Jawbone Big Jambox review

The full lineup of Jawbone speakers include the original, the Mini and, last but not least, the Big Jambox. As the name suggests, the Big Jambox is the largest of the group, weighing a whopping 1,224.7 grams (2.7 pounds) and measuring 9.14 x 25.4 x 7.87 cm (3.6 x 10 x 3.1 inches), nearly three times as large as the original. Despite its large size, reviewers found it compact enough to grasp one-handed. Aside from the size, however, it still shares the same boxy design, perforated metal grill and rubberized top and sides.

The increased physical dimensions lead to increased audio output. It puts out 110 decibels from its dual two-inch drivers and central subwoofer, compared to the 85 decibels from the original. While it might appear that that’s only a small difference, experts explain that Big Jambox is actually more than three times as powerful. PC Mag adds, "I filled the 5,000-square-foot PC Lab with music by cranking the volume to max." Critics mention that high notes were bright and crisp, and mid-range notes were full and accurate.

In addition, Jawbone added their LiveAudio technology to the Big Jambox. LiveAudio uses a cross-talk filter to cancel out competing audio from the left and right speakers, creating the illusion of 3D audio. While good in theory, critics were less than impressed. Engadget states, "While it certainly widens the soundstage…it also tends to bury vocals and…it can soften a song's bite." Without the use of the LiveAudio feature, reviewers found the mid and high range notes to be very clear and accurate at normal volumes. At higher volumes they noticed that the sound distorted slightly.