Short answer: the JBL Charge 6 for better sound quality, the Sonos Roam 2 for the lower price. The JBL Charge 6 ranks #11 of 136 medium speakers at $199.95. The Sonos Roam 2 ranks #71 at $177, $22.95 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. Set against that: Still some boosted bass by default. Mids are recessed. Bright above 2khz.
What the Sonos Roam 2 gets right: Very neutral. Additional button for pairing instead of being shared with power button. The catch: Exact same sound quality as the original Roam. Bass extension isn’t very good.
Buy the JBL Charge 6 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Sonos Roam 2 if the price matters more than sound quality.
If battery life is a priority, the JBL Charge 6 is rated for 24 hours versus 10 hours for the Sonos Roam 2.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Charge 6 at IP68 (extended submersion) holds up far better than the Sonos Roam 2 at IPX5 (water jets).
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 6 | Sonos Roam 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $177.00 |
| Ranked | #11 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #71 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Sonos S2 App |
| Aux Input | 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 |
| Max Volume | 102dB | 95dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/2.4A) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 990 g | 0.9 lbs / 429 g |
| 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 | - |
| Output Power | 45W | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Wifi | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs JBL Flip 6
- Sonos Roam vs KEF Muo gen2
- B&O Beosound A1 vs B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen
- JBL Charge 6 vs Huawei Sound Joy
- JBL Charge 6 vs Bose Soundlink Mini 2
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.
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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
Sonos Roam 2: $177.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Very neutral. Additional button for pairing instead of being shared with power button
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 |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 429 g |
| Wifi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons