Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have been looking for a bluetooth speaker for quite awhile now and I initially purchased the Bose Soundlink II. The JBL Charge was not available in a store near me and I opted to purchase a speaker I could listen to in person to determine sound quality and also one that I felt I would have less of a chance of being disappointed with. I didn't want to order something online without being able to hear it in person. As a result, I bought the Bose Soundlink II about one week ago and I was initially impressed, but as the days wore on I couldn't help but feel that it didn't justify the $300 price. In my opinion (I stress the word opinion) the Bose sounded too bass heavy for me, somewhat muddy, and somewhat unnatural in the way that I like my music to sound. If a bass heavy bluetooth speaker is what you are looking for then the Bose is the way to go, but I felt the bass overpowered the vocals as opposed to complemented them. It seemed that the fact the Bose Soundlink II could produce a lot of bass was more important than the way it blended into and accentuated the music. I continued to search for a JBL Charge in store near me and was excited to see that Best Buy just began carrying it. I went to the store and gave it a listen. It sounded pretty good but I'm not one to crank up the volume in store so I purchased it and figured I would compare it to the Soundlink II at my home. I was willing to live with the bass heavy Soundlink II if the maximum volume was noticeably louder than the JBL Charge. I turned both of the speakers up to full volume in my home and began listening to the Charge. Wow, it was louder than I expected, but it couldn't be as loud as the Bose Soundlink II, could it? I switched over to the Bose and although the Bose may have been louder, it wasn't by a substantial amount. My initial reaction to the JBL Charge was that the vocals were much more natural sounding to my ears (once again, an opinion). Sure, the bass isn't as deep, but that doesn't bother me as much as having too much bass. I continued to switch back and forth between the Bose Soundlink II and JBL Charge to try and pick apart what I did/didn't like about each. I would notice that when I would switch from the Soundlink II to the Charge I would be somewhat disappointed that the bass wasn't somewhat stronger on the Charge, but after listening to the Charge for a short time I didn't notice anymore. I would then switch from the Charge to the Soundlink II and would be disappointed that the voices were somewhat muffled and overpowered by the bass of the speaker. Again, after listening to the Soundlink II for a short time the bass became a normal part of the listening experience for me. Having said that, I personally prefer the sound of the JBL Charge. I think the best way for me to validate this is that when I initially turn on the JBL Charge (going from silence to music) the music sounds natural to my ears. The vocals sound clear and as I expect. Yes, the bass is not nearly as powerful as the Bose, but I don't want it that powerful. I would much rather have more natural sounding vocals than bass. In addition, the JBL is much more portable and I have much less fear of taking it outside or traveling with it. It seems less likely to get damaged and I am more likely to use it in a variety of circumstances (during home remodeling projects, camping, parties, at a park, internet, and so on). I also appreciate the longer battery life, the ability to charge the speaker via USB or plug, and the ability to charge other devices via USB by plugging them into the speaker. When I initially turn on the Soundlink II I always catch myself thinking that it doesn't sound quite right. The vocals sound a little muffled and unnatural. Granted, I eventually get used to the sound and enjoy it, but when push comes to shove I prefer the JBL Charge. If I spend $300 on one product and always feel that something isn't quite right while I spend $150 on another with no issues the decision becomes a no brainer for me. I feel the $150 price point is much more in line with value where the $300 may lead to a feeling of dissatisfaction especially when the sound quality doesn't measure up to the dollar amount (once again this is an...you guessed it...opinion!!!). Some people may not feel that the Soundlink II and the JBL Charge are an apples to apples comparison, but these were the two speakers I was debating between and this is the review I wanted when researching bluetooth speakers. I am not an audiophile by any means, but I have a preference to how my music sounds as well as a desire to get the most for my money. When I placed the speakers side by side and before I did my initial sound test I was expecting to return the Charge. I thought that as much as the Soundlink II's vocals sounded muddy to me before it was going to go up against the inferior and half price JBL Charge and bury it. I thought I would have an epiphany, a moment of clarity, where I would say to myself "oh, that's why the Bose costs $300" and I would repackage the JBL for a return visit to Best Buy. This didn't happen and I couldn't be happier. I will instead pack up the Bose Soundlink II, return it to the store, and come out $150 ahead. The one area I have noticed a very slight issue with the Charge is that on rare occasions the sound seems to fade in and out ever so slightly. This doesn't happen very often at all and when it does I question if I am actually hearing it or imagining it. It isn't enough to negatively influence my review of the JBL Charge as I would still take it over the Bose Soundlink II. In closing, Bose makes a very good speaker and many people probably prefer the sound quality of the Bose over JBL, but I don't. I know I can get an equalizer for my phone and adjust the settings to possibly make the speaker sound better to me but that doesn't appeal to me. If I can spend $150 on the Charge and get a speaker that sounds more natural to me and comes very close in maximum volume output I don't feel the need to spend an additional $150 for the Soundlink II that I am going to have to play with an equalizer to get it to where I want soundwise. All in all, I feel the JBL Charge is a much better value as a bluetooth speaker and serves it's purpose exceptionally well.