Short answer: the JBL Charge 5. It ranks #30 of 177 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $114.95; the Sonos Play ranks #56, rated 3.5/5, and costs $299, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The JBL Charge 5 is the better-sounding, lighter choice. A rugged, fully waterproof speaker with punchy, warm sound and long battery life that also charges your phone. At 2.1 lbs (960 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Sonos Play at 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg). It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Sonos Play lacks. It links with other speakers (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers), which the Sonos Play cannot. The tradeoff: Shouty upper mids.
Why pick the Sonos Play: A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support. It keeps a wired aux input, which the JBL Charge 5 lacks. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the JBL Charge 5. Watch for: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app.
Buy the JBL Charge 5. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sonos Play and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
A rugged, fully waterproof speaker with punchy, warm sound and long battery life that also charges your phone.
A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support.
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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 | Sonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $114.95 | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #30 of 177 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #56 of 177 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | No |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
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