JBL was founded in 1946 by James Bullough Lansing. Their primary products are loudspeakers and associated electronics. There are two independent divisions within the company'JBL Consumer and JBL Professional. The former produces audio equipment for the home market while the latter produces
professional equipment for the studio, installed sound, tour sound, portable sound (production and DJ), and cinema markets.
Back to the Flip II. It is true that only full-fledged speaker systems are capable of emitting loud and rich, quality sound, but for sheer convenience nowadays, most people store their music collection in their personal devices such as a mobile phone, tablet or a laptop. Bluetooth speakers are in demand because they are affordable, easy-to-carry and have a heady mix of hardware and software to stream high quality sound from wireless phones and tablets.
Frankly, the Flip II is much better than other Bluetooth speakers in the same price range, having a big sound impact than most of the other similarly priced speakers I have played around within recent months. It performs very well, has a great build quality and decent battery life.
In tech parlance, the Flip II uses two drivers and a built-in bass port for powerful bass that adds dynamic depth to your listening experience along with crisp vocals all in a speaker that fits in your hand. And because sometimes your phone is for more than music, the Flip II has a built in microphones and SoundClear echo and noise cancellation technologies so you can
use Flip II as a hands free speakerphone and never miss a word. Like most Bluetooth speakers, the Flip II has a rated range of around 30 feet.
In the box, you'll get a solo Flip II portable stereo speaker, a USB adapter and USB cable and a carrying case, plus a quick-start guide. In terms of design, it is cylindrical therefore, you can place it either vertically or horizontally. The speaker measures 65 mm x 160 mm, is pretty lightweight and in terms of build quality, it's very solid, and definitely feels premium, worthy of the JBL name. No remote is included because your mobile phone or the tablet acts as a remote.
The Flip II is available in a variety of colours'black, white, red, yellow and blue. Inside the Flip II are two drivers with a 2 x 6 watt amplifier. There's also a 2000 mAh Lithium-ion polymer battery, which is supposed to last five hours of continuous music. If you play the speaker at higher volumes, you probably won't hit that, but you can do better if you turn down the volume to quieter levels.
At my end, I synced the speaker with a mobile phone, laptop and a tablet as well. It is portable enough that you can carry it around in your backpack. I was quite impressed by how loud the Flip II can get, considering it's size. It's clarity is decent enough, but things can get distorted at full volume. The drivers are pretty close to each other, so you don't get much stereo separation either. However, I feel that songs with big bass will sound a little distorted on this speaker.
The bottom line: The Flip II is one of the few standout products in the Bluetooth speaker category, featuring a top-notch design and very good sound for its size. It distinguishes itself enough to make it easily recommendable!
Estimated street price: Rs 8,990