You know, props to JBL for actually making it relatively easy to repair. Might be a bad design for the cables, but there was nothing about this that was anti-consumer and anti-repair.
@@adriansdigitalbasement2 I had an earlier edition; can't charge while in use, is pretty annoying; the battery, being lipo, woudl only get a few hundred charge cycles before being mostly useless; further, the battery started to swell, like so many lipos did, so it became dangerous; at least it was, with trouble, openable and coulod replcae the battery and get more use of it .. but after a few more months, that battery too started to swell. But really, not having a bypass so it can run off mains power while in use, is absolutely anti consumer, since it guarantees battery use and then battery death and danger.
I bought the charge 3 because it sounded great, was waterproof, and then only because I read the battery replacement instructions and found the cell on amazon before purchase, hehe. It's been great, so many miles on that thing!
@@adriansdigitalbasement2 my charge 4 and charge 3 - they have all cables and flexes wrapped in foam sticky tape, which keeps it from rattling, disconnecting etc. Your must have been tempered by previous owners, unscrewed screws confirming it.
Such items should have a LiFePo4 battery under a lid, no fire hazard, and after the 3000 cycles+ this type of battery lasts, you can easily replace it, plus - LFE-batteries don’t have the issue about having to be not discharged or not fully charged to avoid aging.
Anyone can look up how much these things cost new, even refurbished. We need more modern repair hobbyists! A little time spent tinkering is better than automatically making more e-waste.
I got a Bose SoundLink mini? Speaker from my work as a gift and loved it, sounded so rich, especially for a small speaker... Lots of bass. It stopped charging so I looked up another and it was over $200! I was pissed that it broke after less than a year of mild use. Battery is soldered in with a ribbon cable and the pack is fully potted in resin, not sure if I can replace it.
I used to work for Harman International, the parent company of JBL. I have a lot of the older Flip and Charge models; we'd often get them as company Christmas gifts. Shortly before I left, I got to visit the office in Shenzhen where they designed and tested a bunch of the Harman consumer electronics devices like this. Was interesting to see a bit into how products like that get designed and produced, and I'm happy to see that you got this one working so well again, though it's unfortunate that it had trouble in the first place!
Regarding removing the hot glued screws with IPA: You have to be *very* careful: Most speaker surrounds will disintegrate from even a single drop of IPA.
Side note on USB connectors (C, mini-B, micro-B) from experience: Use canned air and a toothpick under magnification to clean the connector out, they tend to accumulate lint over time so the connector won't seat proper.
The mini-B type aren't too bad, but micro-B is tiny and a little obstruction is a big problem. Apple's lightning connector is just as bad as USB-C for getting gunk in it, link dust, lint from your jeans, etc.
@@jnharton Yeah it's just terrible all-around. Both microUSB and USB-C get sooo flaky after a few months of the device being pocketed. I'm at least happy to say that my USB-C smartphone still manages to do a super-fast charge after 3 years of ownership... but using OTG devices started being flaky after just a few months of use.... But yeah, Lightning isn't any better than USB-C, so it's for the best that Apple was forced to use USB-C so at least we're all in the same shitty boat rather than very slightly different ones.
You connect it by replacing end caps (membranes) and then there is access to all cables without risking puncturing the speaker or the seal. With the "spiral" button you can pair it with up to 99 other JBL speakers of different kinds, it is called "party mode". If you do it with just two - it gives stereo. There is an app for the phone (JBL Portable) to upgrade FW and to control modes/names of the device, really neat.
I love the stereo mode, it also give a lot more bass when you run 2 of them... Only problem is the stereo mode give a lot of delay in the sound making watching films for example unwatchable because the sound is not synchronized anymore ;(
It probably got dropped and that connector came off. Such a simple fix. Most people just through things like this always when they can fix them. A little glue from a hot glow gun would stop that from happening again.
doubt it, those type connectors usually hold pretty tight and you have to pull hard or lever them to remove them, likely wasnt pushed in fully when assembled
Hey Adrian. Great video as always. One cool feature with that ifixit screwdriver set is that the top cover has a little grid on the bottom side where you can organize the screws you remove of whatever your working on. Very handy.
Came to say the same thing, I don't even own a screw tray specifically because the iFixit lid is so useful for organizing screws for some relatively large projects (used it a million times for complete laptop disassembly and the grid layout is a godsend).
I'm not sure you fixed it. As much as you charged it, the bars never increased. I'm thinking the battery is bad and won't hold a charge and somebody started to try and fix it but gave up. Just a hunch. ???
Every thing that is saved from the E-Waste is a victory for the planet! Thanks for taking the time to shoot a video fixing this little speaker. Most people wouldn't have thought twice about tossing it when it stopped working. There is so much carbon spent on manufacturing it! The best thing you can do for the planet in my opinion is fixing the stuff that has already been built instead of throwing it away and building more stuff. You are the man!
I have a JBL charge 5 that I bought (marked down) last year. It looks like it's pretty similar to that model that you have. Those things have really good volume and sound. I've been very happy with mine. If you don't have a quality portable blutooth speaker, I'd keep it. If I had to guess, I'd say that thing was maybe dropped a time or two. That probably caused the charge cable to pop out and maybe the loose screws as well. It was pretty neat to see inside of this thing, I was curious to see what kind of speaker(s) were in there to produce all that sound, now I know!
Just looking at the thing, for sure, it's been well loved and tossed around. And to be fair, that's what JBL's Bluetooth speakers have earned a reputation for. So, this one "got played with just a little bit too hard" and Adrian sorted it right out.
Seems like a Flip 5. You are correct that the "extra button is for synchronizing with other speakers in what's often called "party" mode. You can sync more than 2 together, which basically makes them into a college kid's whole-house audio system ;).
I may have said this before but when I was 10 our TV stopped working everytime we put it on text. I am 55 . Mum and Dad had no money to repair it so I said I will deal with it. I took it open, found the text board and removed it. They had another ten years of service. Please do not try this at home if you are 10. However it does prove a point. Intelligence , time and a need to do this often can come up with something. Always isolate and discharge caps please! Happy New Year Year. Much Love Alex.
You had Text in '78? Damn that's pretty early! At that time, text wasn't even introduced in most of the world (Germany where I live got it in I think 1980 and I have seen TVs from '82 or '83 that had it). Totally depends on your model of TV, on some you can literally just remove the text board and the TV will work, on others you have to install a dummy plug to route signals. (btw. for those reading it and wondering - UK was experimenting with text as early as 1973, so having a text module go bad in 1978 is not very plausible, but certainly not impossible)
@@nemesis2264 I didn't. In fact, I still don't see it. The YT app showed "2 replies" when I first wanted to comment, but when I tapped on the link, it only showed one. Stupid bug I guess. Sorry for the redundant comment.
Is it possible that all the vibration from use loosened the screws and the connector? To me, that feels more likely than something like a drop. I doubt anyone ever opened it up since factory.
lmao. vibrations from a SINGLE 2" speaker HAHAHAHA!!! NO. It wasn't plugged in all the way fromt he factory and the screws never were tight to begin with. CHina quality for you.
I have the previous version - probably the best portable speaker i have owned to date , sound quality wise! Wish you had shown how to get at the battery as mine no longer holds much charge 0 its supposed to last for 10 hours but i get less than 4 . Still at least i now have an idea how to get into the case without too much damage - hoping the battery is fairly standard & easily replaceable
I would be concerned there, they don't normally take that long to charge, especially so you can see more lights on. Could be an end of life battery in the mix there. At lest that would still be a simple repair and worth doing. They are great value speakers.
Nice work, but I think I personally would have checked the "battery condition" when I had it apart.. And I must admit that I'm both impressed and surprised by how "reparable" this thing was. Meaning that it was using mechanical assembly methods that ware able to be dis- and re-assembled, rather than being "welded, glued and potted" into an unrecoverable mess... Best regards.
The button that looks like two speakers is called the PartyBoost Button The PartyBoost button is located near the Volume down (-) button. The PartyBoost is a feature that allows the speaker to connect with multiple JBL Speakers and play music at the same time. The PartyBoost will connect only with other devices that have PartyBoost too. After connecting the JBL Flip 5 with another device via Bluetooth, press the PartyBoost button one time to allow other speakers to pair with you. Or, if there’s another device that’s already paired and activated the PartyBoost feature, press the PartyBoost button, wait a few seconds, and your speaker will pair with the other devices and play the same music. Note: The JBL Flip 5 won’t pair with JBL Flip 4 or other older devices that have the “Connect” or “Connect Plus” button. The speaker will connect only with PartyBoost devices. You can also activate the PartyBoost button using the JBL Portable application on your phone. Once the speaker is connected with your phone, go to the application and click the “PartyBoost” button to activate it.
Guessing this one was assembled on Friday afternoon, and the assembly line worker just didn't push the connector all the way on (not to mention not screwing in the speaker screws fully). Eventually it would've worked its way loose from the bass and being bumped around in transit or whatever.
Mine looked a little different from this one, but it still worked like a charm! The LEDs were blinking oddly, and after a while, it died. Turns out it was the flex cable behind the speaker that had come loose.
Hi, Adrian. Thank you for slowing down the steady flow of electronic junk to the lanfill. I have a question for you,. What make and model of power bank are you using in this video? I was trying to check it out but couldn't find it anywhere? Also, BTW, I ran a Commodore repair buisness on the side for about 10 years in my former life... A blast from my past.
Definitely opened before. Tried to open the charging part, pulled on the cable. Loose screws on the speaker tell the story. Maybe the battery is weak and ruined his party one too many times. When he saw the battery is not accessible, he just gave up.
Great tear down and repair. Was waiting for Clive to join in. We have 2 of these speakers the larger one that is also a power bank. One has spent several years, being bounced , around a large warehouse on a forklift and ride on pallet trucks. Often fallen off and bounced across the floor Looks a lot more decrepit than one you repaired. Turned up to full volume at a distance of 100 feet it’s hard to hold a conversation it’s soo loud. Battery lasts most of week between charges. So on basis of this I recently purchased a second one for the house and garden. Great pieces of kit
Recently replaced the USB port on my Flip 4. Almost identical tear down / rebuild. Mini USB port had been crushed inside. Part was easily available and the fix was finicky but easy.
Considering the state of the screw on the speaker, I have the feeling someone got in and did "something" and did not reconnect th thing properly (on purpose or not, no idea) From the connector, unless drop / big hit, I doubt this could disconnect, cables are not that heavy. Well the good thing is that that product seems to be fairly easy to openrepart at least.
I still have two JBL Flip 3 that is use regularly. I have replaced the USB ports and the battery in both and they work great 9 years later. I was blow away with a demo from a coworker. They are amazingly loud and clear from low to high volume. Good Fix
I got put in charge of our familys christmas party music this year about 3 days before it was happening. My wife works for a major beer company and handed me one of these speakers she got at sometime from her work. I was actually amazed at how well it filled the 1000 Sq Ft room with sound. Played for several hours with no issues.
I have a FLIP 6 that I've been really happy with. It looks very similar to yours and when I saw it in your thumbnail I figured I better watch just in case it's a common problem that the 6s might have too. Thanks for making a video about it
Thank you for this video! It would be awesome if you did the whole series of these speakers, I have the bigger ‘boombox’ (which is pretty expensive) and the usb-c charge port is starting to get loose. I’d love to know how to open it up to fix it! This video is awesome, gave me a glimmer of hope for my boombox’s future!
I have one of these Flip 5s and it's a great little speaker, especially for the form factor and price I paid for it. I used to use my TV in my apartment for Spotify listening, but now I just use it instead. Glad to know it's at least somewhat serviceable.
Great video! I have a Flip 6 that i bought about a year ago which is more or less identical part from some logo details on the front. That weird symbol is suppose to be some EQ setting-thingy if my memory serves me right, but i've never bothered to tamper with it. Good to know how to open it if mine decide to malfunction some time. A pity these aren't stereo.
The button with two speakers is so that you can connect a bunch of these together. JBL also makes other speakers that can connect up with this one. The technology is called Partyboost.
Awesome video. Amazing to see some modern tech actually be fixed, even if it was a cable, most times modern stuff isn’t fixable or rebuildable after opening.
Oh that's neat, with the infinity symbol button being pushed, that's the 'party boost' feature, you can connect from 2 to 100 (wow) speakers TOGETHER.. that's neat. I use the Oontz speaker and I have 2 of them and they are in stereo. They sound AMAZING together when I'm at work.. or in the garage even. Oontz was a good buy for me, they're GREAT little bt speakers, killer bass, great mid and high range and you can get them on sale for like 60 bucks for the big one.. Nice video Adrian. I'm super happy you're doing this full time now, thanks for all the hard work!!
It saddens me to see that people are so quick to throw such a thing away. I am not a big fan of Bluetooth speakers to begin with (mostly because they are used by people spreading their questionable music taste in public where it is not appropriate) - but still, such a simple to fix issue making them end up in e-waste is... wasteful!
I found one of these tossed in some weeds over a year ago and it works perfectly, sounds amazing, and decent battery 🔋. Glad to know what to look for if mine ever stops charging!
Some thoughts: • Maybe the speaker took a bad tumble sometime in its life with its previous owner. JBL's speakers have a reputation for being pretty rugged, so a lot of people rightly buy them on the expectation that they can shove them in their backpack, toolbox, luggage, whatever, with reckless abandon. They get very literally tossed around. And this speaker sure looks like it was "well-loved" by its previous owner. • As for the charging connector, that's a JST (Japanese Solderless Terminal) connector, or at least a JST- _like_ connector. I've been working on embedded systems for a bunch of years now and I've seen hundreds of those connectors - my machines' vendor uses them for dozens of their board-to-board connections. These connectors do come in a "locking" variation with a little clip, so it was definitely either an oversight or a cost-saving measure for JBL to have gone with non-locking connectors in this design. • As for getting the connector back in place: this sort of thing can often be done without further disassembly, with a pair of small "angled" pliers or a pair of large angled tweezers in your toolkit. Not the biggest of deals doing a hobby repair on a workbench, but it has been a lifesaver for me when I've been in a time crunch and/or trying to fix something outdoors in below-freezing temperatures. • As for the indicator LEDs being particularly bright: Makes sense, given that the indicator panel has some barely-translucent plastic rather than proper "light pipes". • As for the battery: Given how JBL tried to be pretty repair-friendly, simple and modular with the speaker's design, I bet that the battery is a super common 18650 lithium cell or a pair thereof. And hopefully the charge circuitry isn't shrink-wrapped onto the battery/batteries; it might be sitting on its own, with another JST-like connector on its end. So hopefully when the battery reaches the end of its useful life it can be relatively easily replaced. • As for the button with the odd ∞ symbol, I looked up the manual, and yep, it turns out that that's for a feature JBL calls "Party Boost", which allows for multiples of their speakers to be meshed together to better fill a room or cross to other rooms. Neat! • As for playback controls, a lot of Bluetooth speakers are like this one: The de facto standard for onboard controls on BT speakers seems to be play/pause, volume up/down, and pairing, and that's about it. If you want to skip a track or fast-forward, you're just expected to need to use your phone. • This Flip 5 was a pretty dang good speaker for its size when JBL released it in 2019, and it still is. It still sells brand new on Amazon for about a hundred bucks. Score!
I own JBL Xtreme (1st gen). They had flaw with battery, that it would charge up to certain value, then LEDs will blink indefinetly as it was still charging. But battery wouldn't accept any more juice. It would also randomly shutdown / restart, while on battery power. Only option is to replace battery.
I like it when you do more modern things sometimes, and when you do things you're not familiar with. you inspired me to take up retro computer fixing as a hobby, and i bought all this equipment. But I'm so busy that I haven't had time. But I have wound up using the equipment to fix my kids laptops, my dad's phone, my computer, and other more modern things. I appreciate watching you do that as well. One of my favorite moments from your videos was when your wife left her flat iron (I think) on your workbench with a sad-face post-it. I totally relate to that in my life. As much as I like the retro-hobby fantasy, i also like watching someone much better than me work through things I wind up working through in my own life.
I replaced a batter in one some years ago. You're so lucky that you didn't have to replace the battery! It took a while to take mine apart and and then to push the swollen battery out. When I had it reassembled with a new battery, it work. But, there was a weird noise like something was loose inside. It's just a shame that JBL made these without replaceable batteries, which should be a crime!
You often remind me of the electronics version of the TH-cam channel Mustie1. If you’ve never seen him, the reason that is a compliment is because he will often get in a piece of machinery he’s never seen before and knows nothing about; and will figure it out and get it going. I love stuff like this where both me and the content creator are learning together.
I'm listening to this video on the exact same speaker. They are pretty good for the size, especially if placed on a wooden table or similar. Loose screws and connectors look like vibration problems. Of course, a speaker should be hardened against vibrations causing such troubles.
I must admit I did almost miss this video as it thought it was another generic 'fix it' channel that I’d given up on but fine for a 'one off'. 😮 Happy new year though!
I recall watching a video a while ago from someone who repairs amazon returns and when he took one of these appart, it was the same issue. I think this is a common problem due to poor design/manufacturing.
The Flip 4 came with two speakers in stereo configuration, is hard to hear the channel separation so I believe JBL just change to one speaker due to that reason.
That's the "woofer" (more like a yapper) in the middle - the screws have been loosened by too many plays of loud-ass noise-music. Use some hot glue to fix them in position. In fact the cable was likely vibrated off the socket in the same way.
I have two of these speakers that I bought (on a 50% sale) quite a few years ago, no trouble with them so far. Very good sound for such a compact speaker, and good battery life even years later. Never knew it was only one speaker, it sure doesn't sound flat like mono usually does. And yeah, it's IPX7 rated. It's supposed to be able to be submerged in a meter of water for half an hour without issue, minimum. I use one in my shower if I want music, never had an issue in all the years I've had them. I have no idea how the passive bass radiator thingy works, but it sure does work 'cause they have pretty good bass. You can also link them for proper stereo, or more than just two for more omph in the sound. And yeah, play button twice to skip song, but the timing is a bit picky, too fast or too slow and it just pauses. I don't think this was sabotage, I just think it all got shaken loose over time. That's my guess anyway. However, I bought a pair of JBL earbuds and while the sound was absolutely amazing the contact points for charging wore down and flaked away in just a few months of use and they stopped charging. I gave them to my brother and he juryrigged a solution in the form of balling up a few short lengths of thin steel wire and stuffing them in the holes for the contact points and got them to work for like a year longer. Not sure what happened to them since. I bought some Raycon Everyday earbuds to replace them, and while the sound isn't as good the volume they can reach is much higher (which was my only complaint about the sound in the JBLs) and I've never had a single problem with them in the years since. Excellent quality, reliable, lasts years, excellent price. Since then I've even bought Raycon Fitness earbuds for when I'm swimming (or sometimes when I'm in the shower) and want to listen to music or a podcast, and they work just as well, though I personally think the sound quality is slightly lower than the Everyday earbuds.
Nice video and thanks for you found out how to open it. I have a JBL Flip 3 with broken MicroUSB connector. Iam thinking about try to hack with USB-C connector instead.
I have a Flip 4, double tapping the play button should advance the track. Maybe it just needs to be quicker. They are pretty nice speakers though, no regrets here. Nice bass and pretty solidly built. I had no idea going from a cheap Anker bluetooth speaker to something like these would be that much better, but the difference was night and day. It's good to know it ought to at least be repairable when the time comes.
Every time I've used JBL stuff that wasn't brand-new, it always has noticeable issues of some kind. For me it's been speakers. I've seen a lot of blown EON speakers, I had a Toyota with a JBL system where one of the speakers was blown, recently I got a set of their computer speakers and both need new drivers... their speakers apparently always have design flaws of some kind, and it doesn't seem accidental. I can't imagine ever buying their stuff new. What does JBL stand for anyway, 'Just Barely Luxury'?
Well done, and thanks - I might need that disassembly info. I guess loud sound vibrations shook the connections apart. Incidentally, a lot of the 'bass' on these tiny things comes from clever psycho-acoustics in DSP - distortion creates harmonics that trick the brain into hearing bass.
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You know, props to JBL for actually making it relatively easy to repair. Might be a bad design for the cables, but there was nothing about this that was anti-consumer and anti-repair.
Yeah it could have been way more glued together where it was destructive to take it apart!
@@adriansdigitalbasement2 I had an earlier edition; can't charge while in use, is pretty annoying; the battery, being lipo, woudl only get a few hundred charge cycles before being mostly useless; further, the battery started to swell, like so many lipos did, so it became dangerous; at least it was, with trouble, openable and coulod replcae the battery and get more use of it .. but after a few more months, that battery too started to swell. But really, not having a bypass so it can run off mains power while in use, is absolutely anti consumer, since it guarantees battery use and then battery death and danger.
I bought the charge 3 because it sounded great, was waterproof, and then only because I read the battery replacement instructions and found the cell on amazon before purchase, hehe. It's been great, so many miles on that thing!
@@adriansdigitalbasement2 my charge 4 and charge 3 - they have all cables and flexes wrapped in foam sticky tape, which keeps it from rattling, disconnecting etc. Your must have been tempered by previous owners, unscrewed screws confirming it.
Such items should have a LiFePo4 battery under a lid, no fire hazard, and after the 3000 cycles+ this type of battery lasts, you can easily replace it, plus - LFE-batteries don’t have the issue about having to be not discharged or not fully charged to avoid aging.
Anyone can look up how much these things cost new, even refurbished. We need more modern repair hobbyists! A little time spent tinkering is better than automatically making more e-waste.
I got a Bose SoundLink mini? Speaker from my work as a gift and loved it, sounded so rich, especially for a small speaker... Lots of bass.
It stopped charging so I looked up another and it was over $200! I was pissed that it broke after less than a year of mild use.
Battery is soldered in with a ribbon cable and the pack is fully potted in resin, not sure if I can replace it.
there are some out there, live My Mate Vince and Stezfix
I’m working on it! Lol.
cost new? 90 dollar over here....used in good condition 40 buck...worth fixing a banged up one? no its not
Mine has charging issues to@@volvo09
I used to work for Harman International, the parent company of JBL. I have a lot of the older Flip and Charge models; we'd often get them as company Christmas gifts. Shortly before I left, I got to visit the office in Shenzhen where they designed and tested a bunch of the Harman consumer electronics devices like this. Was interesting to see a bit into how products like that get designed and produced, and I'm happy to see that you got this one working so well again, though it's unfortunate that it had trouble in the first place!
Can you give me one
Regarding removing the hot glued screws with IPA: You have to be *very* careful: Most speaker surrounds will disintegrate from even a single drop of IPA.
Yeah
Adrian, the lid for your iFixit kit is a sorting tray, that´s where you can put your screws while you work!
Side note on USB connectors (C, mini-B, micro-B) from experience:
Use canned air and a toothpick under magnification to clean the connector out, they tend to accumulate lint over time so the connector won't seat proper.
The mini-B type aren't too bad, but micro-B is tiny and a little obstruction is a big problem.
Apple's lightning connector is just as bad as USB-C for getting gunk in it, link dust, lint from your jeans, etc.
@@jnharton Yeah it's just terrible all-around. Both microUSB and USB-C get sooo flaky after a few months of the device being pocketed. I'm at least happy to say that my USB-C smartphone still manages to do a super-fast charge after 3 years of ownership... but using OTG devices started being flaky after just a few months of use....
But yeah, Lightning isn't any better than USB-C, so it's for the best that Apple was forced to use USB-C so at least we're all in the same shitty boat rather than very slightly different ones.
@@Dee_Just_Deeon the bright side USB is easy to clean out without damaging it.
Thanks for posting this!
My JBL Flip 5 isn't charging right now.
I loved my previous three JBL speakers. The Flip 5 has inferior sound to the others.
You connect it by replacing end caps (membranes) and then there is access to all cables without risking puncturing the speaker or the seal. With the "spiral" button you can pair it with up to 99 other JBL speakers of different kinds, it is called "party mode". If you do it with just two - it gives stereo. There is an app for the phone (JBL Portable) to upgrade FW and to control modes/names of the device, really neat.
Thanks for clearing that up. I was wondering how useful it would be with just one speaker.
I wonder how loud 99 of any of JBL's gear would be. Thats really cool.
I dunno about 99, but a pair of eons were pretty damn loud for their size
I love the stereo mode, it also give a lot more bass when you run 2 of them... Only problem is the stereo mode give a lot of delay in the sound making watching films for example unwatchable because the sound is not synchronized anymore ;(
@@a64738 If you watch on smart TV, there might be the “lip sync delay” setting to factor in the delay.
It probably got dropped and that connector came off. Such a simple fix. Most people just through things like this always when they can fix them. A little glue from a hot glow gun would stop that from happening again.
doubt it, those type connectors usually hold pretty tight and you have to pull hard or lever them to remove them, likely wasnt pushed in fully when assembled
I had a 250 Euro power bank die from a connector like this disconnecting internally. Looked the same way
Kudos to JBL for making this serviceable. The few similar items I looked at to repair were so glued together, that it was destructive to take apart.
Hey Adrian. Great video as always. One cool feature with that ifixit screwdriver set is that the top cover has a little grid on the bottom side where you can organize the screws you remove of whatever your working on. Very handy.
Came to say the same thing, I don't even own a screw tray specifically because the iFixit lid is so useful for organizing screws for some relatively large projects (used it a million times for complete laptop disassembly and the grid layout is a godsend).
Did the battery fully charge in the end?
I'm not sure you fixed it. As much as you charged it, the bars never increased. I'm thinking the battery is bad and won't hold a charge and somebody started to try and fix it but gave up. Just a hunch. ???
Watching you repair something you're not familiar with is a rare treat. Thank you!
Every thing that is saved from the E-Waste is a victory for the planet! Thanks for taking the time to shoot a video fixing this little speaker. Most people wouldn't have thought twice about tossing it when it stopped working. There is so much carbon spent on manufacturing it! The best thing you can do for the planet in my opinion is fixing the stuff that has already been built instead of throwing it away and building more stuff. You are the man!
I've had my Flip 5 for 4 years now, used every day and has never missed a beat! Sounds great too, especially given the size.
I have a JBL charge 5 that I bought (marked down) last year. It looks like it's pretty similar to that model that you have. Those things have really good volume and sound. I've been very happy with mine. If you don't have a quality portable blutooth speaker, I'd keep it. If I had to guess, I'd say that thing was maybe dropped a time or two. That probably caused the charge cable to pop out and maybe the loose screws as well. It was pretty neat to see inside of this thing, I was curious to see what kind of speaker(s) were in there to produce all that sound, now I know!
I love my Charge 5. Fantastic speaker, and it sounds even better when you link another one and really fill the room with sound.
@@samcostanza I'll bet it does. I think it'd be fun to link a whole bunch of them up and blanket an area. It's just a neat idea.
Just looking at the thing, for sure, it's been well loved and tossed around. And to be fair, that's what JBL's Bluetooth speakers have earned a reputation for. So, this one "got played with just a little bit too hard" and Adrian sorted it right out.
Seems like a Flip 5. You are correct that the "extra button is for synchronizing with other speakers in what's often called "party" mode. You can sync more than 2 together, which basically makes them into a college kid's whole-house audio system ;).
I love how easy these are to get into unlike other speakers so if a speaker blows you can easily get into it to replace it
Great to see a midweek video. I was bummed this past Saturday that there was no main channel video. But hey we all need a break, LOL.
Hi Adrian, great video! What is your powerbank? I have never seen one like that!
its a locking connector. it doesn't need glue. No poor design here. Someone's been in there before and didn't reconnect the port.
I may have said this before but when I was 10 our TV stopped working everytime we put it on text. I am 55 . Mum and Dad had no money to repair it so I said I will deal with it. I took it open, found the text board and removed it. They had another ten years of service. Please do not try this at home if you are 10. However it does prove a point. Intelligence , time and a need to do this often can come up with something. Always isolate and discharge caps please! Happy New Year Year. Much Love Alex.
You had Text in '78? Damn that's pretty early! At that time, text wasn't even introduced in most of the world (Germany where I live got it in I think 1980 and I have seen TVs from '82 or '83 that had it).
Totally depends on your model of TV, on some you can literally just remove the text board and the TV will work, on others you have to install a dummy plug to route signals.
(btw. for those reading it and wondering - UK was experimenting with text as early as 1973, so having a text module go bad in 1978 is not very plausible, but certainly not impossible)
😂😂😂55? Still in the basement, huh?😂
I'm curious, what is that power bank you are using there? It looks like it's got some nice features.
Went to the comments to ask the same thing. It sure seems neat, especially for testing devices! 😊
Oh, found it! Chargeasap Flash Pro Plus. It's $320 😮
@@krisfromthe80s Wow! That's expensive! Guess forget getting that model. 😂
@@nemesis2264 I didn't. In fact, I still don't see it. The YT app showed "2 replies" when I first wanted to comment, but when I tapped on the link, it only showed one. Stupid bug I guess. Sorry for the redundant comment.
@@krisfromthe80s Ah, I experienced this bug too. Was wondering where the other comment was hiding.
Is it possible that all the vibration from use loosened the screws and the connector? To me, that feels more likely than something like a drop. I doubt anyone ever opened it up since factory.
unlikely , those type connectors hold well, likely not assembled correctly, not pushed in enough
lmao. vibrations from a SINGLE 2" speaker HAHAHAHA!!! NO. It wasn't plugged in all the way fromt he factory and the screws never were tight to begin with. CHina quality for you.
What powerbank are you using?
Those speakers are great for your bottle holder on a bicycle!
I have the previous version - probably the best portable speaker i have owned to date , sound quality wise!
Wish you had shown how to get at the battery as mine no longer holds much charge 0 its supposed to last for 10 hours but i get less than 4 .
Still at least i now have an idea how to get into the case without too much damage - hoping the battery is fairly standard & easily replaceable
Given the size of the speaker and the way JBL likes to modularize, hopefully you can practically drop in a new 18650.
I admit I would've let it charge to full vefore reassembling but thats just my paranoia. You're more optimistic than i am.
I would be concerned there, they don't normally take that long to charge, especially so you can see more lights on. Could be an end of life battery in the mix there. At lest that would still be a simple repair and worth doing. They are great value speakers.
What power bank are you using? I've never seen one that has a built in volt amp meter.
Ditto
Nice work, but I think I personally would have checked the "battery condition" when I had it apart..
And I must admit that I'm both impressed and surprised by how "reparable" this thing was. Meaning that it was using mechanical assembly methods that ware able to be dis- and re-assembled, rather than being "welded, glued and potted" into an unrecoverable mess...
Best regards.
The button that looks like two speakers is called the PartyBoost Button
The PartyBoost button is located near the Volume down (-) button. The PartyBoost is a feature that allows the speaker to connect with multiple JBL Speakers and play music at the same time. The PartyBoost will connect only with other devices that have PartyBoost too.
After connecting the JBL Flip 5 with another device via Bluetooth, press the PartyBoost button one time to allow other speakers to pair with you.
Or, if there’s another device that’s already paired and activated the PartyBoost feature, press the PartyBoost button, wait a few seconds, and your speaker will pair with the other devices and play the same music.
Note: The JBL Flip 5 won’t pair with JBL Flip 4 or other older devices that have the “Connect” or “Connect Plus” button. The speaker will connect only with PartyBoost devices.
You can also activate the PartyBoost button using the JBL Portable application on your phone. Once the speaker is connected with your phone, go to the application and click the “PartyBoost” button to activate it.
Guessing this one was assembled on Friday afternoon, and the assembly line worker just didn't push the connector all the way on (not to mention not screwing in the speaker screws fully). Eventually it would've worked its way loose from the bass and being bumped around in transit or whatever.
Those things sound amazing. The amount of bass is unbelievable for such a small speaker.
Mine looked a little different from this one, but it still worked like a charm! The LEDs were blinking oddly, and after a while, it died. Turns out it was the flex cable behind the speaker that had come loose.
Hi, Adrian. Thank you for slowing down the steady flow of electronic junk to the lanfill. I have a question for you,. What make and model of power bank are you using in this video? I was trying to check it out but couldn't find it anywhere? Also, BTW, I ran a Commodore repair buisness on the side for about 10 years in my former life... A blast from my past.
Definitely opened before. Tried to open the charging part, pulled on the cable. Loose screws on the speaker tell the story. Maybe the battery is weak and ruined his party one too many times. When he saw the battery is not accessible, he just gave up.
Thanks Adrian for helping me get back into repairing and cleaning electronics. Your videos are great and you’ve inspired me to start repairing again
Great tear down and repair. Was waiting for Clive to join in.
We have 2 of these speakers the larger one that is also a power bank.
One has spent several years, being bounced , around a large warehouse on a forklift and ride on pallet trucks.
Often fallen off and bounced across the floor
Looks a lot more decrepit than one you repaired.
Turned up to full volume at a distance of 100 feet it’s hard to hold a conversation it’s soo loud.
Battery lasts most of week between charges.
So on basis of this I recently purchased a second one for the house and garden.
Great pieces of kit
I don't blame him for wearing gloves...that thing looks like it would glow brightly under a UV light. 🤣
HAHA!
Is this one of the infamous models with the sultry Australian voice prompts? "Bluetooth mode..."
Recently replaced the USB port on my Flip 4. Almost identical tear down / rebuild. Mini USB port had been crushed inside. Part was easily available and the fix was finicky but easy.
Considering the state of the screw on the speaker, I have the feeling someone got in and did "something" and did not reconnect th thing properly (on purpose or not, no idea)
From the connector, unless drop / big hit, I doubt this could disconnect, cables are not that heavy.
Well the good thing is that that product seems to be fairly easy to openrepart at least.
I still have two JBL Flip 3 that is use regularly. I have replaced the USB ports and the battery in both and they work great 9 years later. I was blow away with a demo from a coworker. They are amazingly loud and clear from low to high volume. Good Fix
I got put in charge of our familys christmas party music this year about 3 days before it was happening. My wife works for a major beer company and handed me one of these speakers she got at sometime from her work. I was actually amazed at how well it filled the 1000 Sq Ft room with sound. Played for several hours with no issues.
Adrian, whats the powerbank you are using?
Not sure actually -- it was sent in on a Mail Call episode
Cool. I have one of these and now know what to do if I have this problem. Thanks for making this video!
Good Evening Adrian, what kind of power brick are you using, looks really cool
Thank you for preventing more e-waste :)
I have a FLIP 6 that I've been really happy with. It looks very similar to yours and when I saw it in your thumbnail I figured I better watch just in case it's a common problem that the 6s might have too. Thanks for making a video about it
Thank you for this video! It would be awesome if you did the whole series of these speakers, I have the bigger ‘boombox’ (which is pretty expensive) and the usb-c charge port is starting to get loose. I’d love to know how to open it up to fix it!
This video is awesome, gave me a glimmer of hope for my boombox’s future!
I have one of these Flip 5s and it's a great little speaker, especially for the form factor and price I paid for it. I used to use my TV in my apartment for Spotify listening, but now I just use it instead.
Glad to know it's at least somewhat serviceable.
The speaker screws being loose could just be from vibration. Without locktite it's very easy for screws to come loose from constant vibration.
Great video! I have a Flip 6 that i bought about a year ago which is more or less identical part from some logo details on the front. That weird symbol is suppose to be some EQ setting-thingy if my memory serves me right, but i've never bothered to tamper with it. Good to know how to open it if mine decide to malfunction some time. A pity these aren't stereo.
The button with two speakers is so that you can connect a bunch of these together. JBL also makes other speakers that can connect up with this one. The technology is called Partyboost.
Awesome video. Amazing to see some modern tech actually be fixed, even if it was a cable, most times modern stuff isn’t fixable or rebuildable after opening.
Oh that's neat, with the infinity symbol button being pushed, that's the 'party boost' feature, you can connect from 2 to 100 (wow) speakers TOGETHER.. that's neat. I use the Oontz speaker and I have 2 of them and they are in stereo. They sound AMAZING together when I'm at work.. or in the garage even. Oontz was a good buy for me, they're GREAT little bt speakers, killer bass, great mid and high range and you can get them on sale for like 60 bucks for the big one.. Nice video Adrian. I'm super happy you're doing this full time now, thanks for all the hard work!!
What I like about Adrian, is that when he makes an error, he admits it and explains what he did wrong. Nice job...
It saddens me to see that people are so quick to throw such a thing away.
I am not a big fan of Bluetooth speakers to begin with (mostly because they are used by people spreading their questionable music taste in public where it is not appropriate) - but still, such a simple to fix issue making them end up in e-waste is... wasteful!
I had this exact same one. Would freeze up like it. I looked up how to factory reset it and it fixed it every time.
18:40 I was disappointed to learn you _didn't_ have the 8-bit dance party on the playlist. Come on, Adrian!! 😉👍
I found one of these tossed in some weeds over a year ago and it works perfectly, sounds amazing, and decent battery 🔋. Glad to know what to look for if mine ever stops charging!
Junk Becoming Live again.
I love the tips. I have two of these speakers, never had any issues, but now I know what is inside. Thanks Adrian.
what kind of powerbank is that?
Some thoughts:
• Maybe the speaker took a bad tumble sometime in its life with its previous owner. JBL's speakers have a reputation for being pretty rugged, so a lot of people rightly buy them on the expectation that they can shove them in their backpack, toolbox, luggage, whatever, with reckless abandon. They get very literally tossed around. And this speaker sure looks like it was "well-loved" by its previous owner.
• As for the charging connector, that's a JST (Japanese Solderless Terminal) connector, or at least a JST- _like_ connector. I've been working on embedded systems for a bunch of years now and I've seen hundreds of those connectors - my machines' vendor uses them for dozens of their board-to-board connections. These connectors do come in a "locking" variation with a little clip, so it was definitely either an oversight or a cost-saving measure for JBL to have gone with non-locking connectors in this design.
• As for getting the connector back in place: this sort of thing can often be done without further disassembly, with a pair of small "angled" pliers or a pair of large angled tweezers in your toolkit. Not the biggest of deals doing a hobby repair on a workbench, but it has been a lifesaver for me when I've been in a time crunch and/or trying to fix something outdoors in below-freezing temperatures.
• As for the indicator LEDs being particularly bright: Makes sense, given that the indicator panel has some barely-translucent plastic rather than proper "light pipes".
• As for the battery: Given how JBL tried to be pretty repair-friendly, simple and modular with the speaker's design, I bet that the battery is a super common 18650 lithium cell or a pair thereof. And hopefully the charge circuitry isn't shrink-wrapped onto the battery/batteries; it might be sitting on its own, with another JST-like connector on its end. So hopefully when the battery reaches the end of its useful life it can be relatively easily replaced.
• As for the button with the odd ∞ symbol, I looked up the manual, and yep, it turns out that that's for a feature JBL calls "Party Boost", which allows for multiples of their speakers to be meshed together to better fill a room or cross to other rooms. Neat!
• As for playback controls, a lot of Bluetooth speakers are like this one: The de facto standard for onboard controls on BT speakers seems to be play/pause, volume up/down, and pairing, and that's about it. If you want to skip a track or fast-forward, you're just expected to need to use your phone.
• This Flip 5 was a pretty dang good speaker for its size when JBL released it in 2019, and it still is. It still sells brand new on Amazon for about a hundred bucks. Score!
Thank you bud. My cable wasn’t completely disconnected but removing it and reconnecting it worked. Poor connection I’m assuming.
I own JBL Xtreme (1st gen). They had flaw with battery, that it would charge up to certain value, then LEDs will blink indefinetly as it was still charging. But battery wouldn't accept any more juice. It would also randomly shutdown / restart, while on battery power. Only option is to replace battery.
I like it when you do more modern things sometimes, and when you do things you're not familiar with. you inspired me to take up retro computer fixing as a hobby, and i bought all this equipment. But I'm so busy that I haven't had time. But I have wound up using the equipment to fix my kids laptops, my dad's phone, my computer, and other more modern things. I appreciate watching you do that as well.
One of my favorite moments from your videos was when your wife left her flat iron (I think) on your workbench with a sad-face post-it. I totally relate to that in my life.
As much as I like the retro-hobby fantasy, i also like watching someone much better than me work through things I wind up working through in my own life.
I replaced a batter in one some years ago. You're so lucky that you didn't have to replace the battery! It took a while to take mine apart and and then to push the swollen battery out. When I had it reassembled with a new battery, it work. But, there was a weird noise like something was loose inside. It's just a shame that JBL made these without replaceable batteries, which should be a crime!
You often remind me of the electronics version of the TH-cam channel Mustie1. If you’ve never seen him, the reason that is a compliment is because he will often get in a piece of machinery he’s never seen before and knows nothing about; and will figure it out and get it going. I love stuff like this where both me and the content creator are learning together.
I’ve had the jbl flip 5 for years and no issues… sometimes charge ports mess up to mishandling or it’s been refurbished and the owner didn’t know
What kind of PowerBank is this? 😊
I'm listening to this video on the exact same speaker. They are pretty good for the size, especially if placed on a wooden table or similar. Loose screws and connectors look like vibration problems. Of course, a speaker should be hardened against vibrations causing such troubles.
Hi Adrian,
Happy New Year! Thank for videos on all your channels!
Sincerely, Alexander
I have a flip 4 that I have to do the same thing to. I’m glad this popped up as now I know what to expect
Yes, the figure 8 logo is for the multi-speaker feature.
Gotta love those transferable skills. Well played, Sir!
I must admit I did almost miss this video as it thought it was another generic 'fix it' channel that I’d given up on but fine for a 'one off'. 😮
Happy new year though!
I recall watching a video a while ago from someone who repairs amazon returns and when he took one of these appart, it was the same issue. I think this is a common problem due to poor design/manufacturing.
Would like to see more of these type of repair videos on this channel.
May I ask for the name of powerbank? Nice display!
Agreed.
I wonder if this speaker would sound good in a bicycle water bottle holder
The Flip 4 came with two speakers in stereo configuration, is hard to hear the channel separation so I believe JBL just change to one speaker due to that reason.
That's the "woofer" (more like a yapper) in the middle - the screws have been loosened by too many plays of loud-ass noise-music. Use some hot glue to fix them in position. In fact the cable was likely vibrated off the socket in the same way.
I have two of these speakers that I bought (on a 50% sale) quite a few years ago, no trouble with them so far. Very good sound for such a compact speaker, and good battery life even years later.
Never knew it was only one speaker, it sure doesn't sound flat like mono usually does.
And yeah, it's IPX7 rated. It's supposed to be able to be submerged in a meter of water for half an hour without issue, minimum. I use one in my shower if I want music, never had an issue in all the years I've had them.
I have no idea how the passive bass radiator thingy works, but it sure does work 'cause they have pretty good bass.
You can also link them for proper stereo, or more than just two for more omph in the sound. And yeah, play button twice to skip song, but the timing is a bit picky, too fast or too slow and it just pauses.
I don't think this was sabotage, I just think it all got shaken loose over time. That's my guess anyway.
However, I bought a pair of JBL earbuds and while the sound was absolutely amazing the contact points for charging wore down and flaked away in just a few months of use and they stopped charging. I gave them to my brother and he juryrigged a solution in the form of balling up a few short lengths of thin steel wire and stuffing them in the holes for the contact points and got them to work for like a year longer. Not sure what happened to them since.
I bought some Raycon Everyday earbuds to replace them, and while the sound isn't as good the volume they can reach is much higher (which was my only complaint about the sound in the JBLs) and I've never had a single problem with them in the years since. Excellent quality, reliable, lasts years, excellent price.
Since then I've even bought Raycon Fitness earbuds for when I'm swimming (or sometimes when I'm in the shower) and want to listen to music or a podcast, and they work just as well, though I personally think the sound quality is slightly lower than the Everyday earbuds.
Hello fellow T:Slim user! I'm about to hit 4 years with mine and I'm switching to Beta Bionics' Ilet pump. Hoping more algorithm means more better.
I've had one of these for a while and I love it! good to know its serviceable!
Hey Adrian, did you know that you can use the top lid of your iFixit case as a screw holder/organizer? That's why is has all the squares.
My JBL earbuds there is an app where you can customize the EQ to what you like and check the battery charge state.
I own two Flip 4's that are great speakers, but they have micro usb charging ports and one of them has the same problem with the loose connector.
Nice video and thanks for you found out how to open it. I have a JBL Flip 3 with broken MicroUSB connector. Iam thinking about try to hack with USB-C connector instead.
I have the Flip 4, which was a much better device with proper stereo speakers and awesome sound. Still works like a charm.
My flip 4 got water damaged. I have to find a replacement ribbon cable and i think its good to go again. In the meantime i found a flip 3
Yuo should have test a full charge to be sure you don't need to replace the battery
i kinda want to know what brand that battery bank is
Same here.
I have a Flip 4, double tapping the play button should advance the track. Maybe it just needs to be quicker. They are pretty nice speakers though, no regrets here. Nice bass and pretty solidly built.
I had no idea going from a cheap Anker bluetooth speaker to something like these would be that much better, but the difference was night and day. It's good to know it ought to at least be repairable when the time comes.
It fits great into a bicycle bottle holder. I use one to hold my flip in my workshop.
Every time I've used JBL stuff that wasn't brand-new, it always has noticeable issues of some kind. For me it's been speakers. I've seen a lot of blown EON speakers, I had a Toyota with a JBL system where one of the speakers was blown, recently I got a set of their computer speakers and both need new drivers... their speakers apparently always have design flaws of some kind, and it doesn't seem accidental. I can't imagine ever buying their stuff new. What does JBL stand for anyway, 'Just Barely Luxury'?
One minute praising iFixIt toolkit, few seconds later using random tray instead of iFixIt cover screw organizer.
1:40 - When it connects to a device it plays the GIH-tar! :)
This was more interesting than I thought it would be - consider sprinkling in some non-retro computer repair videos in the future :) thank you!
Well done, and thanks - I might need that disassembly info. I guess loud sound vibrations shook the connections apart.
Incidentally, a lot of the 'bass' on these tiny things comes from clever psycho-acoustics in DSP - distortion creates harmonics that trick the brain into hearing bass.