Short answer: the JBL Flip 7, if you are buying new. The JBL Flip 4 ranks higher than the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 (#83 vs #113 of 175 medium speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the JBL Flip 7, is rated 4.2/5 at $89.95 and is still sold new.
The JBL Flip 4 is the better-sounding choice. At 1.1 lbs (510 g), JBL Flip 4 combines 2x 40mm fullrange with Bluetooth and aux. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 lacks. Watch for: Battery failures are common.
What the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 does well: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Flip 4 lacks. It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. The catch: Not much improvement over the old ones.
Buy the JBL Flip 7, the replacement for the discontinued JBL Flip 4; it is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 4.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 4 | Ultimate Ears Boom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $70 Discontinued | $129.99 |
| Ranked | #83 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #113 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 66Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 300ms | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (510 g) | 1.4 lbs (620 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange | 2x 1.57” (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81” x 2.57” (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.8” x 2.6” (175 x 70 x 65 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” x 2.9” (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 16W RMS | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 92dB (Manufacturer specified) | 85dBC (Manufacturer specified) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) | Yes (built-in loop) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
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- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Flip 4
- JBL Charge 6 vs JBL Flip 4
- JBL Flip 6 vs JBL Flip 4
Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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 Flip 4: $70 Discontinued Amazon $70 eBay
Newer model: the JBL Flip 7, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5, released Mar 2025. See every JBL Flip generation.
Pros: At 510 g, JBL Flip 4 combines 2x 40mm fullrange with Bluetooth and aux. Claimed 12 hours (manufacturer specified) battery life, ipx7 protection, up to 92db and single-box playback make its feature set practical for its intended room or portable use. Measured bass extension of 66Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 66Hz specification. There is no companion app. No EQ adjustment. Battery failures are common. Discontinued.
Full JBL Flip 4 review and specifications →
| Released | Feb 2017 (9 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 16W RMS |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 66Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 300ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.8” x 2.6” (175 x 70 x 65 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 92dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (510 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 4: $129.99 Amazon $129.99 eBay
Older model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Same family: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 (smaller model, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 (larger model, ranked lower, rated 2.1/5).
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 →
| Released | Jun 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| 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
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Klipsch Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
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