JBL's newest travel size speaker - Clip 4 Eco - makes the perfect
companion! It comes with a large rock-solid carabiner for grabbing and
clipping the speaker securely onto anything without worrying about
losing it or someone stealing it!
The JBL Clip 4 Eco speaker integrates a 1050mAh internal battery with a
charging time of approximately 3 hours, giving you 8 hours of
playtime on a single charge at 70% volume. There is no quick charge
support and Clip 4 Eco doesn't work in wired mode when the battery is
empty, unless it is charged to about 10%
health. In bluetooth mode, this isn't an issue though. The Clip 4
Eco speaker is capable of playing bluetooth audio and input charging at
the same time.
The JBL Clip 4 Eco has similar specs to its little brother - the Go 3 Eco - including a bluetooth 5.1 chip which only
supports standard Bluetooth codec. Clip 4 Eco doesn't support SBC or AAC codecs, which comes a bit as
of a surprise since the original Clip 4 supports SBC. That said, codecs seem to have more of an impact on latency
than audio quality so, you can expect a bit more latency with the Clip 4 Eco when watching videos.
The material used in the making of Clip 4 Eco are
made from recyclable and sustainable sources, including the packaging.
This is one of the key differences between the new Clip 4 Eco and the
original Clip 4. Another difference is wired audio, which is supported
by the new Clip 4 Eco. The original Clip 4 only supports is a
bluetooth-only speaker.
The Clip 4 Eco has a lovely grille cloth, as well as a large JBL
rubber logo stamped on the front and a thick aluminum
metal carabiner built-in around the edge of the speaker. The carabiner
clip is partially rubberized for grip. The thick carabiner design helps
protect the speaker against side impacts. The carabiner also
doubles as a small grab handle for carrying the speaker around.
The Clip 4 Eco is robust and resistant to dust, scratches and water.
It can be used on a beach, dusty outdoors, boating or shower. Just
like the Go 3 Eco speaker, the Clip 4 Eco is equipped with one full
range driver, although the one in the Clip 4 Eco is a bit larger and a
bit more powerful, capable of 5W RMS.
Front facing the
speaker, you find 3 physical buttons for controlling play/pause, skip
tracks, and volume. On the underside of the speaker, there are 2 more
physical buttons for power and bluetooth. The buttons are raised, made
of plastic and non-clicky. They have the same hard press actuation as
the buttons on the Go 3 Eco speaker; whereas the original Clip 4 power button is easy to press accidentally.
Because of the built-in
carabiner design, the Clip 4 Eco speaker cannot stand upright. You can
only
position it flat on its rubberized backside.
The USB-C charging port is mounted at the bottom of the speaker. The
Clip 4 Eco weighs 247 grams and measures 13cm long x 8.5cm wide x 4.5cm
thick
Would have been neat if the JBL Clip 4 Eco supported PartyBoost boost
mode to allow you to connect the Clip 4 Eco to another JBL speaker like
the JBL Go 3 Eco or original Clip 4. The new Clip 4 Eco has the same
sound signature as the Go 3 Eco with a midrange/treble focus.
Potential deal breakers
- Doesn't support JBL PartyBoost
- No quick charge
- No SBC, AAC codec support - the original Clip 4 supports SBC
- No multipoint
- No 3.5mm audio port - the Clip 2 & Clip 3 have an audio jack
- Cannot be in wired mode
- No mic for calls
- A bit under-powered for a room speaker - better to get the Charge 5 speaker
- No charge-out function for charging external devices
- No mic for calls - the Clip 2, Clip 3
- No audio cable included
- No EQ app support
Selling points
- USB-C port - the Clip 2 & Clip 3 use micro USB charging
- Passthrough bluetooth audio whilst charging
- Supports wired and wireless audio - the original Clip 4 only supports wireless
- Built-in carabiner clip
- Hard to steal when clipped
- IP67 rated
- Crystal clear sound quality
- Loud volume
- Perfect for hiking, walking the dog, biking, etc
- Durable button switches
- Dual purpose carabiner/ grab handle
- Supports absolute bluetooth volume
- Audible beep when reaching 100% volume
Accessories included are a 60cm long, JBL branded charging cable. You can buy the JBL Clip 4 Eco from JBL and amazon.
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