Short answer: the JBL Charge 5 for better sound quality, the Walla Sound for the lower price. The JBL Charge 5 ranks #28 of 142 medium speakers at $179.95. The Walla Sound ranks #129 at $49.99, $129.96 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 Walla Sound offers: IPX5 water resistant, 8-hour battery life, shockproof construction, Bluetooth 5.0, MicroSD card support, AUX input, built-in HD microphone, voice assistant compatible, lightweight 300g Watch for: No bass, gets distorted when turned up. Harsh upper mids.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Walla Sound when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
Skip the Walla Sound if sound quality matters to you. It ranks near the bottom of the 142 medium speakers.
If battery life is a priority, the JBL Charge 5 is rated for 20 hours versus 8 hours for the Walla Sound.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 | Walla Sound | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $179.95 | $49.99 |
| Ranked | #28 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #129 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | ~90Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | - |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | - |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 0.7 lbs (300 g) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 2.7" x 2.7" x 6.3" (68 x 68 x 160 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 30mm metal diaphragm driver |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX5 |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Charge 5:
- JBL Charge 5 vs Earfun Uboom L
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Charge 5
- Soundcore Motion+ vs JBL Charge 5
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Charge 5
- JBL Charge 5 vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 AM 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 5: $179.95 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. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive.
Full JBL Charge 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| 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
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 6 or the JBL Charge 5? don’t go home till you watch this! More from alanrossreviews →
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Charge 6 🎶👌Unboxing 📦vs Jbl Charge 5 Short Test Audio i Hz. More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 6 Review - Worth Upgrading Even If You Have The JBL Charge 5 More from GYMCADDY →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 and Charge 3 - best JBL charge 5 review 2021?
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Plus and Sony XB33 - ultimate travel speaker 2021 🤗
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex Review! vs JBL Flip 6 and JBL Charge 5. Travel heaven?? 🤞
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Mega vs the world! (JBL Charge 5, Bose Flex, Sony XB33, LG PL7) 👍
- Oluv Patreon: JBL Charge 5 - unboxing & first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bogasing M4 Review - vs JBL Charge 5 & Motion Plus - a new contender?
- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE 5 Vs. CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 #shorts
- Alan Ross Reviews: Huawei sound joy vs JBL Charge 5 and Flip 6 - top mono speaker! 🤓
- New Stuff TV 2: Sony ULT Field 1 vs JBL Flip 6, JBL Charge 5 & Soundcore Motion 300 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- Techder Audios: JBL PULSE 5 VS JBL CHARGE 5 "LIGHTS VS BASS?!" More from techderaudios →
- Storytripper HD: Klipsch Nashville vs JBL Charge 5 More from storytripperhd →
- Flossy Carter: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 vs JBL Charge Essential More from FlossyCarter →
- Storytripper HD: KEF MUO vs JBL Charge 5
- KULAS TECH SHOW: JBL Charge 5 vs Tronsmart Mirtune S100 - Sound Comparison💥🔥 More from KULASTECHSHOW20 →
- Alan Ross Reviews: UE Megaboom 3 review vs JBL Charge 5 & Motion Boom! how bad can it be??
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XE300 vs JBL Charge 5
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 5 Vs Sony XE300 - How Can You Mess Up This Bad?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Stockwell 2 Review and huge sound test! - vs JBL Charge 5! 💯
- 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 More from DigitalSlang →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge 5 vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- JBL Charge 5 vs Bogasing M4
- JBL Charge 5 vs Bogasing G4
- JBL Charge 5 vs Harman Kardon Luna
- JBL Charge 5 vs Teufel Rockster XS
- JBL Charge 5 vs Harman Kardon Luna 2
- JBL Charge 5 vs Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus
- See all 95 comparisons
Walla Sound: $49.99 Walla Sound eBay
Pros: IPX5 water resistant, 8-hour battery life, shockproof construction, Bluetooth 5.0, MicroSD card support, AUX input, built-in HD microphone, voice assistant compatible, lightweight 300g. Measured bass extension of ~90Hz (-10dB).
Cons: No bass, gets distorted when turned up. Harsh upper mids.
Full Walla Sound review and specifications →
| Aux Input | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~90Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.7" x 2.7" x 6.3" (68 x 68 x 160 mm) |
| Drivers | 30mm metal diaphragm driver |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (300 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Walla Sound vs Xdobo X8
- Walla Sound vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- Walla Sound vs Limitless Innovations TikiTunes
- Walla Sound vs B&O Beosound Explore
- Walla Sound vs W-King D8 Mini
- Walla Sound vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Walla Sound vs Marshall Emberton II
- Walla Sound vs Marshall Emberton III
- See all 53 comparisons