JBL has three large portable Bluetooth speakers currently available. So, what are the main differences between the Boombox, Boombox 2 and PartyBox On-The-Go?
You can find out in this comparison guide for the three speakers.
Quick Summary
When compared to the JBL Boombox and JBL Boombox 2, the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go comes with many extra features such as a wireless microphone, lighting effects, USB music playback in addition to a shoulder strap with a bottle opener attached.
On the other hand, the Boombox and Boombox 2 have a battery life that is four time longer than the battery life of the PartyBox On-The-Go.
The two boomboxes are also better protected against water damage.
Unlike the PartyBox On-The-Go, you can also use the 1st and 2nd Gen Boombox speakers as power banks to recharge other devices.
When you compare the first and second generation JBL Boombox, the newer release provides more speaker power output and comes with an updated Bluetooth connection.
If you are interested, you can purchase any of the three aforementioned portable speakers on Amazon with the following links:
- JBL Boombox Portable Bluetooth Speaker
- JBL Boombox 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
- JBL PartyBox On-The-Go Portable Party Speaker
Boombox vs. Boombox 2 vs. PartyBox On-The-Go Comparison Chart
You can take a look at Seeking Tech’s comparison table for the three JBL portable speakers below.
| JBL Boombox Portable Bluetooth Speaker | JBL Boombox 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker | JBL PartyBox On-The-Go Portable Party Speaker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What’s in the Box | 1x JBL Boombox Speaker 1x Power adaptor 1x Cable | 1x JBL Boombox 2 Speaker 1x JBL branded power adaptor 1x Quick start guide 1x Safety sheet 1x Warranty card | 1x JBL PartyBox On-The-Go Speaker 1x wireless microphone 1x Quick-start guide 1x Safety sheet 1x Warranty sheet 1x Power cable |
| Weight | 5.25 kg (or 11.57 lbs.) | 5.90 kg (or 13.00 lbs.) | 7.5 kg (or 16.50 lbs.) |
| Dimensions | 458.5 mm x 254.5 mm x 195.5 mm (19.5” x 10.0” x 7.7”) | 484.0 mm x 256.0 mm x 201.0 mm (19.1" x 10.1” x 7.9") | 489.0 mm x 244.5 mm x 224.0 mm (19.3” x 9.6” x 8.8") |
| Transducers | 2x 106mm (4") woofers 2x 20mm (0.75") tweeters | 2x 106mm (4") woofers 2x 20mm (0.75") tweeters | 1x 133mm (5.25") woofer 2x 44mm (1.75") tweeters |
| Output Power | 2x 30W (AC mode) 2x 20W (Battery mode) | 2x 40 W RMS-woofer + 2x 40 W RMS-tweeter (AC mode) 2x 30 W RMS-woofer + 2x 30 W RMS-tweeter (Battery mode) | 100W RMS |
| Frequency Response | 50 Hz to 20 kHz | 50 Hz to 20 kHz | 50 Hz to 20 kHz |
| Signal-to-Noise Ratio | 80 dB | Less than 80 dB | Less than 80 dB |
| Power Supply | 20V/4A | 24V/4.2A | 100 – 240V – 50/60Hz |
| Battery Type | Li-ion polymer 72.6Wh | Lithium-ion Polymer (74Wh) | Lithium-ion 18Wh (7.2V @ 2500mAh) |
| Music Playing Time | Up to 24 hours | Up to 24 hours | Up to 6 hours |
| Battery Charge Time | Up to 6.5 hours | Up to 6.5 hours | Up to 3.5 hours |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 4.2 | Bluetooth 5.1 | Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Waterproof | IPX7 | IPX7 | IPX4 |
| Connection with Other Speakers | JBL Connect+ | JBL PartyBoost | True Wireless Stereo (TWS) Bluetooth |
| Power Bank | Supported | Supported | Not Supported |
| Synched Light Show | Not Supported | Not Supported | Supported |
| Mic and Instrument Inputs | Not Supported | Not Supported | Supported |
| USB Music Playback | Not Supported | Not Supported | Supported |
| Shoulder Strap | Not Included | Not Included | Included |
| Pricing | Check price on Amazon. | Check price on Amazon. | Check price on Amazon. |
What’s in the Box
You can take a look at the content included in each box for all three products below:
JBL Boombox:
- 1x JBL Boombox Speaker
- 1x Power adaptor
- 1x Cable
JBL Boombox 2:
- 1x JBL Boombox 2 Speaker
- 1x JBL branded power adaptor
- 1x Quick start guide
- 1x Safety sheet
- 1x Warranty card
JBL PartyBox On-The-Go:
- 1x JBL PartyBox On-The-Go Speaker
- 1x wireless microphone
- 1x Quick-start guide
- 1x Safety sheet
- 1x Warranty sheet
- 1x Power cable
Weight
The PartyBox On-The-Go is easiest the heaviest out of this group, followed by the Boombox 2. The original Boombox is the lightest.
You can check out the weight specifications below:
- Boombox: 5.25 kg (or 11.57 lbs.)
- Boombox 2: 5.90 kg (or 13.00 lbs.)
- PartyBox On-The-Go: 7.5 kg (or 16.50 lbs.)
Dimensions
All three JBL portable speakers are pretty similar in terms of physical size.
You can take a look at the full measurements below:
- Boombox: 458.5 mm x 254.5 mm x 195.5 mm (19.5” x 10.0” x 7.7”)
- Boombox 2: 484.0 mm x 256.0 mm x 201.0 mm (19.1″ x 10.1” x 7.9″)
- PartyBox On-The-Go: 489.0 mm x 244.5 mm x 224.0 mm (19.3” x 9.6” x 8.8″)
Transducers
When it comes to transducers, the Boombox and Boombox 2 are equipped with two woofers and two tweeters of the same size.
The PartyBox On-The-Go speaker is equipped with a singular woofer, as well as two tweeters, that are bigger than the Boomboxes.
You can take a look at the transducers for each product below:
Boombox:
- 2x 106mm (4″) woofers
- 2x 20mm (0.75″) tweeters
Boombox 2:
- 2x 106mm (4″) woofers
- 2x 20mm (0.75″) tweeters
PartyBox On-The-Go:
- 1x 133mm (5.25″) woofer
- 2x 44mm (1.75″) tweeters
Output Power
You can take a look at the output power of the three Bluetooth speakers in this versus showdown below:
Boombox:
- 2x 30W (AC mode)
- 2x 20W (Battery mode)
Boombox 2:
- 2x 40 W RMS-woofer + 2x 40 W RMS-tweeter (AC mode)
- 2x 30 W RMS-woofer + 2x 30 W RMS-tweeter (Battery mode)
PartyBox On-The-Go:
- 100W RMS
Frequency Response
The Boombox 1, Boombox 2 and PartyBox On-The-Go offer the same frequency response range, which is from 50 Hz to 20 kHz.
Signal-to-Noise Ratio
For the signal-to-noise ratio, the original Boombox has an 80 dB rating.
The second generation Boombox, as well as the PartyBox On-The-Go, has a SNR of less than 80 dB.
Power Supply
You can take a look at the power supply used for each of the speaker in this comparison below:
- Boombox: 20V/4A
- Boombox 2: 24V/4.2A
- PartyBox On-The-Go: 100 – 240V – 50/60Hz
Battery Type
You can also find the internal battery type for the three products below:
- Boombox: Li-ion polymer 72.6Wh
- Boombox 2: Lithium-ion Polymer (74Wh)
- PartyBox On-The-Go: Lithium-ion 18Wh (7.2V @ 2500mAh)
Music Playing Time
The Boombox and Boombox 2 have a major advantage over the PartyBox On-The-Go when it comes to battery life.
The two boombox speakers have a maximum music play time that is four times longer than the PartyBox On-The-Go.
The actual length will depend on volume level, the content being played, internal battery wear and tear as well as other factors.
You can check out the battery life lengths below:
- Boombox: Up to 24 hours
- Boombox 2: Up to 24 hours
- PartyBox On-The-Go: Up to 6 hours
Battery Charge Time
The PartyBox On-The-Go does have a shorter battery recharge time when compared to the JBL Boombox and Boombox 2.
You can find the charge time lengths below:
- Boombox: Up to 6.5 hours
- Boombox 2: Up to 6.5 hours
- PartyBox On-The-Go: Up to 3.5 hours
Bluetooth Version
When it comes to Bluetooth support, the Boombox 2 supports Bluetooth 5.1 while the Boombox 1 and PartyBox On-The-Go support Bluetooth 4.2.
Waterproof
When it comes to waterproofing, both the JBL Boombox Portable Bluetooth Speaker and JBL Boombox 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker have been rated IPX7. This means that the devices can be submerged underwater for a maximum of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes.
The PartyBox On-The-Go is less resistant to water as it got an IPX4 rating, which means that it can withstand being splashed with water from any direction.
Connection with Other Speakers
When it comes to being able to connect with other speakers, the JBL Boombox uses JBL Connect+ while the JBL Boombox 2 uses PartyBoost.
The JBL PartyBox On-The-Go uses True Wireless Stereo (TWS) Bluetooth to wirelessly connect to a compatible speaker.
Power Bank
Unlike the PartyBox On-The-Go, the first and second generation JBL Boomboxes can also be used as a power bank to recharge other electronics, including your smartphone.
Synched Light Show
The PartyBox On-The-Go is the only speaker in this comparison guide to feature light show support as you will be able to sync lighting effects to the rhythm of the music.
Mic and Instrument Inputs
The JBL PartyBox On-The-Go is also the only one of the three to feature microphone and instrument inputs.
USB Music Playback
Furthermore, the PartyBox On-The-Go is the only one that can playback music from a USB storage device. The speaker supports the FAT16 and FAT32 formats. It can also play music files from the mp3, wav and wma formats.
Shoulder Strap
Last but not least, the PartyBox On-The-Go comes with a shoulder strap that conveniently has a bottle opener attached.
Resources:
- https://www.jbl.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-masterCatalog_Harman/default/dw397e9f76/pdfs/JBL_BOOMBOX_SpecSheet_English.pdf
- https://www.jbl.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-masterCatalog_Harman/default/dwf5f58007/pdfs/JBL_BoomBox2_SpecSheet_English.pdf
- https://eu.jbl.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-masterCatalog_Harman/default/dw62337a4e/pdfs/JBL_PartyBox_OTG_SpecSheet_English.pdf