JBL Xtreme 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker (Black)

WhatShouldIPutHere5If you are looking at a specific speaker, for for listening to a specific genera of music, reply, and I would be happy to help with info geared towards that speaker, otherwise, here is a general guide:I'm pretty sure they make different "models" (made in different factories) to ensure they have a stable supply chain, and also because some parts are mode readily available near factories. The letters indicate different factories. GG, TL, PL, and ND are all in China, while AN is in Vietnam.There are some differences:GG speakers are usually well-built, but don't sound the best, because their mids are a bit muffled and their high end is unnatural. They use polyplorene (plastic) cones. The bass response on the GG speakers is usually very good, as ... MoreWhatShouldIPutHere5If you are looking at a specific speaker, for for listening to a specific genera of music, reply, and I would be happy to help with info geared towards that speaker, otherwise, here is a general guide:I'm pretty sure they make different "models" (made in different factories) to ensure they have a stable supply chain, and also because some parts are mode readily available near factories. The letters indicate different factories. GG, TL, PL, and ND are all in China, while AN is in Vietnam.There are some differences:GG speakers are usually well-built, but don't sound the best, because their mids are a bit muffled and their high end is unnatural. They use polyplorene (plastic) cones. The bass response on the GG speakers is usually very good, as their drive units are more optimized for bass, but they don't have the same extreme passive radiator excursion as PL or TL speakers, because the drive unit is producing most of the bass.PL or TL speakers are usually built OK, and use paper cones. For this reason, despite being advertised as waterproof, their waterproofing is usually inferior to that of the GG, AN, or ND speakers. Their mid and high frequency response is much better, and generally sound better and cleaner than the GG or AN speakers, and equivalent to ND speakers. They just don't have the same tough, punchy, strong bass response as the GG or AN, as they mostly rely on the passive radiators for bass, while the drive unit is optimized for mids and highs. This is why TL or PL speakers tend to have more excursion.ND and AN were mostly for small speakers, with ND usually sounding a bit cleaner, but being less durable. AN usually has great bass, but does not sound as clean. I would only go for AN if you need durability. There have been changes, as CHARGE5's are now either ND or TL.The only way to know before opening the box is to check the serial at the bottom of the box. When ordering online, you don't really know until you get the box. If you do get the "wrong" version, unless you are planning to dunk it in water every day (or you are very particular about BT speakers) and got a TL (ND is probably fine for water), I would recommend just keeping it as the differences won't be too big. If you can buy in-store, it pays to be picky.Here's what I usually recommend, in order for best to worst for certain use cases:Indoor, analytical listening (bookshelf speakers are much better for this, but if you must do it with a portable): TL, ND, AN, GGParties: GG, TL, AN, NDAnything related to dunking in water: GG, AN, ND, TLHardbass/rap: GG, AN, ND, TLClassical/vocals: TL, ND, AN, GGAll-purpose (not much contact with water, only going to be splashed, and going to be cared for well): TL, ND, AN, GGAll-purpose (going to be dunked in water, going to be thrown around): GG, AN, ND, TL

Good Speaker When Working, Bad Customer Support

For Christmas 2021, we purchased an Xtreme3 speaker for our family with the intend to use it in a hockey locker room for my son’s team. The speaker was primarily used on Saturday/Sundays during the winter months and a small amount in the spring and summer.We called in December of 2022 about a charging issue and was told that it was fully charged and there was nothing to worry about. When plugging in the speaker last night, we found that it was not charging and it was blinking red. After trouble shooting, checking outlets/connections, other chargers, cleaning ports, and doing a factory reset we were still unsuccessful on gaining a charge.This morning I called Customer Service, and after 55 minutes on the phone was told that they only had a 1 year warranty and it ... MoreFor Christmas 2021, we purchased an Xtreme3 speaker for our family with the intend to use it in a hockey locker room for my son’s team. The speaker was primarily used on Saturday/Sundays during the winter months and a small amount in the spring and summer.We called in December of 2022 about a charging issue and was told that it was fully charged and there was nothing to worry about. When plugging in the speaker last night, we found that it was not charging and it was blinking red. After trouble shooting, checking outlets/connections, other chargers, cleaning ports, and doing a factory reset we were still unsuccessful on gaining a charge.This morning I called Customer Service, and after 55 minutes on the phone was told that they only had a 1 year warranty and it expired in December of 2022. They have no record of my call in December and said that they would give me 35% off a new speaker.At that point I asked to speak to a manager, and after waiting for 30+ minutes I was told that the best they could do was send me an email by the end of the day. We also have 4 Flip5’s and other JBL’s in our house and expected a better response when you spend $379 on a speaker.

Great sound quality .. Really bad quality control

I purchased 1 pair then 60 days later the left ear bud stopped working ,I loved the sound quality so much I purchased a second pair then 45 days later they started having connectivity and pairing issues. I went to the site and upgraded the software then upgraded software on my iphone and they have been an extreme disappointment . When they pair I get static and then one ear only works and now presently they don't even show up on any of my devices when bluetooth is scanning . It's like they just stopped working completely . JBL should be ashamed about their quality control because I will not purchase anything from jbl ever again . Hey JBL send me a free pair for my inconvienence and maybe my trust would be instilled to use and promote your products. Thanks for ... MoreI purchased 1 pair then 60 days later the left ear bud stopped working ,I loved the sound quality so much I purchased a second pair then 45 days later they started having connectivity and pairing issues. I went to the site and upgraded the software then upgraded software on my iphone and they have been an extreme disappointment . When they pair I get static and then one ear only works and now presently they don't even show up on any of my devices when bluetooth is scanning . It's like they just stopped working completely . JBL should be ashamed about their quality control because I will not purchase anything from jbl ever again . Hey JBL send me a free pair for my inconvienence and maybe my trust would be instilled to use and promote your products. Thanks for listening .SignedA very disappointed consumer

JBL Extreme 3

Bought this a couple of weeks ago. Prompt delivery (a day early). I had left our 10 year old Jawbone Jambox in the garden overnight after a "refreshing" barbeque - unfortunately it rained during the night and killed the Jawbone. I looked to see if I could buy another Jawbone - unfortunately it seems the company went bust in 2017! I read reviews of a wide range of Bluetooth speakers and the JBL Extreme 3 scored very highly - also it's waterproof and dust proof in case another barbeque runs "late"! Sound quality is far superior to the Jawbone with excellent bass and sound separation. It looks rugged and durable enough to stand up to foreign travel and beach trips and I am sure it will see sterling service for many years!

Not as heavy and better bass compared to Extreme2

I know a lot of people disliked the JBL XTREME3 for various reasons, but I will tell you in my own opinion why I rate this speaker excellent.1) Base is pretty punchy for a compact speaker. Is it a subwoofer? No. But it's good.2) It weighs less than the Extreme2.3) Charge time and battery life are about the same which is why elected to go with less weight because I carry it around with me at the pool and on vacation.Overall, there isn't a huge performance increase with the Extreme3 over the Extreme2 other than better bass in my opinion.My main incentive to upgrading to the 3 is the increase bass performance and it being slightly less heavy.

Not balanced as far as sound… too loud/high pitch.

It was not what I expected given the reviews. The sound is louder and there is SLIGHTLY a little more base than the X2. However, when I compared the two and turned them on max volume and played the same song… the X2 definitely had the better sounds QUALITY. It was more balanced. Not as much bass. But the Treble and loudness over powers all of the sound on the X3. It’s not balanced at all. I returned the X3 and got 2 brand new X2’s for the same price as one X3. I’m more pleased with the sound quality with the 2’s. Additionally, the X3 does not feel as well made as the X2. The X2 I’ve had for almost 5 years! It’s been through some rough adventures and still holds up extremely well. The X3 feels a little on the cheaper side and isn’t as hefty and feel of quality like ... MoreIt was not what I expected given the reviews. The sound is louder and there is SLIGHTLY a little more base than the X2. However, when I compared the two and turned them on max volume and played the same song… the X2 definitely had the better sounds QUALITY. It was more balanced. Not as much bass. But the Treble and loudness over powers all of the sound on the X3. It’s not balanced at all. I returned the X3 and got 2 brand new X2’s for the same price as one X3. I’m more pleased with the sound quality with the 2’s. Additionally, the X3 does not feel as well made as the X2. The X2 I’ve had for almost 5 years! It’s been through some rough adventures and still holds up extremely well. The X3 feels a little on the cheaper side and isn’t as hefty and feel of quality like the X2. Snag 2 of the X2’s and you’re golden! Wouldn’t waste the money on this one. Stick to the X2 or go up to the Boom5

Owned for 2 years

So I've had these headphone for close to 2 years now. To begin there great sounding. The feel nice in the ear no discomfort. I love them. But.. The life of there charge has changed. Which I knew would happen. I put these to work daily lol. Literally. I wear them everyday avg about 6 hours a day. Never played at high levels. 40-50% volume. Now a charge last about an hour and a half before needing to be put back and charge again. I wake up and open and close the case to charge them before work or recreational use. Otherwise they last about 45 mins. The sound is still great no problems at all except the battery life has changed significantly within the last 2 months. Will need to invest into another pair. Great for calls everything.

Terrible with wireless connections, decent audio

I like the sound but after trying to configure it for my environment, I was frustrated by constant or random disconnects. I have a Projector with (originally AppleTV, then changed to Firestick) and I have set up a wireless connection to the soundbar under the screen so that I don't have to wire a connection to is. The features in this product should support this functionality. Ultimately I have tried Airplay 2, Bluetooth, and finally Alexa, and the soundbar constantly wants to go to standby mode and won't stay connected wirelessly to my AppleTV or Firestick (consistently). For the AppleTV and airplay 2, I had an older AppleTV (that supports Airplay 2) and the soundbar would constantly disconnect then go to sleep every 5-10 minutes and I would have to manually ... MoreI like the sound but after trying to configure it for my environment, I was frustrated by constant or random disconnects. I have a Projector with (originally AppleTV, then changed to Firestick) and I have set up a wireless connection to the soundbar under the screen so that I don't have to wire a connection to is. The features in this product should support this functionality. Ultimately I have tried Airplay 2, Bluetooth, and finally Alexa, and the soundbar constantly wants to go to standby mode and won't stay connected wirelessly to my AppleTV or Firestick (consistently). For the AppleTV and airplay 2, I had an older AppleTV (that supports Airplay 2) and the soundbar would constantly disconnect then go to sleep every 5-10 minutes and I would have to manually re-pair. Very frustrating and unusable!!! I would literally go to the bathroom or make a drink, and come back to it being unpaired AGAIN. I finally have it working reasonably with the Firestick, so I recommend this method to anyone that is running into similar issues but it still required me to purchase another streaming device instead of the AppleTV, and even then it still randomly will not connect automatically (but it is now at least usable). At least it doesn't consistently disconnect every 5-10 minutes like Airplay 2. I didn't get to try a newer AppleTV, but I honestly was done with the disconnections so wasn't going to continue using Apple. Bluetooth with the AppleTV also constantly disconnected. The Firestick will connect, but I need to turn on both the Soundbar and Firestick at the same time since the Soundbar standby mode doesnt seem to get the indicator that it should connect automatically.Aside from the wireless disconnects. Connecting the soundbar to with Apple Home or even Google home was terrible. I messed around with it long enough that i got it working, but i couldnt even define the exact steps. Just mess around with it until it connects.All the above is a shame because the sound is pretty good when it works for an all-in-one soundbar. I would go with a different product if I had the chance, I have had this for a full year now.

Very poor quality control

The only thing great about these ear buds is the sound quality ,the quality control failed miserably twice ,the first pair I bought I dropped one of the ear buds after 60 days and could not get it to work so I seen a sale on amazon and said,hey why not bought another set.They seem to be working fine but again after 60 days I'm getting all kinds if interruptions of static then switching various tone settings by itself. So I upgraded the software for the buds as well as the latest update for my iphone and still the worst possible connectivity even when I have the phone in my hands ,then now I cannot use them because they refuse to be heard or work when I need to talk on the phone . Talkback just quit working . I cannot believe that a company like JBL would put such ... MoreThe only thing great about these ear buds is the sound quality ,the quality control failed miserably twice ,the first pair I bought I dropped one of the ear buds after 60 days and could not get it to work so I seen a sale on amazon and said,hey why not bought another set.They seem to be working fine but again after 60 days I'm getting all kinds if interruptions of static then switching various tone settings by itself. So I upgraded the software for the buds as well as the latest update for my iphone and still the worst possible connectivity even when I have the phone in my hands ,then now I cannot use them because they refuse to be heard or work when I need to talk on the phone . Talkback just quit working . I cannot believe that a company like JBL would put such trash on the market then stand behind this product. After twice purchasing this product JBL should grant me a free pair to make up for the money I wasted and still cannot use them at this time . I am truly dissappointed. I CANNOT GIVE ANY STARS FOR THIS PRODUCT. THE SYSTEM FORCED ME TO GIVE A RATING BUT THIS PRODUCT DESERVES A 0 RATING .

jbl extreme3

I recently purchased this speaker because my son-in-law had recently acquired the Xtreme 2 which sounded really good. I am glad I did. The sound & build quality is excellent for a system of this size. It's easy to set up the blue-tooth connection with my android phone and stream from the likes of Spotify. Apart from sound quality, what attracted me was it's portability from room to room as well as externally. The Xtreme3 version now has an app although somewhat limited to equaliser only and software upgrades. Really, once the former is set, you don't really need it any more. As a bonus, I discovered that this version now has facility for aux line input. I can use it also as a very respectable TV sound-bar. All-in-all, an extremely good purchase.Incidentally, ... MoreI recently purchased this speaker because my son-in-law had recently acquired the Xtreme 2 which sounded really good. I am glad I did. The sound & build quality is excellent for a system of this size. It's easy to set up the blue-tooth connection with my android phone and stream from the likes of Spotify. Apart from sound quality, what attracted me was it's portability from room to room as well as externally. The Xtreme3 version now has an app although somewhat limited to equaliser only and software upgrades. Really, once the former is set, you don't really need it any more. As a bonus, I discovered that this version now has facility for aux line input. I can use it also as a very respectable TV sound-bar. All-in-all, an extremely good purchase.Incidentally, ordered from Richer Sounds on a Fri with delivery scheduled for the Monday, Actually arrived following day. Now you can't do better than that.