Short answer: the JBL Charge 3. It ranks #67 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $80; the Sonos Roam ranks #72 and costs $175, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the JBL Charge 3 side: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank for USB devices. ~20 hour battery life. The tradeoff: Less clarity than the Flip 4. Battery failures are common.
The case for the Sonos Roam: Very neutral. IP67 rated at ~1 lb. Wireless (Qi) charging - rare for a portable speaker. Set against that: Bass extension isn’t very good. Not stereo. Gets distorted if you turn up the bass.
Buy the JBL Charge 3. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sonos Roam and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the JBL Charge 3 is rated for 20 hours versus 10 hours for the Sonos Roam.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 3 | Sonos Roam | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $80 Discontinued | $175.00 |
| Ranked | #67 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #72 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max Volume | 100dB | 95dB |
| 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 | 0.9 lbs / 429 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 5.0 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.5" (213 x 88 x 88 mm) | 2.4" x 6.6" x 2.4" (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 20W RMS | - |
| App | Yes (JBL Connect) | Sonos S2 App |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX5 |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Stereo | - | No |
| Wifi | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Sonos Roam 2 vs Sony ULT Field 1
- Sonos Roam 2 vs Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sonos Roam 2
- JBL Charge 3 vs Sonos Roam 2
- Sonos Roam vs Sony ULT Field 1
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge 3: $80 Discontinued
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 |
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- 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?
- 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?
- EnforcerMan: JBL CHARGE 3 VS TREBLAB HD77 - FULL REVIEW
- Reddit Search for JBL Charge 3 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sonos Roam: $175.00 Amazon
Pros: Very neutral. IP67 rated at ~1 lb. Wireless (Qi) charging - rare for a portable speaker. Works with Alexa/Sonos Voice Control and the wider Sonos ecosystem over Wi-Fi.
Cons: Bass extension isn’t very good. Not stereo. Gets distorted if you turn up the bass.
Full Sonos Roam review and specifications →
| App | Sonos S2 App |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.4" x 6.6" x 2.4" (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 429 g |
| Wifi | Yes |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons