This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.
Quick take
JBL’s GO speakers are a popular choice for the bathroom. The GO5 is the newest model, but many people are eyeing the cheaper JBL GO Essential 2, so I bought one and compared it with the GO4 and GO5. If a clean, square design and low weight are your top priorities, the Essential 2 is a good pick. If you want to tune the sound in the app or pair two speakers for stereo, I’d get the GO4, especially if you can find it for about the same price.
What I tested
- JBL GO Essential 2: square, flat design, IP67 water and dust resistance, USB-C port without a cover
- JBL GO4 and JBL GO5 as comparisons
- Weighed all three, checked app support, and listened side by side
What I found
- On my scale the Essential 2 weighed 172 g, the GO4 196 g and the GO5 230 g. Side by side, the Essential 2 is clearly the lightest and most compact.
- Its flat shape packs neatly into a bag.
- The biggest difference: it doesn’t work with the JBL Portable app. You can’t adjust the EQ or update the firmware, and you can’t pair two units for left/right stereo playback.
- The USB-C port has no cover, which makes charging easy even in the bathroom.
- It produces far richer bass than a phone speaker, more than you’d expect from its size. But at 3.1 W it has the lowest output in the series, so the bigger models pull ahead at high volume.
- Battery life is up to 5 hours, shorter than the GO4 (7 hours) and GO5 (8 hours).
| GO Essential 2 | GO4 | GO5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (my scale) | 172 g | 196 g | 230 g |
| Battery life (max) | 5 hours | 7 hours | 8 hours |
| GO Essential 2 | GO4 | |
|---|---|---|
| JBL Portable app (EQ, updates) | No | Yes |
| Stereo pairing with a second unit | No | Yes |
Who it’s for
If you like the square design and the light weight, the Essential 2 is a good choice. But if the GO4 is about the same price where you shop, I think you’ll be happier with the GO4 for its app support and stereo pairing. If you want the latest features and longer battery life, the GO5 is worth a look too.
The video is in Japanese.
Limitations
Sound impressions are my own, from listening at home. Weights are from my own scale; output and battery life are the listed specs. This comparison focused on the Essential 2 versus the GO4, so I didn’t go into the GO5’s app features here.
Products
JBL GO Essential 2 (the one reviewed here, square and light): on Amazon Japan
JBL GO4 (app support and stereo pairing): on Amazon Japan
JBL GO5 (latest model, with LED lighting and longer battery life): on Amazon Japan
The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.
More reviews in English
All Earbuds, Speakers & Audio (35) →Browse all English reviews →
This review is also available in Japanese.