Short answer: the Earfun Uboom L for sound, the JBL Go 5 for durability and pairing. The Uboom L, tuned by Oluv, is the stronger-sounding pick, but latency is high at 400ms unless low latency mode brings it to 66ms, and that mode does not work when two speakers are TWS paired. The Go 5 brings an IP68 rating, up from the Go 4’s IP67, plus AirTouch tap-to-pair stereo linking, yet stays overpriced and little changed from the Go 4 besides the lights.
On the Earfun Uboom L side: Tuned by Oluv and he knocked it out of the park. The tradeoff: Latency is high (400ms) without turning on low latency mode (66ms) which doesn’t work when two speakers are TWS paired.
The case for the JBL Go 5: IP68 rating, up from the Go 4’s IP67. AirTouch tap-to-pair stereo linking. Set against that: Still overpriced for what it delivers, not very different from the Go 4 besides the lights.
Buy the Earfun Uboom L ($49.79) for a medium speaker; the JBL Go 5 ($39.95) suits a small speaker instead.
Battery life favors the Earfun Uboom L: rated for 16 hours against 8 hours for the JBL Go 5.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Earfun Uboom L | JBL Go 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.79 after coupon UBOOMLWC | $39.95 |
| Ranked | #1 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #24 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (firmware >= 1.2.6) | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Latency | 216ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours, 10 with Playtime Boost (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (10 band, firmware >= 1.2.6) | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 400ms normal / 66ms low latency mode | - |
| Maximum SPL | 103dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (650 g) | 0.5 lbs (230 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 6.0 |
| Dimensions | 3.1" x 8.3" x 2.8" (78 x 210 x 72 mm) | 4" x 3" x 1.7" (101 x 77 x 43 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 55mm drivers + 2x passive radiators | 45mm |
| Amplifier Power | 28W | 4.8W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Frequency Response | - | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Charging Time | - | 3 hours |
| Lights | - | Yes |
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- Earfun Uboom L vs JBL Charge 6
Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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 Myearfun 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.
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 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 Go 5: $39.95 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP68 rating, up from the Go 4’s IP67. AirTouch tap-to-pair stereo linking. 7-band custom app EQ, up from the Go 4’s 5-band. USB-C wired audio input.
Cons: Still overpriced for what it delivers, not very different from the Go 4 besides the lights. Still lacking bass and not very clear overall. Mono downmixing produces an audible growling artifact, the same issue noted on the JBL Charge 6. Falls well short of similarly priced rivals like the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2. Weak off-axis dispersion and an uneven, upper-mid-heavy tonal balance. Doesn’t get meaningfully louder at max volume, just harsher.
Full JBL Go 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 4.8W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours, 10 with Playtime Boost (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 4" x 3" x 1.7" (101 x 77 x 43 mm) |
| Drivers | 45mm |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (230 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons