JBL Jr Pop Review

JBL Jr Pop Review

TRUE SCORE

67%

#

63

/

152

Where does this product score?

Specialists were impressed with how compact and well-built the JBL JR POP was. They liked that the speaker had a balanced sound profile and could remember a previous device with which it had paired. However, some complained that it got too loud for kids and lamented its lack of a speakerphone and WiFi connectivity.

Product Awards

Consumer Favorite

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

65

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

94

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

67%

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Table of Contents

Expert Score Breakdown_

  • Rtings
    F

    Cat Trust Score

    60
    The JBL JR POP speaker is alright for outdoor use…. read more
  • PC Mag
    ?

    Cat Trust Score

    70
    The JBL JR Pop is a kid-friendly portable waterproof speaker… read more

Customer Score Breakdown_

Product Snapshot

Expert Rankings

Overview_

The JBL JR POP is an entry-level Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in early 2019. The compact speaker is designed to appeal to kids since it comes with RGB lighting and is also available in five color choices. It also features a strap and has decent build quality. The speaker was designed with an IPX7 waterproof rating to make it more suitable for use outdoors. The most popular speakers in this category have both dust and water resistance, but the JR POP should still be able to withstand splashes or rain. Its battery life can last almost six hours, and like most highly rated Bluetooth speakers, it can handle up to two simultaneous connections. It also has a latency of 134ms and 70ms for both iOS and Android devices, so owners will be able to watch videos and play music without any discernible lag.

Best For

Consensus_

Reason to Buy

  • Compact and Lightweight
  • RGB lighting
  • Waterproof
  • Multi-device pairing

Reason to Avoid

  • Mediocre bass levels
  • No WiFi connectivity
  • No speakerphone/voice assistant functionality

Key Specs_

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Product Comparison_

True Score

67%
NR
NR
NR

Ranking

#

63

/

152

#

/

#

/

#

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Market Context

The JBL JR POP is an entry-level Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in early 2019. The compact speaker is designed to appeal to kids…

The JBL JR POP is an entry-level Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in early 2019. The compact speaker is designed to appeal to kids since it comes with RGB lighting and is also available in five color choices. It also features a strap and has decent build quality. The speaker was designed with an IPX7 waterproof rating to make it more suitable for use outdoors. The most popular speakers in this category have both dust and water resistance, but the JR POP should still be able to withstand splashes or rain. Its battery life can last almost six hours, and like most highly rated Bluetooth speakers, it can handle up to two simultaneous connections. It also has a latency of 134ms and 70ms for both iOS and Android devices, so owners will be able to watch videos and play music without any discernible lag.

While the JBL JR POP and the JBL Clip 4 are both compact speakers, the JR POP weighs half as much as the Clip 4,…

While the JBL JR POP and the JBL Clip 4 are both compact speakers, the JR POP weighs half as much as the Clip 4, making it slightly more portable. The JR POP can also connect to two devices while the Clip 4 can only connect with one, and it also features RGB lighting, which is missing on the Clip 4.

The JBL JR POP also has RGB lighting that the JBL Go 3 does not have, and it weighs 0.2 pounds, which is half as…

The JBL JR POP also has RGB lighting that the JBL Go 3 does not have, and it weighs 0.2 pounds, which is half as much as the JBL Go 3’s weight of 0.4 pounds. The JBL JR POP also lasts 5.6 hours, which is slightly more than the 5-hour battery life of the JBL Go 3. It also works with two devices, while the JBL Go 3 is restricted to one device. Go ahead and get through our JBL Go 3 review to see what else it has in store.

The JBL JR POP has a wider soundstage compared to the Sony SRS-XB01, but the Sony speaker has both speakerphone and voice assistant functionality –…

The JBL JR POP has a wider soundstage compared to the Sony SRS-XB01, but the Sony speaker has both speakerphone and voice assistant functionality – missing features on the JBL JR POP. Still, the JBL JR POP comes with RGB lighting, while the Sony SRS-XB01 does not. We’ve also covered it in our Sony SRS-XB01 review.

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Dig Deeper

Price History_

Score Card

E

Expert Score

65

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

94

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

67%

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Score Breakdown_

  • Rtings
    F

    Trust Score

    F

    Cat Trust Score

    60
    The JBL JR POP speaker is alright for outdoor use. It’s very small and lightweight,… read more
  • PC Mag
    ?

    Trust Score

    ?

    Cat Trust Score

    70
    The JBL JR Pop is a kid-friendly portable waterproof speaker with a low price, though… read more

Customer Score Breakdown_

Most Promising Positive Review

Most Promising Positive Review

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