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JBL Pulse 4

By JBL · Portable Bluetooth Speakers · Audio & Electronics · More from JBL

  • IPX7 waterproof
  • 12 hours battery life
  • 360 degree LED light show
  • Bluetooth streaming
  • 2.25 inch 20 watt driver

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Summary

It is for buyers who value the light show above raw audio performance; check that you can live without a microphone and aux input, because the Pulse 4 dropped both.

Strengths

  • The light show wraps the whole body and is the main reason to buy this speaker over other portables.
  • Bass is deep and powerful for the size — it vibrates tables, desks and balcony floors.
  • Midrange is balanced and keeps voices clear, without the overdone bass of many party speakers.
  • IPX7 waterproofing means it survives submersion up to 1 meter.
  • PartyBoost chains 100+ compatible JBL speakers together.
  • It gets extremely loud for its size.

Weaknesses

  • No microphone and no aux input — both were on the Pulse 3.
  • Bluetooth 4.2 is an older standard; a Reddit owner reports video sync issues with it.
  • At 2.8 lbs it is heavier than most portables, because of the thick transparent plastic layer.
  • The JBL Connect app has no equalizer.
  • Owners report occasional charging failures, Bluetooth pairing problems and units that will not power on.

Verified specifications

Output20 W RMS from a single 2.25-inch driver, passive radiator in the base.
Frequency response70 Hz – 20 kHz; signal-to-noise ratio above 80 dB.
Battery26 Wh lithium-ion polymer (3.6 V, 7260 mAh); up to 12 hours of playtime, varying with brightness, volume and content.
ChargingUSB-C at 5 V / 3 A, about 3.5 hours.
Bluetooth 4.2 (A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.6); PartyBoost pairing with 100+ compatible JBL speakers.
WaterproofingIPX7 — submersible up to 1 meter.
Light show360-degree LED around the body, customizable in the JBL Connect app; shake-to-sync between units.
Multi-deviceup to two smartphones or tablets connected at once.
No speakerphone, no aux input, no NFC.
Dimensions3.8 × 8.1 × 3.8 in (96 × 96 × 207 mm); 2.8 lbs (1.26 kg).
In the boxspeaker, USB-A-to-C cable, quick-start guide, safety sheet, warranty card.
CompatibilityiOS 9+, Android 8.0+.
Full research notes and sources

Sound and the light show

eCoustics describes a V-shaped signature — boosted treble, recessed midrange, profound bass — with mild treble distortion at certain frequencies. PCMag hears powerful audio for the size, with a bass-forward signature and boosted highs, and a passive radiator that vibrates whatever the speaker sits on. The light show is customizable in the app and shakes into sync between two Pulse 4 units, but its intensity follows the source device’s volume — low device volume means a dim show, and JBL’s support pages recommend turning device volume up or using Bluetooth absolute volume.

Battery and charging

RTINGS measured 11.5 hours. Charging over USB-C takes about 3.5 hours, and TechRadar measured nearly 4 hours for the 7,260 mAh pack. The port has no rubber flap, so it must be completely dry before charging. One Reddit owner reports the speaker showing charging but never passing 20%; JBL’s support advice is to try different cables and chargers of at least 2.0 A output and leave it charging overnight for 8+ hours. The battery is not user-serviceable.

Bluetooth, app and everyday niggles

Bluetooth 4.2 handles audio and PartyBoost multi-speaker pairing, but one Reddit owner reports video sync issues. Pairing failures show up in Best Buy’s Q&A; the documented reset is holding the Bluetooth and volume-up buttons. Units that will not power on are a known iFixit issue, with the same reset procedure. The speaker controls cannot skip or rewind tracks on Android or Windows, there is no NFC pairing, and the speaker cannot charge other devices — no power-bank function.

iFixit reported no widespread issues or manufacturer recalls as of January 2022; it sells replacement batteries and has a charging-port replacement guide. JBL’s US warranty for consumer portable speakers runs one year from retail delivery. There are no recurring costs — the USB-C cable is standard. PCMag measured a $249.95 street price at its 2019 review against a $229 launch MSRP; JBL’s own US store listed the black model at $108 and the white at $83 in October 2026, with refurbished units at $94. Under $100 it is a strong buy for a light-show speaker; above $150 the Charge 6 and Flip 7 offer better Bluetooth, battery life and features at similar prices.

Which model this is

The fourth generation of the Pulse line, released September 2019 and sold in black (JBLPULSE4BLK) and white (JBLPULSE4WHT). Unlike the Pulse 3 it has no microphone and no aux input. Two service-manual revisions exist with identical published specifications. The US listing is ASIN B07XK9L6XH.

Sources

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