Short answer: the JBL Charge 2. It ranks #69 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $149; the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 ranks #120 and costs $200, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the JBL Charge 2 offers: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank. ~10-12 hour battery life. Social Mode pairs up to 3 phones; works as a speakerphone. Watch for: Bass compression at higher volumes. Warm sound. slightly rolled off treble. Not as loud as other speakers.
What the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 offers: Doubles as a conferencing speakerphone with a 4-mic array and noise/echo cancellation. Flat, compact design packs easily. USB charge-out for topping off a phone. Watch for: Bass is weak, vocal and instrument separation is underwhelming and sounds tinny at high volume
Buy the JBL Charge 2. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
The Harman Kardon Esquire 2 is not a sound-quality pick. It sits near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers; there are better options higher up.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 2 | Harman Kardon Esquire 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149 Discontinued | $200 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #69 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #120 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Bluetooth Version | 3.0 | 4.1 |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm fullrange | 4x 1.25" (32mm) full-range drivers |
| Dimensions | 8.5" x 3.4" x 3" (216 x 86 x 76 mm) | 7.5" x 5.1" x 1.3" (190 x 130 x 34 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 15W RMS | 16W |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | - |
| App | No | - |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg | 0.8 lbs / 0.35 kg |
| IP Rating | IPX5 | IPX4 |
| Discontinued | Yes | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | - | No |
| Stereo | - | No |
| Power Input | - | Micro USB |
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- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs JBL Charge Essential
- JBL Charge 2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- JBL Charge 6 vs JBL Charge 2
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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 Charge 2: $149 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank. ~10-12 hour battery life. Social Mode pairs up to 3 phones; works as a speakerphone.
Cons: Bass compression at higher volumes. Warm sound. slightly rolled off treble. Not as loud as other speakers. Discontinued.
Full JBL Charge 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 3.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.5" x 3.4" x 3" (216 x 86 x 76 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 15W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Harman Kardon Esquire 2: $200 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Doubles as a conferencing speakerphone with a 4-mic array and noise/echo cancellation. Flat, compact design packs easily. USB charge-out for topping off a phone.
Cons: Bass is weak, vocal and instrument separation is underwhelming and sounds tinny at high volume. Discontinued.
Full Harman Kardon Esquire 2 review and specifications →
| Aux Input | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.5" x 5.1" x 1.3" (190 x 130 x 34 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 4x 1.25" (32mm) full-range drivers |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs / 0.35 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Ultimate Ears Roll 2
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs LG Xboom Go PL5
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Sony SRS-XE200
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs W-King D8 Mini
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