Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE on measured sound quality, the Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus on price. The JBL Charge Essential 3 SE ranks #40 of 150 medium speakers, rated 3.7/5, at $199.95. The Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus ranks #75, rated 3.3/5, at $49.99, $149.96 cheaper.
Why pick the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE: Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. The catch: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural.
What the Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus does well: A racetrack woofer and a tweeter rated for 50W, with IPX7 waterproofing, Bluetooth 6.0, Auracast multi-speaker sync, stereo pairing, USB-C audio input, app EQ and a detachable lanyard, at 0.81 kg. The catch: In side by side tests by Clinch Audio Bass and Mateusz Cholewa, the Xiaomi Sound Party and Soundcore Boom 3i sounded more refined and fuller, and listeners described the C3 Plus’s treble as dull.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus if the price matters more than sound quality.
If battery life is a priority, the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE is rated for 20 hours versus 12 hours for the Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $49.99 |
| Ranked | #40 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #75 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Tronsmart) |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours at 50% volume (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 1.8 lbs (0.81 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 6.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 8.3”H x 3.1”W x 3.3”D (210 x 80 x 85 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators | 1x racetrack woofer + 1x tweeter |
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) | 50W |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | USB-C |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Strap | No | Yes (lanyard) |
| Charging Time | - | 4 hours |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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 3 SE: $199.95 JBL eBay
Older models: the JBL Charge Essential 2 (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5) and the JBL Charge Essential (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. IP67 water and dust protection, a claimed 20 hours of battery life, a USB-C power bank output, Auracast stereo pairing and multi-speaker linking, Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC, and app EQ.
Cons: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural. Against the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen it sounds muddier and more strident, with less detail and a smaller soundstage. At full price it costs as much as the Charge 6, which is the better speaker.
Full JBL Charge Essential 3 SE review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus: $49.99 Tronsmart Best Buy eBay
Pros: A racetrack woofer and a tweeter rated for 50W, with IPX7 waterproofing, Bluetooth 6.0, Auracast multi-speaker sync, stereo pairing, USB-C audio input, app EQ and a detachable lanyard, at 0.81 kg.
Cons: In side by side tests by Clinch Audio Bass and Mateusz Cholewa, the Xiaomi Sound Party and Soundcore Boom 3i sounded more refined and fuller, and listeners described the C3 Plus’s treble as dull. Tronsmart rates the battery at only 12 hours at half volume. It is a mono unit with no aux input.
Full Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Tronsmart) |
| Battery Life | 12 hours at 50% volume (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Charging Time | 4 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 8.3”H x 3.1”W x 3.3”D (210 x 80 x 85 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x racetrack woofer + 1x tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (app) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs (0.81 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Clinch Audio Bass: Mirtune C3 Plus 50w VS Xioami Sound Party 50w
- Clinch Audio Bass: Mirtune C3 Plus 50w VS SoundCore Boom 3i 50w
- Techder Audios: Xiaomi Sound Party vs Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus - Real Sound & Bass Test! More from techderaudios →
- Mateusz Cholewa: Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Importados Neto Rocha: Vale a pena pagar o dobro? Tronsmart C3 Plus vs JBL Flip 7
- GiT: Tronsmart Mirtune C3 vs C3+ blind test
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