Short answer: the JBL Charge 5 Wifi on measured sound quality, the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 on price. The JBL Charge 5 Wifi ranks #25 of 136 medium speakers at $250. The Harman Kardon Esquire 2 ranks #120 at $200, $50 cheaper.
What the JBL Charge 5 Wifi offers: Has Wifi. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version Watch for: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive. No party mode on the wifi version
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 5 Wifi if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
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.
Battery life favors the JBL Charge 5 Wifi: rated for 20 hours against 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Esquire 2.
Water resistance is not close: the JBL Charge 5 Wifi is rated at IP67 (brief submersion), well ahead of the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 Wifi | Harman Kardon Esquire 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $250 | $200 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #25 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #120 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | - |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g | 0.8 lbs / 0.35 kg |
| Wifi | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.1 |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 97 x 94 mm) | 7.5" x 5.1" x 1.3" (190 x 130 x 34 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 4x 1.25" (32mm) full-range drivers |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music | - |
| Output Power | 40W | 16W |
| Built in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | Yes |
| Max Volume | 99dB | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Harman Kardon Luna vs JBL Charge 5
- JBL Charge 6 vs Boat Stone 350/352/358
- Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II vs JBL Charge 5
- B&O Beosound A1 vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi 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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge 5 Wifi: $250 Amazon eBay
Pros: Has Wifi. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive. No party mode on the wifi version
Full JBL Charge 5 Wifi review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 97 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 | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g |
| Wifi | Yes |
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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
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