Short answer: neither measures cleanly, so the JBL Boombox 3 for IP67 protection and the JBL Xtreme 4 for a removable battery. The Boombox 3 is IP67 rated but dips in the mid bass, boosts bass with a peak at 700Hz and trails the Blast in mids and treble. The Xtreme 4’s removable battery is its main draw, and it is high priced.
What the JBL Boombox 3 gets right: IP67 rated. 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.
On the JBL Xtreme 4 side: Removable battery. The catch: High priced.
Buy the JBL Boombox 3 at $399 if you want a boombox speaker. Buy the JBL Xtreme 4 at $309.95 if you want a large speaker instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Boombox 3 | JBL Xtreme 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.00 | $309.95 |
| Ranked | #23 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #37 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Latency | 25ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 100ms | 220ms |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | AC Power cable | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 14.8 lbs (6.7 kg) | 4.6 lbs (2.1 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | No | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (5 band) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-C) |
| USB Playback | No | - |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| FM Tuner | No | - |
| Microphone Input | No | - |
| MicroSD Playback | No | - |
| Amplifier Power | 180W AC / 136W battery | 100W |
| Dimensions | 19" x 10.1" x 7.9" (482 x 257 x 200 mm) | 11.7" x 5.9" x 5.6" (297 x 149 x 141 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 19mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Removable Battery | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 44Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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
JBL Boombox 3: $399.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated. 24 hour battery life (6.5 hour charge time). Doubles as a power bank. PartyBoost links up to 100 compatible JBL speakers. Three-way speaker system with subwoofer. Measured bass extension of 43Hz (-10dB).
Cons: 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.
Full JBL Boombox 3 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 180W AC / 136W battery |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 25ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 100ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 19" x 10.1" x 7.9" (482 x 257 x 200 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| FM Tuner | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Microphone Input | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 14.8 lbs (6.7 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Oluv Patreon: Earfun UBoom X vs JBL Boombox 3 - outdoor test More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Boombox 3 review vs JBL Boombox 2 a subwoofer and a 3 way equals heaven? 💋 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: W King T11 party boombox and Karaoke machine review vs T9, Stormbox Blast and Boombox 3.
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Boombox 3 vs 2x Tribit Stormbox Blast 🤑 Huge difference? More from Dominik Reviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Not quite! JBL Authentics 300 review and sound test vs Boombox 3, Encore and Stormbox Blast
- Alan Ross Reviews: WiFi Edition: JBL Boombox 3 ultimate review! vs Boombox 3 Bluetooth edition
- Oluv Patreon: Earfun UBoom X vs JBL Boombox 3 - outdoor
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Zealot ZE21 vs JBL Boombox 3 Tailgater Special @20ft. The Budget Beast Against the OG Boombox More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 vs JBL Boombox 3 🔊 Got Bass? Let’s See How They Compare 😲 Battery Powered 🔋
- Picky Audio: SO CLOSE! Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs JBL Boombox 3 More from pickyaudio →
- Picky Audio: Extended Sound Test (Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs JBL Boombox 3)
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King X20 JBL Boombox 3 killer! this should be illegal! - I was shocked!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: New! W-King X20 vs JBL Boombox 3 🛜 Head to Head 🔋Battery Powered 📊Custom EQ - Links In Description
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King X20 JBL Boombox 3 killer! this should be illegal! - I was shocked!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: New! W-King X20 vs JBL Boombox 3 🛜 Head to Head 🔋Battery Powered 📊Custom EQ - Links In Description
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- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Skullcandy BARREL XT vs JBL Boombox 3 🤯Budget Banger vs Reigning Champ 🔋 Battery Powered 🏠 Indoors
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- AudioTribe: JBL Authentics 500 VS JBL Boombox 3 Sound Test Comparison
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JBL Xtreme 4: $309.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: A rugged 2.1kg portable with IP67 protection, a replaceable battery, USB-C power-bank output, Auracast, stereo pairing and a useful 5-band app EQ. Independent reviews find the midrange detailed and the sound clear, punchy and refined for outdoor use; it also reaches a strong 106dB maximum level and has excellent real-world battery life.
Cons: It cannot produce the deep rumble of a larger speaker, and bass compression increases near maximum volume. The front-facing layout has only modest off-axis consistency, Bluetooth latency is high for video, and the default balance benefits from EQ adjustment. There is no aux input, so wired sources are not supported.
Full JBL Xtreme 4 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 100W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 220ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.7" x 5.9" x 5.6" (297 x 149 x 141 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 19mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) |
| Frequency Response | 44Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4.6 lbs (2.1 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6, Xtreme 4 & Earfun UBoom X - taking sound to the top More from Oluv’Sone →
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6 vs JBL Xtreme 4 - outdoor test
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6 vs JBL Xtreme 4 - basstest (bigger=better?)
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 4 vs Flip 7 vs Charge 6 – The ULTIMATE JBL Speaker Showdown! More from alanrossreviews →
- Oluv Patreon: SoundCore Boom 3i - first impressions & EQs
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA Deep BASS 🆚 JBL XTREME 4 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
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- Oluv Patreon: JBL Xtreme 4 - sound analysis
- Oluv Patreon: JBL Xtreme 4 - unboxing & first impressions
- Oluv Patreon: Harman Kardon go+play 3 vs JBL Xtreme 4 - first impressions
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Xtreme 4 vs JBL Xtreme 3 Sound Test 😍 Best upgrade in the history? 😂 More from Dominik Reviews →
- M1MTechChannel: Welche JBL Partybox ist die BESTE ? Alle Partyboxen im Vergleich | 2026 More from M1MTechChannel →
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