Sweet sound on the move: JBL Go 3 Bluetooth Speaker review

Although the JBL Go 3 comes in eight colour schemes, I chose what I thought was the best speaker in the line-up – the green version – for a more outdoorsy look. As soon as I unboxed it and saw those bold orange accents and light-purple logo, the design of this little oblong sprang to life, its colours reminding me of some 80s electro album or packet of jelly beans. Whoever designed this was having way too much fun.

The controls are tactile and oversized, and I really appreciated their raised profile when I had the JBL Go 3 in my pocket or hanging from the loop. I also really like the overall design here, as it has a well-thought-out layout when it comes to controls, ports and stability. Being able to set the speaker down on slippery surfaces thanks to orange rubber grips on two sides is practical. I also found that the recessed power and Bluetooth buttons on the shortest side (the one opposite the rope handle) meant that they didn’t get accidentally pushed. The battery status light is with them, though, which was a little annoying when I kept putting it down on that side as I couldn’t see the charge status.

Powering on and pairing with my iPhone was just two button presses away and I was able to play, pause, alter the volume and even skip tracks with multiple presses of the play button. For me, any speaker of this size that’s worth listening to has to have enough of a well-rounded sound to be listenable at high volumes, as well as a decent amount of bass.

I’m happy to report that this delivers on all fronts. It’s not going to shake the room (or even the desk), but it might just vibrate the odd jelly bean off the shelf at maximum volume. All in all, I found this to be a sweet-sounding trooper of a speaker. It survived drops, total water immersion, plus vibration and rain while dangling from my bicycle handlebar. Is it one of the best JBL speakers? Read on for my full review.

Verdict: A fun-looking yet tough little speaker that sounds great for its size

Please note: All prices are correct at the time of writing. Prices, stock and deals are subject to change without notice.

What’s good?

I love the oversized tactile controls, chunky logo and splashes of colour. Altogether they made me think of the JBL Go 3 as something that someone designed while they munched on jelly beans or Liquorice Allsorts. It has the same fun-size sense of enjoyment as your favourite sweets – grab one and enjoy. But, that simplicity doesn’t mean that the JBL Go 3 is a flimsy speaker.

For me, the build quality definitely exceeds the price tag, making it a top outdoor Bluetooth speaker choice. This is a nice and weighty palm-sized unit sporting a fully waterproof and dust-proof exterior. The woven finish feels tough and nicely tactile too. Although I sometimes wonder about the wisdom of having a fabric-like texture on speakers designed to be taken out and about, this one really is hard-wearing and very washable.

Having fired up my James Brown and Confidence Man playlists on Spotify, I was honestly impressed with the volume and bass response of such a compact unit. Not to pretend it’ll compete with larger portables, but I do think that for a device measuring only 3.5 inches long, this thing is a step up from the majority of other compact budget Bluetooth speakers

I found the Bluetooth connection quality to be much more reliable than the Tribit XSound Go that I reviewed recently. The JBL has Bluetooth 5.1 which, although it may not be up to the 5.3 standard in terms of sound quality, is fine for a small speaker like this. Range-wise, I could walk into my garden over 25ft away and it was rock-solid. Throw the JBL Go 3 in a pool, however, and the Bluetooth connection will break up a little – which is to be expected. The speaker floated and, as expected, it survived its unscheduled swim.

What’s okay?

I think that the battery life of around five hours is respectable for its size, but I did find myself wishing it had just a couple more hours to give. A long day out on my bike followed by a garden barbeque in the evening saw the battery running low and needing a top-up. But, that said, it did last the five hours as claimed, making it flexible enough for background music for an afternoon of reading or relaxing in the garden – it’s probably an ideal Bluetooth speaker for students and home workers alike.

Although I’ve mentioned sound already, I think it’s important to highlight that rating the audio quality of the JBL Go 3 is all about expectations. If you’re expecting to get a small speaker that sounds good enough to enjoy your music on a day out or casually lazing about in the pool, it’s great. But, the vast majority of people who are used to more bass and a rounder sound from larger and more expensive speakers may well be left wanting. Know what you’re going to be using this for, and where, and it’s a well-engineered product that exceeds expectations. For others, it’ll be a very average experience.

Any negatives?

As you’d expect, I found charging very straightforward thanks to the USB-C port and charge indicator light. That said, I did find myself wishing the indicator was on the same side as the USB port. If, like me, you often carry this using the loop, it’s easy to habitually stand the Go 3 on its short side, obscuring the light as well as the power button.

I like the rope loop on the side – it’s colourful and clearly made to last, but I found it too small to hook onto some tree branches and so on, I was using a carabiner to hook it onto my bike and a few other places – so I do wish JBL included a clip with it. The loop is about the right size for your forefinger and is handy for carrying, but I would have liked it to be twice as roomy for a bit more practicality.

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Who tested it?

Chris Duffill is one of What’s The Best’s senior tech writers specialising in audiovisual products. He has a wide range of musical tastes from rock and metal to classical, funk, dance and more. He has a collection of hi-fi equipment, including vintage separates and collects vinyl records. He’s also a fan of the latest music streaming devices, smart speakers and multiroom audio. His professional background includes audiovisual production.

How the product was tested

I tested the JBL Go 3 Bluetooth speaker for around a week, taking it with me on cycle rides in both sun and rain. I also used it as a general-purpose speaker in and outside of my home, leaving it in the garden in all weathers. It was left on pebbles on the beach and submerged (while playing music) in a pool. It was paired with my iPhone and I played music via internet radio stations and also the Spotify Premium app for superior bitrates. I also listened to podcasts. Lastly, the speaker was totally immersed in a bucket of water to test its IP67 rating.

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Chris Duffill is a Senior Tech Writer and Reviewer for What's The Best. His background includes writing, editorial, marketing, design, video production and photography.

He specialises in home entertainment and audiovisual tech, including speakers, amplifiers, turntables, streaming media players, and TVs. He is also one of our resident experts in computing (PCs, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches), DSLR photography and all kinds of digital cameras. He also writes about retro gaming, game consoles and various electronic gadgets. If it plugs in, lights up or makes a noise, he’ll write about it.

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