Short answer: the JBL Boombox 3, if you are buying new. The Aiwa Exos-9 ranks higher than it (#9 vs #27 of 91 boombox speakers, 4.2/5 vs 3.8/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the JBL Boombox 3 is still sold new at $349.95.
The Aiwa Exos-9 is the better-sounding option. It still sounds great against current models. It has a microphone input for karaoke or announcements, which the JBL Boombox 3 lacks. It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Boombox 3 lacks.
The JBL Boombox 3 is the longer-running, tougher choice. 24 hour battery life (6.5 hour charge time). It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 10 for the Aiwa Exos-9. It is rated IP67, while the Aiwa Exos-9 has no water resistance. It links with other speakers (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers), which the Aiwa Exos-9 cannot. The tradeoff: Dips in mid bass range which makes the bass sound undefined, bass boosted, peaky at 700Hz, not quite as good mids and treble as the Blast.
Buy the JBL Boombox 3, since the Aiwa Exos-9 is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Aiwa Exos-9 | JBL Boombox 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $250 Discontinued | $349.95 |
| Ranked | #9 of 91 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #27 of 91 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz | 43Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (5-band graphic EQ + 4 presets) | No |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | AC Power cable | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 15.2 lbs (6.9 kg) | 14.8 lbs (6.7 kg) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-A) |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| FM Tuner | No | No |
| Microphone Input | Yes (with adapter) | No |
| Amplifier Power | 200W | 180W AC / 136W battery |
| Dimensions | 19.4” x 7.5” x 11.7” (492.8 x 190.5 x 297.2 mm) | 19” x 10.1” x 7.9” (482 x 257 x 200 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5” dual voice coil woofer + 2x 3” midwoofers + 2x 1” silk dome tweeters | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.3 |
| Aux Latency | - | 25ms |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 100ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | - | No |
| Strap | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Aiwa Exos-9 compares with other leading options:
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Aiwa Exos-9
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs Aiwa Exos-9
- JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus vs Aiwa Exos-9
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Aiwa Exos-9
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs JBL Partybox Encore
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Aiwa Exos-9: $250 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Aiwa Exos-10, ranked lower, rated 3.5/5.
Pros: Aiwa Exos-9 uses 6.5” dual voice coil woofer + 2x 3” midwoofers + 2x 1” silk dome tweeters. Its 6.9 kg, claimed 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) battery life, aux input and stereo playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. It still sounds great against current models. Measured bass extension of 44Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 44Hz specification. There is no companion app. Discontinued.
Full Aiwa Exos-9 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 200W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 19.4” x 7.5” x 11.7” (492.8 x 190.5 x 297.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5” dual voice coil woofer + 2x 3” midwoofers + 2x 1” silk dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (5-band graphic EQ + 4 presets) |
| FM Tuner | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Microphone Input | Yes (with adapter) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 15.2 lbs (6.9 kg) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs Vifa Copenhagen 2.0
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs JBL Partybox Encore
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs JBL Partybox Encore 2
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7
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JBL Boombox 3: $349.95 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the JBL Boombox 4, ranked higher, rated 4/5.
Pros: IP67 rated. 24 hour battery life (6.5 hour charge time). Doubles as a power bank. PartyBoost links up to 100 compatible JBL speakers. Three-way speaker system with subwoofer. Measured bass extension of 43Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Dips in mid bass range which makes the bass sound undefined, bass boosted, peaky at 700Hz, not quite as good mids and treble as the Blast.
Full JBL Boombox 3 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 180W AC / 136W battery |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 25ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 100ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 19” x 10.1” x 7.9” (482 x 257 x 200 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| FM Tuner | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Microphone Input | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 14.8 lbs (6.7 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Oluv Patreon: Earfun UBoom X vs JBL Boombox 3 - outdoor test More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Boombox 3 review vs JBL Boombox 2 a subwoofer and a 3 way equals heaven? 💋 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: W King T11 party boombox and Karaoke machine review vs T9, Stormbox Blast and Boombox 3.
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Boombox 3 vs 2x Tribit Stormbox Blast 🤑 Huge difference? More from Dominik Reviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Not quite! JBL Authentics 300 review and sound test vs Boombox 3, Encore and Stormbox Blast
- Alan Ross Reviews: WiFi Edition: JBL Boombox 3 ultimate review! vs Boombox 3 Bluetooth edition
- Oluv Patreon: Earfun UBoom X vs JBL Boombox 3 - outdoor
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Zealot ZE21 vs JBL Boombox 3 Tailgater Special @20ft. The Budget Beast Against the OG Boombox More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 vs JBL Boombox 3 🔊 Got Bass? Let’s See How They Compare 😲 Battery Powered 🔋
- Picky Audio: SO CLOSE! Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs JBL Boombox 3 More from pickyaudio →
- Picky Audio: Extended Sound Test (Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs JBL Boombox 3)
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King X20 JBL Boombox 3 killer! this should be illegal! - I was shocked!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: New! W-King X20 vs JBL Boombox 3 🛜 Head to Head 🔋Battery Powered 📊Custom EQ - Links In Description
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King X20 JBL Boombox 3 killer! this should be illegal! - I was shocked!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: New! W-King X20 vs JBL Boombox 3 🛜 Head to Head 🔋Battery Powered 📊Custom EQ - Links In Description
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tronsmart Bang Max Review, JBL Boombox 3 wannabe 130w
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Skullcandy BARREL XT vs JBL Boombox 3 🤯Budget Banger vs Reigning Champ 🔋 Battery Powered 🏠 Indoors
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: SONY ULT Field 7 💣vs JBL Boombox 3 🧨 Showdown! 🪇Let’s Shake it Up! 🔋Battery Powered Basement Battle
- AudioTribe: JBL Authentics 500 VS JBL Boombox 3 Sound Test Comparison
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- JBL Boombox 3 vs Hopestar A90
- See all 93 comparisons