JBL Boombox 4 vs Zealot S78: Which Is Better? (2026)

Q: Should I buy the JBL Boombox 4 or the Zealot S78?

Buy the JBL Boombox 4. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $390.27 saving on the Zealot S78 is not enough to make up the difference.

Short answer: the JBL Boombox 4, because the Zealot S78 cannot hold its composure when loud. The S78 lists 120W RMS with 150W peak, a 40-hour battery with power bank, IP67, multiple EQ modes, dual woofers with tweeters and passive radiators, AUX, MicroSD and USB, and USB-C. But it distorts above 50%, has not much bass, and its volume level fluctuates at high volume, while the Boombox 4 is more tunable though overpriced.

Buy the JBL Boombox 4. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $390.27 saving on the Zealot S78 is not enough to make up the difference.

Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.

Check JBL Boombox 4 price at Amazon ($549.95) →Check Zealot S78 price at Amazon ($159.68) →

Specifications Side By Side

	JBL Boombox 4	Zealot S78
Price	$549.95	$159.68
Ranked	#20 of 91 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers	#90 of 91 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers
App	Yes	No
Aux Input	No	Yes
Bass Extension (-10dB)	41Hz	-
Battery Life	28 hours (Manufacturer specified)	40 hours (Manufacturer specified)
EQ	Yes (7 band)	Yes (multiple modes)
IP Rating	IP68	IP67
Bluetooth Latency	AAC 144ms, SBC 48ms	-
Maximum SPL	115dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)	-
Party Mode	Yes (Auracast)	No
Power Input	AC Power cord	USB-C
Removable Battery	Yes	-
Stereo	Yes	Yes
Omnidirectional	No	No
Weight	13.2 lbs (5.98 kg)	9.7 lbs (4.4 kg)
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth Codecs	SBC, LC3, AAC	SBC
Bluetooth Version	5.4	-
Built-in Microphone	No	No
Power Bank	Yes (USB-C, up to 30W)	Yes (USB-A)
TWS	Yes	Yes
Digital Aux Input	Yes (USB-C)	No
USB Playback	No	Yes
FM Tuner	No	-
Microphone Input	No	-
MicroSD Playback	No	Yes
Amplifier Power	210W AC / 200W battery	120W RMS / 150W peak
Dimensions	20.1” x 10.2” x 8.3” (510 x 260 x 210 mm)	16.1” x 6.6” x 7.3” (410 x 167 x 185 mm)
Drivers	2x 123mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters with passive radiators	2x ~120mm (4.72”) woofers + 2x ~42mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators
Strap	No	Yes (detachable shoulder strap)

Check JBL Boombox 4 price at Amazon ($549.95) →Check Zealot S78 price at Amazon ($159.68) →

How JBL Boombox 4 compares with other leading options:

Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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 4: $549.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay

Older models: the JBL Boombox 3 (ranked lower, rated 3.8/5), the JBL Boombox 2 (ranked lower, rated 3.5/5) and the JBL Boombox (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5).

Pros: Pretty insane output capability for the size. IP68 protection and Auracast pairing with other current JBL speakers. Measured bass extension of 41Hz (-10dB).

Cons: Pretty overpriced for the category. Better than the Boombox 3 mostly because there are more 7 EQ bands instead of just 3 and it can be better tuned. Try Oluv’s EQ for it. Out of the box sounds worse than the Boombox 3. No Aux input.

Full JBL Boombox 4 review and specifications →

Amplifier Power	210W AC / 200W battery
App	Yes
Aux Input	No
Bass Extension (-10dB)	41Hz
Battery Life	28 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Bluetooth	Yes
Bluetooth Codecs	SBC, LC3, AAC
Bluetooth Latency	AAC 144ms, SBC 48ms
Bluetooth Version	5.4
Built-in Microphone	No
Digital Aux Input	Yes (USB-C)
Dimensions	20.1” x 10.2” x 8.3” (510 x 260 x 210 mm)
Drivers	2x 123mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters with passive radiators
EQ	Yes (7 band)
FM Tuner	No
IP Rating	IP68
Maximum SPL	115dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)
MicroSD Playback	No
Microphone Input	No
Omnidirectional	No
Party Mode	Yes (Auracast)
Power Bank	Yes (USB-C, up to 30W)
Power Input	AC Power cord
Removable Battery	Yes
Stereo	Yes
Strap	No
TWS	Yes
USB Playback	No
Weight	13.2 lbs (5.98 kg)

Check current price at Amazon ($549.95) →Check current price at B&H Photo Video →Search eBay for JBL Boombox 4 →

Zealot S78: $159.68 Amazon AliExpress eBay

Pros: A robust 4.4kg party speaker with claimed 120W RMS output, IP67 protection, USB-C charging, a power-bank function, aux, USB and microSD playback, TWS pairing and multiple EQ modes. Reviews find it very loud with useful bass and long claimed battery life, making it a credible choice for outdoor gatherings.

Cons: At high volume, reviews report distortion and fluctuating level, so its headline power is more useful below its maximum setting. It has no app-based EQ, and the bass and midrange refinement do not match better-established boombox speakers; assess its sound in person if tonal accuracy matters.

Full Zealot S78 review and specifications →

Amplifier Power	120W RMS / 150W peak
App	No
Aux Input	Yes
Battery Life	40 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Bluetooth	Yes
Bluetooth Codecs	SBC
Built-in Microphone	No
Digital Aux Input	No
Dimensions	16.1” x 6.6” x 7.3” (410 x 167 x 185 mm)
Drivers	2x ~120mm (4.72”) woofers + 2x ~42mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators
EQ	Yes (multiple modes)
IP Rating	IP67
MicroSD Playback	Yes
Omnidirectional	No
Party Mode	No
Power Bank	Yes (USB-A)
Power Input	USB-C
Stereo	Yes
Strap	Yes (detachable shoulder strap)
TWS	Yes
USB Playback	Yes
Weight	9.7 lbs (4.4 kg)

Check current price at Amazon ($159.68) →Check current price at AliExpress ($91.38) →Search eBay for Zealot S78 →

Specifications Side By Side

Related Speaker Comparisons

The Two Speakers In Full

JBL Boombox 4: $549.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay

Zealot S78: $159.68 Amazon AliExpress eBay