JBL Charge 5 vs Sonos Roam

This is my comparison between the JBL Charge 5 and the Sonos Roam bluetooth speakers. Both are amazing speakers with some cool features! Thanks for watching and I hope this video helps you make a decision on which to buy!
JBL Charge 5:
JBL - www.jbl.com/bluetooth-speaker...
Best Buy - www.bestbuy.com/site/jbl-char...
Sonos Roam:
Sonos - www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/roam...
Best Buy - www.bestbuy.com/site/sonos-ro...

[@i_n_c_r_y_p_t_o]

This is a fantastic, thorough review, thanks for making it. Subscribed.

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

Thanks! I appreciate it! Hope it helped!

[@i_n_c_r_y_p_t_o]

@@MatthewBaxter2010 Yes it was very helpful, and I ended up going with the Roam just because it's only for a bedroom for reading/falling asleep to classical mostly. And can be part of the Sonos ecosystem if I decide to expand in the future. Thanks again!

[@Whyyoushouldfight]

Thanks for the review, just got my Charge 5 yesterday, it's sounds impressive 👌

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

Glad you enjoy it! It sounds amazing for the size. Full bass but not overpowering

[@Whyyoushouldfight]

@@MatthewBaxter2010 yeah, it's worth the money

[@mhdwahoud]

Thanks man. This was very helpful’

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

Glad it was helpful! That's the goal

[@timjones9128]

Great review! I'd love to hear a comparison between the two

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

Thanks!!! And maybe I'll do an audio comparison between a few of these news speakers like these and the Bose SoundLink Flex

[@8bitwarrior]

Those passive radiators absolutely do provide bass extension on the charge 5. Try holding them from moving and you’ll hear the low end all but disappear.

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

I never said they didn't.

[@bafa000]

Good video man. Subscribed. Keep them coming. I am going for the JBL simply because of the size and also because the SONOS is way over-priced. Not sure if I should wait until the Charge 6 comes out

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

Thanks man! And the Sonos sounds good but I'm not sure if it's worth the price. I know they have a cheaper version without the "smart" functionalities. The Charge 5 is great... just slightly bulky and tough with throwing it in a bag with the exposed bass radiators. I'm also waiting for the Charge 6. I do want to see if Sonos makes a Roam 2 and see what improvements they make with it. Honestly waiting for Sonos to make a pair of over-ear headphones 🤣. Take my money hahaha

[@jason.0]

Which is the loudest and by how much? I have Sonos speakers already so swayed towards that already but conscious I would like the speaker to be louder. Also considered using it at a kids party for background music if it was capable.

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

The Charge 5 is definitely louder but that is due to the size and the exposed bass radiators allowing more airflow. I would say the Sonos is good for background noise but if you want it to be louder and depending on the room size, the JBL is the way to go.

[@jason.0]

@Matthew Baxter Thanks. I'm going to buy the Charge 5 then. Not too bothered about being ultra portable.

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

Anytime! The Charge 5 is still portable. Just not as portable as the Sonos. The Sonos sounds better at lower volumes but at higher volumes I think the charge sounds better and gets louder with less distortion

[@olive4naito]

Decided to get the Sonos One. Details in music sold me. Roam might be too small.

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

Yeah. The roam is small I think to fill up a big room. The One is better for that and the details but if you're just casually listening to music, not trying to fill up the room, the Roam is fantastic and has great detail at lower volumes

[@adityashetty948]

Bro ye megaboom 3 vs JBL charge 5 which one is better for sound overall?

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

Honestly, I've only heard the Megaboom in store but just comparing that from the Charge 5... I'd say the Charge 5

[@adityashetty948]

@@MatthewBaxter2010 thanks a lot 🙏😊😊

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

Glad I could help!

[@melevin3]

Can the Beam connect to the jbl five?

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

Not that I know of.

[@TheComplainingRanter]

What's your thought on the charge 5 vs Bose soundlink?

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

I think the SoundLink leans slightly towards the bass so sometimes on some songs I think the vocals get a little overpowered by the bass. Still a great sound and at higher volumes I think the SoundLink shines better at this. I think the Charge has good bass but the separation between mids, highs and lows is better due to the extra tweeter and having the passive bass radiators pushing air out the sides rather than through the same channel as the vocals. The same issue between the Sonos and the charge applies to the Bose and the charge is that portability wise, the Bose is better just due to not having to worry about puncturing the bass radiators but can't go wrong with either. The Bose does seem a bit more portable due to size, shape and form. It's light but not to the point where it feels cheap. The charge is not heavy by any means but it is heavier and bulkier than the Bose.

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

I'd also direct you to something like the Marshall Emberton 2. Great speaker. Great sound quality, solid build quality, rugged, portable but still has some weight and about the same price as the charge 5, Sonos and Bose (however the Emberton can be found for about $119 currently). I wouldn't be disappointed buying any of these speakers.

[@TheComplainingRanter]

@@MatthewBaxter2010 thank you for taking the time to reply Matthew. My speakers went out in my car due to fuses blowing because of a short and I know electrical work can get pricey so I am thinking of getting a blue tooth speaker to use in the car in the meantime. I have the jbl boom box 3, sonos play 1 and sonos play 5. I've owned a old flip 2 back in the day and was shocked by its sound. I never tried a Marshall speaker but do you feel this would work good in the car? Is it your favorite portable speaker? I was thinking of using the boombox in the car but its shape makes it roll around while driving. Easy to get in and out of the car and maybe something that can fit into the cup holder would be cool so I'm thinking flip 6. But I want something that fills the coupe with sound and has great sound to make up for my cars built in Harmon kardons not working.

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

I would say the Charge 5 from my testing, gets louder but still rolls some just because the base of the speaker is smallish. If you want something sturdy, check out the Emberton 2 from Marshall. All of Marshall's speakers that I have/tried sound amazing and will be very sturdy. I also have a Marshall Middleton which is like a Emberton but on steroids... it gets much louder, and honestly has better sound but at a price. (I think it's like 299 but may be found cheaper possibly). I did an unboxing of it a while back. My friend and I drive a truck pulling a trailer full of band equipment and the truck doesn't have audio and AC so we keep the windows rolled down when driving and we use the Middleton speaker and it still fills the truck even with the windows rolled down. Just giving you another option depending on price range. Good luck to you!

[@_ax3l_qdr]

Very Nice video

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

Thanks! :) Hope it helps!

[@emrejolarte3141]

Charge 5 is rated ip67 not ipx7, bro. And radiators are not just for design purposes but they help amplify bass for the speaker.😊

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

I don't believe I said it was just for asthenic purposes only. Just saying it looks cool

[@catwong9827]

The sound of this video is very good, but no idea of those speakers.

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

I'll say, the Sonos is more clean when it comes to vocals. The bass is good but gets distorted at higher volumes which is understandable. There's only so much bass you can push out of such a small speaker but for the size and at lower to medium volumes the bass is great and very well balanced. The Charge 5 has way more bass and even at higher volumes and gets much louder but the sound is more of a warm sound (JBL signature sound) but you can change it within the JBL app. So it's all a matter of sound preference and also size. The JBL is considerably larger and heavier and the bass radiators are exposed so it would be tough throwing it into a backpack vs the Sonos. But yeah. Hope that helps gives you an idea on the sound quality.

[@catwong9827]

@@MatthewBaxter2010 I understood what you wanted to express in the video. just want to point out that your review have sound and vision, not only words, why don't you make some sound comparison and let the audience to make the judgement?

[@kenjix3c]

Did you call the radiators aesthetic? Bruh!!!

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

What? Some people like it, some people don't. It's their personal opinion...

[@kenjix3c]

Your words @7:00 calling it more of "aesthetics or a visual thing and does not have anything with audio". Bass radiators are there for exactly what they're called. It has everything to do with audio. That's my point here.

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

I never said the bass radiators don't have anything to do with audio. I probably said the exposed base radiators was an aesthetics thing. Of course bass radiators have everything to do with audio but having them exposed like with the JBL speakers is more visual than anything...

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

So the way I said it could have been taken as the bass radiators don't matter for audio but that is definitely not what I meant. I was talking more of how they are exposed. I believe on my review of the JBL Charge 5 I explained how having them exposed like that is more of a visual thing rather than an audio thing which is true. I'm sorry that you latched on to the fact that my wording was unclear on one minor 2 second segment of this almost 20 min video....

[@DedSec_7]

why you hate your life?

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

I don't....

[@bafa000]

What is the point of your question - trying to be an asshole to make the guy feel bad? or trying to make yourself feel a little better - which is it... .

[@bafa000]

oh... saw your profile. Sorry... I am sure you can't help it - I guess it is true - some people are indeed disposable

[@MatthewBaxter2010]

No idea why he is asking but I'm sure he doesn't have anything better to do.

[@bafa000]

I am sure that is the case - t does not matter anyway. Good video - You keep doing them and don't let people like this **** here get to you. @@MatthewBaxter2010