Short answer: the Earfun Uboom L. It ranks #1 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.6/5, at $49.79; the JBL Flip 5 ranks #70, rated 3.3/5, and costs $64.97, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Earfun Uboom L does well: One of the strongest small-speaker values for music: reviews praise clear vocals, a natural overall balance and a genuinely convincing stereo image when two are paired. The tradeoff: It cannot produce real low-bass rumble or fill a large, noisy space, and the top end loses some detail.
The case for the JBL Flip 5: Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. The tradeoff: Not stereo.
Worth knowing: the JBL Flip 5 is discontinued, though it still ranks #70 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, so a used unit beats most of what is still sold new.
Buy the Earfun Uboom L. It is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Flip 5 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Earfun Uboom L | JBL Flip 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.79 after coupon UBOOMLWC | $64.97 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #1 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #70 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (firmware >= 1.2.6) | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Latency | 216ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | 59Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (10 band, firmware >= 1.2.6) | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 400ms normal / 66ms low latency mode | 200ms |
| Maximum SPL | 103dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 92dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (650 g) | 1.2 lbs (540 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 3.1” x 8.3” x 2.8” (78 x 210 x 72 mm) | 7.1” x 2.7” x 2.9” (181 x 69 x 74 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 55mm drivers + 2x passive radiators | 1x 44x80mm fullrange |
| Amplifier Power | 28W | 20W RMS |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Strap | - | Yes (lanyard) |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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
Earfun Uboom L: $49.79 after coupon UBOOMLWC Amazon EarFun eBay
Pros: One of the strongest small-speaker values for music: reviews praise clear vocals, a natural overall balance and a genuinely convincing stereo image when two are paired. IP67 protection, indoor/outdoor sound modes and Video Mode make it unusually adaptable; Video Mode substantially improves lip-sync for a single speaker. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).
Cons: It cannot produce real low-bass rumble or fill a large, noisy space, and the top end loses some detail. Low-latency Video Mode disables stereo pairing, so a two-speaker setup is not a good movie system. Firmware and app behavior have also varied over the model’s long life, and the physical controls can be easy to trigger in a bag. Latency is about 400ms by default and 66ms in Video Mode, which you enable by pressing the Bluetooth button twice.
Setup: Try setting up the Earfun App (Android or iOS) to see if that works. If not, you’ll need to flash firmware 1.2.7 to work with the app and set with Oluv’s EQ in the Earfun app which sounds the best. The instructions say that you need a USB3 cable, but most USB2 cables work just fine, try the one included with your phone. Check the current firmware version by turning it on, then pressing the power and Bluetooth buttons at the same time. To flash, turn the speaker off then hold down the Bluetooth button while plugging in the cable. To flash on a mac, see these instructions. In TWS mode, long press the outdoor button for 2 seconds to change TWS to Party mode and back.
Full Earfun Uboom L review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 28W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (firmware >= 1.2.6) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 216ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 400ms normal / 66ms low latency mode |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.1” x 8.3” x 2.8” (78 x 210 x 72 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 55mm drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (10 band, firmware >= 1.2.6) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 103dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (650 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Best portable speakers 2025 - get the best bang for your buck $$$ More from Oluv’Sone →
- Oluv Patreon: SoundCore Boom 3i - first impressions & EQs
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: New Beats Pill 2024: sound demo
- CEONTHEMAKING: Earfun Uboom L - This Speaker Replaced My JBL Flip 6… More from CEONTHEMAKING →
- Techder Audios: EARFUN UBOOM L VS SOUNDCORE MOTION+ More from techderaudios →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Earfun UBoom L Review Speaker tuned by a Geek vs Soundcore Motion Plus $100 dollar best portable? More from alanrossreviews →
- Oluv Patreon: Soundcore Motion 300 = Bose Soundlink Flex = Earfun UBoom L?
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Earfun UBoom L 💣(EQ2) 🆚 Tribit XSound Mega 🔥(XBass EQ)- Bluetooth Speaker Bedroom Bash. Who U Got?🔝 More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: JBL, Bose, B&O, Sonos, Earfun, SoundCore… which portable speaker sounds best?
- DIY Subwoofers - Uboom L Measurements and Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
JBL Flip 5: $64.97 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Newer model: the JBL Flip 7, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5.
Pros: Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. Charges via USB-C, topping off in about 2.5 hours. IP67 rated. Measured bass extension of 59Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Boosted upper bass. Piercing sound when turned up. Peaky lower treble at higher volumes. Discontinued.
Full JBL Flip 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1” x 2.7” x 2.9” (181 x 69 x 74 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 92dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (540 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beoplay A1 Denon 250bt JBL Flip 5 Anker Flare 2 More from alanrossreviews →
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3? More from DLXWillington →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs JBL Flip 5 v Tribit Maxsound Plus
- Techder Audios: #JBL Flip 5 VS #JBL Flip Essential "IMPRESSIVE COMPARISON!?" More from techderaudios →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs JBL Flip 5 & Soundcore Boost - true stereophonic 🤓
- Head-to-Head Comparisons