The Go 2 has a slightly bigger sound with more pronounced bass but I expected a bigger effect of the new passive radiator. Conclusion The other difference, the water protection is a nice addition and with this, the Go 2 became a better outdoor speaker and it can be also used as a shower speaker. In terms of music control, there is no change, both models have a limited music control capability, which means you can pause/play the music by pressing the ‘Play’ button and you can jump to the next song by double pressing it. The JBL Go does not have any advanced attachment option like its bigger brother the JBL Clip 2 which has a built-in carabiner. I think it is an important feature if you want to use the device outside and makes the usage of the speaker much more versatile.

I think the design of the Go 2 is definitely better, it feels more premium and a bit more durable as well. We're glad of some improvements in the sound department, mind. We cue up The Waterboys’ The Whole Of The Moon on Apple Music from our iPhone and immediately we can tell that the update has resulted in some sonic enhancements. JBL hasn’t disclosed any information about the driver under the hood, but it’s entirely possible that the extra power and overhauled design can be attributed to the more integrated, rounded, balanced sound over the JBL Go 2.

JBL insist good audio doesn't have to mean a price. This is a portable speaker. When sitting in the garden, this sound system liven the party. Reuseable, Continual Sounds

The Go 3 features Bluetooth 5.1 instead of 4.1, plus a maximum power output of 4.2W, up from 3W in the Go 2. The one specification that hasn’t changed, though, is the battery life. It takes 2.5 hours to charge fully, and you can still only get five hours of playtime from it from a single charge. This was a complaint when we reviewed the previous model, and it’s a shame JBL couldn’t eke out a little more stamina in this update. However, on its left side, it has a loop what you can use to attach a lanyard or carabiner to the speaker. However, the other attributes of the speakers are quite similar, such as the sound quality, so if you do not need the water protection then you better get the cheaper older model. Both speakers have a built-in microphone so can be used as a speakerphone to answer phone calls. Attachment OptionThe Go does not have any water protection, so it cannot be used as a shower speaker and it is not even splash-proof, so you have to be careful when you use it on the beach. Throughout Koffee’s Toast we find much to enjoy about the Go 3’s timing, accuracy and emotive vocal presentation too. Though it isn’t perfect –there’s a limit to the bass clout a product this size can provide, of course – JBL has done a great job here. The bass feels fuller in this latest model and the treble just a shade smoother, thus producing a slightly better sound overall. Overall, there are two main differences between the speakers: the new look of the Go 2 and the IPX7 water protection.

There are no other differences between the buttons, by both models they are only carved markings with matching color so it can be hard to use them especially in low light conditions, except the volume control buttons, which are slightly raised from the plane of the speakers. Music Control