Short answer: the JBL Charge 3. It ranks #67 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $80; 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 3 offers: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank for USB devices. ~20 hour battery life. IPX7 rated; built-in noise/echo-cancelling speakerphone. Watch for: Less clarity than the Flip 4. Battery failures are common.
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 3. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Harman Kardon Esquire 2. It ranks near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the JBL Charge 3 is rated for 20 hours, the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 only 8 hours.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Charge 3 at IPX7 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 3 | Harman Kardon Esquire 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $80 Discontinued | $200 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #67 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #120 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max Volume | 100dB | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs / 800 g | 0.8 lbs / 0.35 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | 4x 1.25" (32mm) full-range drivers |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.5" (213 x 88 x 88 mm) | 7.5" x 5.1" x 1.3" (190 x 130 x 34 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 20W RMS | 16W |
| App | Yes (JBL Connect) | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| EQ | No | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX4 |
| Discontinued | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | - | No |
| Stereo | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Charge 2
- JBL Flip Essential vs Sony ULT Field 3
- JBL Charge Essential vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- Soundcore Glow vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
- JBL Charge 3 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge 3: $80 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank for USB devices. ~20 hour battery life. IPX7 rated; built-in noise/echo-cancelling speakerphone.
Cons: Less clarity than the Flip 4. Battery failures are common. Discontinued.
Full JBL Charge 3 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (JBL Connect) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.5" (213 x 88 x 88 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 100dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs / 800 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 and Charge 3 - best JBL charge 5 review 2021? More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 6 vs JBL Charge 4 and JBL Charge 3 - small one or a large one? 🤷♂️
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3? More from DLXWillington →
- EnforcerMan: JBL CHARGE 3 VS TREBLAB HD77 - FULL REVIEW
- Reddit Search for JBL Charge 3 Review
- 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
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs LG Xboom XG5
- 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
- See all 71 comparisons