Short answer: the Hopestar A90. It ranks #22 of 113 boombox speakers by sound quality, rated 3.9/5, at $351.65; the JBL Boombox 3 ranks #27, rated 3.8/5, at $349.95. Close enough in price that the sound-quality gap is the deciding factor.
What the Hopestar A90 does well: A huge, powerful boombox with deep bass, clear highs, a removable battery and a wireless microphone for big outdoor parties. The catch: The JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 was the better, more refined listen in a direct comparison.
The JBL Boombox 3 is the longer-running pick. A loud, fully waterproof boombox with a dedicated subwoofer, a 24 hour battery and power bank charging. It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 8 for the Hopestar A90. The tradeoff: Dips in mid bass range which makes the bass sound undefined, bass boosted, peaky at 700Hz, not quite as good mids and treble as the Blast.
Buy the Hopestar A90. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $1.70 you would save on the JBL Boombox 3 does not close the gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 14, 2026 at 6:17 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Hopestar A90 | JBL Boombox 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $351.65 | $349.95 |
| Ranked | #22 of 113 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #27 of 113 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Amplifier Power | 700W | 180W AC / 136W battery |
| Drivers | 2x 5” woofers + 2x 3.5” midranges + 2x 2.5” tweeters + 2x 2” ceramic tweeters | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Battery Life | 6-8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Removable Battery | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| IP Rating | IPX6 | IP67 |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | No |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes | No |
| Wireless Microphones | Yes 1 Included | - |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Dimensions | 24.6” x 9.9” x 13.4” (624.5 x 252.5 x 341.5 mm) | 19” x 10.1” x 7.9” (482 x 257 x 200 mm) |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| EQ | No | No |
| App | No | No |
| Aux Latency | - | 25ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 43Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 100ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Power Input | - | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Weight | - | 14.8 lbs (6.7 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-A) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| Microphone Input | - | No |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
| Strap | - | No |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Hopestar A90: reviews by Jagist.
- JBL Boombox 3: reviews by JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show, Oluv and Alan Ross.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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