Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential 2 on measured sound quality, the Sony XB33 on price. The JBL Charge Essential 2 ranks #35 of 136 medium speakers at $130. The Sony XB33 ranks #59 at $110, $20 cheaper.
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 Sony XB33 offers: IP67 rated and lightweight (2.4 lb). App-controlled color LED lighting, Party Connect links up to 100 speakers. ~19 hour real-world battery without lights. Watch for: Not very loud. Upper bass peaks, midrange dip, upper midrange peaks, not very neutral. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 2 if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Sony XB33 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 2 | Sony XB33 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 | $110 |
| Ranked | #35 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #59 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~55Hz | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | Yes (3 band) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs / 930 g | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 9.7" x 3.8" x 4.2" (246 x 97 x 106 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | - |
| Output Power | 40W | 16W RMS |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 110ms |
| Max Volume | - | 97dB |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Xiaomi Mi Portable
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Marshall Emberton II
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- Sony XB33 vs JBL Flip Essential
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.
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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
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Sony XB33: $110 eBay
Pros: IP67 rated and lightweight (2.4 lb). App-controlled color LED lighting, Party Connect links up to 100 speakers. ~19 hour real-world battery without lights.
Cons: Not very loud. Upper bass peaks, midrange dip, upper midrange peaks, not very neutral. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically.
Full Sony XB33 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 110ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.7" x 3.8" x 4.2" (246 x 97 x 106 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 97dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony xb33 vs xb43 vs Soundcore Motion Plus speakers test More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Plus and Sony XB33 - ultimate travel speaker 2021 🤗
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- Reddit Search for Sony XB33 Review
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