JBL Flip 6 vs. Flip 7: discounts determine this fight

Portable Bluetooth speakers are so handy that everyone who likes to listen to music should own one. For years, JBL’s Flip line of speakers has been topping recommendation lists across the internet and for good reason: they’re the perfect blend of portability, ruggedness, and sound quality.

The question is, now that the Flip is in its seventh generation, should you buy JBL’s latest and greatest portable, or stick with the Flip 6 even though it’s now a few years old?

Let’s put ‘em both side by side and see which one makes the most sense for you.

JBL Flip 6

JBL Flip 7

Flip 7 vs. Flip 6: Price

Not only is the Flip 7 brand new and therefore unlikely to see significant discounts until the holiday season, but it also starts out $20 more expensive than the Flip 6 did when it was released: $150 versus $130.

On the flip side, the Flip 6 is already selling for way less than its original price — in some cases for as low as $80.

At $20 price may not be massive, but $70 is a big savings. A 46% savings, to be precise.

On price alone, this one’s as easy as it gets.

Winner: JBL Flip 6

Flip 7 vs. Flip 6: Specs comparison

If size, shape, and weight are the specs that govern how portable a speaker is, there’s no difference between the Flip 7 and Flip 6.

The Flip 7 does enjoy higher ratings for ruggedness. The Flip 6 is IP67, making it effectively water and dust-proof.  The Flip 7 is IP68-rated. That single-digit difference means that the Flip 7 can withstand 30 minutes of full immersion at a depth of 1.5 meters, whereas the Flip 6 can only handle 1 meter. But since neither speaker floats, you probably shouldn’t take either one in the pool.

The Flip 7 has also been drop-tested to a height of 1 meter onto concrete. I suspect the Flip 6 could handle a similar drop, but officially speaking, it hasn’t proven it can do so.

Since portable speakers are often used far from power sources, battery life is arguably the most important spec. While 14 hours versus 12 hours might not seem like a huge bump, with the Flip 7’s Playtime Boost mode, you can increase its endurance to 16 hours, which is a very welcome improvement.

The Flip 7 can get louder. Not massively so, but when you want to power a party, every bit helps.

The only other major difference is the Flip 7’s USB audio capability. We’ll cover this under sound quality, because that’s the only benefit.

Lastly, there’s the Flip 7’s use of Aurcast instead of the Flip 6’s PartyBoost tech. Both let these speakers be used as stereo pairs or as part of a larger collection of simultaneously playing speakers. However, PartyBoost is only compatible with a small number of other JBL PartyBoost speakers, whereas Auracast is supported on virtually all of JBL’s new line of portable speakers, including its PartyBox lineup.

Winner: JBL Flip 7

Flip 7 vs. Flip 6: Design

The Flip 6 and 7 look so alike, it’s nearly impossible to tell them apart. Still, JBL has made some thoughtful changes to the Flip 7 that you may find desirable.

Instead of a single looped wrist lanyard, JBL includes a carry loop and a carabiner attachment and these can be swapped in seconds thanks to the Flip 7’s clever Pushlock system.

The control buttons have simplified. Instead of placing the Party Boost button next to the volume-down button, where you might press it by accident, the Aurcast button is now located next to the power and Bluetooth buttons on the back of the speaker.

Highly observant folks will note that the endcaps on the Flip 7 are now configured with four raised rubber “feet” instead of the tripod design on the Flip 6, but this doesn’t affect performance or functionality.

These changes are all minor, but they’re changes for the better, so the Flip 7 wins this one by a hair.

Winner: JBL Flip 7

Flip 7 vs. Flip 6: Sound quality

JBL made quite a few tweaks to the Flip 7’s audio characteristics. The drivers are the same size, but now the woofer gets five more watts of power for a total of 35 watts versus 30 watts on the Flip 6.

There’s a new AI Sound Boost algorithm that’s designed to keep distortion in check even as you take advantage of that greater volume.

And within the JBL Portables app, the Flip 7 has access to a much wider range of EQ adjustments including presets and a custom equalizer.

The result (especially when you engage the Energetic preset) is a significantly punchier, more powerful bass response. When combined with the Flip 7’s greater power, it really is a more satisfying listening experience regardless of genre.

USB audio lets you take advantage of lossless audio. Honestly, you won’t notice the improvement if you’re outside, especially if you’re having a party. But for indoor listening, when you can really pay attention, there are subtle improvements to be heard.

It’s worth noting that all of the Flip 7’s sonic advantages can only be appreciated above a volume level greater than 50%. Nonetheless, the newer model kicks out fuller, more powerful sound, so this one goes to the Flip 7 too.

Winner: JBL Flip 7

Flip 7 vs. Flip 6: The verdict

On paper and in real life, the Flip 7’s improvements make for an undeniably better portable speaker.

And if, based on their regular prices, you only had to pay $20 more for the Flip 7 over the Flip 6, I’d say this is a slam-dunk for the Flip 7.

But the reality is, the Flip 6 has almost spent more time at $100 over the last two years, and now that the Flip 7 is here to give it competition, I expect we’ll see the Flip 6 at that price or lower from now until the end of 2025.

Better is better, so we’re going to call the Flip 7 our overall winner. But even with the Flip 7’s welcome improvements, if you can grab a Flip 6 for $80-$100, I think you should do so.

Winner: JBL Flip 7