It’s easily the loudest portable Bluetooth speaker I’ve tested, and even better—one of the best sounding. Considering that it employs waterproof materials and carries an IPX7 rating, something I’ve found often inhibits successful sound reproduction, color me impressed. Note that while the four outer buttons might appear in a different color in this image, they’re harder to see from this same angle in real life. The Boombox also features an AC port which resides under a sung-fitting water-proofing plug on the back of the speaker.
JBL also provides a phone app that makes it easier to adjust settings and turn on Partyboost or stereo pairing. I was hoping for a graphic EQ, but the Boombox I tested showed only “indoor” and “outdoor” modes.
At lower volumes, I found the Boombox exceptionally sonically well balanced nearly across the board. In addition to the nicely understated mid-range (for JBL, at least), the bass was far tighter and punchier than I was expecting, and there’s just the right amount of high frequency for my ears. I listened outdoors at volume and the Boombox sounded fine, albeit not quite as refined as it did indoors. The charge indicator was about halfway, so I’ll call the 24-hour figure close to the truth.
JBL Boombox Review
Available in black or forest green models, the Boombox is a hefty cylinder with a large built-in handle for carrying it around (or hoisting it up on your shoulder). The Boombox has an IPX7 rating, meaning it can be submerged in up to a meter of water for a short period of time, so it can definitely be used by the pool and you don’t have to worry about forgetting it outside in the rain.
Using the Voice Memos app on an iPhone 6s, we could understand every word we recorded, but like most speakerphones, the sound was a little distant and clipped, and like most Bluetooth built-in mics, it was also a little fuzzy.
You can also switch between Indoor and Outdoor modes, disable the speakerphone, turn off the sound effects when powering up and down or pairing, and reassign the playback button to instead summon your connected phone’s voice assistant. JBL rates the Boombox’s battery life at roughly 24 hours, but your results will vary with your volume levels and your mix of wired and wireless playback. We tested the Boombox in Indoor mode—and trust us, it packs plenty of bass punch without the added push Outdoor mode provides.
Those two woofers provide plenty of thump, and you can expect the Boombox to rattle walls and vibrate surfaces on deep bass tracks. Callahan’s baritone vocals get some powerful, rich low-mid presence, while the high-mids and highs are also quite sculpted, giving his voice some treble crackle and the keeping the attack of the guitar strums and higher percussive hits bright and clear.
On Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild,” the kick drum loops gets some tremendous added thump, beefing up its sustain, while the sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered with gusto, as well.
Thankfully, JBL keeps the high-mids and highs crisp and things remain fairly balanced, with clear vocal deliveries that manage to avoid sounding overly sibilant or be overpowered by the bass.
JBL Boombox 4.0 Editors’ Choice See It $599.95 at Amazon MSRP $449.99 Pros Exceptionally powerful audio performance with booming bass and crisp highs. The Bottom Line The outdoor-friendly JBL Boombox delivers thunderous bass balanced with solid high frequency presence in a nostalgic design.
JBL Boombox review: Portable, powerful and very bassy
Nowadays, fashion has drastically changed, but a few manufacturers, like JBL, want to bring back that old-school vibe. The company’s Bluetooth speaker, the JBL Boombox has a built-in handle that’s designed to rest on your shoulders. At around that price, you can buy the incredible Dali Katch for £325 the indoor multi-room Orbitsound Dock E30 and the rather unique-looking Studio19 Solo E500X-EQ for £400. The UE Megablast isn’t as loud and doesn’t have the same physical presence as the JBL, but it does have Amazon Alexa support, which the Boombox does not.
Alas, unlike the “ghetto blasters” of yesteryear, the JBL Boombox is not covered with knobs and ostentatious grilles; its name might be designed with a small nod to the past, but its roughly cylindrical shape, circular side-mounted passive drivers and tough nylon fabric coverings contribute to an altogether more modern look. That’s not a problem per se, and the range is pretty good at around 20 metres outdoors, but as with most such speakers you’ll typically need to keep connected devices in the same room if you don’t want the signal to cut out.
It’s also worth noting that the Boombox doesn’t support the aptX codec, which does hinder the sound clarity somewhat. The outdoor mode rams up the low-frequency part of the audio spectrum, which results in mind-boggling amounts of mid-bass. Unlike other Bluetooth speakers I’ve tested, the JBL’s bass response is a raw, physical thump you can feel in your chest; especially when you crank it up. Rivals such as the UE Megablast and the Dali Katch are a lot more precise and deliver far more accurate audio. READ NEXT: Ultimate Ears Megablast review: The best multi-purpose Amazon Alexa smart speaker
JBL Boombox review
The JBL Boombox is a monstrous portable speaker that not only gets loud, but stays pretty crisp when pumping the volume. The JBL Boombox is a monstrous portable speaker that not only gets loud, but stays pretty crisp when pumping the volume. Fast-forward to today, and JBL has taken its penchant for splash-proof and portable Bluetooth audio into a bygone era with its bombastic Boombox. While there are no extra features, like a built-in voice assistant, and it’s relatively expensive at $449 (£399, AU$549), JBL’s Boombox expertly blends the aesthetics of a bygone era with a sound quality that modern audio enthusiasts will enjoy. The Boombox follows JBL’s basic design principles in using fabric and plastic to fashion a water-resistant speaker that looks like an extra-large version of everything else the company has launched. There is a built-in mic for voice calls, and the body itself is IPX7-rated, meaning it stay submerged in clear water for up to 30 minutes. The JBL Connect app for iOS and Android speeds up the setup, but isn’t otherwise necessary to running the Boombox. Skewing the audio spectrum enough to get more bass out of the Boombox, JBL wisely balanced out the mids and highs for an overall sound that was actually clearer than we expected. Sade’s Bullet Proof Soul is a bass-heavy ballad, but it rocked every time we played it, filling the room with both the sultry beat and eerie sax. For action movies and video games with plenty of gunfights and explosions, the Boombox packs the punch of every scene. JBL rated the Boombox at 24 hours of playback per charge, and we found that to be fairly accurate at volume halfway over a mix of Bluetooth or wired connections.
Customer Reviews: JBL Boombox Portable Bluetooth Speaker Black JBLBOOMBOXBLKAM
The sound is so legit that I see no use to increase my home power watt usage just to listen to music. The passive radiators on both sides move in and out when sub sonic bass notes hit and the low end sounds it makes is just incredible for its size!
The battery life on this thing lasts a long time – i got it around 13+ hours (at about 35% volume) and the best part is that it includes two USB ports for charging devices (no data) – and i hooked up a chromecast audio (via 3.5mm to the 3.5mm input on the JBL) so i can wifi transmit music from google easily.
There are 5 LEDs to indicate battery capacity and it’s located on the front bottom and is in white and very visible – EVEN when being AC powered.
I will say it can blasts a huge room easily with music and distort ever so slightly based on the type of music you are playing but at max volume it’s so loud your ears are gonna hurt first in a smaller room before you leave it at max levels. The speaker is IP67 rated so it can handle humidity/even being dunked in water (I did not do this myself but watched Jim’s review room on youtube do this).
The size isn’t too big and heavy either and the handle bar is perfect for transporting. I mean I didn’t even get a chance to hear it in the best buy store because the demo unit was not working but after youtube reviewers claim it’s so good, i gave it a chance and i’m telling you this speaker is the best bluetooth speaker bar none!
The stanmore II was nice build but man the performance is not in the same league as this JBL boombox!! So now here are the cons for me personally: * Looks – it doesn’t look like a high end performing speaker – in fact it’s quite ugly design; but having black unit it doesn’t stand out in my black bookshelf so that’s good. This isn’t a con but I wish they had some grille mesh to protect the side passive bass radiators in case of transporting you puncture those by accident! PS – The JBL Boombox has option for TWO BLUETOOTH CONNECTIONS SIMULATANEOUSLY.
Best wireless Bluetooth boom box for 2021
You can play your favorite music on the go with a supercompact portable Bluetooth speaker that travels well and weighs just a few ounces. The powerful higher-end models require a bulky AC adapter — not just a standard USB phone charger and cable — for charging.
All of these bluetooth boom box options are designed to play a long time at moderate volume levels on the go. Since these are designed for everything from camping trips to tailgating to pool and beach parties, they’re all fairly rugged, with most offering a good degree of water resistance and several being fully waterproof. There’s an integrated handle for toting the speaker, but the PartyBox 110 is pretty hefty, weighing in at 23 pounds and measuring slightly more than 22 inches tall. You can put this bluetooth boom box up vertically as shown in the picture above or place it horizontally, as it has rubber feet on both sides of the speaker.
I didn’t test the stereo mode, but I was impressed with the sound of a single PartyBox 110 — this bluetooth device puts out lots of well-defined bass with good overall clarity in the highs and mids — and I suspect that pairing two of these together would be pretty awesome. But it does deliver enough volume to fill a spacious living room with sound and also plays loud enough for a small pool or beach party.
This is your best bet if you want a portable speaker that can deliver big, quality sound and operates on battery power.
Equipped with a handle and weighing a little over 4 pounds, the speaker reminds me of one of those giant flashlights or “floating lanterns” that were in vogue about 30 years ago.
Anker says the Motion Boom delivers “huge stereo sound” and, yes, this portable bluetooth speaker plays pretty loud and has a decent amount of bass with reasonable clarity — but I wouldn’t call it huge and there’s not much stereo separation (I kept the bass boost on at all times because the speaker sounds better that way.) It’s IP66 water-resistant and dustproof, meaning it can take a sustained spray of water but it can’t be fully submerged.
(The speaker has its own power adapter; you can’t charge it via USB-C.) Battery life is rated at 30 hours at moderate volume levels, which is very good. The Hyperboom’s got a thick rubber strap and it kind of feels like you’re carrying a big pitcher of something really solid. You can also link it wirelessly to the latest UE Bluetooth speakers to spread out the sound across a wider area. Amazon Last year I reviewed Anker’s Soundcore Rave Neo party speaker and gave it high marks. It costs right around $100, plays loud for its size (it’s a medium-size speaker that weighs about 6 pounds) and has a built-in handle that makes it easy to tote around. Also worth noting: For those who want more expansive sound for streaming music, you can link multiple Trance Go speakers.
Like JBL’s smaller Bluetooth speakers, the Xtreme 3 is a versatile boom box that can be stood up vertically or placed horizontally.
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