Short answer: the JBL Partybox 330. It ranks #2 of 53 party speakers against #3 for the Electro-Voice Everse 8, and it costs $169.05 less on top of that. This is not a close call.
The Everse 8’s whole design philosophy is efficiency over stereo width. Its high-efficiency 8-inch woofer and 1-inch tweeter reach 2-3x the volume of typical speakers at the same wattage, and our notes credit it with good midrange and treble. But it’s not stereo at all, and it’s designed for more loudness than deeper bass, a real tradeoff against a speaker built around two woofers and two tweeters.
The Partybox 330 has one honest limitation: it’s not much of an upgrade over JBL’s own cheaper models. Our notes say its sound quality is nearly identical to the 310 and Stage 320 despite the power bump to 280W, so it’s not worth buying new if you already own either of those. What it does add over them is a handle and wheels for portability, a customizable lightshow, an optical TV input, USB-C lossless playback, and dual microphone and guitar inputs for karaoke or live sets.
A few practical differences stand out: the Everse 8 includes an XLR input for professional gear that the Partybox 330 lacks, while the Partybox 330 runs longer on battery (18 hours against 12) and is far heavier at nearly 38 lbs (17.2 kg) against the Everse 8’s 17.6 lbs (8 kg).
Buy the JBL Partybox 330 for better all-around sound quality, a lower price, and more inputs, unless you specifically need XLR connectivity.
Buy the Electro-Voice Everse 8 if you need genuinely extreme output per watt from a battery-powered speaker, such as for outdoor PA use, and can accept mono sound.
Want more options? Browse the full PA & Live Sound rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings.
A battery powered 8 inch PA speaker that plays very loud, with a built in mixer and a removable 12 hour battery.
A rolling party speaker with deep bass, a removable battery, a light show and inputs for mics and a guitar.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Electro-Voice Everse 8 | JBL Partybox 330 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $799.00 | $629.95 |
| Ranked | #3 of 17 in Battery-Powered PA Speakers | #2 of 53 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Passive | No | - |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX, SBC | SBC |
| Dimensions | 15.7” x 10.8” x 10.7” (400 x 275 x 272 mm) | 26.1”H x 13.1”W x 14.8”D (662.5 x 334 x 375 mm) |
| Drivers | 8” woofer, 1” tweeter | 2x 6.5” (165mm) woofers + 2x 1” (25mm) PEN dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (Smart EQ mode) |
| IP Rating | IP43 | IPX4 |
| Inputs | 2x XLR/TRS combo (mic/line), 3.5mm stereo, Bluetooth | Optical |
| Maximum SPL | 121dB | - |
| Microphone Input | Yes | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Speaker Link, up to 6 speakers) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 1.5A max) | Yes (USB-C, 5V/1A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes | Yes |
| Stereo | No | Partially |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | No | Yes |
| Weight | 17.6 lbs (8 kg) | 37.7 lbs (17.1 kg) |
| XLR Input | Yes | - |
| Amplifier Power | 400W | 280W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Configuration | Battery-powered 2-way active PA | - |
| Cabinet Material | Polypropylene | - |
| Rigging | 35mm pole mount; 30° or 55° monitor angle | - |
| Coverage | 100° H x 100° V | - |
| DSP | 4-channel digital mixer with EQ, effects and ducking | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Guitar Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz | - |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (-3dB, Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 6.0 |
| Charging Time | - | 3 hours |
| Lights | - | Yes |
| Wheels | - | Yes |
| Strap | - | No |
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