If you have been interested in speakers for a long time, then there is no doubt that you have heard of the JBL Xtreme series which are basically jumbo speakers that JBL produced with a carrying strap for convenience.
The JBL Xtreme 3 is basically the refined version of the JBL Xtreme 2 and certain upgrades that made it significantly better. However, many people question if the JBL Xtreme 3 is really worth the upgrade and the short answer here is a big YES! Improved design, sound, and features make up for it.
For you to be able to make the right purchase decision, it is important to get to know the JBL Xtreme 3 first before considering buying or upgrading.
Table of Contents
JBL Xtreme 3 Overview
| Pros of the JBL Xtreme 3 | Cons of the JBL Xtreme 3 |
|---|---|
| IP67-rated | Only 3 Color Variants |
| Lighter than its Predecessor | Cannot Play Music via Flash Drive |
| Improved Carrying Strap | |
| Charges via Type C | |
| Powerful 50W RMS Woofers | |
| Fast Charging | |
| Sounds Louder When Plugged in with Charger |
View JBL Xtreme 3 Price on:
Get the JBL Xtreme 3 if big sound and portability are your priorities. The JBL Xtreme 3 may be a jumbo speaker, but its new and improved carrying strap makes carrying this jumbo speaker easily possible.
Price
The JBL Xtreme 3 retailed for $350 when it was just released last November 2020. But now, in March 2022, you can get the JBL Xtreme 3 for $320 which is definitely a good deal for a jumbo speaker.
But if you want to get the JBL Xtreme 3 at a lesser price, you can wait for a sale day or sale event that JBL usually offers every now and then.
Design
At first glance, you will immediately notice that the JBL Xtreme 3 has a new logo design.
As you may have noticed, most of JBL’s speakers come with a red JBL logo emblem on the front of the speaker like the old JBL Flip and JBL Charge speaker series. Even the predecessors of the JBL Xtreme 3 had the red JBL logo emblem.
Instead of the red JBL logo emblem, the JBL Xtreme 3 has the JBL logo engraved onto the speaker, like the Flip 6 and Charge 5. It’s much larger than the red JBL logo emblems on the old speakers.
The JBL Xtreme 3 comes in 3 different colors which are black, blue, and camouflage.
Design-wise, the JBL Xtreme 3 still has the same rugged body that is almost totally covered in a durable fabric that is designed to have no problems taking a beating.
The JBL Xtreme 3 has a dimension of 11.72 inches in width, 5.4 inches in height, and 5.24 inches in diameter.
As you can tell, the JBL Xtreme 3 is a jumbo speaker but it does come with a strap so you will not have a problem carrying it with you on the go despite its size
Speaking of the strap, JBL has also upgraded the strap on the JBL Xtreme 3 by adding inserters to prevent the strap from swinging too much. JBL also did not remove the bottle opener part of the strap so you can conveniently pop a bottled beverage on the go.
But although it is a jumbo speaker, the JBL Xtreme 3 is surprisingly lighter than the JBL Xtreme 2. The JBL Xtreme 3 weighs 4.3 lbs while the JBL Xtreme 2 weighs 5.3 lbs. Although this 1 pound difference is not a big deal for some people, it is noticeable.
Speaker Buttons
The JBL Xtreme 3 has 5 buttons which are the following:
- JBL Party Boost Button
- Volume Buttons
- Power Button
- Bluetooth Button
- Play and Pase Button
JBL Party Boost Button
The JBL Party Boost button allows the JBL Xtreme 3 to conveniently pair up with other JBL Party Boost compatible speakers with only one press.
The other JBL Party Boost Speakers are the following:
- JBL Boombox 2
- JBL Flip 6
- JBL Flip 5
- JBL Charge 5
- JBL Pulse 4
And you can pair up with multiple JBL Xtreme 3s at the same time as well.
Battery
The JBL Xtreme 3 still has the same impressive 10,000 mAh battery life as the JBL Xtreme 2, which is not bad since this speaker is more than capable of playing for 15 hours at 50% volume lower.
In normal usage at 80% volume, you can still get a decent 8-9 hours of playtime from the JBL Xtreme 3.
It is also worth noting that the JBL Xtreme 3 conveniently charges with a Type C charger which is a huge upgrade since you no longer have to carry around a special charger with you now that you can just use your mobile phone’s charger.
In addition to that, you can use the JBL Xtreme 3 for Type C to Type C charging. Despite this, the JBL Xtreme 3 still has its USB A port that also acts as a power bank if you have a charging cable with you.
The JBL Xtreme 3 also charges faster than the JBL Xtreme 2.
However, you cannot use the USB A port of the JBL Xtreme 3 with a flash drive or USB stick to play music on it.
Bluetooth Version
When it comes to the Bluetooth version of the JBL Xtreme 3, it is definitely a huge upgrade from the JBL Xtreme 2’s Bluetooth 4.2.
The JBL Xtreme 3 comes with Bluetooth 5.1 which has better overall connectivity with little to no delays when you are watching a video or movie on your device.
In addition to that, Bluetooth 5.1 is capable of reaching 100m indoors which is an excellent range for a Bluetooth speaker.
The JBL Xtreme 3 is capable of being connected with two devices so you and your friend can take turns in playing music.
The JBL Xtreme 3 has SBC support and you can use a wired connection with this speaker via the 3.5mm audio jack at the back.
Waterproof Rating
For the waterproof rating of the JBL Xtreme 3, it is upgraded to IP67 which means this speaker is not at all afraid of water and dirt.
But unlike the JBL Xtreme 2’s IPX7 rating, the JBL Xtreme 3’s IP67 rating comes with dust protection.
So on top of the JBL Xtreme 3 capable of withstanding waters of up to 1-meter depth for 30 minutes, it is also dustproof and sand proof.
Speaker Specifications
The JBL Xtreme 3 still utilizes the same speaker setup of 2 frontward-firing transducer speakers with 2 tweeters and dual passive radiators.
The 2 woofers of the JBL Xtreme 3 are 2.75” while the tweeters are 0.75”.
But in terms of the power rating, the JBL Xtreme 3 is rated at 50W RMS. The speaker will be significantly louder when plugged in with a charger while it is playing.
Sound
The JBL Xtreme 3 gives a little more emphasis on the highs compared to the JBL Xtreme 2. In addition to that, the JBL Xtreme 3 sounds louder as well.
For the bass, there is not much of a difference between the JBL Xtreme 3 and JBL Xtreme 2.
But since the JBL Xtreme 3 emphasizes the highs better than the JBL Xtreme 2, the JBL Xtreme 3 sounds significantly brighter.
Final Thoughts
Although there is not much of a difference when it comes to the sound of the JBL Xtreme 3 and JBL Xtreme 2, it is still worth the upgrade since it has better Bluetooth connectivity, charging, and waterproof rating, and of course sound.
View JBL Xtreme 3 Price on:
Get the JBL Xtreme 3 if big sound and portability are your priorities. Although the JBL Xtreme 3 is a jumbo speaker, its new and improved carrying strap makes carrying this speaker easily possible.
If you want a jumbo speaker that is convenient with an amazing sound, then the JBL Xtreme 3 is no doubt perfect for you no matter what kind of genre you listen to.
I strongly recommend the JBL Xtreme 3 for audiophiles who are looking for jumbo speakers with excellent mids, highs, and bass with no compromisations in durability and overall design.
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