Short answer: the Encore Essential 2, and by a wide margin. It ranks #5 of 75 boombox speakers against the Boombox 3 Wifi’s #22, while costing $135.83 less, which leaves the pricier speaker with little to justify itself on.
Loudness is the Boombox 3 Wifi’s one clear advantage, and it comes with a real tradeoff. Its own pros call it the loudest speaker in its category, but its cons list bass boosted and a dip at 160Hz, both signs of a tuning built for maximum impact rather than accuracy. The Encore Essential 2 takes a different approach: its notes credit better off axis performance from switching to dome tweeters instead of cone tweeters, and it also goes slightly deeper and rolls off less in the highs than the original Encore it replaces, with only a minor complaint about missing a little upper bass.
Wifi and water resistance are the Boombox 3’s real hardware edges. It adds Wifi streaming the Encore Essential 2 lacks, and its IP67 rating (submersion-resistant) is well ahead of the Encore Essential 2’s IPX4 splash rating. It is also rated for 24 hours of battery against 15 hours for the Encore Essential 2.
The Encore Essential 2 answers back with features, not just sound. It has a companion app with 7 band EQ where the Boombox 3 Wifi has no app or EQ at all, plus karaoke-mode microphone input, a guitar input, and USB playback, none of which the Boombox 3 Wifi offers.
Buy the Encore Essential 2 unless you specifically need Wifi streaming or the highest volume in this pairing. It costs less, has a companion EQ app, and its tuning has fewer complaints than the Boombox 3 Wifi’s boosted bass and 160Hz dip.
Buy the Boombox 3 Wifi if maximum loudness, Wifi streaming, or submersion-level water resistance matter more to you than price or tonal accuracy.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Boombox 3 Wifi | JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $389.95 | $254.12 |
| Ranked | #22 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #5 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Maximum SPL | 111dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | AC Power cable | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 14.6 lbs (6.6 kg) | 13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | No | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) |
| EQ | No | Yes (7 band App EQ) |
| USB Playback | No | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 200W AC / 140W battery | 100W RMS |
| Dimensions | 19.1" x 10.1" x 7.9" (484 x 256 x 200 mm) | 12.6" x 13.5" x 10.3" (319.5 x 342 x 260.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 1x 135mm (5.25") woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75") dome tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Guitar Input | - | Yes |
| Microphone Input | - | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Wireless Microphones | - | No |
| Lights | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 compares with other leading options:
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- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2
- JBL Partybox Encore vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2
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 Wifi: $389.95 Amazon eBay
Pros: Loudest speaker in the category. Slightly better frequency response than the non-wifi version. Measured bass extension of 43Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass boosted. Dip at 160Hz
Full JBL Boombox 3 Wifi review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 200W AC / 140W battery |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 111dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| 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) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL Boombox 3 WiFi - Sound Test - Wide vs Narrow Soundstage! More from Dominik Reviews →
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Encore 2 Partybox Deep Bass 🆚 Jbl Boombox 3 WiFi 🎶 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Not quite! JBL Authentics 300 review and sound test vs Boombox 3, Encore and Stormbox Blast More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: WiFi Edition: JBL Boombox 3 ultimate review! vs Boombox 3 Bluetooth edition
- Mateusz Cholewa: Soundcore Rave 3🧐 🆚 Jbl Boombox 3 WiFi
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JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2: $254.12 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: A compact 6.2kg party speaker with 100W output, 110dB maximum level, a 15-hour claimed battery, app-based 7-band EQ, dynamic lighting, USB playback, guitar and mic inputs, and Auracast linking. Independent testing finds a balanced midrange, genuinely punchy low bass and enough output for a backyard gathering; its dome tweeters also improve the earlier Encore’s high-frequency behavior.
Cons: It is front-facing, so the sound changes noticeably to the sides and behind it, and bass compression reduces kick-drum impact at maximum volume. Bluetooth latency can cause lip-sync issues, its IPX4 rating only covers splashes, and it omits the wireless microphones bundled with the non-Essential Encore 2.
Full JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 100W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.6" x 13.5" x 10.3" (319.5 x 342 x 260.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 135mm (5.25") woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75") dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (7 band App EQ) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) |
| Wireless Microphones | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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