
I conducted a blindfolded Bluetooth speaker test with 4 colleagues and no, JBL didn’t win — here’s which portable speaker got the most votes based on their ears only
THE SO WHAT
Blind tests that overturn brand expectations are a reminder that perceived quality is still highly malleable when you strip away marketing and UX. For product teams, this is a nudge to run more no-brand, no-UI tests on core experience—sound, latency, battery—before assuming the logo will carry the sale.
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