Jbl Link Music – One of its Link Music smart home speakers is under review, and it’s safe to say that the company has a real contender in this space. JBL Link Music may not be a Google brand, but it goes a long way toward achieving the search giant’s goal. In particular, it showcases a solid audio offering at the high-budget end of the spectrum.
That’s not to say JBL Link Music is without caveats. The company seems to have taken a few shortcuts to bring the price down to $119.99. While the design language is solid, it has at least one notable drawback. Compared to more expensive offerings from competitors, the sound quality also increases.
Jbl Link Music
Apart from this, this smart home gadget works a little better and louder than the Google Home brand speakers.
Jbl Link Music Smart Bluetooth Speaker (pre Loved)
Meanwhile, JBL has put quality materials front and center. This phone does not have a 3.5 mm audio jack, but it has all the features that users expect from a smart home speaker. Intuitive and easy-to-use controls and usability-based design features are part of this. Pay attention to details about longevity and durability.
All of this is true, while this device pairs well with any black or gray decor.
In short, the JBL Link Music is one speaker that deserves a closer look for those looking to expand or build their own smart home ecosystem.
In terms of form, the JBL Link Music follows the standard design in the world of smart home speakers. It takes the shape of a short cylinder and is like a super soft plastic wrapped in a fabric with a decorative top and bottom. JBL has incorporated a slightly fatter bottom end into the finished material.
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With the usual brands, warning words and symbols and certificates are printed, but above all it has an adhesive, so it does not slip and slide and does not vibrate on the sewn surface.
But it is not a perfect cylinder. JBL instead designed it with a square shape. JBL offers it in black or gray. My JBL Link Music review unit was the gray variety.
JBL has placed its brand on the “front” of the device, emphasizing the premium-looking fabric. It consists of a flat metal badge with the same fabric. On the back is a small sample of the same soft-touch plastic material, with two buttons for Bluetooth and mute. This is where the power cable goes.
The top of the gadget is engraved, using the same material mentioned above, wrapped in a darker and harder plastic ring. In the center is a harder plastic multifunction button marked with the Google Assistant icon. There is a positive and negative button on both sides of this button. The top two corners have built-in microphones to better enable remote AI-guided listening.
Smallest, Most Affordable Smart Speaker Jbl Link Music
The major flaws of this JBL Link Music speaker were immediately apparent when I plugged it in to start this review. And here comes the power cable used. JBL Link Music has been designed to match any home décor. It’s a smart home device that’s sleek, premium, and generally looks great.
The cable is separated from a two-pronged AC cable. The speaker is attached to the back of the speaker a few inches above the base to prevent it from sticking out, with no design elements like angled sections. The cable itself is smooth, but thick. Therefore, it will be more difficult to be invisible than others.
To make matters worse, it’s not an adapter, but a standard US-style plug. JBL may use a similar plug-in for the Google Home speaker. This cable is connected to the bottom of the device with an angled DC plug. The cable is smooth and therefore easy to hide. The opposite side has an angle adapter to keep everything flush with the wall.
In comparison, the JBL speaker seems to miss the mark. The power cord is one aspect of the JBL Link Music that gives it a “cheap” feel that can easily be a deterrent to speaker placement decisions.
Jbl Link Music Smart Speaker
Aside from the looks of the JBL Link Music speaker, using the device during my review revealed that it is at least very well built. The rear power port fits perfectly, with no signs of movement or looseness, just for starters.
Weighing in at around 730 grams and measuring just over 4.4 inches by 5.28 inches, the JBL Link Music stays where it’s supposed to be thanks to soft, almost rubbery plastics. And it feels solid.
When it comes to pressing the buttons, JBL has ensured that none of them are too soft. This is most prominent in the standalone Google Assistant open button. This button engages with the same satisfying click as the other buttons.
The main difference is that the “plus” and “minus” volume buttons are installed under the soft touch surface. So there is little “interest” in them. The microphone mute/mute button and the Bluetooth pairing button are also located next to the power jack.
Jbl Link Music Unable To Sync With Google Home
Completing the package, JBL has four LED lights on the front under the interactive surface. These are bright white, but JBL has also ensured that they have a blue glow as well. When the Bluetooth connection is active or pairing has started, the LEDs will light up in blue.
The JBL Link Music is only the same size as the original Google Home-branded speaker, but as my review shows, it’s a step up from that gadget. This sound is also available in the background, but with a slightly annoying warning. It’s not a speaker that can directly compete with Bose or Sonos when it comes to balance and quality.
With the Google Home brand speaker, there is a little less bass in the music. JBL music link should not be noisy. In fact, depending on the genre of music, it’s a bit over-delivered. This is despite the advertised frequency range of 60 Hz to 20 kHz. Whether it’s dubstep, rap, or other bass-heavy sounds, the lows are as powerful as you’d expect from this speaker’s size.
Conversely, in other genres, the bass is a bit too strong, even through the highs and mids. This is especially the case at lower volumes. Increasing the volume above 40% improves the problem and continues to improve as the volume increases.
Brand New Jbl Link Music Smart Wi Fi Speaker With Google Assistant (boxed And Sealed), Audio, Soundbars, Speakers & Amplifiers On Carousell
The only problem is that the speaker is loud. At 50% volume, I almost filled the first level of the tiny house. That house had an open floor plan, so it may not be suitable for every space. But turning it up to eliminate a lot of bass basically requires the speaker to be louder.
This means that the JBL Music Link, despite its branding, won’t be the best speaker for audiophiles. At the highest volume, above 70%, this speaker really shines. The sound is better than expected, well balanced with just a little extra bass. The sound quality is also consistent, without distortion or distortion.
Overall, the JBL Link Music is definitely a good alternative to the smaller Google Nest or Home speakers. Sound balance caveats aside, the speaker seems reasonably priced.
Along with Google Assistant, JBL Link Music supports Google Home and Apple Home, and packs Bluetooth pairing.
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JBL Link Music is primarily a Wi-Fi enabled smart speaker. JBL Link Music was mostly used in my review via the function of sending content to Google or Nest Home devices. This gadget can access Wi-Fi using 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac protocols on 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz networks. It supports playback of HE-AAC, LC-AAC, MP3, VORBIS, WAV (LPCM), FLAC and OPUS formats.
Of course, as mentioned above, Bluetooth connection is also available as an option. So users don’t need to use Wi-Fi, smart home or screen-ready apps to stream music continuously. This has a downside, but we’ll discuss that in a moment.
This speaker now uses Bluetooth 4.2, which is an older standard. If Bluetooth 5.0 or later is used, JBL Link may resolve some sound quality issues that occur while browsing music. Or at least it does when Wi-Fi is not in use. But I only used Bluetooth for a small amount of listening.
That’s because JBL Link Music is fully integrated with Google Assistant. It works almost the same as Google’s own smart speakers. This means that users can effectively replace these devices or work from this speaker when building a smart home. This speaker can actually act as a central hub for smart home control.
Jbl Link Music Wi Fi & Bluetooth Speaker With 360 Degree Pro Sound [support Google Assistant]
All this excludes use as a speaker for the group
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