JBL Clip 2 vs JBL Go - The Ultimate Comparison
If you are considering to buy a small and portable Bluetooth speaker, you can choose from two speakers of the JBL’s product line.
One option is the JBL Go which is the cheapest and smallest speaker of the JBL and the other option is the JBL Clip 2, which is the bigger brother of it.
Click here to check the current price of the JBL Go.
Click here to check the current price of the JBL Clip 2.
So the question is which one to choose?
Does the Clip 2 worth the higher price and are they good choices at all?
Let’s find this out in this JBL Clip 2 vs JBL Go full comparison.
You can find the reviews of the speakers here:
JBL Clip 2 Review - The Best Ultra-Portable Speaker
JBL Go Review - The Cheapest JBL
Bluetooth range
Battery life
Water protection
Pros
Cons
Bottom line
Bluetooth range:
- 20 feet
Battery life:
- 70% volume: 13 hours 20 minutes
- Maximum volume: 3 hours 40 minutes
Water protection:
- IPX7 certification
- It can be submerged into 1-meter-deep water for 30 minutes
Pros:
- Lightweight, easy to carry around
- Durable, waterproof design
- Good battery life
- The carabiner clip is very handy
Cons:
- Weak Bluetooth range
- Lacking bass
- Hard to reach the charging port
- No battery indicator
Bottom line:
The Clip 2 provides water protection, a solid metal clip, a stronger battery life and a slightly better sound. Its only disadvantage compared to the Go is the weaker Bluetooth range, so if it is not a particularly important factor for you then I suggest paying some more bucks and buying the JBL Clip 2.
Bluetooth range:
- 60 feet
Battery life:
- 70% volume: 5 hours 50 minutes
- Maximum volume: 2 hours 30 minutes
Water protection:
- No water protection
Pros:
- Ultra-portable
- Good built quality
- Long Bluetooth range
Cons:
- Weak bass, missing deeper lows
- Short battery life
- No battery indicator
Bottom line:
The Go 2 is well-built and has a decent sound, however, it is only a basic device without any plus features. You will not get water protection, outstanding battery life or an SD card reader.
JBL Clip 2 vs JBL Go Comparison Video
The Design
From the two, the JBL Go is the smaller device, it is something that you can easily put into your pocket and carry a whole day.
The Clip 2 is bigger especially with the clip on top of it, however, it is still small enough to put it into the pocket of a jacket or to attach it to a backpack.
The JBL Go got a minimalist boxy design.
It has a metal speaker grille while the whole speaker covered by a matte finished, rubberized plastic.
The Clip 2 got a nice textured, fabric speaker grille and similar rubberized outer coating.
Both speakers are solid, maybe the Clip 2 looks a bit more durable.
Attachment Options
What makes the Clip 2 super portable that is has a built-in metal carabiner on its top.
It is even replaceable if it gets damaged or if you prefer a different shape or size.
This is one of my favorite solutions, it works well and easy to attach the speaker with it to anything.
The JBL Go has only a loop, what you can use to attach a carabiner or a lanyard to the speaker, however, none of them is included in the box.
So the attachment option of the JBL Clip 2 is much more versatile and useful.
Connectivity, Bluetooth Range
Both speakers can be connected via Bluetooth and via an audio cable.
The JBL Go has an audio jack input port while the Clip 2 has a built-in audio cable threaded along the outside of the speaker.
On the one hand, this integrated design is nice because you do not have to buy an audio cable and it is always with you, however on the other hand if the cable gets damaged, you are not able to replace it and you lose this connectivity option.
In terms of Bluetooth range, in my outdoor test, I measured around 20 feet range by the Clip 2 and around 60 feet by the Go.
The range of the Clip 2 is quite weak the Go has actually three times longer Bluetooth range.
So if you plan to use your speaker far from the Bluetooth source then the Go is definitely a better choice.
Water Protection
The Clip 2 got an IPX7 water protection which means it is completely waterproof, it can be submerged into 1-meter-deep water for 30 minutes.
So it is ideal for water sports or to use as a shower speaker.
It even floats so you can easily rescue it if you accidentally drop it into the water.
The ports of the JBL Go are not covered and it does not have any water protection.
So the water protection is a useful plus feature of the Clip 2 over the Go.
Music Control Capability
Both speakers have limited music control capabilities, which means you can play/pause the music and skip a song.
However, it is not possible to jump back to the previously played song or forward/backward in a song.
If you have two Clip 2, you can connect them together for an amplified sound but this is not possible with the JBL Go.
Battery Life
In my test when I played various types of songs at 70% volume on the speakers, I got 13 hours 20 minutes playtime by the JBL Clip 2 and measured 5 hours 50 minutes by the JBL Go.
Repeating the same test on full volume, I got 3 hours 40 minutes by the Clip 2 and 2 hours 30 minutes by the Go.
So in terms of battery life, the Clip 2 is definitely a step forward compared to the Go.
It can tilt the balance towards the JBL Clip 2 since it is a quite important factor when you choose a Bluetooth speaker.
It is a disadvantage of both speakers that they do not have battery level indicator, so they cannot tell you the exact remaining battery percentage.
JBL Clip 2 vs JBL Go Sound Test
The Clip 2 is around 20% louder than the Go but otherwise, they have a quite similar sound.
The mids and the highs are nice and clear by both speakers, on maximum volume there are some distortions but it is not common.
The Clip 2 has slightly more low and better treble so it sounds more spacious compared to the Go.
The bass of both speakers are very weak and the deeper lows are completely missing.
Conclusion
The JBL Go is a small, cheap and decent speaker, however, it has only basic functionalities.
For the $14 price difference, the Clip 2 provides water protection, a solid metal clip, a stronger battery life and a slightly better sound.
Its only disadvantage compared to the Go is the weaker Bluetooth range.
So if it is not a particularly important factor for you and your budget allows I suggest paying some more bucks and buying the JBL Clip 2.
Click here to check the current price and buy the JBL Go.
Click here to check the current price and buy the JBL Clip 2.
Check also my full reviews about the speakers:
JBL Clip 2 Review - The Best Ultra-Portable Speaker
JBL Go Review - The Cheapest JBL
Alternatives
AmazonBasics Portable Speaker
If you are looking for an even cheaper Bluetooth speaker and you do not need water protection then the AmazonBasics portable speaker can be a good alternative.
It is cheaper than the JBL speakers and has a comparable sound.
However, it is bigger and does not have any attachment option.
It feels also quite cheap in hand since it was mainly built from hard plastics.
Check the current price of the AmazonBasics speaker here
Sony SRS-XB10
In the same price category, you can find the Sony SRS-XB10 which is a rugged, grenade-shaped outdoor speaker.
It is splash-proof, has a really long, 15 hours battery life and a built-in NFC chip as a plus feature.
It also provides a much powerful, punchy bass, actually, its bass is one of the strongest in this category.
Its disadvantage is the short Bluetooth range and it tends to distort at higher volume levels.
Click here to check the current price and buy the Sony SRS-XB10 speaker.
Click here to read my full review about the Sony SRS-XB10.
Anker SoundCore 2
One of the best value speakers in this price category is the Anker SoundCore 2.
It has much better sound than the JBL Go and the JBL Clip 2, has a long battery life and Bluetooth range.
It is bigger and heavier than the JBL speakers but also durable and splash-proof.
Click here to check the current price and buy the Anker SoundCore 2.
Click here to read my full review about the Anker SoundCore 2.
UE Roll 2
One of the biggest competitors of the JBL Clip 2 is the UE Roll 2.
It is also completely waterproof and comes with an inflatable mini life preserver which helps it to float on the water, so it is an ideal beach or pool speaker.
It also has a nice attachment option: a built-in elastic cord which is very handy if you want to attach the speaker to something.
It is louder than the Clip 2 and has a slightly better sound quality.
On the other hand, it is more expensive and has a very limited music control capability and it does not have a microphone.
Click here to check the current price and buy the UE Roll 2.
Click here to read my full review about the UE Roll 2.
Bose SoundLink Micro
If money doesn’t matter and you are after the best sound quality in this small size then you definitely have to check the Bose SoundLink Micro.
Currently, I think this is the best sounding pocket-sized speaker.
It is also completely waterproof and has a built-in elastic strap.
Its disadvantage is that it has a quite short battery life and a high price tag.
Click here to check the current price and buy the Bose SoundLink Micro.
Click here to read my full review about the Bose SoundLink Micro.
