JBL Pulse 5 review

Whether you’re getting rowdy with a few pals on a Friday night or chilling out to some low-fi beats solo on a rainy Sunday afternoon, the JBL Pulse 5 is designed to enhance the atmosphere. Offering a 360-degree customizable light show and “JBL Original Pro Sound,” let’s feast our eyes on this unique speaker design and dive into this JBL Pulse 5 review.

What I like about the JBL Pulse 5

The JBL Pulse 5 isn’t your average portable Bluetooth speaker. This mono 40W speaker is encased in clear acrylic housing that offers a vibrant and customizable 360-degree light show. You’ll find a passive radiator on the underside of the unit, protected and raised by rubber bumpers that double as feet. The Pulse 5 has an upward-firing driver and a separate tweeter at the top. Even with its unique design, the Pulse 5 is still IP67 rated, meaning it’s both dustproof and waterproof.

There’s a small control strip on the back of the unit that contains a few backlit and operational buttons, such as power and Bluetooth, but it’s worth noting that, unlike the Pulse 4, the Pulse 5 does not feature any physical playback controls. That said, you’ll want to download and install the JBL Portable app regardless to take advantage of the Pulse 5 and all it has to offer.

The JBL Portable offers plenty of customization options for the Pulse 5. You can select from various light show modes, change its color scheme, adjust the brightness, and use the 3-band EQ to personalize your sound. In true JBL fashion, you can pair a second Pulse 5 for stereo performance or link up with other JBL speakers using the PartyBoost feature. The Ambient Sound feature is also pretty cool, with quality recordings. If you want to fall asleep to a crackling campfire and some ocean waves, you can select various nature-inspired background sounds with a shut-off timer.

The Pulse 5 connects to your device via Bluetooth 5.3 and is SBC only, but it does offer multipoint connection if you’re hanging with some pals and want to take turns cueing up your favorite tunes. When it comes to battery life, JBL advertises 12 hours of playback with the Pulse 5, but keep in mind if you’re running the brightest possible light show setting, turning up the low-end on the 3-band EQ, and cranking your speaker, your battery life will take a hit.

When it comes to sound, comparing it side by side with another JBL 40W speaker, the JBL Charge 5, the stock sound of the Pulse 5 offers more substantial bass and treble right out of the box. Listening to Stranger to My Happiness by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, the bass guitar is much more prominent with the Pulse 5 than the Charge 5. Additionally, the Pulse 5 separates the accompanying baritone saxophone from Sharon’s vocals much better. In contrast, with the Charge 5, the horn section is buried behind her vocals, which dominate the mix of this upbeat tune.

Using the Pulse 5 in my home office, listening to Leisure Suit Preben by Todd Terje at approximately 60% volume, thanks to the downward-facing passive radiator, the rumble and vibrations of this track’s synthesized bass line can easily be felt through my desk. Closer to 75% volume, you start to lose some low-end, but this isn’t unique to the Pulse 5; it’s designed to prevent the entire unit from distorting. While you can dive into the 3-band EQ and customize either of these speakers out of the box, the Pulse 5 is ready with decent bass response for small to medium-sized gatherings.

While the Pulse 5’s driver layout differs from a traditional forward-firing design like the Charge 5, it helps provide a consistent listening experience, no matter where you are in the room. You also don’t get the treble hotspots you do with other “360-degree” speakers like Megaboom 3, which can sound different depending on the way the speaker faces you, a product of its drivers firing hard left and right out of its enclosure.

What I don’t like about the JBL Pulse 5

One downside to its clear housing design is fingerprints—everywhere. While there is a loop attachment on the back of the unit you can use for placement options or to move it around, it’s not as convenient as simply grabbing the speaker. You’ll want to keep a microfiber cloth handy because the Pulse 5 picks up fingerprints, smudges quickly, and becomes noticeable when using some lighter color settings.

It’s also worth mentioning that while the Pulse 5 is marketed as a portable Bluetooth speaker, it’s on the heavy side. Again, for comparison, the Charge 5 weighs 950g, and the Pulse 5 weighs 1.4kg. This is not an issue if you’re car camping or have a wagon to haul your beach gear in, but it’s not exactly a toss-it-in-your-backpack speaker. You’ll know it’s there.

Lastly, regarding the lack of physical playback controls, while I don’t have any issue controlling my music from my phone, it may be enough of an issue for some potential buyers.

Should you buy the JBL Pulse 5?

The JBL Pulse 5 isn’t the cheapest or most practical Bluetooth speaker out there, but its light show is enjoyable and effective. While it provides decent sound, there are better speakers to start a house party, but the Pulse 5 is excellent for the bedside table, around the house, or in the backyard. You can easily dial in your desired lighting and fine-tune your sound simultaneously. If you’re ok with the weight, it’s durable enough and would also make a great addition to any campsite or late-night park hangs.

If you like the light show but want something tougher and louder, check out the Anker Soundcore Boom 2. ($89.99 at Amazon) It pumps out 80W of stereo sound, features LED-lit passive radiators, and lets you customize lights and EQ with the Soundcore app. With an IPX7 rating, it’s ready for outdoor adventures.

Otherwise, if you’re not concerned about your speaker having party lights and just want a good old-fashioned portable JBL Bluetooth speaker, the Charge 6 is a safe bet. It’s IP68 rated, drop-proof, and even offers a 7-band custom EQ to fine-tune your speaker’s sound. Find one for $139.95 at Woot!

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