JBL Pulse 5 Portable Bluetooth Speaker with 360-Degree Light Show (Black)

This speaker sounds WAY better than the previous model, but it doesn't have media control buttons.

I bought this speaker as soon as it came out & I love it. I had the pulse 4 before it, and they are both great. This new one sounds better, has better bass, and is larger. It's great that there's an equalizer option in the app. I really like that they put a strap on the back so I can carry it easier too. The lights are awesome, and better than the pulse 4. One thing I miss that the pulse 4 had and this one doesn't, are the buttons to pause music, and change the volume on the speaker. The pulse 5 doesn't have those buttons, but it's not that big of a deal to me. I still love it.

Initially, I was comparing this speaker to a couple of other large bluetooth speakers I own. In comparison, the Pulse 5 lacks in the most important area: the sound.

Because most of the body is made of the gorgeous glass (or glass-like plastic), sound only comes out of the top and bottom. On the bottom is the bass membrane, and it seems the tweeter is on top, protected by a strong metal grid (aluminium?). Admittedly, the sound is 360 degrees, but the amount and the location of the speakers leaves bass a bit muted, with decent treble and hollow mids.

After listening to the first few songs, holding the Pulse in my hands, I got over it and put it down on the desk. This made the bass more full-bodied, but not overwhelming. The reverberations off the desk also brought forward the mids. Now the music resembled what I was used to pretty closely. Sure, it's still not as good as something like Flip or Charge, where the speakers are facing you and there are two bass membranes per speaker. But it's decent, and at higher volumes it's even pleasant to listen to (outdoors).

Now to the main highlight of the speaker: the light show. It is very well executed. Both I and my kids love the light presets, the assortment, the mood matching, and even the ambient sounds are cool. The light controls in the app are intuitive and there is something for everyone. Lights match the sound pretty well, even in a cappella solos. The LED density is such that you can't even tell where one ends and another begins. They are pleasant to look at, and decently bright. All colors in the presets are also carefully selected and go well together.

Lastly, the buttons and the charging port are all assembled into a single strip that seems to be floating in the solid glass! The effect is uncanny, and probably required some clever light refraction engineering. Check out the pictures - it's mesmerizing!

And that brings me to the main point of this review: this speaker does only one thing well: being a portable party/mood speaker. The lights give the Pulse 5 its character, and together with decent sound (when placed on solid surfaces), it creates moods. Sure, some smaller (and larger) speakers have better sound, and you can buy dedicated mood lighting (very difficult to set up and control, in my experience).

But the Pulse 5 combines decent sound and mood lights all in one, and that's its strength. I actually use it now more than other speakers, because of the overall pleasure I get out of using it. Buy it if you like lights and listen to music to reflect or affect your mood!

The Pulse 5 is like a lava lamp with a speaker added. The glowing lights match the pulsing of music and had buttons to change the light show. The speaker has a pretty handy carry strapped attached to make it easy to take on the go. I somehow was able to get a scratch on the speaker although it's strach from minor scraps. The battery life is pretty good and there's an battery life indicator on the side of the speaker to let you know the speakers volume. The only thing that's missing is a volume up and down button on the speaker.

Its audio quality is really good for a Bluetooth speaker and I'm impressed with its volume output. A party speaker that's designed to look almost like a lava lamp with a 360-degree light show, it syncs to the beat of your songs, dancing along with loads of vibrant colors and patterns. The App lets you change the color schemes and patterns, there are also ambient sounds built in that can be used when not streaming music to set the mood such as rain, crickets, traffic etc. I just received the speaker before the holidays and it turned out to be a to be a superstar at all my holiday gatherings and now that holidays are over I use it at the gym and pool to provide motivating beats. I know I will use this in the backyard, at the park and by the beach as it is water and dust proof with 12 hours of battery life. The light show is amazing, not sure if my pictures do it justice, especially at night by the pool. I was also able to connect another JBL Bluetooth speaker for stereo sound.

RGB lights all round and great sound waterproof dust proof what more can you want awesome speaker

The Pulse 5 is a nice sized portable speaker with powerful sound & bass. The quality sound is strong and clear no matter the genre of music or entertainment being played on it. The colors the speaker projects are so vibrant & captivating, you can't help but stare at it while awesome tunes play! This speaker commands attention with the cascade of light it gives out. It's perfect for gatherings or just hanging out.

This speaker is very neat. It has good sound and the lighting effects are very cool. I like the mood it sets along with the music. There are several presets that can be selected in the app. I especially like the campfire effect. I think the bottom light around the speaker is a cool effect. The bass is a little light, but that is because the lights are more of the desired effect. Overall I think the sound is good and a little better than earlier pulse models. I intend to use this speaker while camping because it will provide a bit of light around the campsite.

If you're looking for a speaker that gets even more visual attention then it does sound, this is the one! Everyone that I've played this for is amazed by the show it puts on. Pair it up with another JBL with Partyboost and you can fill the room with sound!

If you're looking for just room filling sound and no light show, this isn't the speaker for you. If you're looking to chill and enjoy a show, this is the one!

The app has a bunch of lightshow options along with the normal JBL EQ and Partyboost features.

This also makes a great "lamp". You can change the lights without being connected to a phone. You can also use this is a sound machine with a show!

All together I give this a 10 out of 5 for the show, and a 4 out of 5 for the sound.

The JBL Pulse was one of the earliest Bluetooth speakers I ever used and to this day remains one of my favorites. The combination of music and the pulses' lights was fascinating to me then and now. The Pulse 5, IMHO, is an excellent successor, enhancing all my favorite features and adding new ones.
The improved lighting, which moves in sync to the music, and the 12-hr battery life are great for adding fun vibes to a party or gathering and the improved companion app adds a while host of customizations for both the music and the lights.
The ambient light and sound features are also better than before and I've found them useful while meditating or just relaxing.

One of the coolest speakers you'll ever own. Not only does the Pulse 5 have quality sound output but it's ability to change color and pulse to the music is super entertaining and almost mesmerizing. The build quality is impressive, feels very durable and also waterproof. I use mine in my living room at night and it turns into a mini festival. The app is very useful since it allows complete customization of the lights, whether it's the pattern or color! I even got the chance to use the partyboost feature, which allows multiple Bluetooth connections to other JBL speakers, it turned my house into a concert with multiple sources of music. The light output is what sets the Pulse 5 apart from other speakers, it's like a lava lamp that plays music, is portable and waterproof. What else could you need!

The JBL Pulse 5 is AMAZING! I recommend it for anyone who is looking for a smaller size speaker with great sound and a great lightshow to boot. My daughter used this for a party at our house recently and the kids went wild over the lights. JBL's app let's you control the lights with your phone. Another big plus! The sound is JBL crystal clear. The Pulse 5 stayed charged for the entire party and there was no need to charge the next day either. It is supposed to have 12 hours of play time, but we did not let it go dead. I love the carry strap. It looks like a large coffee cup when not plugged in! No need to worry about rain. This speaker is water resistant. It looks SUPER COOL! I recommend it for anyone, but especially anyone with a child at college. This is also a great dorm speaker. I'm buying one for both my girls.

This JBL pulse 5 is one of the most premium looking party speakers there is on the market. It has a very energetic, fun sound that should work well for a small party. Admittedly, there are better sounding party boxes out in the market. Sometimes the sound was not clear enough. The bass is located at the bottom of the speaker and does an alright job. I would give this a 10/10 for the look and premium feel of the product. The lights that change with the sound look. mesmerizing. The buttons feel pretty good. The sound from this speaker is not too bad but generic. All in all, it is a fun portable party speaker that should light up a small party, literally and is definitely an eye catcher.

If your looking for a speaker that can take the party from dead to alive I highly recommend this speaker. I not only think this is one of the loudest speakers offered by jbl currently but also can see a huge upgrade from the previous version to show that a lot of thought and time was invested into this speaker. The light show feature that you can completely customize and the amount of bass and treble you can add between the color options is a must have for a speaker like this.

Lots to like about the Pulse5. 12 hours playtime, less than 4 hours for full charge, Bluetooth v5.3 and lights...a light show if you wish. Of first importance, download the app. It allows you to change color configuration and has an equalizer...not something typical for a waterproof portable speaker. Simple to use, with quick Bluetooth recognition. One of the best features is the partyboost allowing you to connect multiple JBL speakers together. Place them strategically around the party. I placed the Pulse center, with a couple Flips elsewhere. If you're not impressed with speaker lighting (my wife likes lights more than I), you will be better served buying a couple Flips for about the same money, or step up to a Boombox. Also, if you like more bass, move up to a box. The Pulse5 handles the other ranges with ease.

The JBL Pulse5 speaker is so much fun! The sound is crystal clear, just like you expect when you get a JBL speaker, but the lightshow is out of this world! It is both waterproof and dustproof so there are no worries if it rains or if you are at the pool or beach. The Pulse5 gets 12 hours of play before you have to recharge it. That feature comes in handy when you can't get to an outlet. Another great feature is the app! I get to control the lightshow with the app! It has 6 different modes and you can change them as much or little as you like. You also have control of the tempo of the light show. The speaker can also be set to one of five ambient sounds. My favorite is the fire! The speaker display looks like a fire and the sound is like sitting at a campfire! Amazing sound and light show! It's a winner!

Who knew a speaker could be so pretty. The colors are extraordinary. I'm not sure if it's glass or what it is made from but it just looks awesome. I really like the strap to carry it with. I did find it to be a little heavy considering its size. There's a subwoofer on the bottom that I accidentally pushed on when I was holding the speaker. (apparently I didn't hurt it) There's not a covering over it. It is very sturdy on the table top. I'm not sure how it would stand up on uneven ground. Maybe it would lay down. Overall I love it though.

This thing is pretty great for what it is. The lighting effects are actually really great and it really does give the effect of a floating orb inside of a clear case. It has some truly cool visuals but im not entirely sure that the effect is worth the cost. The sound is really great though and even though it does sound a lot better inside than outside because of the upward firing driver I think it makes a great portable speaker. My only complaints would be that the clear outer shell is a fingerprint and scratch magnet and somehow they made a portable speaker without volume and play/pause buttons. I feel like that was a major oversight but everything the speaker does itself it does a great job with.

I can't stop looking at it while the music is playing, it is a great way to visualize sound. The bass gives the thump & visual gives it a great sensory! Lights are stealing the show, but that doesn't mean the sound is any less. It is a physics marvel how this full sound is coming from the speaker this size.

Nice appearance with decent sound. The lights are nice addition as a center piece for any table. Set up is easy and straightforward. Everything in total makes a nice speaker. The only downside is the lake of deep bass. I have smaller less expensive Bluetooth speaker that way outperforms this pulse 5 in the bass category. That and the cost are the only reasons for the four 4 stars. If the bass was improved and price reduced this would be an awesome speaker.

**Sound**: The speaker sounds great in its own category. It gets loud (fills up a mid-size room or a small backyard), and the sound quality is better than the speakers that are currently available on the light show speaker market. Most people cannot even tell a difference between this and the JBL Charge 5. However, the sound quality and power this speaker offers cannot be compared to what you get with JBL's other models in this price range. In my opinion, it lacks the JBL Signature sound with thick bass and clear tones in highs and mids. The passive bass radiator does its job perfectly. You can feel the bass through the floor if you place it down but it's not as punchy to the ear. The bass can be felt but not heard. The design is definitely worth pointing out in this case. The speaker provides a 360-degree light show but not sound! It has an up-firing sound design, so the sound comes out from the top and then bounces off the sealing to expand to the entire room if you're indoors. The JBL Original Pro sound can be heard when you are near the speaker, and it is directly firing the sound at you (which is a rare occasion). As I stepped away from the speaker, the sound got worse. This could be said about many speakers, but the difference is out there and audible when it is compared to a Flip or Charge speaker. There is an equalizer (EQ) in the JBL Portable app so the user can tweak a few settings but it's not as intense as what we get in the JBL Headphones app for headphones/earbuds. I tried to max out the bass in the app and although it did add some punch, it still wasn't as powerful. I also noticed some sound distortion at the highest volumes and the kicks sounded blown out/fuzzy in some songs when bass was maxed out in the EQ. The same applies to mids and highs, they felt noisier and thinner. Based on my experience, I would place this (sound-wise) in between JBL Flip 6 and Charge 5 at an above-satisfactory level. It's loud, the bass and customizability are there but it could sound better at this price point.
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**Light Show & JBL Portable App**: Phenomenal!!! They look fantastic and everything about them is well-thought and designed. It looks like this infinity 4K light that you can control. The JBL Portable app must be downloaded to fully enjoy and customize the lights and the app works great as well. There are 26 different light modes/themes to choose from and you can set them to play one after another or completely take out the mode you don't enjoy. The brightness level, colors, and motion of the lights (fast/slow tempo) are all adjustable from the app. There is an option to turn off the lights entirely and then options to turn off the body or the bass radiator (bottom) lights. The passive bass radiator lights blend in perfectly with the light show on the body, making it more seamless and synchronized. In addition, the Ambient Sound feature allows the user to play nature/relaxing sounds with a timer. It has ocean waves, night/bird, fireplace/campfire, morning forest/bird, and puddle/rain sounds to choose from. They are extremely useful and relaxing when combined with the right light show. The speaker can be used as a night lamp in the bedroom or a desk lamp when working in the living room which is exactly what I have done. Another great touch is the volume adjustment lights. The lights automatically transfer to a virtual/dreamy-like window with violet/pink/yellow hues when the volume buttons are used. So, when the button is pressed, the currently playing light show disappears and a special volume light show appears for three seconds. Once it detects that the volume will not be adjusted any more, it switches back to the user-assigned light show. I thought this was very cool. Moving on, the lights are sound-responsive but pretty much only in one light show mode called "rhythm". The response time is spot on in this mode and it adds a lot of value to the track while playing. The front and sides (JBL logo area) mostly displayed the response to the highs and mids while the back side moved with the lows. It's very enjoyable and gets the party going. However, the rest of the modes just move randomly. For instance, if you have the tempo set to low and the big drop arrives in a techno track, the visuals stay the same when there should've been a more powerful response. This is minimized when the tempo is set to high, but the delay is still visible. You have to be lucky if you're not using the rhythm mode. The feeling is like being at an electronic dance music festival with a great sound and light design, but the lighting production is not synchronized with the beat, so they fire randomly (no lighting designer or operator). This applies to all the six main modes, not just the Party mode. The rest of the modes are Nature, Spiritual, Cocktail, Weather, and Canvas. It also would have been nice to star/favorite light show options out of the 26 and have it switch between them. Instead of being forced to choose what is available under one of the six main modes. Lastly, although the RGB lights reflect most of the colors accurately, I couldn't achieve very saturated and deep green and purple hues. The secondary colors within the modes are also not customizable. For instance, if you choose the color red from the color wheel in the app, it automatically pairs it with yellow. It pairs yellow with green, purple with blue, orange with pink, and so on. Everything is aesthetically pleasing and blends well together, but it would have been nice to have the option in case the user does not enjoy a specific color combination. Overall, the range of color and light show modes, customizability, and quality of the lights are incredible. It's extremely bright, there is a light show available for any scene/mood, and considering that this is the selling point of this speaker, it lives up to the hype and it is absolutely worth it (though some features can be slightly improved).
**Side Note Regarding the App for Android Devices: Although the connection is stable and audio is playing properly, the app cannot detect the speaker sometimes. You have to turn off the speaker and switch off Bluetooth on your device in order to use the Portable app and customizability features for the speaker. It might not happen to everyone, but it was worth mentioning here because it got me frustrated multiple times.
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**Build Quality & Weight & Buttons**: It feels very high quality to the touch and the design is structured well. The body is made from a very firm plastic that does feel and look like glass. Since it's transparent and plastic, the body picks up a lot of fingerprints. However, the fingerprints can easily be wiped with a simple microfiber cloth, and I started putting the speaker in a small cloth case to prevent accidental scratches when moving it around. Of course, dust/dirt or rain/splashes are not an issue since it is IP67 water and dustproof. The speaker is heavy and considering that it is hard to carry due to its size, a small flap is available on the back. This is a great addition because this makes it safer to carry and it prevents fingerprints. At the same time, the power, Bluetooth, mode switch, and PartyBoost buttons, as well as the battery indicator are all squeezed together in the back. Adding the carrying flap on top of that blocks two centimeters of the light show from top to bottom in an opaque strip. One can argue that the JBL logo in the front also blocks the light show. That is true, but the logo blends in nicely and still lets light out. Meanwhile, the back is completely blocked which makes the light show not so enjoyable if it's facing a listener from the back. The battery indicator works great as well, and the main light show modes can be effortlessly switched with the dedicated button. However, it would have been nice to have volume control buttons on the speaker like on the Pulse 4 for easy controls.
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**Overall, although the iconic JBL sound is missing from this speaker, the sound quality is still top tier, and the light show feature makes up for the loss. I would rather have this instead of a Flip or Charge speaker in the backyard or at a pool with friends or at home. I believe that having the light show will add more to the listening experience than having more bass or clarity at a gathering or in the living room. However, this is definitely not a portable or on-the-go type of speaker despite the carrying flap. It is heavy, hard to take care of, and is not loud enough for mainly outdoor or large uses. Every speaker from the JBL lineup has its own uses and this is that unique party/mood enhancer with great features and lights.

Immediately from when I unboxed this speaker I fell in love with it, what could be better, a versatile party speaker that is a boom box with a built in disco light. It has the signature JBL "Looks can be deceiving" (a relatively small innocent looking speaker that can blare at unearthly decibels) all while maintaining the clear crisp sound. It feels sturdy and well built with a stylish design and is actually waterproof ( I took it into the shower, see attached video). My one complaint is that there are no volume controls on the speaker, but everything else makes up for that. All in all a must by any party. FIVE STARS

Easy to use product. Sound is great and the display and colors are great to help set the mood. Love the ability to customize colors based on the setting. My 6 year old wanted to use it as soon as she saw it.

The speaker can definitely be the center of attention of any small gathering. It has 360 lighting and even a mini small woofer on the bottom for a little extra bass. I am not a fan of how many unintentional finger prints you see on the speaker but it has many different light options to suit any music vibe. Also, the speaker is heavier than I expected and the handle on the side is a bit awkward. I can only fit up to 3 fingers to carry which can make it hard to transport from room to room especially if you have your hands full. It would be better if they made it larger to wrap around a wrist for transport. The battery life is great like all other JBL products.

This is a two in one. It has an amazing speaker with disco lights that change according to the music played.
JBL is truly on point with their innovation and market capturing decisions.
They're emerging as leaders in Sound Technology.

This speaker truly is an incredible product. From the first moment out of the box and every single test or experience exceeded expectations.

From a sound standpoint alone, the range is very impressive. Testing throughout a variety of ranges, from classical to rap, the treble maintains clarity at all volumes and the bass is never so heavy to affect or influence the quality. Cranking the speaker to full volume yielded similarly impressive results. The sound could easily be heard from across the street in a residential neighborhood with the door closed.

The light show, while it wasn't initially an appealing factor, is really cool. Paired with the waterproof feature, the speaker is great by the hot tub (although it's easy to let the volume get carried away!)

App integration is actually one of my favorite features for the speaker. As soon as the app is downloaded, you can set a variety of different features including: light color and speed, equalizer preferences, and even integrate ambient sound for a neat sleep feature.

Overall, this speaker is fun with outstanding features and while the price point is on the higher end of the spectrum, it certainly delivers on performance!

Let me start off by saying this is a beautiful looking speaker.the JBL Pulse 5 is a amazing speakerin its own way .This speaker has a light show thats mesmerizing. I thought it was sought of gimmicky at first untill i put in a dark room and started to learn how to use the App to use all the different light effects and it amazed me.The sound is pretty decent it will fill a small to a large room up with good sound even though the bass isn't that strong ,but its so much you can get from a speaker this size.If you want a real party speaker i think you should get one of JBL larger speaker.But if you want something with good sound and a amazing light show to set the mood, get the JBL Pulse 5.

I absolutely love the glass design, the bass is amazing with party boost feature. The light system is beautiful with the light controls and ambient controlled right from the app. powerful clear crispy sounds. The built-in strap makes it easy to hold while you are on the go and the battery life really last for hours on.

This speaker has honestly exceeded my expectations! I absolutely love it. This was my first pulse speaker so I don't know how it compared to the others before it, but I think it is amazing. The sound system is perfect and the light show is mesmerising! There are so many awesome light settings based off different themes like 'party', 'cocktail', 'weather' and others. It looks and feels beautiful and I also love the ambient sound settings that come with it. I could not recommend this speaker enough!

Got this about 3 weeks ago, living it, the light shows are mesmerising and sound is loud and clear

I already knew before the test that the JBL Pulse 5 speaker must be great, but it clearly exceeded my expectations. When unpacking, I already noticed how high-quality it is. It is also switched off a real eye-catcher and decorative element.
It connects very quickly to the mobile phone and plays the music. You can adjust different lighting effects, which I think is really great.
All in all, you can only recommend the JBL Pulse 5 speaker.

Best jukebox I ever had! The sound is unbeatable and loud enough for every party. The best is the lightshow which you can set up as you want. You only have to download the App of JBL. There you can also set up the equalizer. A highlight is the look, because the glascovering looks so noble. But it`s very sensitive, too and therefore you put down the speaker on a safety place. Another great feature is the partyboost which is working very well. My friends are conviced, too.

The portable Bluetooth speaker from JBL called "Pulse 5" makes a great impression at parties with a 360° light show and an impressive sound with good bass strength.
The speaker can be connected via Bluetooth very easily and there is also a dedicated app "JBL Portable".
With this you can adjust the light effects and play 5 different nature sounds, depending on your preference.
The app is very easy to use, but not absolutely necessary for operation.
You can also switch between the different light effects on the device itself.
The design is very successful, the weight of 1.5 kg is relatively high, but it is easy to carry thanks to the carrying strap.

The clear case WILL be needed for the light effect, but any fingerprint will be visible here and only time will tell how "scratch resistant" the surface is.
For me, the volume buttons are unfortunately missing on the device, but that's a matter of taste, if you use your cell phone for this is not dependent on it.
All in all, I would buy this device again.

I've been using the jbl pulse 5 for a while and absolutely love it. With an app that you install on your cell phone, you can set various things.
the sound of the box is great and the color change goes great with the songs.
The box is sensitive due to the glass body and should therefore be placed safely. It is not suitable for lying down.
All in all a great jukebox that is worth the money.

Got it yesterday. It's gorgeous. It's heavier and bigger than the pulse3.

I ordered the Pulse 5 almost instantly after seeing it was available on the JBL website as I've been awaiting its release for quite some time since I loved the Pulse 4. After using it for a couple of days I have been pleasantly surprised by the improvements in the treble and bass range as well as the light show that now has plenty more options to choose from compared to its older brother; the added ambient sounds in the JBL Portable app are a nice touch. Unfortunately the battery does not seem to compete with the Pulse 4 despite being advertised as having the same playback time, I'm not sure if mine has a defect as it barely lasts 5 hours at half volume with the light show set to the lowest brightness. Thankfully it does charge noticeably faster than the previous generation which I suppose compensates for the shorter battery life I am experiencing.

I expected to be able to play any PartyBoost enabled speaker in stereo as my friend's Bose Revolve+ and Bose Micro manage to do this despite them being different models, if possible a firmware update that supports stereo across the board would be nice to see in the JBL app.

On the whole I am very pleased with this speaker as it doesn't really have any competitors when it comes to what it offers and I would definitely recommend it.