JBL Pulse portable Bluetooth speaker: The mobile speaker with a built-in light show

A lot of portable Bluetooth speakers are available in the market which are not very different from one another. It then feels good to come across a product like JBL's Pulse, which features a multi-LED light show to catch the eye. JBL products are counted as amongst the best.

The JBL Pulse is a compact wireless Bluetooth speaker that delivers good sound for its size, but maybe not as good as some competitors in the same category. It is bundled with a built-in rechargeable battery that offers 10 hours of battery for sound only and 5 hours with the light show in effect. Pulse doesn't offer an impressive battery life.

The Pulse costs about $199.95. A price at which you're not going to get the best sound quality, but you are getting a much flashier speaker -- literally. For the jazzy lighting element, there are different pre-programmed modes to choose from and you can select a custom light theme and control the brightness -- or just turn off the LEDs altogether and listen to the Pulse as a standard wireless Bluetooth speaker.

A small drawback in the Pulse is the low bass that reduces the clarity of sound. Throw in bass-heavy or a rock song and you just can't play it at higher volumes without the sound cracking.

Conclusion

The Pulse’s sound effectiveness matches up pretty well against competing speakers in its price class.

The icing on the cake is the light show. It certainly adds an exciting dimension to the listening experience. Not everyone will like it, but combined with the speaker's decent sound, it makes the Pulse a good buy in a crowded market.