JBL Flip 5

The new PartyBoost does not support the previous Connect and Connect+ features. For example: You will not be able to successfully connect the new PartyBoost enabled Flip 5 with a Connect+ enabled speaker like the Pulse 3 or Flip 4. You will not be able to connect the Boombox 2 to the original Boombox speaker.

If the buttons on your portable speaker are not working properly or are unresponsive while plugged into a power source, please try running the speaker on battery. If the buttons perform correctly while running on battery, this means your power supply is not providing enough current/amps. Be sure to use a power supply that has a rating equal to or greater than the amperage rating indicated in your product specs.

The PartyBoost feature is not available when your JBL speaker is connected to a computer via Bluetooth. This is a technical limitation. When connected to a computer, the computer is acting as the primary device. Therefore, the JBL speaker does not have control of re-transmitting the Bluetooth signal to other JBL speakers.

NOTE: Speakers effected by this are the JBL Flip 5, JBL Flip 6, JBL Charge 5, JBL Pulse 4, JBL Xtreme 3, and JBL Boombox 2, as well as all future products featuring the PartyBoost feature.

There might be several reasons that our Portable app may not be working correctly on your Android device. First, your Android device must have 5.0 OS (Operating system) or higher to support JBL Connect app. Devices under 5.0 OS will not be supported. If you are having trouble viewing your JBL Portable device in the app, please disable Bluetooth, and then turn it back on again. Now you should be able to see your device in the JBL Portable app.

Our FLIP 5 speaker is an "All-weather companion," and sometimes it can get dirt and other substances on it. Clean your speaker under lukewarm water from your water tap, and use a microfiber cloth to remove stains. Do not use any alcohol or other to remove stains and dirt. Do not charge your product while the charging port is wet; make sure it is dry before you connect it to a charger. Contact our Customer support if you need more advice.

You will need to dry the charging port completely before plugging in power for charging.
 

If you are having trouble with distortion or drop out, try the following suggestions:

Move the audio source closer to the speakers

Move the speakers closer to each other

Make sure the streaming speaker (host) only connects to one audio source, disconnect the Bluetooth connection between the streaming speaker (host) and other audio source

Make sure the audio source only connects with one streaming speaker (host), disconnect the Bluetooth connection between the audio source and other speakers

Restart both your speakers and the audio source

Make sure speakers are away from other sources of wireless signal – you could be experiencing interference

Re-pair the audio source with your speaker

If you’re streaming audio content from the internet, the issue could be with the internet connection and not your speaker

This speaker does not have an Aux Input, so no analog connection is possible.

It is always recommended to use our range of Soundbars, such as the JBL Bar series - if you want a speaker for your Television or Smart TV as they are designed specifically for this use, whereas our Portable speakers are designed primarily for use with Phones and Tablets.

Portable speakers with an Aux-in port, such as the Xtreme 3 and Boombox 3 - if connected through an Aux cable, should have less issues compared to using Bluetooth, however there can be issues with audio/video synchronization if used for this purpose.

Support for Bluetooth connectivity between a TV and speaker depends on a number of different factors such as Bluetooth & A2DP versions and Audio Codecs used by each device. This can vary based on the brand, model and age of the devices, however we cannot confirm if any specific combination of TV and speaker will work without issues such as latency or lip sync delay.

The JBL Connect app will be renamed as JBL Portable on the App Store and Google Play store in January 2021, it will still be possible to find the app in each store by searching for either JBL Connect or JBL Portable.

1. Connect the first Partyboost speaker with your phone and keep music playing (for best results play music on this speaker for more than 20 seconds before proceeding with the next steps).

2. Press the Partyboost button on the first speaker.
3. Turn on the second speaker that you want to connect in Partyboost mode.
4. Now press the Partyboost button on the second speaker.
5. After a few seconds, both Partyboost speakers should connect and play together.
It can take a few seconds after music is started before sound will be heard from both speakers.
This is also the process for connecting more than two speakers in Party mode, simply turn on the other compatible speakers and press the Partyboost buttons.

This unit is IPX7 rated, which means that you can submerge the unit in water as deep as 3 feet (1 meter) for up to 30 minutes.

1. In order to change the name of the speaker, you must first connect your speaker via Bluetooth and then download the JBL Connect app.
2. Once the app is downloaded choose app and wait for it to recognize your device.
3. Now that your speaker is highlighted, choose the gear located either below or to the right of the speaker image.
4. Once you choose the gear you will have the option to edit the name by clicking on the small pencil icon.
5. After you change the name, you will see a notification stating to "Reconnect to  Apply New Name"
6. Go to your Bluetooth settings select "Forget This Device" and then reconnect to establish the new speaker name.

If you encounter issues using the speaker with your phone or tablet, or you want to remove all previous Bluetooth pairings from the speaker, it may be necessary to 'factory reset' the speaker.

How to reset
First, remove or forget the speaker from the list of paired Bluetooth devices in the settings of the phone or tablet.
Then, with the speaker powered on, press and hold the Volume + and Play buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds until the unit turns off.
The speaker has now been restored to factory default settings. 

If you experience any sound distortion after immersing your speaker in water, simply shake the speaker to get rid of any excess moisture and allow the speaker to completely dry. Once dry, the sound quality should return to normal.

If there are drop out or connection issues when using PartyBoost or Connect+, it could be one of three things.

1.      Units are too far apart (move units closer together) 

2.      Interference from other 2.4gHz wireless units in the area.

3.     Unit is no longer working as designed

Here are some steps to isolate the issue:

 Try taking the units out of the house and test it outside with no interference to see if you still experience connectivity issues. If you still experience connectivity issues, please try steps below:

Whatever unit drops off, remove that from the chain. Test the rest of the speakers and keep doing it until you find the speaker that is causing the drop outs.  If all speakers begin to drop off, please try a different order and repeat. Repeat this process with each unit being the “main speaker”. 

 Make sure to turn off all WiFi/RF devices. (Router, laptop, baby monitor, Nest cams, IP cams, WiFi switches, WiFi outlets, WiFi lights, cordless phones, etc.) 

You should be able to identify the issue/speaker by following these steps. 

Your JBL speaker is waterproof with IPX7 rating. (IPX7 means it can survive immersion in 1 meter/3.3 feet for up to 30 minutes.) To maintain the looks and functions of your speaker, please make sure to rinse it with fresh water after using it at a swimming pool or the ocean, then dry off all covers and areas where water can gather. The standard for waterproofing is for tap water. Chemicals and salt in your pool or the ocean can damage the waterproof seals or harm the surface finish over time if not rinsed off after use.

Our newest products, such has JBL Pulse 4 and JBL Flip 5, feature a new technology called Partyboost .

Partyboost technology

• Improved Bluetooth connection between speakers.
• A more powerful Bluetooth transmitter means that the speakers can be farther apart.
• Partyboost can only connect to other Partyboost speakers.

All newer Portable products from JBL will have Partyboost integrated.
Unfortunately, this feature is not backwards compatible with  previous models that have JBL Connect or Connect+.
 

Software updates for your speaker can be done using the JBL Portable app.
Download it from the Apple App store and Google Play store.
If there is an available update, look for the small red dot above the gear icon and follow the download instructions (see image below).
If you have an issue with your device it is always worth checking if there is a Software update available and performing the installation if there is.

You cannot download the JBL Portable App on a PC. This app is only available on mobile devices.

In most cases when a Computer/PC/Laptop has issues connecting to a Bluetooth device (Portable speaker, Headphones, Active speakers), it's caused by your Computer/PC/Laptop's Bluetooth driver (software).

The driver (software) should support the following Bluetooth protocols, to be able to play music/sound from your Computer/PC/Laptop:

• A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) driver for your Computer/PC/Headphones to transfer music.

• AVRCP (Audio/Video Remote Control Profile) driver to send skip/forward/pause/play music to your device

Always get the latest driver version available for your Computer/PC/Laptop.

To download the correct driver (software), visit the manufacturer's website of your Computer/PC/Laptop. They usually have a "Support/Download" section where you can find the correct driver. Otherwise, we advise you to contact their support.

This product does not feature speakerphone or voice assistant functionality as it does not have a microphone.

1. Turn on both speakers.
2. Connect your device to one of the two speakers via Bluetooth.

3. Start streaming music to that speaker (for best results play music on this speaker for more than 20 seconds before proceeding with the next steps).
4. Open the JBL Portable app.
5. Allow the app to detect the single speaker playing music.
6. Once detected, press the Connect/Partyboost button on both speakers.

7. Allow the app to identify both speakers.
8. Click the Partyboost button, you will see the option for Party or Stereo, select Stereo.

Please note: Stereo Mode can only be enabled when 2 of the same speaker model are used.
For example, you will not be able to achieve Stereo Mode with a Flip 5 and Flip 6, only Party Mode.
Also, it is not possible to pair speaker models with Connect and Connect+ together, or pair to speaker models with Partyboost.

You can see the differences between the features and specifications of the FLIP 5 and FLIP Essential below:
Features

Features	Flip 5	Flip Essential
IPX7 Waterproof	Yes	Yes
Aux Input	No	Yes
Auto Power Off	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
Speakerphone	No	No
Voice Assistant Integration	No	No
Charging Cable	Yes	Yes
USB-C Charging	Yes	No
Micro USB Charging	No	Yes
PartyBoost Connectivity	Yes	No
JBL Portable App Compatibility	Yes	No
Social Mode	Yes	No
Racetrack Shaped Driver	Yes	No
Available Colours	11	1

*As the FLIP Essential is not compatible with the JBL Portable app:
It is not possible to connect multiple speakers, rename the speaker or turn off audio feedback sounds (for on/off/bluetooth pairing/connected).
If you require these functions, we recommend the Flip 5.

Specifications

Specifications	Flip 5	Flip Essential
Music Playing Time (Hours)	12	10
Output Power (W)	20W RMS	2 x 8W RMS
Battery Capacity (mAh)	4800	3000
Charging Time (Hours)	2.5	3.5
Dimensions (cm)	18.1 x 6.9 x 7.4	16.9 x 6.4 x 6.4
Dimensions (in)	7.1 x 2.7 x 2.9	6.7 x 2.5 x 2.5
Weight (kgs)	0.54	0.47
Weight (lbs)	1.19	1.0

Both speakers offer lots of features and excellent sound. FLIP Essential is cheaper than FLIP 5. It all comes down to what type of features you prefer, such as a long-lasting battery or maybe an affordable price for a good companion!

No matter which product you choose, you won't be disappointed with JBL Legendary sound signature and features!

Still in doubt?
Ask our specialist for more information and feedback.

There can be differences in the internal hardware that also implies different firmwares. These products feature the same specifications and performance expectations. If the app does not inform you of any new updates, the firmware is current and the product is performing as designed.

• Always have clear line of sight between your Bluetooth device (speaker, headphones etc.) and source device (Smartphone/tablet/PC etc). Be aware of obstacles in front of your devices.

• Try to shutdown other products that have Bluetooth, but are not being used. They are often the reason for interference even though they are not being used.

• Do not stand too close to your Wi-Fi router since a Wi-Fi signal is stronger and in many cases will "overlap" the connection.

• Be aware of walls around you. Concrete and brick walls will often interrupt the signal, as it cannot pass through such thick walls.

• Bluetooth signals cannot travel through water, which includes the human body. Make sure with wireless headphones to keep your source device and the receiver on the same side of your body.

• Open spaces such as parks can cause issues for your devices, as open air is "bad" for any Bluetooth signal if it cannot reflect from objects around you.