Filip Brož Speakers from JBL, which fall under the famous company Harman, are on the rise and experiencing an unprecedented boom. With the new generations, the bag has literally been torn apart, and the successor to the popular portable speaker has also recently arrived on the market JBL Pulse. Similar to the first generation, he can also create a decent light show, in addition, he received several improvements.
It's no secret that I have a soft spot for JBL speakers and I'm always looking forward to a new model. The Pulse 2 didn't disappoint me yet again, and the company once again demonstrated that it's possible to keep pushing their products forward.
JBL Pulse 2 not only does it have new features, but it has also gotten slightly fatter and bigger. Compared to the original Pulse, it gained a little over 200 grams (it's now 775 grams) and it's a few centimeters bigger, but paradoxically it was to the benefit of the cause. Like other products from JBL, the Pulse 2 has a waterproof surface, so it doesn't mind even a little rain.
The body of the speaker itself remained without significant changes, so it still resembles the shape of a thermos, composed of durable plastics that form a single unit. However, the two active bass ports are open and not covered, which we can also see on other recent JBL speakers. The control buttons are now at the bottom.
The placement of the buttons and the overall proportions of the Pulse 2 clearly indicate how the creators wanted the speaker to be used - not classically horizontally, but "on a stand". If you place the speaker horizontally on the table, you will cover the control panel and also the novelty in the form of a small JBL Prism lens. It scans the surroundings and detects different colors.
Thanks to the lens, the Pulse 2 changes the colors of its body and creates an impressive light show. In practice, everything works simply: just press the button with colored dots, bring the selected object closer to the lens, and it will automatically adapt and change the color spectrum. Especially at a party in front of friends, it can be very effective.
The speaker controls are embedded in the rubberized body, and in addition to the standard on/off button, you'll also find a Bluetooth pairing button, a light show on/off button, and a JBL Connect button with which you can pair multiple speakers of this brand, with one serving as the left channel and the second as true. There is also a button to pause and accept a call. The JBL Pulse 2 also works as a microphone and you can easily make phone calls through the speaker.
Play of sound and lights
JBL Pulse 2 is created for parties, discos and other entertainment. Its biggest advantage is definitely the light show, which is provided by the diodes inside the speaker. Of course, what colors will come out of the speaker is entirely up to you. You can just turn the speaker on and let it do whatever it wants. You can also switch between different modes and color effects like burning candle, stars, rain, fire and many more. More fun comes if you download an application from the App Store JBL Connect, which is free.
Thanks to it, you can control the light show and, in addition to several effects, you will also find various settings here. For example, drawing is very effective, when you draw something on the iPhone and immediately see how the speaker adapts to the drawing. For example, I drew a couple of lines and circles and the speaker would turn off and on in a given order and in a similar place.
Of course, the Pulse 2 also reacts to music and lights up depending on what song is playing. You can easily change the light show by shaking the speaker. So creatives can have a blast listening to the Pulse 2 in this area as well. Everything looks very effective, for fun as if it was done.
Attention and care was also given to the battery. In the first generation Pulse, the battery was 4000 mAh, and in Pulse 2 there is a 6000 mAh battery, which declares a duration of around ten hours. However, in practice you have to watch out for the light show, which eats up the battery considerably. On the other hand, if you are near the source, it is not a problem to have the speaker on the charger all the time and not worry about its durability. The battery status is then indicated by the classic diodes on the speaker body.
You can connect up to three devices to the JBL Pulse 2 at once. Pairing is again very easy. Just send a signal from the speaker and confirm in the device settings. Subsequently, already three users can take turns playing songs.
Sound at maximum
Of course, JBL paid attention to the most important part of the speaker, the sound. It is again slightly better than its predecessor. The Pulse 2 is powered by a double 8W amplifier with a frequency range of 85Hz-20kHz and two 45mm drivers.
I have to say that the new JBL Pulse 2 definitely does not play badly. It has very pleasant and natural mids, highs, and the bass, which was not the best in the first generation, has definitely improved. The loudspeaker thus copes with all music genres without any problems, including dance music.
I always like to test all the portable speakers I've got my hands on with Skrillex, Chase & Status, Tiesto or proper American rap. It is the deep and expressive bass in combination with high volume that will test the performance of the speaker more than well. The music did not sound bad at all during my tests at home and in the garden.
At a volume of around 70 to 80 percent, the Pulse 2 has no problem sufficiently sounding even a larger room, and I would choose the maximum volume mainly for a garden party, where it is needed. At the same time, however, battery life is significantly reduced along with it.
For outdoor and on-the-go playback, I'm sad that JBL stopped providing carrying cases for their speakers. The Pulse 2 is certainly not the first to lose it, it is practically all the latest models.
However, the JBL Pulse 2 is otherwise not bad at all. The biggest benefit and effect is of course the light show, which you won't find in any similar portable speaker. Sound output is also good, but if you're looking for the best sound, the JBL Pulse 2 is all about entertainment. For less than 5 thousand crowns however, it can be an interesting compromise that offers good sound and great and effective entertainment. The Pulse 2 is on sale in cerne a silver color.
Thank you for borrowing the product JBL.cz.
WHO HAS NOT TRIED BANG&OLUFSEN DOESN'T KNOW QUALITY SOUND. THIS IS A BETWEEN SYSTEMS SWITCH. YUCK