I tested the long-awaited JBL Xtreme 5 — and it’s the most rugged, bassiest, and gnarliest Xtreme yet

The JBL Xtreme 5 is one of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy. There you go. I’m clocking out now; you don’t need me anymore. I jest, but seriously, the JBL Xtreme 5 is a sonic machine. If you care about bass-heavy sound that doesn’t skimp on clarity across the mids and highs, it’s all about the Xtreme 5.

Although it’s considerably larger and heavier than its predecessor (not to mention $20 pricier), the Xtreme 5 is perfect for taking to every party on your calendar. It’s got a carry strap that alleviates as much weight as possible, an improved 28-hour battery life, and is daring enough to fill any room with its bassy sound.

If you’re a student, partygoer, or simply living room raver, let me do you a favor and put you onto the Xtreme 5. Want to find out more? Of course you do. Keep reading for the full story in this JBL Xtreme 5 review.

JBL Xtreme 5 review: Specs

JBL Xtreme 5 review: Price & availability

The JBL Xtreme 5 is a wince-inducing $399 from Amazon U.S. and £299 from Amazon U.K.. In the States, this is a price increase of $20 over the previous model, which was already expensive at $379.

In the U.K., you’re getting a better deal — and you’re actually getting a discount from the Xtreme 4. Although on JBL’s website the 5 is listed at £329, it’s £299 on Amazon (sold by Amazon, not a third party), so I’d recommend buying on Amazon.

Even for a boombox speaker such as this, $399 is really, really pricey. I have the Tribit StormBox Blast 2, $299, which is just as loud as the Xtreme 5. Although it doesn’t have as much clarity in the mids and treble as the Xtreme 5, it’s a fantastic, cheaper option. Even cheaper is the JBL Flip 7 ($129). Another more affordable option is the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus, which is $249 and packs a major bass-shaped punch.

If money is no object, may I interest you in the Marshall Bromley 450? This $799 speaker is literally the size of an amp (which it can also double up as), has rave lighting, and can be a karaoke machine.

JBL Xtreme 5 review: Design

Like its predecessor, the JBL Xtreme 5 is a gorpcore delight. This rugged speaker looks like it will survive the apocalypse. In 3026, it’ll just be a few Nokia bricks and the JBL Xtreme 5 left.

However, unlike its predecessor, the Xtreme 5 is weirdly massive. It’s 2 inches longer, 0.3 inches deeper, and 1 inch taller than the Xtreme 4. The Xtreme 5 is also two pounds heavier than the Xtreme 4. I’m a weakling, so I’m perhaps not the best point of comparison. But if you, too, have arms built like string beans, you will probably be better off sticking with a lighter speaker like the Marshall Middleton II $329) or opting for JBL’s uber-portable Flip 7 ($149).

I’m not really sure why JBL did this, because the iconic brand already has a line of bulky speakers — the JBL Boombox 4, $549 — and there should be more of a distinction between each model.

You even get a nice LED light show now! The Xtreme 4 didn’t have any lights, but I’m seeing it more and more these days, even on cheaper brands like Soundcore and Tribit. You can change the lights using the JBL Portable app — I chose pink, obviously.

Last but not least: IP68. This is an upgrade over the Xtreme 4, which had an IP67 rating. IP68 basically means this is the most durable speaker physically possible. It’s completely dustproof, you can bury it in sand, and it’ll live to tell the tale, and it’s fully waterproof.

Oh, and before I forget — the Xtreme 5 is literally dropproof now, certified and everything. Remember what I said about it surviving the apocalypse?

Connectivity

As you might expect from a $399 speaker, the Xtreme 5 comes pre-loaded with a litany of features. Of course, you’ve got AuraCast — the technology that allows you to sync up your speakers with as many devices as you physically can get in one room — an IP68 rating, a huge array of EQ presets (including a completely custom option), the aforementioned light show, Playtime Boost, and now USB-C lossless audio.

Playtime Boost is effectively a battery extender. It reduces the quality of music playing (even if the JBL Portable app claims it “boost[s] up sound”, which it most certainly does not) to extend your battery life — but more on that later.

Another fun feature is AuraCast. I was able to connect the Xtreme 4 with the Xtreme 5 instantly, with no connectivity issues.

The Xtreme 5 boasts Bluetooth 6.0, which is refreshing to see. Bluetooth 6.0 basically means the Xtreme 5’s range and reliability are both as high as possible. I was able to get out of my apartment and down the street before the speaker disconnected.

Controls

The Xtreme 5 looks a treat, with a bulletproof-looking fabric grill and high-quality metal-meets-plastic carabiners. I particularly like the radiators on either side, and found myself mesmerized by their bouncing.

You can control the Xtreme 5 by tactile buttons on the top: these include play/pause, volume up, volume down, and Auracast.

JBL Xtreme 5 review: Sound quality

Alright, now let’s get into the good stuff. The Xtreme 5 sounds just as good as the Xtreme 4, with powerful, earth-tremoring bass and clarity in vocals and mids, even in bass-heavy tracks. It sounds notably better than the Tribit StormBox Blast 2, EarFun UBoom X, and the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus.

As for EQs, you can select from: ‘JBL Signature’, ‘Chill’, ‘Energetic’, ‘Vocal’, and ‘Custom’. ‘Custom’ lets you create an EQ from a 7-band frequency range. I found ‘JBL Signature’ sounded the best.

As this is a party speaker, I had to start with some party bangers. ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’ by Kylie Minogue sounded thrilling through the Xtreme 5; the plucky synth instrumental and keyboard motifs weren’t lost in the bass-heavy speaker. Clarity across the bass, vocals, and synth riffs was high.

After, I kept the energy high but switched genre. ‘Flight fm’ by Joy Orbison is a UKG/jungle-inspired electronic track not afraid of starting a fight. As it’s almost entirely bass, I worried the Xtreme 5 might struggle discerning between the layers, but oh boy, was I wrong. When the beat dropped, my entire desk started shaking. The bass squelched and oozed out of the speaker, a bouncing quagmire after sucking down a few amps.

Last, I knew I had to test a lower-energy track (even though the Xtreme 5 is a party speaker first and foremost). I played ‘Kick the Curb’ by NewDad, which is a slow, shoegazey track with atmospheric acoustic guitars and breathy vocals. This sounded fantastic, despite the lack of frenetic, club-ready bass, with extreme clarity in the top of the frequency range — I could hear every rattle of the lazy tambourine, every layer of the airy vocals.

Overall, the Xtreme 5 sounds fantastic… but I knew it would. It’s just as fun and addictive as the Xtreme 4.

JBL Xtreme 5 review: App

As with other speakers on JBL’s roster, the Xtreme 5 uses the JBL Portable app. This app is as you’d expect. User-friendly, easily navigable, not glitchy.

Here are a few screenshots so you can see for yourself.

I found changing my EQ and light settings to be incredibly easy, and I never struggled to figure out where each feature was hiding.

JBL Xtreme 5 review: Battery life

While the Xtreme 5 ‘technically’ has a 24-hour battery life, you get an extra 4hours with ‘Playtime Boost’, making the overall max battery life 28 hours. This is four hours longer than the Xtreme 4 and eight hours longer than the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus, but two hours less than EarFun’s UBoom X.

This is much better than the Flip 7’s 16 hours, but not as impressive than the Boombox 4’s 34 hours. Oh, and the Boombox 4 lets you replace the battery, essentially futureproofing the speaker for years and years. If you’re serious about using your speaker to death, I’d invest more in the Boombox 4.

JBL Xtreme 5 review: Verdict

I said this about the Xtreme 4, but the Xtreme 5 may be my favorite portable(ish) speaker to date. The sound quality is fantastic, with extreme height and width and bass that’ll make your bones shake.

While yes, it’s expensive, it’s a price I’d be willing to pay for a speaker of this caliber. For house parties, pool parties, beach parties, street parties, I’m not sure you’d get much better at this price. Sure, you could spend a bit extra for the Boombox 4 or the Marshall Bromley 450, but for $400, it’s the Xtreme 5.

So if you want rich, room-filling sound and don’t mind that the Xtreme 5 is a bit bigger than its predecessor, I wholeheartedly recommend this music monster.