Short answer: the JBL Charge 6 for better sound quality, the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove for the lower price. The JBL Charge 6 ranks #11 of 136 medium speakers at $199.95. The Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove ranks #90 at $89, $110.95 cheaper.
On the JBL Charge 6 side: Seems more neutral than the Charge 5. Flatter frequency response through the mids and treble as the Charge 5 was quite rolled off up high. Watch for: Still some boosted bass by default. Mids are recessed. Bright above 2khz.
What the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove gets right: Pretty balanced sound. Distinctive mid-century design with real wood veneer and a woven grille, unlike most plastic/rubber portables. ~8 hour battery life. Set against that: Not stereo. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others its size. Gets distorted at higher levels.
Buy the JBL Charge 6 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove if the price matters more than sound quality.
If battery life is a priority, the JBL Charge 6 is rated for 24 hours versus 8 hours for the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Charge 6 at IP68 (extended submersion) holds up far better than the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove at IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 6 | Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $89.00 |
| Ranked | #11 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #90 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) |
| Max Volume | 102dB | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/2.4A) | No |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 990 g | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 4.0 |
| Dimensions | 9" x 3.9" x 3.7" (228.8 x 98.5 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 | 56Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Output Power | 45W | 10W RMS |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Sonos Roam vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- JBL Charge 6 vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- JBL Charge 6 vs Beats Pill+
Prices on this page were last checked August 21, 2026 at 5:30 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 6: $199.95 Amazon Bhphotovideo eBay
Pros: Seems more neutral than the Charge 5. Flatter frequency response through the mids and treble as the Charge 5 was quite rolled off up high. Use this EQ from Joy/Oluv and turn down the lowest bass slider for the best sound quality. Oluv has even more paid EQs specifically for the GG and TL models indoors and outdoors here
Cons: Still some boosted bass by default. Mids are recessed. Bright above 2khz. Quite a V shaped frequency response.
Full JBL Charge 6 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 9" x 3.9" x 3.7" (228.8 x 98.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) |
| Frequency Response | 56Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Max Volume | 102dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 45W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/2.4A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 990 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6 vs JBL Xtreme 4 - outdoor test More from Oluv’Sone →
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6 vs SoundCore Boom 2 - David vs Goliath
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6 vs JBL Xtreme 4 - basstest (bigger=better?)
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6, Xtreme 4 & Earfun UBoom X - taking sound to the top
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 6 or the JBL Charge 5? don’t go home till you watch this! More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 4 vs Flip 7 vs Charge 6 – The ULTIMATE JBL Speaker Showdown!
- Oluv Patreon: Marshall Middleton II - better with EQ?
- Oluv Patreon: An evening with the “best portable speakers”?
- Oluv Patreon: Bose Soundlink Plus vs JBL Charge 6 - fight!
- 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 →
- Oluv Patreon: JBL Charge 6 - good or bad?
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: JBL, Bose, B&O, Sonos, Earfun, SoundCore… which portable speaker sounds best?
- Reddit Search for JBL Charge 6 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Tribit Stormbox
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- See all 11 comparisons