Customer reviews from jbl.com
JBL - Refurbished Excellent - Pulse 5 Portable Bluetooth Speaker with Light Show - Black
Average customer rating
4.5
(35 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 35 reviews
5 Stars
21
4 Stars
12
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
1
1 Star
1
100%of customers recommend this product.
(
23 out of
23)
Customer Reviews for JBL - Refurbished Excellent - Pulse 5 Portable Bluetooth Speaker with Light Show - Black
Customer Rating
4
If you like music and lights, this is your speaker
on December 31, 2022
Posted by: Duffer917
from Colorado
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Lots to like about the Pulse5. 12 hours playtime, less than 4 hours for full charge, Bluetooth v5.3 and lights...a light show if you wish. Of first importance, download the app. It allows you to change color configuration and has an equalizer...not something typical for a waterproof portable speaker. Simple to use, with quick Bluetooth recognition. One of the best features is the partyboost allowing you to connect multiple JBL speakers together. Place them strategically around the party. I placed the Pulse center, with a couple Flips elsewhere. If you're not impressed with speaker lighting (my wife likes lights more than I), you will be better served buying a couple Flips for about the same money, or step up to a Boombox. Also, if you like more bass, move up to a box. The Pulse5 handles the other ranges with ease.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
A Fantastic Party Speaker
on January 5, 2023
Posted by: ViratB
from San Diego, CA
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The JBL Pulse was one of the earliest Bluetooth speakers I ever used and to this day remains one of my favorites. The combination of music and the pulses' lights was fascinating to me then and now. The Pulse 5, IMHO, is an excellent successor, enhancing all my favorite features and adding new ones.
The improved lighting, which moves in sync to the music, and the 12-hr battery life are great for adding fun vibes to a party or gathering and the improved companion app adds a while host of customizations for both the music and the lights.
The ambient light and sound features are also better than before and I've found them useful while meditating or just relaxing.
The improved lighting, which moves in sync to the music, and the 12-hr battery life are great for adding fun vibes to a party or gathering and the improved companion app adds a while host of customizations for both the music and the lights.
The ambient light and sound features are also better than before and I've found them useful while meditating or just relaxing.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Excellent speaker with very cool lighting effects
on January 7, 2023
Posted by: claritydnb
from Fargo, ND
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This speaker is very neat. It has good sound and the lighting effects are very cool. I like the mood it sets along with the music. There are several presets that can be selected in the app. I especially like the campfire effect. I think the bottom light around the speaker is a cool effect. The bass is a little light, but that is because the lights are more of the desired effect. Overall I think the sound is good and a little better than earlier pulse models. I intend to use this speaker while camping because it will provide a bit of light around the campsite.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
4
Initial 3 stars raised to 4. Great for parties!
on January 12, 2023
Posted by: Happy_dad
from Central California
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Initially, I was comparing this speaker to a couple of other large bluetooth speakers I own. In comparison, the Pulse 5 lacks in the most important area: the sound.
Because most of the body is made of the gorgeous glass (or glass-like plastic), sound only comes out of the top and bottom. On the bottom is the bass membrane, and it seems the tweeter is on top, protected by a strong metal grid (aluminium?). Admittedly, the sound is 360 degrees, but the amount and the location of the speakers leaves bass a bit muted, with decent treble and hollow mids.
After listening to the first few songs, holding the Pulse in my hands, I got over it and put it down on the desk. This made the bass more full-bodied, but not overwhelming. The reverberations off the desk also brought forward the mids. Now the music resembled what I was used to pretty closely. Sure, it's still not as good as something like Flip or Charge, where the speakers are facing you and there are two bass membranes per speaker. But it's decent, and at higher volumes it's even pleasant to listen to (outdoors).
Now to the main highlight of the speaker: the light show. It is very well executed. Both I and my kids love the light presets, the assortment, the mood matching, and even the ambient sounds are cool. The light controls in the app are intuitive and there is something for everyone. Lights match the sound pretty well, even in a cappella solos. The LED density is such that you can't even tell where one ends and another begins. They are pleasant to look at, and decently bright. All colors in the presets are also carefully selected and go well together.
Lastly, the buttons and the charging port are all assembled into a single strip that seems to be floating in the solid glass! The effect is uncanny, and probably required some clever light refraction engineering. Check out the pictures - it's mesmerizing!
And that brings me to the main point of this review: this speaker does only one thing well: being a portable party/mood speaker. The lights give the Pulse 5 its character, and together with decent sound (when placed on solid surfaces), it creates moods. Sure, some smaller (and larger) speakers have better sound, and you can buy dedicated mood lighting (very difficult to set up and control, in my experience).
But the Pulse 5 combines decent sound and mood lights all in one, and that's its strength. I actually use it now more than other speakers, because of the overall pleasure I get out of using it. Buy it if you like lights and listen to music to reflect or affect your mood!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
AWESOME
on March 6, 2023
Posted by: superhappykiwi
from New York
I bought this speaker as soon as it came out & I love it. I had the pulse 4 before it, and they are both great. This new one sounds better, has better bass, and is larger. It’s great that there’s an equalizer option in the app. I really like that they put a strap on the back so I can carry it easier too. The lights are awesome, and better than the pulse 4. One thing I miss that the pulse 4 had and this one doesn’t, are the buttons to pause music, and change the volume on the speaker. The pulse 5 doesn’t have those buttons, but it’s not that big of a deal to me. I still love it.
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
2
Battery Charge Is 👎🏼
on June 9, 2024
Posted by: Fix The Battery Sped
from Independence, KY
Literally everything about this speaker is great aside from the charge, it says on here that it lasts for twelve hours but that definitely is not true at least not with mine. From the time I unboxed it, it takes over eight hours to charge and doesn’t even last five hours even with the lights all the way down, maybe with the light effects off it lasts twelve hours but the whole point of this speaker is the lights so that’s pretty contradictory and useless. Like I said everything aside from the charge is great, great sound quality etc, maybe something is just wrong with mine but like I said its been the same since the minute I unboxed it.
Response from jbl.comBy Customer Support, Customer Support, June 10, 2024
Thanks for your feedback. Our JBL Pulse 5 charging time is 4 hours, If it takes 8 hours to charge your speaker, the charger may not be powerful enough to power the unit and charge the battery. Check the adapter and make sure that the rating is 5V, at least 3A or higher. Please know the published up-to-playtime is the maximum battery time you will get when listening at background levels. As you turn up the volume, the playtime will be reduced, much like a phone battery when you brighten the screen. The same goes for source material. Music with more bass will also reduce playtime. If the battery is giving less than 60% of the published up-to-playtime, the battery may be losing its capacity. You may contact our customer support for further assistance.
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Great speaker!
on July 27, 2024
Posted by: Comanderxander
from Kalamazoo
I think this is one of the coolest looking speakers out there and sounds great in any part of the room! But I do wish it had a little more bass besides that I would highly recommend it!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Great Party Speaker
on December 18, 2022
Posted by: Elimel
from Detroit
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Immediately from when I unboxed this speaker I fell in love with it, what could be better, a versatile party speaker that is a boom box with a built in disco light. It has the signature JBL “Looks can be deceiving” (a relatively small innocent looking speaker that can blare at unearthly decibels) all while maintaining the clear crisp sound. It feels sturdy and well built with a stylish design and is actually waterproof ( I took it into the shower, see attached video). My one complaint is that there are no volume controls on the speaker, but everything else makes up for that. All in all a must by any party. FIVE STARS
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com