The Flip 7 makes minor improvements over the Flip 6, but for many, the upgrade isn’t necessary.
JBL’s Flip 7 is arguably the most anticipated Flip release to date, with a whopping 4.5 years since the release of its extremely popular predecessor, the Flip 6. But was the long wait worth it? And if you already own the JBL Flip 6 (read our full review here), should you prioritize an upgrade to the new release? This comparison will answer all these questions and perhaps save you some money in the process.
Key Takeaways:
- The Flip 7 improves slightly on Flip 6, but not a major leap.
- The Flip 7 offers 7-band EQ for more precise sound tuning.
- Auracast pairing and AI Sound Boost are additional benefits to the Flip 7.
- The Flip 7 has longer battery life plus PlaytimeBoost.
- The Flip 6 is often cheaper and still great if newer features aren’t needed.
Our Top Pick
JBL Flip 6 vs Flip 7 Specs
| Model | Flip 6 | Flip 7 |
| Water Resistance | IP67 | IP68 |
| Output Power | 30W | 30W |
| Frequency Response: | 60Hz – 20kHz | 60Hz – 20kHz |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.4 |
| Battery Life | Up to 12 Hours | Up to 14 Hours + 2 Hr Boost |
| Woofers | 1x 1.75×3″ | 1x 1.75×3″ |
| Tweeters | 1x 0.6″ | 1x 0.6″ |
| Multi-Speaker Pairing | Yes (PartyBoost) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 1.21 lbs | 1.23 lbs |
| Dimensions | 7 x 2.6 x 2.8″ | 7.19 x 2.7 x 2.8″ |
| App Support | JBL Portable | JBL Portable |
| Price: | Check Price | Check Price |
Table of Contents
- Design, Build & Durability
- Controls, Connectivity & App Support
- Sound Quality & Volume
- Battery
- Price & Value
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
Differences In Build Quality, Portability & Durability Between The JBL Flip 6 And Flip 7
- The Flip 7’s new design includes an interchangeable carabiner and strap.
- JBL has improved water resistance on the Flip 7.
- Both speakers have the same general design and silhouette.
Design
Winner: Tie
The JBL Flip 7 retains the Flip 6’s silhouette, with the same general size and weight. However, looking closely reveals several small differences in the design. For one, the charging port panel has been separated from the power and pairing buttons, and given its own new area higher up on the speaker.
They’re both lightweight speakers weighing just over 1.2 lbs, and are both small enough to carry in one hand. The Flip is the quintessential everyday speaker, after all.
Some small tweaks were also made to the carry loop area, which I’ll cover more in the portability discussion.
Durability & Water Resistance
Winner: Flip 7
JBL Flip 6
JBL Flip 7
The Flip 6 was already a durable speaker with IP67 water-resistance, but the Flip 7 takes this up a notch with the introduction of IP68 water-resistance. This gives you the same freedom around water as the Flip 6, but gives protection to an additional half a meter of water depth (1.5m compared to 1m for up to 30 minutes of submergence).
Outside of weather resistance, both speakers offer the same level of durability and are well-suited to outdoor use, including around sand and dust.
Portability
Winner: Flip 7
JBL Flip 6
JBL Flip 7
Even with the Flip already being an easily portable speaker by its nature, the new Flip 7 has made the process more versatile than ever with an interchangeable carry loop. The speaker now comes with two separate attachments, a carabiner for hanging it from backpacks, belt loops, and more, as well as the classic carry loop strap design similar to that of its predecessor. Both speakers otherwise have very similar dimensions and weigh just over 1.2 lbs.
The Flip 7 Gets Minor Control Improvements, But Fails To Fix One Minor Annoyance
- Bluetooth has been upgraded to 5.4, but the benefits are minimal.
- Controls have been improved on the Flip 7, but playback controls are still a bit tough to reach from some angles.
Connectivity
Winner: Flip 7
The Flip 7 has more modern Bluetooth, supporting Bluetooth 5.4 compared to 5.1 on the older Flip 6. The upgrade to 5.4 doesn’t change much other than improving efficiency. There isn’t a noteworthy difference in the reliability of the connection or range between these two versions, at least on the Flip 6 and 7.
Controls
Winner: Flip 7
JBL Flip 6
JBL Flip 7
Both speakers have similar controls, but the Flip 7’s controls have the power and pairing buttons moved closer to the main playback controls, which makes them easier to use. On the Flip 6, they’re seated a bit too far down the back of the speaker.
The playback controls have also gotten a slight revamp, with the PartyBoost button being removed and replaced by the Auracast pairing button in the new button area.
Unfortunately, the Flip 7’s playback controls still sit slightly behind the speaker when placed into the resting position, which makes them a little tough to reach without looking over the speaker.
TWS & Group Pairing
Winner: Flip 7
A significant change from the JBL Flip 6 is the replacement of JBL’s PartyBoost with Auracast. Auracast is the latest multispeaker pairing type, and JBL has been adding it to all their Bluetooth speaker releases since early to mid-2024.
The upgrade to Auracast means the Flip 7 can be paired with newer speakers than the Flip 6. However, it isn’t backward compatible, which is something to think about if you have PartyBoost speakers around that you pair with your Flip 6.
Both speakers have the same rules around TWS pairing. You can only pair each speaker with another of the same model for stereo pairing.
App Support
Winner: Flip 7
Both speakers use JBL’s Portable app, but the Flip 7 has some added benefits. It features a 7-band EQ, giving more precise sound control. By comparison, the Flip 6 only supports a 3-band EQ, meaning you can only adjust the bass, mids, and treble.
Another area where the app differs, and where the JBL Flip 7 has the advantage, is the PlaytimeBoost setting, which gives the speaker some additional playtime when needed.
The app can be used to establish wireless pairing with other speakers, too, a feature afforded to both models of the Flip.
JBL Flip 6 vs Flip 7: Which Sounds Better?
- AI Soundboost gives the Flip 7 better quality sound, especially at high volume.
- The Flip 7 is a more efficient speaker, producing more volume with the same output.
JBL Flip 6
JBL Flip 7
Sound Quality
Winner: Flip 7
There’s not a lot separating the audio performance between these two speakers. Both have an output of 30W and mostly use the same drivers, except for a slightly refined tweeter design on the new Flip 7.
Played side by side, there isn’t much noticeable difference. The Flip 7 has slightly better dynamics, with a touch more details in the highs, thanks to the new tweeter design – but otherwise the bass and midrange are very similar.
The Flip 7 is also better than the Flip 6 at retaining clarity at high volume, thanks to the AI sound boost technology, which improves dynamic range.
Neither speaker has a particularly bass-heavy sound, and if you enjoy a low thump in your music, you may want to consider upgrading to the JBL Charge 6, which has deeper and punchier lows.
Is The Flip 6 or 7 Louder?
Winner: Flip 7
The Flip 7 is a louder speaker, despite having the same output wattage. This means that it is more efficient than the Flip 6. But more important than the raw power is the fact that the Flip 7 sounds clearer and more detailed at max volume than the Flip 6.
With up to 28 playtime, the Charge 6 lasts about twice as long as the Flip 7
Winner: Flip 7
The Flip 6 comes with 12 hours of battery life, which in real-world use gives between 7 and 8 hours of playtime at moderate volume.
The Flip 7’s battery is better, rated to last up to 14 hours and lasting between 9 and 10 hours in real-world use at moderate volume. The Flip 7 also has the benefit of PlaytimeBoost, a new JBL feature that adjusts the sound signature of the speaker to give additional battery life. Toggling PlaytimeBoost will give an additional one to two hours of playtime.
Price & Value
Winner: Flip 6
The Flip 6 is now older, and so it’s often available on sale. We’ve seen it even dip below $100 at times, making it a great value proposition. Even at full retail, you can pick it up now at just $129.
In contrast, the Flip 7 costs up to 50% more, retailing at $149. But does it have enough value to justify the increased price?
If you’re in the market for a simple solution to portable audio and don’t really care about features like Auracast or AI sound boost, then the Flip 6 is likely a better choice, especially when it’s on sale. However, the $30 retail premium isn’t that much, and for those with other Auracast speakers, this elevated price may be easily justifiable.
Conclusion
Side by side, the JBL Flip 7 is a better speaker than the Flip 6, but it doesn’t change the game. It retains much of what made the Flip 6 such a good speaker, but adds some additional features to bring it up to date and improves the sound quality a bit. The added water protection, AI sound boost, and extended PlayTime are the key new features, but even the additional customization afforded by the 7-band EQ adds weight to buying the Flip 7 over the Flip 6.
Our Top Pick
