JBL Go 3 vs JBL Clip 4 specs – Which One is Best?

The JBL Go 3 and JBL Clip 4 are both compact and portable speakers. Both come from the JBL family so the sound isn’t something you should be worried about when using these speakers. The Clip 4 has its own advantages with the carabiner whereas the Go 3 can be an ideal companion for the adventurous person. Both are suitable for people on the go. Let us compare JBL Go 3 vs JBL Clip 4 and see which speaker turns out to be better.

jbl go 3 vs jbl clip 4 specs Which One is Best

JBL Go 3 vs JBL Clip 4- Design

Design-wise both the speakers are really compact and portable. The Go 3 is just 8.6cm wide, 6.9cm tall, and 4cm deep. It can be easily kept in a pocket like your smartphone. We were moving with it pretty easily. The integrated loop is too small I would say, we cannot hang it in our backpack. It is there for hanging the speaker on a hook.

The Clip 4 is also 8.6cm wide but the huge carabiner makes it 13.5cm tall and it’s just 4.6cm deep. The carabiner is the reason you cannot keep the Clip 4 in your pocket, but it has its own use. The carabiner is strong and can be used to hang the speaker almost anywhere with an opening. The small JBL Clip 4 is a perfect buddy for hiking, biking, and almost anything you can imagine.

You get a rounded cuboid design with the Go 3 that grips perfectly in your hands and feels premium. The Clip 4 is a pebble-shaped speaker but also has a premium finish. The big JBL logo in either of the speakers is designed in the center, so you get a brand display as well.

Both the speakers are lightweight and sturdy and you can feel the speakers are solid. Both have a fabric jacket around the speakers and rubber straps for gripping the speaker to the ground. The JBL Go 3, as well as the JBL Clip 4, are IP67 rated i.e. waterproof up to a meter for 30 minutes and dustproof, something JBL is bringing to all its latest releases. We tested both water and dust on the speakers and the devices were just fine.

One thing which is irritating is that the speakers do not float when dropped in the pool, they sink down. So when you drop it in a water body be sure to dive in quickly or it will just keep sinking to the bottom. Also, if the outer fabric jacket gets soaked in the water there is no loss of sound quality.

You get a notification LED with both speakers which notify their battery and connection status. Moreover, JBL has a variety of colors to choose from in its products. You get 6 color options for the JBL Go 3 and 13 color options for the JBL Clip 4.

JBL Go 3 vs JBL Clip 4- Controls

Because both speakers are from the house of JBL you get the same type of controls in both of them. You get a Play/Pause button along with Volume up/down at the same place. The Play/Pause button also acts as a Track next button. Because of the no track previous button, we had to pick up our phones for listening to the same track again or going to the previous one. I don’t know why JBL does this, a track previous button can be easily integrated with three taps on the same Play/Pause button.

We had no problems with the identification of the buttons. JBL has given large buttons on both speakers and you will have no problem finding them even if you don’t look at the speakers. The click feedback is good and satisfying.

JBL Go 3 vs JBL Clip 4- Connections

Both JBL Go 3 and JBL Clip 4 have Bluetooth version 5.1. This was the latest Bluetooth version during their launch and we were delighted to see that in these speakers. This Bluetooth version comes with better transmission rates and range. We tested the speakers in an open field and they were able to deliver the same quality of sound for up to 40 meters of range. Also, you will have no problem in moving your speakers to other rooms, which will not affect the connection quality.

Though the Bluetooth version is 5.1, you don’t get Bluetooth multipoint support i.e. you cannot connect the speakers with two devices at the same time. They have to be connected only to a single source device at a time. This could have been an inclusion in the speakers but we are unfortunate at the moment. No advanced audio codec has been integrated into the speakers despite SBC, which is Standard Bluetooth Codec in all Bluetooth audio devices.

Both the JBL Go 3 and JBL Clip 4 has Bluetooth instant connect support. Just pair it once with a device and the speaker will automatically connect with the source device when you’ll turn it on. Both devices don’t have an Auxiliary port which used to stay on their earlier versions. USB-C has been given for charging purposes.

So, in terms of Connections, we can see both devices are completely the same.

JBL Go 3 vs JBL Clip 4- Battery

The battery section is pretty different in both the JBL Go 3 and the JBL Clip 4. The battery on the JBL Go 3 can keep you grooving for up to 5 hours in 50% volume as stated on the company website. But real-world results are impressive.

We tested the device at 50% and 100% volume and the results are shocking. At 50% volume, the JBL Go 3 can easily keep up for up to 10 hours which is double as stated officially. At 100% volume, the device stayed up to 4 and a half hours which is again impressive. It took the JBL Go 3, 2.5 hours to fully charge.

The JBL Clip 4 can stay up to 10 hours as stated by JBL. We tested and it stayed for 11 hours at 50% volume. At 100% volume, the battery backup came down to 5 hours which is decent keeping in mind the JBL Clip 4 houses a bigger battery than the Go 3.

The Battery capacity of either of the speakers was not stated and no third party has pointed it out.

JBL Go 3 vs JBL Clip 4- Sound Quality

The Dynamic frequency response of the JBL Go 3 is rated from 110 Hz – 20 kHz, whereas the JBL Clip 4 is rated at 100 Hz – 20 kHz. So both of them are the same, with no differences in the dynamic frequency response. The output RMS of both speakers is fairly different. The JBL Go 3 has a 43mm X 47mm transducer rated at 4.2 watts. The JBL Clip 4 on the other side has a 40mm transducer rated at 5 watts. The Go 3 also has passive radiators which are absent on the Clip 4. Passive radiators are responsible for enhancing sound quality without electrical power. They work due to the air pressure from the main driver.

As both the speakers are from JBL, you get the best industry standards with JBL’s immersive audio profile. JBL has also made these speakers fairly different from each other, so you get different qualities on both of them.

The sound profile on the JBL Go 3 is balanced. The bass, mids, and highs are equally audible and you can feel the punch from the speaker which is usually absent compared to speakers in this price range. We tested different songs, some were bass-heavy while some had vocals and instruments. We were impressed by the results. At 100% volume, the Go 3 did not distort. The music quality was slightly diminished but that is very good compared to other speakers.

Clip 4 has nice quality vocals and highs. All the vocals were crisp and clear. The bass lacked in all the songs when we compared it with the Go 3. It would have been great if JBL could provide slightly better bass. The lows sounded really poor. The single 40mm transducer cannot produce that thumping effect without the passive radiator. We were also heartbroken to find that Clip 4 distorted at volumes higher than 85%. At higher volumes, the sound diminishes so poorly that you can actually notice everything getting mixed up. The Bass becomes indistinguishable with the highs and vocals cutting out.

In terms of sound quality, it is evident that the Clip 4 cannot keep up with the Go 3. The Go 3 is better with the extra passive radiator that really makes it apart. You can pump up the bass on the JBL Clip 4 by using third-party equalization apps that won’t get any better than the Go 3.

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JBL Go 3

JBL Clip 4

JBL Go 3 vs JBL Clip 4- Verdict

The JBL Go 3 is better in terms of size and grip and more compact than the Clip 4. It has better battery life as compared to other products at this price and also better sound quality. Clip 4 is better in terms of sturdiness. It has more battery backup than the Go 3. We recommend JBL Go 3 over JBL Clip 4 because of its balanced sound and compact design.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better Clip 4 or Go 3?

The Go 3 is better in terms of design and compactness. The sound profile on the Go 3 is balanced as compared to the Clip 4, which has low bass levels. The Clip 4 has battery life, rest of everything is same.

Is JBL Go 3 good?

The JBL Go 3 is impressive in its price point. It is compact, portable, water and dust-proof and provides better sound quality than some of its competitors. It has Bluetooth version 5.1 and can support ranges of about 40 meters. It is your best companion for outdoor hiking, beach party, or jump simply grooving.

Is the JBL Clip 4 loud?

The Clip 4 has a 40mm transducer rated at 5W RMS, though the sound does not get loud as some of its competitors. JBL might have made Clip 4 louder. Also at higher volumes, the sound gets distorted and diminishes in quality.

Does the JBL Go 3 have good bass?

The JBL Go 3 has a balanced sound profile. The bass is loud enough than most compact speakers and you get an equal amount of lows, mids, and highs. At higher volumes, the sound does not distort and manages to keep the same sound quality.

For more such informative reviews about Speakers, check out Speakers.

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