80
Derek Malcolm
Digital Trends
“The JBL Pulse 5 is a decent‑sounding, waterproof, Bluetooth speaker that puts on an LED show to fit any mood.”
Critical Assessment
What Critics Praise
- Vibrant LED light show
- Water‑proof and dust‑proof
- Clear dynamic sound
- Feature‑rich mobile app
- Stereo pairing via PartyBoost
- Rich bright audio
Points of Contention
- Limited bass response
- No physical playback controls
- No AUX input
- Awkward weight handling
- SBC codec only
Professional Reviews
4 reviews from 4 critics80
Adrienne So
Wired
“Stunning to listen to and look at. Built‑in lights with customizable color schemes that blink in time with your tunes.”
70
Tim Gideon
PCMag
“The JBL Pulse 5 Bluetooth speaker casts impressively vibrant light, but mono sound and a dearth of physical controls give similarly priced competitors an advantage.”
66
RTINGS.com
RTINGS
“This speaker is just okay for music.”
