"I purchased a pair of JBL Pulse 2 speakers ($400) so we could have portable stereo sound. They have a built in battery that requires a USB connection for charging. Both developed a physical problem with the USB port that has gotten progressively worse. Charging them now requires getting the connector aligned just right and hoping it stays at exactly that position. Even if you manage to do that, it usually disconnects because the plug does not stay in *exactly* the same place. In short, just charging these speakers is a PITA and now almost impossible which renders them useless.

That is bad enough but the bigger issue is what JBL refers to as 'customer service'. IF the speakers were purchased from an authorized dealer AND are still covered by the one year warranty, they will simply replace them. Fair enough. Otherwise, throw them out. You read that correctly; as soon the one year warranty expires, JBL provides absolutely zero support or repair options even if you're willing to pay them.

This problem is apparently common because there are ebay 'sellers' who offer USB Charging Port replacement and seem to have thousands of customers -- I stopped counting feedback when it got into the high hundreds for just one of them.

Note that this problem is NOT limited to the Pulse speakers. Apparently most JBL speakers with a USB port have the same fatal flaw. Buyer beware."