Short answer: the JBL Flip 5. It ranks #62 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $89.95; the Sonos Roam ranks #72 and costs $175, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the JBL Flip 5 gets right: Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. The tradeoff: Not stereo. Boosted upper bass.
What the Sonos Roam offers: Very neutral. IP67 rated at ~1 lb. Set against that: Bass extension isn’t very good.
One note: the JBL Flip 5 is discontinued, but it still ranks #62 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality, ahead of most of what is still sold new, so it is worth considering used.
Buy the JBL Flip 5. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sonos Roam and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 5 | Sonos Roam | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $89.95 Discontinued | $175.00 |
| Ranked | #62 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #72 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms | - |
| Max Volume | 92dB | 95dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs / 540 g | 0.9 lbs / 429 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.0 |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm fullrange | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 2.7" x 2.9" (181 x 69 x 74 mm) | 2.4" x 6.6" x 2.4" (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 20W RMS | - |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX5 |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Stereo | - | No |
| Wifi | - | Yes |
| App | - | Sonos S2 App |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Klipsch Nashville vs Sonos Roam 2
- JBL Charge 3 vs Sonos Roam 2
- Sonos Roam 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- JBL Flip 5 vs Sonos Roam 2
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs JBL Flip 5
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Flip 5: $89.95 Discontinued Amazon
Pros: Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. Charges via USB-C, topping off in about 2.5 hours. IP67 rated.
Cons: Not stereo. Boosted upper bass. Piercing sound when turned up. Peaky lower treble at higher volumes. Discontinued.
Full JBL Flip 5 review and specifications →
| Aux Input | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 2.7" x 2.9" (181 x 69 x 74 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 92dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs / 540 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beoplay A1 Denon 250bt JBL Flip 5 Anker Flare 2 More from alanrossreviews →
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3? More from DLXWillington →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs JBL Flip 5 v Tribit Maxsound Plus
- Techder Audios: #JBL Flip 5 VS #JBL Flip Essential “IMPRESSIVE COMPARISON!?” More from techderaudios →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs JBL Flip 5 & Soundcore Boost - true stereophonic 🤓
- Reddit Search for JBL Flip 5 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sonos Roam: $175.00 Amazon
Pros: Very neutral. IP67 rated at ~1 lb. Wireless (Qi) charging - rare for a portable speaker. Works with Alexa/Sonos Voice Control and the wider Sonos ecosystem over Wi-Fi.
Cons: Bass extension isn’t very good. Not stereo. Gets distorted if you turn up the bass.
Full Sonos Roam review and specifications →
| App | Sonos S2 App |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.4" x 6.6" x 2.4" (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 429 g |
| Wifi | Yes |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons