impressive battery life
- Auracast, lossless audio, and stereo pairing support
- Durable with an IP68 rating
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a USB-C cable
Heading to the beach or park, sitting by the pool, or going to a dorm or up to the cottage? You’ll probably want to bring along a portable Bluetooth speaker to share tunes with others. JBL is one of the top brands in this space, and the JBL Flip 7 is one of the newest models in the line. Compact in size, you still get big signature JBL sound. It’s easy to pop into a backpack or suitcase to bring with you. But it fits equally well on your desk at home, too. I enjoyed listening at home, in my backyard, and even threw it into my carry-on for a recent vacation to Mexico. The verdict? This handy little portable Bluetooth speaker is impressive, affordable, and versatile.
About the JBL Flip 7 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Before diving into my review, let’s look at the basic specs of the JBL Flip 7. It comes in five solid colours plus camouflage. Boasting JBL Pro audio, you’ll get more depth of sound thanks to a new tweeter dome design. AI Sound Boost, meanwhile, analyzes your music to optimize acoustic performance without distortion, no matter the volume level.
Get up to 16 hours of playtime per charge, an additional two hours with Playtime Boost. Thanks to Auracast, you can easily pair two Flip 7s or multiple JBL speakers, including different models, to cover an even larger area with more immersive audio. Enjoy lossless audio by connecting it to your laptop or other source device via USB-C (with a compatible lossless audio source from a supported app or service). Note that it does not come with a USB-C cable, but chances are you have multiple ones lying around the house anyway.
As you’d expect from an outdoor-friendly speaker, the Flip 7 is IP68 rated to withstand both dust and water. Submerge it in up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. It’s even drop-proof down to a metre on even concrete floor.
Thanks to the PushLock system, you can use interchangeable accessories, including the wrist strap or carabiner, both of which are included in the box. Control playback using the JBL Portable app to customize the sound, download updates, and contact support if needed.
The JBL Flip 7 is available in Canada through Erikson Consumer for $190.
JBL Flip 7 Review: Big Sound, Small Package
I had the perfect opportunity to put the JBL Flip 7 through its paces. Not only did I listen at home, I also popped it into my carry-on to take with me on a vacation to a resort in Mexico. While there, we listened to tunes in the room, by the pool, and at the beach. Additionally, I also used a JBL Charge 6 (review to follow) to get an idea of how multiple JBL portable speakers can work together to better fill a room or area with sound.
Taking it out of the box, the speaker is downright adorable. It measures 7.19 x 2.7x 2.8 inches, making it a lightweight and compact speaker you can take with you. Yes, even in your carry-on backpack, beach bag, or purse. The PushLock system is neat, allowing you to easily swap out the clip for the loop or vice versa.
The loop came in handy for hanging the speaker from a built-in hook on a beach umbrella as well as easily carrying the speaker by hand. The clip, meanwhile, is perfect for clipping to a backpack or bag, even bicycle handlebars while you enjoy a trail ride.
Pairing to your mobile device is simple with the one-touch pairing button. Turn on the speaker and you’ll hear the signature JBL guitar riff to confirm power. Once paired, control it and adjust settings using the JBL Portable app. My family members, friends, and I paired multiple phones to it with ease and the speaker connected without a hitch each time. Battery life is fantastic: after listening for an hour or so each day through a nine-day vacation, I never had to charge it.
How does it sound? As great as you’d expect from a JBL speaker. The speaker is one of those rare breeds that sounds better the louder you pump it. Listening to tunes from sources like Apple Music and SiriusXM, from rock and alternative to hip hop, pop, and Latin, everything sounded clear, crisp, and impressive from this tiny speaker. As is a signature of JBL’s, you’ll especially enjoy bass-heavy tunes, complete with the pulsing exclamation mark symbols on either side of the speaker that vibrate in tune with the bass, adding a cool visual effect. It’s a fun detail that sets this speaker apart from a design perspective as well.
One of my reference tracks, Radiohead’s “Creep,” delivered through this speaker like a mini concert, echoing with every lyric, every pull of the guitar string. Once the hook kicked in, it felt electric. I couldn’t believe I was listening through this tiny speaker and not a bigger boombox or desktop speaker. As I cranked the volume, there was no distortion: it came through loud and clear. It was slightly sibilant, but not enough such that it was harsh and uncomfortable.
I added the JBL Charge 6 to the set-up, which is like the Flip 7’s bigger sister. To connect two (or more) JBL speakers, press the multi-speaker connection button on the unit (the triangle-shaped icon) or connect from the app. Easy-peasy! This affords an even bigger soundstage, but you can also use this function to play tunes in two different rooms that are both within range of the source device. I paired them and kept one speaker in the living room and another in the kitchen so the music would follow me without interruption when I went to get a coffee refill or make myself lunch.
While the JBL Charge 6 dominates with more enveloping, powerful sound given its larger size and more powerful output (45W for the Charge 6 versus 35W for the Flip 7), the JBL Flip 7 holds its own. Together, they make perfect harmony.
Note that while you can pair two JBL speakers for stereo sound, this feature only works with two of the same model speakers, so I was not able to test this feature between the JBL Flip 7 and JBL Charge 6. But if you’re having a party and everyone brings their compatible JBL speaker, link them all and crank the tunes and bass to get everyone dancing all over the backyard or basement with more immersive sound. And Auracast makes this simple.
JBL Flip 7 Vs. JBL Flip 6
While I haven’t reviewed the previous generation JBL Flip 6, there are notable improvements in specs that suggest the JBL Flip 7 is worth the upgrade.
It’s more powerful at 35W versus 30W. It comes with Bluetooth 5.4 versus 5.1 and adds Auracast along with USB-C lossless audio and AI Sound Boost. It is more durable with an IP68 rating whereas the JBL Flip 6 has an IP67 rating. It lasts longer at up to 16 hours with Playtime Boost, 14 without, while the Flip 6 was rated to last for about 12 hours per charge.
The new speaker is heavier, but it’s still lightweight for a portable speaker with such big sound.
Should You Get the JBL Flip 7?
At under $200, the JBL Flip 7 is a no-brainer when it comes to portable Bluetooth speakers you can take with you and use anywhere. It checks all the boxes. It’s compact, lightweight, and easy to carry. It’s durable meeting IP68 specifications for use by the pool or on the beach.
It provides big, clear sound in its small package. It has fantastic battery life. And it’s easy to expand with two (or more) speakers, including other compatible models from JBL so you can get more immersive sound (or, with two Flip 7s, stereo sound). What more could you ask for in a portable Bluetooth speaker?
For these reasons, we’re awarding the JBL Flip 7 the WiFi HiFi Editor’s Choice Award as one of the best portable Bluetooth speakers you can buy in 2025. Get it in Canada through Erikson Consumer.