Experience JBL GO 5: still compact, sound and features continue to improve for every need

JBL Go 5 keeps the familiar compact design but is upgraded in sound quality, battery life and features, providing a more flexible experience for all music listening needs.

If you are familiar with the JBL GO ultra-compact portable speaker line, the newly launched JBL GO 5 version will definitely surprise you. At first glance, this speaker still retains its characteristic "small, colorful" DNA with compact dimensions of 101 x 77.4 x 43 mm and super light weight - only 230 grams, fits in the palm of your hand or easily fits in your pocket. However, JBL still knows how to refresh its portable speaker line to make it truly different from many other options on the market.

Dynamic design, "rocking" all terrains with Ambient Edge Light

The biggest plus point in appearance this time is the cleverly integrated Ambient Edge Light backlight system. When music is turned on, gentle light emits a very chill visual effect, extremely suitable for romantic evenings or small outdoor parties.

The light also serves as a notification of usage status, combined with sound. For example, when the red light flashes many times, the battery capacity needs to be recharged.

Regarding durability, I tried taking the speaker to the swimming pool and was completely assured thanks to the IP68 dust and water resistance standard (far superior to many competitors in the same segment). Even if it accidentally falls into the water or gets covered in sand, JBL GO 5 is still "alive and healthy".

AirTouch connection connects two contactless stereos, USB DAC is rare in the segment

JBL plays big when equipping GO 5 with the latest Bluetooth 6.0 standard today. Experience an extremely smooth, almost lag-free connection thanks to support for advanced codecs such as SBC, AAC and especially LC3 (for higher sound quality but more battery efficient).

In particular, inheriting features from Go 4, JBL Go 5 still has Auracast and pairs two stereo speakers, but the addition of AirTouch helps the speaker increase the convenience experience.

A small but subtle plus point: If you want to use a desktop speaker to have the most stable transmission, JBL GO 5 has a built-in DAC chip inside. Just plug the cable directly into your computer's USB-C port and the speaker automatically recognizes and plays music immediately. Just as you want to maximize the sound quality from applications like Apple Music, this is a utility that cannot be found anywhere else in portable speakers in this segment, or even higher segments. With a 1,000mAh battery, JBL GO 5 provides up to 8 hours of continuous music playback (when the LED lighting system is turned off) - more than enough for a long day out. It takes about 3 hours to fully charge the speaker via the common 5V/1A charging port.

Experience sound quality

The audio experience is where the JBL GO 5 really shines. Thanks to direct tuning from the Harman Acoustics team of experts, the speaker driver was upgraded to 45mm in size, pushing the output power to 4.8W RMS.

Vocals on Go 5 are also more natural. If the Go 4 sometimes tends to push the mid range high, making the vocals a bit harsh at high volume levels, the Go 5 feels easier to listen to, the singer's voice is thicker and deeper while still retaining JBL's signature clarity.

The treble range is also adjusted to be smoother. The sound of cymbals or string instruments is still bright and detailed, but there is less of a feeling of harshness or ear fatigue when listening for a long time.

If you have ever used Go 4, the difference of Go 5 lies in the feeling of fuller sound, better control and easier listening after long periods of use. For a small, ultra-portable speaker, these are valuable upgrades and enough to create a more complete music listening experience.

Regardless of the stereo listening experience, if you own two speakers, listening to music separately from the left and right channels can make the experience of listening to music on the go, or for personal listening in a small home space more acceptable when the volume is limited in the place where you need to listen.

Summary

With a price around the segment of less than 1 million, JBL GO 5 is not just a fashionable portable speaker, but has truly transformed into a "little monster" in terms of technology: Bluetooth 6.0, Auracast, separate DAC chip and famous Harman sound quality. This is definitely a "must-have" accessory in the backpacks of young people who love traveling this year. Those interested in the product can see more here. Thank you JBL for accompanying me on this article.