Short answer: the Brane X for bass and features, the JBL Boombox 4 for battery and toughness. The Brane X uses a dedicated subwoofer plus two midrange drivers and two tweeters to reach a measured -10dB extension of 31Hz in a 7.7 lbs (3.5 kg) speaker, with Wi-Fi, AirPlay and Alexa. The Boombox 4 offers very strong output, a 28-hour claimed battery and IP68 protection, but it is overpriced and sounds worse than the Boombox 3 out of the box.
Buy the Brane X at $549 for a large speaker, or the JBL Boombox 4 at $549.95 for a boombox speaker instead.
If battery life is a priority, the JBL Boombox 4 is rated for 28 hours versus 12 hours for the Brane X.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
A portable speaker with extraordinarily deep bass for its size, plus Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Alexa and a low latency aux input.
An extremely loud boombox for its size with fully waterproof, dustproof build, a long battery and a flexible app EQ.
Prices on this page were last checked November 2, 2026 at 11:36 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
| Brane X | JBL Boombox 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $549.00 | $549.95 |
| Ranked | #4 of 117 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #20 of 112 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Latency | 295ms default, 33ms with aux pass-through | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz | 41Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 28 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC | SBC, LC3, AAC |
| IP Rating | IP57 | IP68 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 100ms | AAC 144ms, SBC 48ms |
| Maximum SPL | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 115dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Brane app, up to 8 speakers) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | AC Power brick | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 7.7 lbs (3.5 kg) | 13.2 lbs (5.98 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| App | Yes (Brane app) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa | - |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | Yes (7 band) |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-C, up to 30W) |
| Dimensions | 9.3” x 7” x 6.1” (236 x 178 x 155 mm) | 20.1” x 10.2” x 8.3” (510 x 260 x 210 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2.5” midrange, 2x 0.75” tweeters + 6.5”x9” subwoofer | 2x 123mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters with passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 30Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 200W | 210W AC / 200W battery |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.4 |
| Strap | No | No |
| Removable Battery | - | Yes |
| USB Playback | - | No |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| Microphone Input | - | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | No |
Watch Them Compared
Videos and reviews that test both speakers side by side.
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