Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Bose S1 Pro+ ranks #6 of 15 battery-powered PA speakers by sound quality at $699; the JBL Boombox 3 ranks #27 of 91 boombox speakers by sound quality at $349.95.
The case for the Bose S1 Pro+: Extremely compact and light with flexible placement options, and very loud for its size. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the JBL Boombox 3 lacks. 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 catch: Leans toward a bright sound signature, and its bass bottoms out as the volume rises, so full range music suffers well before maximum loudness.
The JBL Boombox 3 is the deeper-bass, longer-running option. 24 hour battery life (6.5 hour charge time). Its bass reaches about 43Hz before falling 10dB, against 55Hz for the Bose S1 Pro+. It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 11 for the Bose S1 Pro+. It is rated IP67, while the Bose S1 Pro+ has no water resistance. 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 Bose S1 Pro+ at $699 if you want a battery-powered PA speaker. Buy the JBL Boombox 3 at $349.95 if you want a boombox speaker instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete PA & Live Sound rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose S1 Pro+ | JBL Boombox 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $699.00 | $349.95 |
| Ranked | #6 of 15 in Battery-Powered PA Speakers | #27 of 91 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Passive | No | - |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz | 43Hz |
| Battery Life | 11 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| Charging Time | 5 hours | - |
| Dimensions | 13.1” x 9.4” x 11” (332.7 x 238.8 x 279.4 mm) | 19” x 10.1” x 7.9” (482 x 257 x 200 mm) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Inputs | 2x XLR/6.3mm combo (mic/line/instrument), 6.3mm line, 3.5mm stereo, Bluetooth | - |
| Microphone Input | Yes | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Weight | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) | 14.8 lbs (6.7 kg) |
| XLR Input | Yes | - |
| Drivers | 1x 6” (152mm) woofer + 3x 2.25” (57mm) tweeters | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Maximum SPL | 109dB | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Amplifier Power | 150W | 180W AC / 136W battery |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Configuration | Battery-powered 2-way active PA | - |
| Cabinet Material | Polypropylene | - |
| Rigging | 35mm pole mount; multi-position cabinet | - |
| DSP | 3-channel mixer with EQ, reverb and Auto EQ | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Guitar Input | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz | - |
| Coverage | 120° H x 50° V | - |
| Aux Latency | - | 25ms |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 100ms |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | No |
| Strap | - | No |
Watch Them Compared
Videos and reviews that test both speakers side by side.
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Boombox 3 compares with other leading options:
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- JBL Boombox 3 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Boombox 3
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL Boombox 3
- JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus vs JBL Boombox 3
Prices on this page were last checked October 10, 2026 at 5:37 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
Bose S1 Pro+: $699.00 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Bose S1 Pro (ranked lower, rated 4/5). See every Bose S1 Pro generation.
Pros: Extremely compact and light with flexible placement options, and very loud for its size. Three-channel mixer (2 XLR/quarter-inch combo mic-instrument + 1 line/Bluetooth), each with its own OLED display for quick treble/bass/reverb adjustment. Auto EQ adjusts sound based on orientation. Multiple angled surfaces for various positioning including tilted portrait mode, plus a line out to daisy-chain a second unit. Optional WT-XLR/WT-INST wireless transmitters dock, pair, and charge right in the speaker for a cable-free mic or instrument. Up to 11 hours battery life. High efficiency drivers reach 2-3x the volume of typical speakers for the same wattage. Measured bass extension of 62Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Leans toward a bright sound signature, and its bass bottoms out as the volume rises, so full range music suffers well before maximum loudness. Better suited for voice and instrument amplification than for casual music listening. Treble is pretty boosted. Not stereo. Designed for more loudness than deeper bass. Ports are fully exposed with no water resistance. Charges via a less common three-prong AC cable instead of the two-prong barrel cable most rivals use.
Full Bose S1 Pro+ review and specifications →
| Released | Jul 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 150W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 11 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Cabinet Material | Polypropylene |
| Charging Time | 5 hours |
| Configuration | Battery-powered 2-way active PA |
| Coverage | 120° H x 50° V |
| DSP | 3-channel mixer with EQ, reverb and Auto EQ |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 13.1” x 9.4” x 11” (332.7 x 238.8 x 279.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 6” (152mm) woofer + 3x 2.25” (57mm) tweeters |
| EQ | Yes |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | 2x XLR/6.3mm combo (mic/line/instrument), 6.3mm line, 3.5mm stereo, Bluetooth |
| Maximum SPL | 109dB |
| Microphone Input | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Passive | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Rigging | 35mm pole mount; multi-position cabinet |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
JBL Boombox 3: $349.95 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the JBL Boombox 4, ranked higher, rated 4/5, released Jul 2025. It adds USB audio input, app control, adjustable EQ and AAC, but drops the aux input. Water resistance goes from IP67 to IP68.
Older models: the JBL Boombox 2 (ranked lower, rated 3.5/5) and the JBL Boombox (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5). See every JBL Boombox generation.
Same family: the JBL Boombox 3 Wifi (larger model, ranked higher, rated 3.8/5).
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 →
| Released | Aug 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| 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 →
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- 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)
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- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: New! W-King X20 vs JBL Boombox 3 🛜 Head to Head 🔋Battery Powered 📊Custom EQ - Links In Description
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- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Boombox 4 Compared to Boombox 3 & 3 WiFi – Worth the Upgrade?
- YARNZO Tech: Jbl boombox3 vs zealot s98 full sound comparison 🔊🎧 More from YARNZO Tech →
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