Short answer: the JBL Charge 6. It ranks #12 of 164 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $149.95; the Sonos Roam 2 ranks #92, rated 3.2/5, and costs $179, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
Buy the JBL Charge 6. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sonos Roam 2 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Water resistance is not close: the JBL Charge 6 is rated at IP68 (extended submersion), well ahead of the Sonos Roam 2 at IPX5 (water jets).
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 6 | Sonos Roam 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149.95 | $179.00 |
| Ranked | #12 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #92 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Sonos S2 App |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX5 |
| Maximum SPL | 102dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 95dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/2.4A) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (990 g) | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 9” x 3.9” x 3.7” (228.8 x 98.5 x 94 mm) | 2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 1x ~45mm racetrack mid-woofer + 1x tweeter + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 56Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 45W | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Charge 6:
- Earfun Uboom L vs JBL Charge 6
- JBL Charge 6 vs Soundcore Motion 300
- JBL Charge 6 vs Soundcore Motion+
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Charge 6
- JBL Charge 6 vs Denon Envaya DSB-250BT
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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 6: $149.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Older models: the JBL Charge 5 (ranked lower, rated 4/5), the JBL Charge 4 (ranked lower, rated 3.5/5), the JBL Charge 3 (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5) and the JBL Charge 2 (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
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. IP68 protection, a 7-band app EQ, Auracast, USB-C charging and a power bank output. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
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 →
| Amplifier Power | 45W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 102dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/2.4A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| 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?
- M1MTechChannel: Welche JBL Partybox ist die BESTE ? Alle Partyboxen im Vergleich | 2026 More from M1MTechChannel →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sonos Roam 2: $179.00 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Sonos Roam (ranked lower, rated 3.1/5).
Pros: Very neutral. Additional button for pairing instead of being shared with power button. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Exact same sound quality as the original Roam. Bass extension isn’t very good. Not stereo. Gets distorted as you turn up the bass.
Full Sonos Roam 2 review and specifications →
| App | Sonos S2 App |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x ~45mm racetrack mid-woofer + 1x tweeter + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons