The JBL Go 2 was introduced in India in May of this year by Harman, which is now a Samsung subsidiary. The rainy season begins in most parts of India in early June, so the release of this waterproof speaker couldn’t have happened at a better moment. This is now a possibility if you’re looking for a compact, portable Bluetooth speaker so you can listen to your music without worrying about it getting destroyed in the rain.
JBL has eliminated all of the sharp edges from the GO+’s predecessor, the Go 2, for the new model. Although our review sample is officially referred to as yellow, it does it a disservice because it is retro-fabulously iridescent. There are 12 colours in the range. Although the accompanying USB charger is a slightly out-of-place bright orange shade, given the price, this is a minor flaw. The Go 2 resembles a vintage soap bar in appearance. In fact, our immediate reaction is to repeat, “The first rule of Fight Club,” while holding it up to our forehead.
Portable Bluetooth speakers like the JBL Go 2 have portability and convenience as one of their primary selling factors. Some of them do a far better job of this than others, but they are all meant to be carried around wherever you go, packed in your backpack, or conveniently tucked in one of your pockets to be quickly transported from place to place.
Of course, the actual audio quality is one of the most crucial factors to consider when evaluating any type of speaker or other audio device in general. Any real speaker must provide clean and crisp sound quality so the user can truly enjoy their music and audio files without any distracting hissing, poor bass, or difficulties operating at high volumes.
Expect the 600 mAh battery to last for 4 to 5 hours of audio playback. Although 4 hours may not seem like much, taking into account the battery’s capacity, this is actually rather good. With a battery capacity of roughly 2,000 mAh, some Bluetooth speakers with a larger battery manage only a few more hours. The Go 2’s capacity for producing volume is arguably its most amazing performance feature.
It won’t overpower the built-in speakers on almost any laptop or tablet, but it isn’t as loud as a larger speaker with many drivers would be. In other words, it does a good job for what it is. If you want a waterproof speaker with a carabiner and a similar sound, the JBL Clip 2 has consistently been a PCMag pick. The Sony SRS-XB10, the Polk Boom Swimmer Jr., and the less water-friendly Ikea Eneby are further inexpensive portable Bluetooth speakers worth taking into consideration (8-Inch).