Short answer: the JBL Charge 5 on measured sound quality, the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove on price. The JBL Charge 5 ranks #26 of 136 medium speakers at $134.95. The Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove ranks #90 at $89, $45.95 cheaper.
What the JBL Charge 5 offers: Doubles as a power bank (USB-A out) for charging your phone. IP67 rated, survives a 1m dunk for 30 minutes. ~20 hour battery life. Watch for: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive.
What the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove offers: Pretty balanced sound. Distinctive mid-century design with real wood veneer and a woven grille, unlike most plastic/rubber portables. ~8 hour battery life. Watch for: Not stereo. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others its size. Gets distorted at higher levels. Wouldn’t generally recommend these old speakers as they can’t compete with modern speakers for bass performance and features.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Battery life favors the JBL Charge 5: rated for 20 hours against 8 hours for the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove.
Water resistance is not close: the JBL Charge 5 is rated at IP67 (brief submersion), well ahead of the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove at IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 | Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $134.95 | $89.00 |
| Ranked | #26 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #90 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Max Volume | 99dB | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | No |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs / 960 g | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 4.0 |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 5" x 6" x 2.6" (127 x 152 x 67 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 1x 3" full-range driver + 2x side-firing passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Output Power | 40W | 10W RMS |
| Built in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
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- Tribit Xsound Mega vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- JBL Charge 5 vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Sony SRS-XE300
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 5: $134.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Doubles as a power bank (USB-A out) for charging your phone. IP67 rated, survives a 1m dunk for 30 minutes. ~20 hour battery life.
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive.
Full JBL Charge 5 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs / 960 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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- KULAS TECH SHOW: JBL Charge 5 vs Tronsmart Mirtune S100 - Sound Comparison💥🔥 More from KULASTECHSHOW20 →
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- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Boom vs Sony XB43 - a step to far? 🤪
- DIGI-EARS: Xdobo X8 Max vs. JBL Charge 5 vs. Anker Soundcore Motion+ vs. Tribit Stormbox Pro Sound Test Battle
- Reddit Search for JBL Charge 5 Review
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Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove: $89.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Pretty balanced sound. Distinctive mid-century design with real wood veneer and a woven grille, unlike most plastic/rubber portables. ~8 hour battery life.
Cons: Not stereo. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others its size. Gets distorted at higher levels. Wouldn’t generally recommend these old speakers as they can’t compete with modern speakers for bass performance and features.
Full Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5" x 6" x 2.6" (127 x 152 x 67 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 3" full-range driver + 2x side-firing passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 10W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
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