Short answer: the JBL Xtreme 2. It ranks #44 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $149.99; the B&O Beosound Level ranks #60 and costs $2250, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the B&O Beosound Level: Premium Scandinavian design with elegant domestic sculpture aesthetic. The catch: Not very deep bass, peaks in midrange.
On the JBL Xtreme 2 side: Four drivers with refined bass balance, closer to studio monitors than typical portables. Watch for: External AC power brick for charging.
One note: the JBL Xtreme 2 is discontinued, but it still ranks #44 of 77 large speakers by sound quality, ahead of most of what is still sold new, so it is worth considering used.
Buy the JBL Xtreme 2. It ranks higher for sound quality than the B&O Beosound Level and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the B&O Beosound Level. It ranks near the bottom of the 77 large speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Xtreme 2 at IPX7 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the B&O Beosound Level at IP54 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| B&O Beosound Level | JBL Xtreme 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,250.00 | $149.99 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #60 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #44 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~60Hz | 54Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs / 3.3 kg | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
| Wifi | Yes | - |
| App | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IP54 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.2 |
| Drivers | 2x 102mm woofers, 1x 51mm fullrange, 2x 20mm tweeters | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Dimensions | 13.7" x 9.1" x 2.2" (348 x 230 x 56 mm) | 11.3" x 5.4" x 4.2" (287 x 137 x 107 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 39Hz - 23kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 55Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 105W | 40W RMS |
| Max Volume | 96dB | 98dB |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Klipsch Detroit vs Ultimate Ears Megablast
- Ultimate Ears Megablast vs Soundcore Trance/Rave Mega
- Ultimate Ears Megablast vs Orange Box
- B&O Beosound Level vs Sony SRS-XB43
- B&O Beosound Level vs LG PN7
The Two Speakers In Full
B&O Beosound Level: $2,250.00 Amazon
Pros: Premium Scandinavian design with elegant domestic sculpture aesthetic. Battery, WiFi, and Bluetooth enable AC/portable use, upright/flat/wall-mount positioning. Modular design with upgradeable wireless module, sound processing, and battery. 16-hour battery with quick-connect Mag-Safe rear charging puck. 105W output.
Cons: Not very deep bass, peaks in midrange. Hugely expensive.
Full B&O Beosound Level review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~60Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 13.7" x 9.1" x 2.2" (348 x 230 x 56 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 102mm woofers, 1x 51mm fullrange, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 39Hz - 23kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP54 |
| Max Volume | 96dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 105W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs / 3.3 kg |
| Wifi | Yes |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- B&O Beosound Level vs Ultimate Ears Megablast
- B&O Beosound Level vs Ultimate Ears Epicboom
- B&O Beosound Level vs LG PN7
- B&O Beosound Level vs Soundcore Rave Neo
- B&O Beosound Level vs Sony SRS-XG300
- B&O Beosound Level vs Klipsch Detroit
- B&O Beosound Level vs Doss Soundbox XL
- B&O Beosound Level vs JBL Xtreme
- See all 14 comparisons
JBL Xtreme 2: $149.99 Discontinued Amazon
Pros: Four drivers with refined bass balance, closer to studio monitors than typical portables. IPX7 water-resistant. Amazing real-world battery: ~20 hours at 75dB (vs 15hr claim). USB-A port charges other devices. Optional carry strap.
Cons: External AC power brick for charging. Boosted bass. Treble harsh at high volumes. Discontinued.
Full JBL Xtreme 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 54Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.3" x 5.4" x 4.2" (287 x 137 x 107 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 98dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 40W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King D8 speaker review 50 watts power against JBL xtreme 2 and soundcore Motion plus More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King X10 vs JBL Xtreme 3, Xtreme 2 and Xtreme 1! Xtreme Review 🤓
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs JBL Xtreme 2 and Xtreme 1 - review and sound test
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony xb43 JBL Xtreme 2 W-King d8 Dockin D Fine
- Ezekielo: JBL Xtreme 2 vs Sonos Move with Sound Comparison
- HT Sound: Devialet Mania VS JBL Xtreme 2 - 60% Vol (Listen with headphones)
- Reddit Search for JBL Xtreme 2 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons