Short answer: the JBL Boombox 3 Wifi. It ranks #20 of 73 boombox speakers by sound quality at $389.95; the B&O Beolit 20 ranks #31 and costs $649.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the JBL Boombox 3 Wifi: Loudest speaker in the category. The tradeoff: Bass boosted.
What the B&O Beolit 20 offers: Wireless phone charging. Watch for: Warm sound.
Buy the JBL Boombox 3 Wifi. It ranks higher for sound quality than the B&O Beolit 20 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the JBL Boombox 3 Wifi is rated for 24 hours versus 8 hours for the B&O Beolit 20.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Boombox 3 Wifi at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the B&O Beolit 20 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Boombox 3 Wifi | B&O Beolit 20 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $389.95 | $649.99 |
| Ranked | #20 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #31 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz | 45Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Max Volume | 111dB | 93dB |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | AC Power cable | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 14.6 lbs / 6.6 kg | 6 lbs / 2.7 kg |
| Wifi | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | No | Yes (Bang & Olufsen app) |
| EQ | No | Yes (App EQ) |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Output Power | 200W AC / 140W battery | 240W peak |
| Dimensions | 19.1" x 10.1" x 7.9" (484 x 256 x 200 mm) | 5.3" x 9.1" x 7.4" (135 x 230 x 189 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 2x 30mm tweeters + 2x 40mm mid-range + 1x 60mm woofer + dual passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Boombox 4 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5
- Brane X vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5
- JBL Authentics 500 vs JBL Boombox 3
- B&O Beolit 20 vs JBL Boombox
- B&O Beolit 20 vs Sony ULT Field 7
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Boombox 3 Wifi: $389.95 Amazon
Pros: Loudest speaker in the category. Slightly better frequency response than the non-wifi version.
Cons: Bass boosted. Dip at 160hz
Full JBL Boombox 3 Wifi review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 19.1" x 10.1" x 7.9" (484 x 256 x 200 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 111dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 200W AC / 140W battery |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 14.6 lbs / 6.6 kg |
| Wifi | Yes |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL Boombox 3 WiFi - Sound Test - Wide vs Narrow Soundstage!
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Encore 2 Partybox Deep Bass 🆚 Jbl Boombox 3 WiFi 🎶
- 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
- Mateusz Cholewa: Soundcore Rave 3🧐 🆚 Jbl Boombox 3 WiFi
- Reddit Search for JBL Boombox 3 Wifi Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs JBL Boombox 3
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 2
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs Harman Kardon Go + Play 2
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs JBL Boombox 4
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs LG Xboom Stage 301
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs Zealot S95
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs Zealot S89
- See all 26 comparisons
B&O Beolit 20: $649.99 Amazon
Pros: Wireless phone charging.
Cons: Warm sound. Rolled off treble. Bass not as deep as the Onyx Studio 7
Full B&O Beolit 20 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bang & Olufsen app) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 45Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.3" x 9.1" x 7.4" (135 x 230 x 189 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 30mm tweeters + 2x 40mm mid-range + 1x 60mm woofer + dual passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Max Volume | 93dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Output Power | 240W peak |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 6 lbs / 2.7 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: B&O Beolit 20 vs Earfun UBoom X - everything fake?
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: $600 premium Bluetooth speaker vs $115 cheapo UBoom X
- techkiste.net: B&O Beolit 20 vs Vifa Copenhagen 2.0 sound-comparison with different music-genres
- Oluv Patreon: B&O Beolit 20 - frequency response measurements
- Reddit Search for B&O Beolit 20 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons