JBL Flip 3 Specifications & Wattage

In this post, I will list and analyze JBL Flip 3 specs with a special focus on battery and wattage details. 

I will start with the basics – dimensions, available connections, and Bluetooth details. Then, I will move on to drivers, audio details, power output specs, and battery details.

Just by going through the specs, you can get a good idea of what to expect from this portable Bluetooth speaker and learn a lot about its pros and cons. 

JBL Flip 3 Specifications

JBL Flip 3 – Dimensions and Portability

JBL Flip is one of the most compact speaker lines made by JBL. Only JBL Clip and JBL Go speakers are more compact than the JBL Flip line. 

The Flip 3, like all the other Flip speakers, is a simple cylindrical speaker. The diameter of the base is 2.51 inches, while the length is 6.65 inches. It weighs 0.99 lbs. 

You can’t put it in your pocket, but it’s still super-portable. 

JBL Flip 3 – Inputs and Bluetooth Details

Flip 3 features Bluetooth 4.1 with a good Bluetooth range that extends well over the advertised 33ft. In an open space, without obstacles, you will get 50+ ft. 

The supported Bluetooth profiles include A2DP (v1.3), HFP (v1.5), HSP (v1.2), and AVRCP (v1.5). These are all common Bluetooth profiles supported by most Bluetooth speakers with built-in mics.

Supported Bluetooth audio codecs include only AAC and SBC. The Bluetooth chip doesn’t support advanced codecs like aptX (and other codecs from the aptX family) or LDAC. 

Bluetooth Audio Codecs Explained

Besides Bluetooth, JBL Flip 3 also has one 3.5mm AUX port allowing you to connect non-Bluetooth devices.

JBL Flip 3 – Battery Details

Below, you have the most important details regarding the battery inside the JBL Flip 3.

Flip 3 battery has a satisfying capacity and delivers good playtime, on par with other speakers in its class. UE Boom 2, which is somewhat bigger, has a higher capacity and provides a few more hours of playtime (up to 15h). 

The speaker is charged via the included micro USB cable. The charger is not included in the package. You can use your phone’s charger if you don’t want to buy one. The recommended charger rating is 5V/1A. It takes approx. 3.5 hours to charge the speaker.

JBL Flip 3 – Drivers and Power Output

JBL Flip 3 features two 40mm 4Ω drivers coupled with two passive bass radiators. 

The speaker drivers are powered by a Class-D amp made by Texas Instruments. The exact amp model is TPA3130. This is a versatile little amp that can handle voltages from 4.5V to 26V. Depending on the load (4Ω or 8Ω) and voltage, the speaker can push up to 50W into 4Ω speakers at 21V.

In the case of Flip 3, this built-in amp pushes 8W per channel or 16W in total. So, the amp can technically push more power, but the drivers inside the JBL Flip 3 can only handle 8W each. 

Since there’s no info on whether the advertised power output is RMS or PEAK, I’m assuming it’s the PEAK power output. 

JBL Flip 3 – Audio Specs

The advertised frequency response of the speaker is 85Hz to 20kHz, and the SNR is greater than 80dB (values higher than 40dB are considered good for a speaker). 

The manufacturer doesn’t offer additional info regarding audio output. I wasn’t able to find the frequency response curve, which could give you a better idea of how the speaker sounds, so you will have to trust my words or watch some audio tests.

JBL Flip 3 Review and Sound Test

Like most speakers of this size, JBL Flip 3 has a warm sound signature with elevated high-bass and midrange frequencies. I tend to like this sound signature and find it suitable for various music genres.

The bass isn’t heavy-hitting, but it’s present and punchy. I’d say that JBL Flip 3 delivers better bass response than other similarly priced speakers.

The vocals are pushed forward (due to a slightly elevated midrange). They are clear and distinct. 

The treble is a bit unclear – it lacks detail and sounds dull, especially at low volume.

As expected, Flip 3 doesn’t create a huge soundstage or good separation. 

The distortion gets noticeable at high volumes, but it’s not distracting. The advertised THD + N (at 1W/100Hz-7kHz) is lower than 0.5%. For the rated power output (16W), the advertised THD + N is lower than 1%. 

JBL Flip 3 – Bass Test

JBL Flip 3 – Feature Overview

What makes JBL Flip 3 so great for outdoor use is its water resistance. Like all the other JBL Bluetooth speakers (excluding JBL Pulse), the speaker is wrapped in a strong and durable fabric. Flip 3 is advertised as splash-proof, and even though it doesn’t have an IPX rating, it truly is splash-proof. 

Flip 3 – Water Test

Like most Bluetooth speakers, Flip 3 has a built-in mic allowing you to answer/make calls or use a voice assistant to control the playback. The mic quality is satisfying. It’s not amazing, like on some high-end professional headsets, but the voice stays perfectly intelligible on the other end.

JBL speakers are known for their wireless daisy-chaining capabilities. You can connect two or multiple JBL speakers together for louder sound or better stereo separation. JBL Flip 3 is not an exception. However, you can’t mix apples with oranges. 

JBL Connect speakers can’t be wirelessly paired with JBL Connect Plus speakers or JBL PartyBoost speakers. Connect, Connect+, and PartyBoost are three different connection protocols, used on different speaker lines. 

JBL Flip 3 is a JBL Connect speaker and will only pair with other JBL Connect speakers.

Pairing JBL Flip 3 with JBL Charge 3

Is JBL Flip 3 Loud?

It is. JBL Flip 3 is very loud. At least for its size. It can easily fill up a small room with sound. It can even be good enough for medium-sized rooms (up to 15x15ft) and small parties (5-10 people).  

I didn’t measure the speaker’s max SPL, but I assume it’s between 85 and 90dB (at a 1m distance). 

JBL Flip 3 Vs Other JBL Flip Speakers – Wattages Compared

With every new generation of JBL Flip speakers, JBL made some changes. They used bigger drivers/transducers and even different driver arrangements with every speaker.

Up until the introduction of JBL Flip 4, JBL Flip speakers had two drivers of the same size, but their power ratings went up from 10W (original JBL Flip power output) to 16W (JBL Flip 3 and JBL Flip 4).

JBL Flip 5 had only one big driver with an RMS power output of 20W, while the latest Flip 6 has one woofer (the same as Flip 5) and one tweeter with the advertised power output of 30W. 

Wrap Up

I hope this short JBL Flip 3 specs breakdown helped you understand the pros and cons of JBL Flip 3. If there are any unanswered questions, feel free to ask.