Short answer: the Earfun Uboom L. It ranks #1 of 142 medium speakers by sound quality at $49.79; the JBL Pulse 5 ranks #44 and costs $239.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Earfun Uboom L offers: 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. Watch for: It cannot produce real low-bass rumble or fill a large, noisy space, and RTINGS finds the top end loses 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.
What the JBL Pulse 5 offers: JBL Pulse 5 uses 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter. Its 1500 g, claimed 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) battery life, IP67 protection and mono playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. Watch for: Bass is limited by its ~58Hz specification.
Buy the Earfun Uboom L. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Pulse 5 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Earfun Uboom L | JBL Pulse 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.79 after coupon UBOOMLWC | $239.99 |
| Ranked | #1 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #44 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (firmware >= 1.2.6) | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | - |
| Aux Latency | 216ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| EQ | Yes (10 band, firmware >= 1.2.6) | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 400ms normal / 66ms low latency mode | - |
| Maximum SPL | 103dB (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 | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (650 g) | 3.3 lbs (1500 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 3.1" x 8.3" x 2.8" (78 x 210 x 72 mm) | 4.2" x 8.4" x 5.2" (107 x 214 x 131 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 55mm drivers + 2x passive radiators | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter |
| Amplifier Power | 28W | 40W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Lights | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Earfun Uboom L:
- Earfun Uboom L vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Earfun Uboom L vs Soundcore Motion+
- Earfun Uboom L vs Minirig 4
- Earfun Uboom L vs B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen
- Earfun Uboom L vs JBL Charge 6
Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 AM 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 RTINGS finds the top end loses 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 Pulse 5: $239.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: JBL Pulse 5 uses 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter. Its 1500 g, claimed 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) battery life, IP67 protection and mono playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. Measured bass extension of ~58Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its ~58Hz specification.
Full JBL Pulse 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.2" x 8.4" x 5.2" (107 x 214 x 131 mm) |
| Drivers | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1500 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Techder Audios: JBL PULSE 5 VS JBL CHARGE 5 "LIGHTS VS BASS?!" More from techderaudios →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bass Check 💣 Treblab HD-360, Ultimate Ears EpicBoom, Marshall Middleton & JBL Pulse 5. Boom or Bust? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- M1MTechChannel: Welche JBL Partybox ist die BESTE ? Alle Partyboxen im Vergleich | 2026 More from M1MTechChannel →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons