Neither Aiwa Exos-9 nor JBL Pulse 3 were recommended by experts this month
On 2 Apr 2024 (14 days ago) we went through 115 Bluetooth Speaker expert endorsements , however neither Aiwa Exos-9 nor JBL Pulse 3 were included in any of those recommendations. Since neither Bluetooth Speaker received a single endorsement, as far as expert recommendations go, it's technically a tie. We do, however, recommend taking a look at JBL Charge 5 or other critically acclaimed Portable Bluetooth Speakers of this month.
For reference, JBL Charge 5 received 6 endorsements this month, from What Hi-Fi (18 Mar 2024), SoundGuys (9 Feb 2024) TechRadar (4 Mar 2024) and 3 others.
| Rank | Change | Price | Bluetooth Speaker | What Hi-Fi  | SoundGuys  | PCMag  | Popular Mechanics  | TechRadar  | Rtings.com  | Tom's Guide  | WIRED  | TechHive  | Digital Trends  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | $150 |  JBL Charge 5 The JBL Charge 5 is a durable and high-quality portable Bluetooth speaker with a well-balanced sound, long battery life, and PartyBoost feature, making it perfect for outdoor activities and gatherings. | 1 | 1 | - | - | 7 | - | 12 | 2 | - | 15 |
| N/A | N/A | $1099 |  Aiwa Exos-9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| N/A | N/A | $130 |  JBL Pulse 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Curious to see this month's entire Portable Bluetooth Speakers ranking? It's here
Aiwa Exos-9 
JBL Pulse 3 Customers like JBL Pulse 3 a bit more
At ReviewFinder we prefer to focus on professional product reviews, because customer reviews can be disproportionately affected by unrelated factors such as delivery, specific seller listing problems, and, of course, fake reviews. With that said, below is the summary of consumer sentiment.
JBL Pulse 3
CS of 10 is similar to a 4.8 star review, CS of 0 is similar to a 2 star review.
JBL Pulse 3, the cheaper option, tends to get more favorable reviews than Aiwa Exos-9.
As can be seen in the chart above, median best-selling bluetooth speaker receives a consumer score of 9.1 (great). Both Aiwa Exos-9 and JBL Pulse 3 receive customer reviews that average out above that median threshold.
| Aiwa Exos-9 |
In comparison:
9.4 Amazing
|
| JBL Pulse 3 |
In comparison:
9.7 Amazing
|
| Median best-selling Bluetooth Speaker |
In comparison:
9.1 Great
|
JBL Pulse 3 is more popular than Aiwa Exos-9
It's fairly safe to say that JBL Pulse 3 is a more popular bluetooth speaker than Aiwa Exos-9, based on its 3,000+ reviews. Popularity is determined based on product sales. Note that older and cheaper products tend to sell more.
To consider
| Table: Top compared alternatives for Aiwa Exos-9 and JBL Pulse 3 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Soundboks Go | $699 |
In comparison:
8.5 Great
| 2 expert recommendations | |
 | JBL Charge 5 | $150 |
In comparison:
10.0 Amazing
| 6 expert recommendations | More Popular Better Reviews |
 | JBL Authentics 500 | $699 |
We don't yet have enough review information for JBL Authentics 500 N/A
| 2 expert recommendations | |
 | Bose SoundLink Flex | $149 |
In comparison:
10.0 Amazing
| No expert recommendations | More Popular Better Reviews |
| Rank | Change | Price | Bluetooth Speaker | What Hi-Fi | SoundGuys | PCMag | Popular Mechanics | TechRadar | Rtings.com | Tom's Guide | WIRED | TechHive | Digital Trends |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | $150 | JBL Charge 5 The JBL Charge 5 is a durable and high-quality portable Bluetooth speaker with a well-balanced sound, long battery life, and PartyBoost feature, making it perfect for outdoor activities and gatherings. | 1 | 1 | - | - | 7 | - | 12 | 2 | - | 15 |
| 2 | - | $433 |  Sonos Move 2 | - | 2 | - | - | 10 | - | 5 | - | 5 | 4 |
| 3 | - | $176 |  Sonos Roam The Sonos Roam is a highly versatile and durable portable speaker that delivers excellent sound quality, with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, voice assistant integration, and unique features such as Automatic TruePlay and wireless charging. | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 11 | 10 | - | 3 |
| 4 | - | $60 |  Tribit StormBox Micro 2 The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 is a durable and waterproof portable Bluetooth speaker with powerful sound, long battery life, and versatile connectivity options. | 3 | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 9 | - | 8 |
| Show all rows | |||||||||||||
Expert reviews [15]
- with a score: 3
- without a score: 12
| Highest score by Basic Tutorials | 92 |
| Average score based on 15 reviews | 81 |
| Lowest score by TechRadar | 70 |
Score distribution:
| 80-100 | |
| 60-80 | |
| 40-60 | |
| 20-40 | |
| 0-20 |
Expert reviews [9]
- with a score: 7
- without a score: 2
| Highest score by The Streaming Blog | 84 |
| Average score based on 9 reviews | 75 |
| Lowest score by Gadgets 360 | 60 |
Score distribution:
| 80-100 | |
| 60-80 | |
| 40-60 | |
| 20-40 | |
| 0-20 |
- HOME-STEREO SOUND, INSIDE OR OUT - With 200 watts of continuous power and 5 drivers, including a 6.5" dual-voice coil subwoofer, the Exos-9 delivers amazing stereo sound with deep bass, crisp treble and balanced mids. Distortion-free, even at volumes that will draw the attention of the local authorities.
- Read more
- Take your listening experience to the next level with the JBL Pulse 3, The portable, waterproof Bluetooth speaker that combines 360° sound with 360° Lightshow
- With a built-in rechargeable battery that delivers up to 12 hours of playtime and an IPX7 waterproof housing, Pulse 3 is perfect for worry–free listening by the beach or pool – or even in it
- Read more
Speakers range from not being able to handle even a drop of water to being able to be fully submerged in water for several minutes. Do you plan to take your speaker outside? To the beach? To the pool? In the shower? Then you definitely need to verify the level of water resistance before purchasing. You can tell the water resistance by the IP rating—the higher the rating, the more resistant the speaker is to the elements. For reference, the first digit refers to dust protection and the second digit refers to water protection. It reads as: IP68. Anything higher than IP66 will be dust- and splash-proof, meaning it can handle some contact with water, but cannot be fully submerged or soaked.
Battery life for Bluetooth speakers is measured in milliampere hours (mAh). Manufacturers will report the battery life of a speaker in the average number of hours it takes to empty from a full charge. Keep in mind this number is based on medium levels of usage. If you play the speaker on full volume, it will drain the battery faster. Some specialty features like using the speaker to charge your phone or casting an LED light show will also drain the battery faster. The manufacturer reported number is just an estimate, and may be slightly different based on your usage.
It’s also important to consider is the type of battery. Rechargeable lithium-ion (LI-ion) batters are ideal, but some speakers only take standard or rechargeable AA/AAA/C/D batteries. You may even find Bluetooth speakers that recharge via solar power—great for outdoor use!
Aiwa Exos-9 is a popular option at the top of the price range. It's in the top 3 bestselling bluetooth speakers and has dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as JBL PartyBox 300 or Naim Mu-So Qb .
Aiwa Exos-9 was released in 2015. There are dozens of newer bluetooth speakers on the market. Show newer Bluetooth Speakers
Aiwa Exos-9 is $974 more expensive than the average bluetooth speaker ($125).
JBL Pulse 3 is a popular option in the middle of the bluetooth speakers price range. It's in the top 3 bestselling bluetooth speakers and has dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Marshall Emberton II or Audio Pro Addon C3 .
JBL Pulse 3 was released in 2017. There are dozens of newer bluetooth speakers on the market. Show newer Bluetooth Speakers
JBL Pulse 3 is $4.95 more expensive than the average bluetooth speaker ($125).
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