Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential 2. It ranks #35 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $130; the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 ranks #120 and costs $200, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the JBL Charge Essential 2 offers: Doubles as a power bank. IP67 rated. Close to Charge 5 performance at a lower price. Watch for: Not stereo. Slightly less bass than a Charge 5.
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 Essential 2. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
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 Essential 2: rated for 20 hours against 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Esquire 2.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Charge Essential 2 at IPX7 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 2 | Harman Kardon Esquire 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 | $200 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #35 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #120 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~55Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | - |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs / 930 g | 0.8 lbs / 0.35 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 4.1 |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 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 | IPX7 | IPX4 |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Output Power | 40W | 16W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| TWS | - | No |
| Built in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Aux Input | - | Yes |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Huawei Sound Joy vs Sony ULT Field 3
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs KEF Muo gen2
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- JBL Flip Essential vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge Essential 2: $130 eBay
Pros: Doubles as a power bank. IP67 rated. Close to Charge 5 performance at a lower price.
Cons: Not stereo. Slightly less bass than a Charge 5.
Full JBL Charge Essential 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~55Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs / 930 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Soundcore Motion 100
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Teufel Rockster XS
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs JBL Pulse 5
- See all 74 comparisons
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
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs LG Xboom XG5
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Ultimate Ears Roll 2
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs LG Xboom Go PL5
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Sony SRS-XE200
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs W-King D8 Mini
- See all 71 comparisons