These sit in different size classes, so this is not a straight ranking comparison. The Bose SoundLink Plus ranks #25 of 120 large speakers by sound quality at $179; the JBL Boombox 3 ranks #27 of 113 boombox speakers by sound quality at $349.95.
The Bose SoundLink Plus is the lighter choice. A waterproof mid size speaker with vibrant sound, booming bass, clean mids, a long battery and premium build. At 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) it weighs much less than the JBL Boombox 3 at 14.8 lbs (6.7 kg). Watch for: Boosted thuddy bass, but not as deep as the SoundLink Flex and you should probably just buy one of those instead if you want a Bose.
What the JBL Boombox 3 does well: A loud, fully waterproof boombox with a dedicated subwoofer, a 24 hour battery and power bank charging. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Bose SoundLink Plus lacks. The catch: 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 SoundLink Plus at $179 if you want a large speaker. Buy the JBL Boombox 3 at $349.95 if you want a boombox speaker instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 7, 2026 at 7:34 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Plus | JBL Boombox 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $179.00 | $349.95 |
| Ranked | #25 of 120 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #27 of 113 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC Power cable |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) | 14.8 lbs (6.7 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| EQ | No | No |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.9” x 3.4” (231 x 99 x 86 mm) | 19” x 10.1” x 7.9” (482 x 257 x 200 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 2.5” (63.5mm) woofer + 1x ~0.78” (20mm) tweeter + 4x passive radiators | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | No |
| Aux Latency | - | 25ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 43Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 100ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| USB Playback | - | No |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| Microphone Input | - | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | No |
| Amplifier Power | - | 180W AC / 136W battery |
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