JBL Pulse 3 Review

The JBL Pulse 3 is one of the best speakers with Bluetooth, psychedelic lights, and action. Oh! And the music, that goes without saying. This product is one among the Pulse series introduced by JBL. So let us take a look at the JBL Pulse 3. But if that’s something that you end up not liking, Take a look at our JBL go 2 review. But you know what, I’m sure this JBL Pulse 3 Review will be the perfect way to push you in the right direction.

The Complete JBL Pulse 3 Review

Party Speaker With That Will Light Your Room Up!

JBL is one company that will never let you down when it comes to audio accessories, owing to its years of commitment towards improvising on the acoustics of the products. From a small JBL clip 3 to JBL Xtreme 2, or a Boombox, all of its products have made a significant mark in the Bluetooth speaker industry. There may be a few imperfections in the brand’s product lines, but being a leader in the world of sound, JBL sure knows its target audiences and has a solid customer base that it reaches out to every time a new product is launched. As this JBL Pulse 3 Review will show, JBL produces some excellent products.

With the number of Bluetooth speakers that the brand has, it can be quite overwhelming to choose what is right for you, but, it is also good news in the way that you know there is something for you. Another unique thing about JBL is that it brings to the table audio equipment that provides regular functionalities and adds a hint of spice to your usual lifestyle. JBL Pulse 3 speaker is one such product of its kind that was launched in 2017 and struck everyone with its gimmick as soon as it was released. 

An in-Depth Look

While the JBL Pulse 3 speaker did not come as a surprise as it is the ameliorated version of its predecessors, it does have significant and upgraded changes that make it a much better one. The brand advertises this speaker to be completely waterproof, which is quite a distinct improvement from its previous versions that were only splashproof. The beautiful yet powerful built-in LED light makes this piece a complete party material. So if you want to throw a party next time, the Pulse 3 Bluetooth-operated speaker can surely add some fun to it with its 360 degrees glowing light and sound feature. 

The JBL Pulse 3 review in the next section will give you a breakdown of the various features and functionality including the JBL Pulse 3 battery life, JBL Pulse 3 specs in detail, price, and more. Here’s a glance at the various JBL Pulse 3 specs before we move on to the detailed review of this amazing product.

A Look at Some Specs

• JBL Pulse 3 speaker is a combination of 360 degrees light and full circle stereo sound.
• A rechargeable in-built battery that can last up to 12 hours of music play and light show. 
• 100% waterproof build engineered to repel water if deluged in up to 3 feet of water for a short period.
• JBL Pulse 3 speakers can connect via Bluetooth to two devices, be it a phone or tablet. This way you can play from either device as per your choice one at a time. 
• JBL’s patented Connect+ technology allows the JBL Pulse 3 speaker to connect up to a whopping 100+ other JBL speakers for a high volume experience at a party space. 
• Personalized and powerful LED lights build the ambiance and automatically harmonize with the beats of the music for a more enjoyable experience. 
• JBL Pulse 3 battery life is said to be 12 hours with a 6000 mAh battery capacity and a charging time of 4.5 hours. 
• The speaker also features echo and noise-canceling elements that allow you to have a crisp and clear audio calling experience with uninterrupted music. 
• JBL Pulse 3 speakers can be connected with to connect+ app, compatible with both Android and iOS.
• The product is also incorporated with Siri and Google Assistant voice assistant activation facility.
• The initial launch price was $200.00 but has now been reduced to a price of $159.99 on the eCommerce websites. 

Now that you have a fair idea about what the JBL Pulse 3 speaker is, let’s move on to the next part that will give you a detailed JBL Pulse 3 review consisting of the product specifications, design, and more.

JBL Pulse 3 Review

Specs, Significant Features, Functionality, and How Much Do You Need to Pay

If you are a party person, and willing to use some lighting effects along with a high-energy bass enhanced sound signature to add life to your party, then this JBL Pulse 3 speaker is not going to disappoint you. 

JBL Pulse 3 Speaker Design

The JBL Pulse 3 speaker has an elegant make that can enhance the look of the room when switched on. The speaker is cylindrical and should be kept in an upstanding position. It is 8.77 inches long with 3.6 inches in width and diameter, which makes it an ideal size to be placed at the poolside, any corner of the room, or wherever you feel convenient.  The JBL Pulse 3 speaker will not occupy a lot of surface area due to its smart design. 

The body of the JBL Pulse 3 speaker has an impressive plastic finish with a fine JBL- special fabric, which gives it water-tight characteristics. Now, while it is true that this audio piece has been given the IPX7 rating for being waterproof and can stay in 1-meter deep water for about 30 minutes, there is something to make a note of. It can resist water only if its snap-shut connection panel is firmly locked, so the water does not seep inside. 

The speaker, however, does not produce sound underwater because of the breakage the Bluetooth connection will break. You will indeed be able to provide a complete view of your shimmering light show to all your guests. Especially if you are in the pool. The greatest benefit you will get out of the waterproof nature of this product is that you will not have to panic if you accidentally get wet in the rain.

Style

The overall look of this speaker is much more refined when compared with the previous Pulse versions that had a visible mesh giving them a rough appearance. The plastic or acrylic lining on the JBL Pulse 3 speakers’ outer body also acts as a light reflector for its in-built LED lights that give a brilliant glow in the dark. 

The entire control system is positioned at the bottom of the JBL Pulse 3 speaker, while the majority of the upper portion is dedicated to the lighting function. The speaker is incorporated with two passive radiators that are placed on either side of the cylindrical body. They are not protected with any covering, so you can have a little fun looking at them as they pulsate with the intensity of the sound. At the same time, do make a note that due to the lack of some sort of protection, the radiators are more prone to damages. 

A couple of JBL Pulse 3 reviews also stated that the radiator at the bottom of the cylinder gets blocked when kept on a sloppy surface as a bed, mattress, or carpet, which hinders the sound. That is why it works best when kept on a flat and hard surface. The speakers can be kept horizontally, but owing to the smoother body, it has a higher chance of rolling over. 

There is a rubber flap at the bottom of the speaker along with other controls. The flap protects the Micro USB charging input and the 3.5 mm audio input. 

Controls

As mentioned in the JBL Pulse 3 specs above, all the controls of the speaker are positioned around the bottom of this product. To start with, there are LED indicator lights that show the battery or the charge status of the speakers when you press any of the keys. Other than that, the LED indicators also light up when you press the volume function key to indicate the volume up and down, so you know what volume your music is playing. This is a very smart attempt by JBL Pulse 3 speakers, as not all the speakers use the LED indicator this way.

Just below the LED indicator is the power button, along with the volume controls, the play, and pause/activate the voice assistant, Bluetooth, Connect+, and the light control button. To Connect+ allows you to sync with other JBL devices that have Connect+ technology. You can also answer phone calls owing to the inbuilt mic and even move to the next track. 

The light button just below Connect+ is for switching between different lighting modes that give different effects. You also have access to the lighting controls into to Connect+ app.

We came across a couple of JBL Pulse 3 reviews from users who speak otherwise. The users indicate that the app is not very useful, as you may only change colors and work on the play button. You may either use it to play or pause the music or activate the voice assistant and cannot have both functioning at the same time. This means that once you activate the voice assistant, the play button is disabled, which is unrealistic as it is one of the most important function keys of the speaker. 

Lighting

Let us now talk about one of the prime features in the JBL Pulse 3 Review. The most distinctive feature of the JBL Pulse 3 speaker is its LED lights that give cool light shows along with the music. While the light button on the JBL Pulse 3 speaker lets you change the mode of the lighting, with to Connect+ app, you may sync with other speakers while keeping the same lighting on all the devices or different ones for each speaker to add more fun to the ambiance. 

JBL Pulse 3 speakers app enables you to change the brightness of the light and pick between different types of lighting designs like Wave, Jet, Explosion, Rave, Equalizer, Rainbow, Fire, etc.  Other than these patterns that impart some amazing effects to the light show, you can also customize your patterns by combining different variables. And what more! You can add your hues or choose colors from the color palette in the app, or pick a color using your phone’s camera. Interesting right? But remember that the color you pick has to be bright for the light to have more effect and intensity.  

If you want to save the battery and do not need a light show, you can turn it off by long-pressing the light switch on the speaker. 

Connectivity

There are mixed opinions about the connectivity of Pulse 3. While some users in their JBL Pulse 3 Reviews stated that the connectivity is average, some didn’t feel there was an issue. The speaker gives you a range of about 30 feet, while some other products along the same line do have about 50 feet range. People have also experienced latency while watching a video, but it again depends on individual usage.

JBL Pulse 3 Battery Life

JBL Pulse 3 battery life is slightly above average because there are other products within JBL itself like the Charge 3 offering a 24 hours battery backup. While the brand claims that the battery life is up to 12 hours, it is seen that if used with the music volume a mid-level, lights on the brightest mode, the battery lasted for a little higher than 10 hours. However, if you keep the brightness and the volume low, to use the speaker with its LED lights turned off, then you might save a bit more power, and the battery may last a bit longer, say about 45 minutes to 1 hour more. But, it is reasonable to assume that the whole purpose of buying this product is to use the light show feature. 

If the battery runs out of charge, then giving it a good 4 to 4.5 hours charge to get fully charged again. Considering these factors and especially with the lights on, we would say the JBL Pulse 3 battery life is satisfactory, but when you compare it with others, the company could have done better than this. 

JBL Pulse 3 Performance and Audio Quality

Most of the users in their JBL Pulse 3 Reviews highly focus on performance and qualities. Don’t get misguided by the speaker’s fancy design and the improved LED addition because when it comes to the overall performance, it can take you by surprise. The sound quality of the JBL Pulse 3 speaker is well-adjusted, meaning it is impressively loud yet soothing. 

You can feel the loud and intense pounding when you play the tracks with deep bass content, and the audio is decently smooth when the volume is turned high. The thumping effect may fade out a bit when amplified towards the maximum to prevent any alteration to the actual bass. This however depends on individual tracks, where some seem thinned out, while other electronic sounds seem flawless. When it comes to the sound of the drums, they are more pleasing than being absurdly loud, as in the case of most of the bass-emphasized speakers. 

The vocals are quite sharp and warm, but one thing to note is when there is an equal combination of vocals and instruments, you may at times feel the instruments are a bit dominating. But if you love to listen to tracks with more prominent vocals, then you will be a happy soul with Pulse 3 with its rich lows and sharp, undistorted highs but not piercing. 

A Balanced Signature

When it comes to the instruments, be it solos or ensembles, you can notice JBL’s well-balanced sound signature. The 360 degrees sound system with stereo effect enhances the acoustics and delivers equally in every direction. This allows you to listen to the music at the same intensity from every corner of the pool or the party space wherever you go. 

Now, while the microphone is not the main highlight of the speaker, it still gives a fairly decent performance. It is ideal if you have to take a quick call urgently, but it is not recommended for a long work call or a full-fledged conference call, as you may sound a bit too loud to the person on the other end. Several JBL Pulse 3 reviews state that this pick from JBL does a good job of neutralizing the overall sound, giving a satisfying experience. 

The Pulse 3 allows you to have two different connections at the same time so you and another person can play tracks by turn. When a track is played from one phone, the existing track from the other phone automatically stops. 

Price

You will get the Pulse 3 speakers in some prominent eCommerce stores like Amazon or Walmart as well as JBL’s official website. The price will be between $159.99 and $175.000 depending on where you get it from. 

Pros and Cons of JBL Pulse 3

Like every other product, JBL Pulse 3 has a list of pros and cons. If you are planning to get this one, don’t forget to run down on them to see if it is something you are willing to invest in. 

Pros	Cons
Incredible light show	JBL Pulse 3 battery life is average to slightly above.
Good bass effect and crisp vocals	Cannot connect the older versions of JBL devices as they are not compatible with to Connect+ app. Radiators are not protected, so they are exposed to damage
Sleek design	No charging option for smartphones
IPX7 rating for waterproof	Not the most compact option for travel
Easy to use controls	The play button gets disabled when the voice assistant is activated.
360-degree stereo sound	The charging port is Micro USB when most of the cables today are C-type
Can sync with 100+ other JBL devices with the app for an amplified sound	Price is a bit expensive
Well-adjusted acoustics
In-built microphone to conveniently receive phone calls

What are some other alternatives to JBL Pulse 3?

While you have got a detailed JBL Pulse 3 Review if you want to compare this product with other JBL speakers, then here are a few JBL Pulse alternatives that you can consider: 

JBL Charge 4

Assuming that you choose to give up the light show, then JBL charge 4 is a great alternative that has a sturdy design and solid sound. It may not be as portable as Pulse 3, but it has several features like a C-type charging port that can use the modern-day USB cables, a longer battery life, various color options to choose from, IPX7 rating for waterproof, and more. This speaker also has a price tag lower than the Pulse 3. Quite in line with the Charge 4 is its predecessor JBL charge 3 which is also worth taking into account. 

JBL Link 300

This one is a pretty good choice for people who love the addition to their contemporary style decor. This one from JBL has impressed folks with its sound quality and an integrated Google Assistant. It also has a far-field voice recognition feature that allows you to give instructions even if you are around 25 feet away from the speakers. This product is a great one if you are looking for something for parties in your apartment or while working in the kitchen when your hands are engaged. You can give your commands and the microphone will recognize your voice and act. 

JBL Pulse 4

Pulse 4 is an improved version of Pulse 3 when you are seeking a powerful light show to go with your sound system. The entire speaker looks like a bottle of magic light that sets a party mood in no time. There are a few improvisations in this 4th generation pulse. This version uses the present-day C-type charger, the Partyboost feature that allows you to connect to a couple or more other JBL speakers for a louder listening experience. The speaker is also covered with two revolutionary plastic caps on both ends for added protection. When compared with Pulse 3 that takes 4 to 4.5 hours, this version takes just about 3.5 hours to get fully charged. Here, our in-depth look at the JBL pulse 4 battery life might help you with all the context you need to make a decision.

Other Options

When you have to go beyond JBL to see a few similar options, then a few brands like Sony, Bose, or Ultimate Ears are some of them that can give some well-performing and powerful speakers within a similar bandwidth. 

Sony SRS-XB40

This is a great product, delivering the ultimate bass-emphasized sound. So if you are looking for a compact speaker for a party that can give you the low-end thumping on your tracks, this one can be you’re go-to. However, unlike the JBL Pulse 3, this one can only resist little splashes of water, so definitely not an ideal choice for the poolside party. 

UE Boom 2

This is considered one of the best when it comes to choosing a waterproof feature. The speaker comes with an impressive design and look, a bunch of different features that can be accessed using the app, and has a sound quality that can fill the room. The speaker is quite user-friendly, and you will love how it can sustain rain and water splashes with its IPX7 waterproof rating. 

Bose’s Sound Link Color II

It is yet another device that competes with the same level in terms of functionality and price. The speaker features rich audio quality but not as much on the bass-heavy effects; even then the lows and highs are pretty well-defined. It has a sturdy yet compact water-resistant design, making it a perfect material for the beach or poolside use.

A Few More Thoughts

Coming back to JBL Pulse 3 speaker, while the product is a solid improvement from its 1st and 2nd generation counterparts, it is on the higher side of the price spectrum. Considering its overall performance and look, it will be fair to say that a major chunk of its pricing has gone into its design and having to make the speaker waterproof. With that said, the Pulse 3 brings to the table a package the includes well-balanced audio output, a stereo sound system, an in-built microphone allowing you to take calls, and a premium look. The speaker is sure to boost up your party space with some amazing lighting to dance along with the beats of the music. But if you are planning on tossing it in your bag pack for road trips then you may want to ask yourself, are JBL subs good?

Conclusion

We aim to please and this JBL Pulse 3 Review aimed to provide enough information and insights on your decision to purchase JBL Pulse 3. The cost might be a bit high, but all the incredible features including lights are an attraction that is truly fun to own. 

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)