In recent years, portable devices have become increasingly popular. But basically, all manufacturers make monotonous devices that are no different from each other, and if you are tired of such devices, then let me introduce you JBL Pulse- a stylish portable light and music system that will attract a lot of attention.
Video review JBL Pulse
JBL Pulse Availability
At the time of testing, the average cost of JBL Pulse, according to the Yandex.Market service, is 7990 rubles.
Equipment
The column is delivered in a cardboard box with an overflow surface on the front side.
The package includes: the column itself, power supply, USB cable, documentation. The manufacturer was stingy and did not complete its model with an audio cable with a 3.5 mm audio jack.
Appearance
The column is a kind of cylinder with side inserts made of soft-touch plastic that is pleasant to the touch.
Under the metal mesh, the backlight mechanism itself is hidden, as well as two speakers with a power of 6 watts.
On the left are the music and backlight control buttons, as well as a Bluetooth indicator, and on the right you can find the NFC sensor.
Below are microUSB, a 3.5 mm jack for connecting an audio cable, as well as a charging indicator. The column can not be called massive, it fits easily into a pocket and a bag and, in addition, is comfortably held in the hand.
The column can be positioned horizontally and vertically. It is also worth noting that when changing the position, the backlight also changes position in turn.
Connection
JBL Pulse works equally well with tablets, smartphones, even laptops and players. Connection can be made using an audio cable, Bluetooth 4.0, as well as using NFC technology. Radius of action wireless communication columns - 8 meters.Application
It is worth noting that the column can be controlled not only with the help of buttons, but also with the help of special application called JBL Music, which is available in App Store and Google Play.
As many as 9 different types of lighting are available in the application.
It also offers an effects editor with the ability to select the intensity and color of the backlight.
There is a player function with downloading the music library.
At the first connection, the application offered to update the column firmware.
Testing
I would like to note right away that the JBL Pulse has absolutely no bass, so this speaker is not suitable for “heavy” genres of music, but at the same time the speaker is so loud that even your neighbors will hear it.
Also very pleased with the backlight, which the company gave the name LED light show. The light pulses to the beat of the music, and there is also a touch pad on the top of the speaker that allows you to quickly select the main color or mix colors, it looks very impressive.
The column is able to work for about five hours with the battery on and 12 hours without backlight.
It takes three hours to charge.
Results
JBL has come up with a very interesting device that stands out from its competitors. But I would like to note that such a device needs a more capacious battery, and I would also like to have a USB port for charging gadgets, like in JBL Charge, but this is already nit-picking. The sound of the speaker is quite good, but I would like to have a deeper bass. Everything else is top notch. The backlight is smart and users have the ability to control it directly from their smartphone, excellent assembly.Comments:
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JBL is the most interesting brand in the Harman team and one of the most interesting in the modern consumer acoustics market in general. JBL portable speakers were right on the crest of a new wave, excited by tectonic shifts towards the mobile market. We talked about one of them on the main site. This post will focus on another, more functional novelty presented at the autumn IFA - JBL Pulse 2 wireless acoustics.
The manufacturer clearly likes the cylindrical shape: the Pulse, Charge, and Flip lines are also produced in it. This design has good advantages: it is convenient to hold the speaker in your hand, and you can fix it in a bicycle holder, and in general, symmetrical rounded cases are attractive in themselves. Typically, speakers with this design are designed to be used in a horizontal position. With Pulse 2, things are not so simple. The logo and other elements are aligned so that it seems logical to put the system vertically. But in this case, one of the passive radiators is closed at the ends.
An incomprehensible button opposite the logo turns on the unique function of Pulse 2: scanning the color of surrounding objects and reproducing it using the built-in backlight. We lean the JBL Prism lens against the surface of the desired color and press the button.
The backlighting fails to accurately reproduce colors, there is clearly not a palette of 16.8 million shades inside. In general, I assume that there are only eight colors in the backlight: one color, white, is depicted by the triangle itself on the button, and the remaining seven are multi-colored circles.
Under the lens are all the control buttons. Fortunately, mechanical, albeit flat. Power off, Bluetooth pairing, change backlight pattern, embossed volume keys (no backlight), turn on JBL Connect (sync with other speakers), play/pause/call control button. Below are two connectors - "minijack" for wired connection and Micro-USB for charging. They are closed with a tight plug, this is necessary to protect against splashes. A five-dot indicator shows the battery charge, and the volume bar is backlit by pressing the adjustment buttons.
Passive radiators, movably fixed at the ends, are not protected by anything. The rubberized side, which rises above them, has a relief contour. This means that the lower radiator in a vertical position will not be completely isolated, but will be able to somehow contribute to the playback. Some manufacturers generally use only such artificially reflected sound from the surface in their speakers. Remembering the test, I can say that this idea is not the best.
In the hand, Pulse 2 lies like a glove, and in an upright position it is quite stable. But it is very difficult to install it horizontally. JBL Charge 2 had a dedicated flat pad, but here the speaker is somehow held only by relying on its own buttons. In this case, it remains only to manage through the connected device.
In terms of functionality familiar to portable speakers, the JBL Pulse 2 does not stand out. It does not connect via Micro-USB to a sound source, as sound blaster Roar does not have a slot for a memory card, like many more affordable solutions, and does not allow you to charge devices, like the same JBL Charge 2 (although the battery in the two models is the same in specification). Only wired connection via "minijack" or wireless via Bluetooth 4.1, yes, hands-free function.
But the advantages of JBL Pulse 2 do not end with mimicry. To reveal them all, you need to install the JBL Connect app on your Android / iOS. It will start normal operation as soon as you complete the Bluetooth pairing.
Using the JBL Connect app, two JBL devices that support this feature can sync (you just need to press the button on the back of the case). Together they work in "Party" mode (play the same thing) or in "Stereo" mode (like left and right channels). JBL masks accurate information about the maximum number speakers connected via JBL Connect, under the wording "multiple speakers". Empirically, users have found that more than two speakers cannot be connected in this way. But the models can be different - Pulse, Flip or, for example, the new big JBL Xtreme.
In addition, the application offers many options for backlighting, which can be selected using the software or cycled through the button on the case. Strengthen the "rain", adjust the time interval on the light hourglass, launch fireworks or even write something on a solid background - the set of options is not useless. True, with the resolution of the backlight, you will not swing beyond the color blots. The backlight is affected by sounds around; in addition, its modes change if the device is shaken. In the same way, by the way, you can share the backlight through JBL Connect: shake one of the paired speakers, and the other JBL Pulse 2 will sparkle with the same colors.
The sound of JBL Pulse 2 fully justifies the expectations. You should not count on an excellent study of the upper and lower case, although it is sufficient for the level of a wireless portable system. Here, the JBL Pulse 2 is similar to the JBL Charge 2. Their sound specs are slightly different. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the devices are adapted to work in different positions, and at the colorful speaker one of the passive radiators is muted. Our reference Sound Blaster Roar outperforms the JBL Pulse 2 in terms of range, but loses in openness.
It is stated that without recharging the column will be able to work 10 hours. Testing experience JBL Charge 2 suggests: the manufacturer measures the time battery life at maximum volume or close to it. And the decibel reserve of the Pulse 2 is easily enough to rock a large living room. With an average volume, more applicable in standard conditions, you can fully count on 14-15 hours. Or even a little more, if you turn off the backlight - for this you need to hold down the corresponding button on the case for a while.
Summarize. JBL Pulse 2 is the main contender for the title of the most spectacular portable acoustics which makes it a great gift. But if there is no task to impress, you should take a closer look at other speakers from the manufacturer. You have to pay at least half the cost for light music (if you take the notorious JBL Charge 2 for comparison). In addition to black, a white version of the JBL Pulse 2 is also available.
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Design, construction
I have a lot of different thoughts and emotions associated with this device. I first got acquainted with the second “pulse” at the IFA exhibition, and was impressed by the capabilities of the gadget. And here's your first digression from the topic. Once upon a time I wrote for a glossy magazine, I wrote mostly about all sorts of men's things. It was the end of the nineties and a real dawn for gadgets - the very word "gadgets" was fixed in speech at that time. Phones weren't called gadgets back then. The word "gadget" was suitable for things like a Sony AIBO dog, well, or a camera with an MP3 player, an unusual (for those times) player with hard drive- harvesters, incredible combinations of devices that were incredible at that time. That's what gadgets are. The endless experiments of the late nineties have led to the fact that many people are now bored looking at a smartphone with a huge screen, stuffed with technology, capable of making calls, paying, playing any music, movies, surfing the Internet - all this is boring. Consumers have become snickering, lost interest and look at the next presentation with sleepy eyes. Right, it's sad. There is no one’s fault here, the manufacturers tried to entertain us as best they could, so the word “gadget” can now even be called a car. Vaughn, take Tesla, why not a gadget? The real gadget. And the car, and the tablet, and you need to charge. All this I say to the fact that the JBL Pulse 2 is a gadget without fools. A light-music speaker that can connect with other JBL speakers. And you can imagine how it took people in the company to rack their brains to come up with this. And why was it done? The answer is simple - to attract the attention of a yawning and bored audience. They won’t buy, so at least they will watch a video about the product.
The second digression from the review is connected with further possibilities for developing the idea. It seems to me that in the next Pulse they will use a different layout of LEDs, there will be more of them (maybe even several times), and this will allow the owner to draw patterns, words, send musical greetings, watch the text of the track, play emoji speakers on the body, videos, and so on. Further. The product itself may be of interest as a basis for various limited editions and possible collaborations with firms from other worlds - clothes, shoes, cars, whatever. It is enough to add your patterns to the Pulse control program, maybe change the color of the device, and here is a great “limit” for you. The experience of other companies shows that this approach helps in popularizing the brand. And aside from the world of clothing and footwear, Philips also has some cool things to do with light. Why not make some kind of joint "bundle"? However, this is unlikely.
Now let's look at the column. The design has become more "cosmic", you immediately notice the details - the buttons are pressed very well, they may seem touch-sensitive, but in fact they are not, the pressing is deep, precise. Thanks to the designers for this. Passive radiators on the ends move to the beat of the music, there is a separate shooting button. The column has a camera that allows you to capture a particular color, a backlight is built right into the lens, so you can shoot even in semi-darkness. I note that the color is not fixed exactly - close to the original, but it is not yet possible to achieve a 100% hit. I photograph the case of a macbook in the dark - yellow is reproduced, the tree is interpreted by the column as red. You do not need to rely on the camera, after a few trials you simply forget about this function. Maybe this will be fixed in new firmware, we'll see.
On the speaker body there are buttons for switching backlight modes, an indication of the battery level, Play / Pause, a button for connecting to another JBL device. A pair of Pulses can be connected in a chain, in addition to amplifying the sound, you will also get unusual lighting effects. We will tell you more about this in the video, it will be added to the review next week.
The grill on the speaker is made of metal, under the plug there are microUSB and 3.5 mm connectors, this traditional feature is not forgotten in JBL, and they do it right. For ease of connecting via Bluetooth, there is a separate button for pairing, this will help those who are using this technique for the first time.
To listen, the device must be installed on the end, this is logical, the backlight must be visible. The basis from rubber, it is possible to put on any end face. Dimensions of the device - 194.4 x 84.2 x 8.2 mm, weight - 775 grams. This is a lot, but on the other hand, in a hotel room it will be possible to arrange the most natural parties with light music, it’s worth a lot. Even a large speaker number is more than enough for voice acting - I note that many of my friends bought the first Pulse just as a musical device for travel.
The column is available in white and black, I prefer black.
A very important difference from the first generation column is water protection, the implementation is the same as that of Charge 2, Xtreme, you can pour water, rinse, but you can’t immerse and hold. The column is not afraid of rain, splashes too. In general, if you imagine a person who loves to bathe in the bath, then Pulse 2 is very suitable for him - you can watch a movie on a tablet hidden in a Lifeproof case, the sound goes through the Pulse, and there is no fear of ruining the audio system, even if it gets a jet from the shower .
JBL Connect app and light
A proprietary iOS program called JBL Connect allows you to change patterns, you just need to use your imagination. For example, one of the patterns is a word you wrote or some kind of drawing. On the iPhone 6S Plus, it is impossible to draw thinly, in any case it is a bold font. Looking at the column, it is difficult to understand what is drawn here. The situation is the same with the rest of the patterns, only the imagination will tell you that it is fire, rain, fireflies, stars or an hourglass. Some patterns can be changed, for example, by clicking on the field in "Fireworks", you indicate where the shells will explode, with the help of fireflies you can draw something or write a word. Still, it's not very clear on the column. Instead of music, you can turn on certain effects, for example, if these are fireflies, then the noise will be like at night in the forest, if it rains, there will be rain noise. It's good to fall asleep under this. The intensity of the effects can also be changed. The program has instructions for working with the column. All the described patterns can be switched both from the application and by pressing the button on the back of the speaker.
But do not think that using Pulse 2 is not interesting. Vice versa. In recent days, I've only been listening to her, mainly because of the backlight, the backlight plays painfully well to the beat. I liked the first Pulse as well, here there are even more effects, all of them are interesting, but because of this there is no need to switch from the first generation column to the new one.
Working hours
A 6000 mAh battery is installed inside, I would not recommend disassembling the device yourself, it is better to entrust it to professionals. I say this for a reason, this is not the first time I receive such letters: "Good day, Sergey! I would be extremely grateful to you if you could tell me how to disassemble the JBL On Tour (it’s broken, it’s an infection, I want to fix it, but I can’t unscrew it). I found only 2 screws, but the case does not open ... If you yourself do not know, tell me who to contact ”. I know it always seems like a stupid manufacturer is just trying to take your time by recommending a trip to service center. But it's better to spend time than to spend money on a new column later.
Claimed battery life is about 10 hours, charging using a regular microUSB cable.
Peculiarities
A microphone is installed in the speaker, the VoiceLogic system is supported, which provides good voice quality, I talked in the bathroom, specially turned on the water wherever I could, the interlocutor still heard me clearly, without interruptions, I didn’t have to raise my voice. All the latest JBL speakers are different good quality speech transmission is an advantage.
The second feature is the ability to simultaneously connect three mobile devices to the speaker and listen to music in turn from each, so you can create a live mix at a party - at the same time you can check who likes what music.
The third feature is that two speakers work as a stereo pair, and you don’t have to waste time and nerves to connect, the process is automated. As I said, we will add about this video later.
Musical possibilities
As for the column, there are two passive radiators, two speakers (2x8 W), frequency range 85 Hz - 20 kHz, signal-to-noise ratio > 80 dB. Bluetooth 4.1 is used, the range is decent, unlike Bose SoundLink 2, you can move away from the column by seven or eight meters, no artifacts appear.
The sound is branded, bright, with a predominance of low frequencies, it's good to listen to Depeche Mode, the volume margin is huge, half was always enough for me. You should not think that passive radiators are only hammering here and everything is by no means well audible nuances, there are no obvious dips in the middle. Overall good sound for portable device. In my opinion, better than the first generation Pulse.
conclusions
The recommended retail price is 12,690 rubles, before the New Year holidays JBL Pulse 2 will be in great demand, the supply in Russia is rumored to be small, that is, there will not be enough speakers for everyone. JBL review You can read the first generation Pulse on our website.
I think you will pay attention to how much everything has changed here - I still can’t give unequivocal advice whether it is necessary to change the old to the new. The column is not a smartphone, it works - and okay. Moreover, the sound there was also quite good. On the other hand, there are undeniable advantages here, 10 hours of work versus 5, a speakerphone was added, more functions thanks to a proprietary program. Yes, and the cost is not much different.
I liked the JBL Pulse 2, the gadget makes a positive impression on everyone. The backlight looks interesting, the speakerphone works great, after listening during the day, you don’t need to look for a plug. You can turn on the sound of rain by the bed and fall asleep under the special effects on the body. Great job, JBL, it's already interesting to see the third version.
Philips started playing with light - these are TVs and Philips Hue magic light bulbs - JBL continues. There you are portable speaker Pulse with an unusual and very high quality backlight, I personally have not seen this yet.
Design, construction
Pill-shaped portable speakers, a solid-sheet aluminum speaker, a speaker that can run for ten hours on a battery, a speaker that can work as a Bluetooth adapter - every manufacturer of such accessories tries to outdo the rest. Such accessories have firmly entered the lives of many users. modern smartphones and tablets, help in a variety of situations - as they say, people have tasted the beauty of such gadgets. The holidays are coming, and many of you, in addition to your ski suit or swimming trunks, will put Jawbone, Bose, Loewe, Beats or another miniature speaker in your suitcase. I'll put something myself, but I don't know yet what it is. Friends are asking to take Bang&Olufsen BeoLite 12 with them, I'm trying to refuse - after all, it's not five hundred grams. Friends insist, they say, we will carry in turn. Well, I don't know, I'm leaning towards the JBL Pulse for now.
The thing is that JBL decided to go the other way and not tell the audience about what you can’t feel - not talk about sound, speaker design, operating time, and so on. JBL decided to show everything. For a person to stop, look once at Pulse, pay money and go further to celebrate - this is a thing that appeared on the market just in time, just in time for the high season. What's the deal, what's so special about it?
The body is a barrel, the plastic resembles rubber, the sides are covered with a metal mesh. On the side - microUSB for charging, a 3.5 mm jack for connecting an audio cable, considering that Bluetooth is used here, you can use anything with Pulse. Whether it's a tablet, a smartphone, or a laptop. The speaker cannot be called massive, it easily fits into a jacket pocket or a small bag, it won’t take up much space in a suitcase either. Like, nothing special? But you turn it on and you will immediately understand everything.
I don’t know what is used here to create such an effect, the official website mentions LED light show. The light pulsates to the beat of the music, moreover, on the top of the touch pad allows you to quickly select the main color or mix colors, it looks very cool, in the subject, there is no frivolity. If we, people of age, having turned on the Pulse for the first time, just played around with the backlight, turned on different music, looked with our mouths open, then what can we say about the young. JBL turned out to be a hit, in the USA Pulse was written about in all the leading publications, and these were not only publications about gadgets.
I personally like that JBL avoided the main thing - vulgarity. With the backlight they did smart here. For example, while adjusting the volume, something like a decreasing scale appears on the speaker case, in addition to simple mixing, you can also select the type of backlight. This is a rainbow, an equalizer, a club, Chill, you can just turn off the backlight. Special Program for iOS allows you to adjust the color, intensity, backlight speed on your own - unfortunately, they gave me a column for only one day. Apparently, everything is bad with samples in the Russian representative office of JBL - but I can understand this, the official sales of Pulse in Russia have not yet begun.
Control
On the top end there are power buttons, volume control, Bluetooth activation, backlight type selection. touch pad with color coding help you choose the color. There were no problems with the Bluetooth connection, we tried it with the iPhone 5/5S, iPad mini(second generation), iPad Air.
Working hours
Claimed battery life is about five hours, charging takes three hours. We will assume that the declared figures are true, but in reality, I would recommend that you count four hours.
Sound
The sound quality is not bad, but nothing more, the Bose Soundlink Mini is better - the Pulse has protruding low frequencies but missing the middle. The volume level is high, the speaker does not break into wheezing, for unpretentious listeners the solution is not bad. Anyway, this speaker produces an amazing effect, everyone is looking at the speaker, but no one is listening to music.
conclusions
What would I add here? Or, is there something to work on when creating Pulse 2? Yes. Such a system requires a capacious battery and at least 8 hours of battery life. You can add a speakerphone and a USB port for charging gadgets here - that is, add JBL Charge functionality here.
Otherwise, this product is very good. The backlighting is smart and can be adjusted using the iOS app, the sound quality is good. The main thing is the wow effect, achieved at once. A great companion for your smartphone or tablet, Pulse brings a holiday feel to your gray days. By the way, it can work as a lamp in your home, the main thing is to choose the right type of backlight. In the USA, a column costs about two hundred dollars, they will ask us about 8,000 rubles, it will certainly be popular if it is sold in the right places at the right time.
I want to especially emphasize my confidence in the success of this product - most of the buyers choose such devices not because of the sound quality, but because of all sorts of chips. For example, the Jambox is nice to hold in your hands, it's more of a fashion thing than a speaker, the Bose Soundlink Mini is a joy for fans of metal gadgets, and the Pulse has a cool backlight. That's it, the secret of success is very simple.
Sergey Kuzmin ()
When the user is faced with a choice between portable wireless speakers, the eyes begin to diverge from the variety. But, unfortunately, most of them are Chinese fakes with terrible sound from the Motorola T190 era. Quite another thing is the speakers from JBL by HARMAN, which combine both cool design and high-quality sound. One of them, the new Pulse 2, came to us for review today.
This speaker takes your music experience to the next level, as it not only delivers superb sound, but also features an interactive light and music system. But we will not reveal all the cards - soon you will see everything for yourself. 
The column "came" to us in a cool package, on which even the photo of Pulse 2 shimmers depending on the lighting. Even before we took it out of the box, it became clear: this is a speaker from JBL. Premium segment, noble appearance- everything is as it should be. 
The package bundle is also rich: in addition to the speaker itself, there was a place in the box for a charging cable (micro-USB is used), as well as adapters for different kinds sockets. In case you want to drive around Europe, visit the UK, and then go to the USA. 
It's impossible to say that Pulse 2 looks cool. She looks amazing! Incredibly high-quality performance, impeccable appearance - everything is perfect in this column. True, we still have to check the sound, although in the first paragraph we have already let it out a little. 
Speaker grilles are located on the sides, and in the center are the control buttons and other useful tools. Here you can turn on the speaker, activate the mode, increase or decrease the volume, control playback and even incoming calls. Yes, the Pulse 2 can also be used as a noise canceling and echo canceling speaker. This is not enough in ordinary columns, when the pair with the device is broken during the call. 
A micro-USB port and AUX are hidden a little lower - what if you want to play music not via Bluetooth, but with a cable? And the sound, as a rule, becomes richer when using AUX. 
Whatever music you put on, Pulse 2 immediately starts playing with its light and music system. Yellow, orange, red, blue - you can collect the entire color palette at your party. Sometimes you even forget directly about the sound itself and just watch how the column changes its color. Incredible spectacle.
But we kept silent about the purpose of another button, and we did it on purpose. If you have two Pulse 2 speakers in your hands at once, you can use it to connect them together to turn on the “Party” or “Stereo” mode. If the sound of one JBL speaker got us excited, imagine what happened when another one appeared next to it. 
But the whole “trick” is not even that we got a full-fledged acoustic system, but in the interaction of the columns with each other. With JBL Connect, the speakers "see" each other and repeat the light spectrum. No additional action is required on the part of the user, and this is really very cool. What's even better - you can choose various modes light music: so to speak, diversify and "upload" even the most dull party. 
The Pulse 2's lighting system parameters can be fully controlled via a dedicated JBL Prism color sensor on the top. Point the sensor at the desired color, activate it and watch how Pulse 2 enhances the surrounding colors. It is enough to bring the speaker, for example, to a yellow T-shirt or a red dress. We haven't seen this yet. 
Speakers and lights can be conveniently controlled using the JBL Connect app. Just press the Pair button on the two Pulse 2 speakers to start pairing. And then... the magic will begin.
You can choose color themes from those offered, create your own combinations using swipes - in general, you will play with this column for a very long time. It is difficult to resist such a variety, especially when all the changes are visible in a second on the column itself. When two or more columns are connected, it is enough to shake one column in the air so that its color is transferred to the others. Well, let's see?
Make any sound (such as a click or a pop) and see what happens.
Many are afraid that wireless speaker may one day turn off because it does not have enough battery power. With Pulse 2, you can forget about it: the 6,000 mAh rechargeable battery guarantees you up to 10 hours of playtime with light and music playback. Enough even for a long party!
On the side of the Pulse 2 are two external passive radiator JBL Bass, which allow you to not only hear the bass, but also see it and even feel it. The feeling is indescribable. 
Well, a nice "icing on the cake" was protection against splashing water. Do not be afraid that the speaker will get caught in the rain or splashes - in which case it can be washed right under the tap. It is not worth submerging the Pulse 2 entirely in water (and for what, actually?).