Short answer: the Hopestar A90. It ranks #22 of 89 boombox speakers by sound quality, rated 3.9/5, at $351.65; the Turtlebox Gen 3 ranks #83, rated 2.1/5, and costs $430, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Hopestar A90 does well: A huge, powerful 700W boombox with eight drivers (two 5” woofers, two 3.5” midranges and four tweeters), a removable 36,000mAh battery and a wireless microphone. The tradeoff: The JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2 was the better, more refined listen in a direct comparison.
The case for the Turtlebox Gen 3: Waterproof (IP67, and it floats) and crushproof, with stainless steel hardware and quality amplifier parts inside. The catch: Sounds basically identical to the original and the Gen 2: each generation mainly added features, not sound quality.
Buy the Hopestar A90. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Turtlebox Gen 3 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Battery life favors the Turtlebox Gen 3: rated for 25 hours against 8 hours for the Hopestar A90.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Hopestar A90 | Turtlebox Gen 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $351.65 | $430.00 |
| Ranked | #22 of 89 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #83 of 89 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Amplifier Power | 700W | 50W |
| Drivers | 2x 5” woofers + 2x 3.5” midranges + 2x 2.5” tweeters + 2x 2” ceramic tweeters | 1x 6x9” (152x228mm) woofer + 1x 1” (25mm) tweeter |
| Battery Life | 6-8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Removable Battery | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Turtlebox Party Mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX6 | IP67 |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | No |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes | Yes |
| 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) | 12” x 7” x 8.7” (305 x 178 x 222 mm) |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| EQ | No | No |
| App | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | ~65Hz |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| Weight | - | 10 lbs (4.54 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-C) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Power Input | - | DC Barrel Connector (15V/3A) |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
| Strap | - | No |
| Microphone Input | - | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Battery Capacity | - | 85Wh |
| Maximum SPL | - | 102dB (measured by Williston Audio Labs) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Hopestar A90 compares with other leading options:
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Hopestar A90
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs Hopestar A90
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Hopestar A90
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential vs Hopestar A90
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Hopestar A90
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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
Hopestar A90: $351.65 AliExpress eBay
Pros: A huge, powerful 700W boombox with eight drivers (two 5” woofers, two 3.5” midranges and four tweeters), a removable 36,000mAh battery and a wireless microphone. In side by side tests it had better highs, clarity and soundstage than the Zealot ZE21 while still reaching deep, reviewers picked it over the JBL Boombox 4 for its bass and output, and it sounded powerful and true to the music against the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2. Bluetooth 5.4 with Auracast, IPX6, USB, TF and aux inputs, RGB lights and a strap attachment.
Cons: The JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2 was the better, more refined listen in a direct comparison. The Yeahbox Sonic Boom Ultra measured roughly 3 to 5dB louder. There is no app or EQ. It is very large and heavy (13.2 kg boxed), claims only 6 to 8 hours of battery, and it is sold through AliExpress rather than US retailers.
Full Hopestar A90 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 700W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 6-8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 24.6” x 9.9” x 13.4” (624.5 x 252.5 x 341.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 5” woofers + 2x 3.5” midranges + 2x 2.5” tweeters + 2x 2” ceramic tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| Lights | Yes |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Wireless Microphones | Yes 1 Included |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jagist reviews: Hopestar A90 Vs Jbl Boombox 4!!! Battle Of The Gods!!! More from Jagistreviews →
- Jagist reviews: Jbl Boombox 4 Firmware Updated Vs Hopestar A90!!! Rematch Of Beasts!!!
- Jagist reviews: Hopestar A90 Vs Zealot Ze41!!! Battle Of Shear Power!!!
- Jagist reviews: Hopestar A90 Vs Zealot Ze21!!! Deep Bass Vs Powerful Bass!!!
- Jagist reviews: Hopestar A90 Vs Jbl Encore Essential 2!!! Deep Bass Vs Powerhouse Bass!!!
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Turtlebox Gen 3: $430.00 Amazon eBay
Older models: the Turtlebox Gen 2 (ranked lower, rated 2.1/5) and the Turtlebox (ranked lower, rated 2.1/5).
Pros: Waterproof (IP67, and it floats) and crushproof, with stainless steel hardware and quality amplifier parts inside. Loud for its class: Williston Audio Labs measured 102 dB at max volume, well above a Kicker BF400’s 96 dB. A big 85Wh battery rated for 25+ hours, a USB-C output that charges other devices, aux and microphone inputs, and true multi-speaker Party Mode on top of stereo pairing, plus Bluetooth 5.4. Measured bass extension of ~65Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Sounds basically identical to the original and the Gen 2: each generation mainly added features, not sound quality. The amp is tuned to a V shape, with boosted lows and highs and a dip in the mids, but the boost can’t make up for shallow extension: the bass is only down 10dB at about 65Hz, so there’s little real low end despite the boomy upper bass. The amp delivers only about 12W RMS at 1% distortion. In Williston Audio Labs’ side by side test most listeners preferred the much smaller Kicker BF400 for its cleaner sound, and a Pioneer PBM5 played louder at 105 dB. Nowhere near its claimed 120dB at a reasonable measuring distance. Rattles at high volume. It charges only from its own 15V barrel plug brick, not USB-C, and has no app or EQ. Inside is essentially a car audio 6x9 two way speaker in a plastic box.
Full Turtlebox Gen 3 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~65Hz |
| Battery Capacity | 85Wh |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12” x 7” x 8.7” (305 x 178 x 222 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 6x9” (152x228mm) woofer + 1x 1” (25mm) tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 102dB (measured by Williston Audio Labs) |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Turtlebox Party Mode) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (15V/3A) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 10 lbs (4.54 kg) |
- Links
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