These are not really the same size class, and that is the honest framing here. The Earfun Uboom L ranks #1 of 134 medium speakers at $50; the JBL Go 5 ranks #24 of 46 small speakers at $44.95.
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 at $50 if you want a medium speaker. Buy the JBL Go 5 at $44.95 if you want a small speaker instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Earfun Uboom L | JBL Go 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $50 after coupon UBOOMLWC | $44.95 |
| Ranked | #1 of 134 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #24 of 46 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 | - |
| Max Volume | 103dB | - |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) |
| 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) | 3.98" x 3.03" x 1.69" (101 x 77 x 43 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 55mm drivers + 2x passive radiators | 45mm |
| Output Power | 28W | 4.8W |
| USB Audio | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Charging Time | - | 3 hours |
The Two Speakers In Full
Earfun Uboom L: $50 after coupon UBOOMLWC Amazon Myearfun
Pros: Tuned by Oluv and he knocked it out of the park. The audiophile choice. Extremely neutral, possibly the best of any modern Bluetooth speaker slightly behind the Vifa Helsinki. This is the only speaker that sounds correct at every volume level. Other speakers will need a different EQ at each volume level. For maximum volume without distortion use max volume - 1 step for most songs. Oluv left another higher volume for songs that are quiet. Amazing sounding at low levels as it boosts bass and treble at low levels to account for the equal-loudness contour.
Cons: Latency is high (400ms) without turning on low latency mode (66ms) which doesn’t work when two speakers are TWS paired. Low latency mode can be turned on by pressing the Bluetooth button twice. If latency in TWS paired mode is a very important feature, like if you watch a lot of video, you may want to choose another speaker. The power button can sometimes get accidentally pressed when put in a bag. The aux input has quite a bit of latency and isn’t recommended for video use.
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.
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Max Volume | 103dB |
| Output Power | 28W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs / 650 g |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Best portable speakers 2025 - get the best bang for your buck $$$
- 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…
- Techder Audios: EARFUN UBOOM L VS SOUNDCORE MOTION+
- Alan Ross Reviews: Earfun UBoom L Review Speaker tuned by a Geek vs Soundcore Motion Plus $100 dollar best portable?
- 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?🔝
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: JBL, Bose, B&O, Sonos, Earfun, SoundCore… which portable speaker sounds best?
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Links
JBL Go 5: $44.95 Amazon
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.
| 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 |
| Dimensions | 3.98" x 3.03" x 1.69" (101 x 77 x 43 mm) |
| Drivers | 45mm |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Output Power | 4.8W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Audio | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs / 230 g |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Links
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Product prices and availability were last checked August 9, 2026 at 6:57 AM UTC 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.