JBL Boombox

Bombastic bass response ; Good outdoor performance ; Waterproof ; Charges two devices at once ; 24-hour battery life

A little heavy for backpacking or camping ; Poor clarity in treble register ; Limited EQ control

The Boombox didn’t blow us away with crisp clarity, but it doesn’t really need to. It’s sturdy, stylish, big enough to power a party for hours, and it can charge two phones at once. If you’re in search of some jams for your picnic, camping trip, beach...

Really loud and balanced sound Water-resistant + splash-proof 24-hour battery life

It’s pricey No audio cables included Buzzing sound at low battery

The JBL Boombox is a monstrous portable speaker that not only gets loud, but stays pretty crisp when pumping the volume. It’s heavy, and not the easiest thing to carry around, but it’s rugged enough to handle any pool or tailgate party

Exceptionally powerful audio performance with booming bass and crisp highs. Portable despite its power. Waterproof.

Expensive. App lacks EQ. Not for purists seeking flat response-style sound signature.

If the bass boosting sounds like it might be too full for you, there are Bluetooth speakers that still deliver solid low frequency presence in this price range (and lower), but don't necessarily sound like they're packing a subwoofer. The B&O Play...

Marathon 40-hour battery life , lightweight and portable design , ip68 rating with solid build quality

Sub-par directivity

Graphic eq, gets loud with little compression at max volume

Narrow and directional soundstage

Well-balanced sound profile, can get quite loud, graphic eq

Lacks a bit of low-bass, somewhat narrow soundstage, compression artifacts present at max volume

Pumps the volume and bass ; Great overall sound ; Long battery life

Pricey ; Bulky and heavy (understandbly so, given its size)

The Boombox is easily the best-sounding large/loud Bluetooth speaker I’ve tested. I’d say compare it to the similarly-priced and -sized , but that speaker is no longer available from Zagg. Regardless, at $400, the JBL is the better deal unless you need...