The JBL Pulse 6 is a portable Bluetooth speaker with a colorful light show. It succeeds the JBL Pulse 5 in the brand's lighting-focused line. While conventional portable speakers like the JBL Charge 6 prioritize practicality, the Pulse 6's customizable 360-degree lighting makes it better suited for indoor use, even as a bedside lamp. Like many JBL speakers, it uses Auracast to connect to other JBL speakers, so it can't connect to older speakers that use the PartyBoost pairing system.
Our Verdict
The JBL Pulse 6 is decent for music. Its sound is generally well-balanced through the mid-range and treble, but it struggles to reproduce deep bass. You'll hear basslines, but they lack fullness, and bass-heavy tracks don't have much thump or rumble. On the plus side, the app's graphic EQ lets you adjust the sound to your liking. The speaker also disperses audio impressively evenly around its body, so music sounds similar from different positions around it. However, it downmixes stereo content to mono. It gets reasonably loud, though bass loses some punch at maximum volume.
Sound stays consistent from different angles.
Clear, balanced voices and instruments.
Compact, easy-to-carry design.
Lacks deep bass.
Downmixes stereo content to mono.
Not loud enough for large spaces.
The JBL Pulse 6 is acceptable for videos and movies. Its balanced mid-range and treble keep dialogue clear and easy to follow, but its limited low-bass means explosions and other action-heavy effects lack rumble and impact. It also downmixes stereo content to mono, so wide movie soundtracks don't feel particularly immersive. On the plus side, sound remains consistent from different listening positions, and it gets loud enough for watching in a small to medium-sized room. That said, Bluetooth latency is relatively high on both iOS and Android, so you may run into lip-sync issues, depending on your device and app.
Sound stays consistent from different angles.
Clear, balanced voices and instruments.
Compact, easy-to-carry design.
Lacks deep bass.
Downmixes stereo content to mono.
Not loud enough for large spaces.
The JBL Pulse 6 is great for podcasts. It has a very balanced mid-range, so voices sound true-to-life. And it gets loud enough for listening around the house, especially since its impressive directivity means you don't need to sit directly in front of it to hear hosts clearly. It's also lightweight and compact, with a convenient carrying handle that makes it easy to bring with you from room to room. Plus, you can connect two Bluetooth devices simultaneously, making it easy to switch between your phone and laptop.
Sound stays consistent from different angles.
Clear, balanced voices and instruments.
Compact, easy-to-carry design.
Downmixes stereo content to mono.
Not loud enough for large spaces.
The JBL Pulse 6 doesn't have a microphone or built-in support for Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant.
The JBL Pulse 6 is good for outdoor use. Its compact design and built-in handle make it easy to carry to the park or a backyard gathering. It's also rated IP68 for dust and water resistance, so it'll withstand a trip to the park, even on a very rainy day. But it won't float if dropped in water. Its sound remains fairly consistent from different angles, making it a good choice for setting up in the middle of a circle of friends. That said, it doesn't get loud enough for noisy outdoor parties, and its limited low-bass means music lacks some thump. Its 7-hour battery life is also better suited to moderately long outings rather than full days away from an outlet.
Sound stays consistent from different angles.
Clear, balanced voices and instruments.
Compact, easy-to-carry design.
IP68 dust and water resistance.
Lacks deep bass.
Downmixes stereo content to mono.
Not loud enough for large spaces.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The JBL Pulse 6 only comes in one color: 'Black.' We took a photo of our unit's label.
If you encounter another variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update the review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The JBL Pulse 6 builds on the JBL Pulse 5's light show-focused design, but offers a wider range of lighting themes and adds everyday conveniences. Its illuminated handle, Bedside Lamp mode, and Sunset Mode make it more useful as a light source. Physical playback and volume controls are also welcome additions. One potential catch is that it uses Auracast instead of PartyBoost, so it can't connect to older JBL speakers that use PartyBoost for stereo pairing modes. If you're more interested in music than lighting, the JBL Charge 6 is a more practical alternative. It gets louder, lasts longer on a single charge, and can even act as a power bank to charge your phone.
You can also check out our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best portable Bluetooth speakers, and the best JBL speakers.
The JBL Pulse 6 is a slightly better speaker than the JBL Pulse 5. Both offer a colorful 360-degree light show, but the newer speaker adds Bedside Lamp and Sunset modes, so the lights are useful for more than just accompanying music. The 6 also offers physical playback and volume controls, which is much nicer than having to reach for your phone to perform these basic functions. You also get a more flexible 7-band EQ and wired USB-C audio support, which the older model lacks. However, JBL has switched from PartyBoost to Auracast, so you can't connect the two speakers together.
The JBL Charge 6 is a better speaker if listening and portability are your top priorities, while the JBL Pulse 6 is the one to pick if you want a speaker that doubles as a colorful light source. The Charge 6 is smaller and lighter, lasts nearly twice as long on a single charge, and gets louder. It can also charge your phone, making it more handy for longer trips. The Pulse 6's customizable 360-degree light show and bedside lamp mode are its biggest draws. It also distributes sound more evenly around the speaker, so everyone gathered around a table hears a similar sound. Neither reproduces much deep bass.
The JBL Pulse 6 and Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II share a portable, lantern-like design, but they have different strengths. The JBL is the more decorative option, with a customizable light show and a bedside lamp mode that lets it double as an ambient light source. It also has a graphic EQ for adjusting its sound and a more comprehensive IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. On the other hand, the Bose is lighter and has an AUX input, making it more convenient for connecting older audio sources. It also has a built-in microphone for calls and accessing your phone's voice assistant, neither of which the JBL supports.
The Ultimate Ears EVERBOOM is a more practical choice for long outdoor trips, while the JBL Pulse 6's light show offers some added indoor versatility. The Ultimate Ears is a bit smaller and lighter, with a rugged design and an included carabiner for attaching it to your bag. It also floats in water and lasts over 21 hours on a charge, compared to the JBL's 7 hours. And unlike the JBL, the Ultimate Ears can play stereo content without downmixing to mono. That said, the JBL has a more balanced mid-range, so voices and instruments sound clearer. And in addition to its light show and ability to act as a bedside lamp, the JBL also supports Bluetooth multi-device pairing and wired USB-C audio, which the Ultimate Ears lacks.
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