Short answer: the JBL Charge 6. It ranks #12 of 164 medium speakers at $149.95, a clear step above the Boom 4 at #110 for $100.08. The gap is not just rank order: the tuning and battery life differences are real and noticeable.
The Charge 6 corrected JBL’s own past mistakes. Compared to the Charge 5, it has a flatter frequency response through the mids and treble, since the 5 was noticeably rolled off up high. It is not neutral out of the box (some boosted bass, recessed mids, brightness above 2kHz), but reviewers note it is more balanced than its predecessor. Battery life is rated at 24 hours, a real advantage over the Boom 4’s 15.
The Boom 4 barely moved the needle over the Boom 3. Its pros are mostly convenience upgrades: it is IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges over USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB, plus it adds customizable EQ and speaker pairing through the UE app. But the notes are blunt that it is not much of an improvement over the old model, with weak bass extension, thuddy low end, and audible distortion above 90 percent volume.
Everything else worth noting: both speakers support true stereo pairing and app control, and the Charge 6 adds Auracast party mode and USB-C power bank output, neither of which the Boom 4 offers.
Buy the JBL Charge 6 for the flatter tuning, the much longer battery life, and the extra Auracast and power bank functionality.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 if you specifically want a floating, USB-C charging Boom at a lower price and don’t mind that it is a minor refresh rather than a real step forward in sound.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 6 | Ultimate Ears Boom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149.95 | $100.08 |
| Ranked | #12 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #110 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 102dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 85dBC (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/2.4A) | No |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (990 g) | 1.4 lbs (620 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 9” x 3.9” x 3.7” (228.8 x 98.5 x 94 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” x 2.9” (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 2x 1.57” (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81” x 2.57” (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 56Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 45W | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | Yes (built-in loop) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Charge 6 compares with other leading options:
- 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 5, 2026 at 10:21 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
Ultimate Ears Boom 4: $100.08 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5).
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. 15 hour battery. Customizable EQ and speaker-pairing via the UE app.
Cons: Not much improvement over the old ones. Weak bass extension and thuddy bass. Gets distorted above 90%
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.9” x 2.9” (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.57” (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81” x 2.57” (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 85dBC (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (620 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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