Short answer: the JBL Flip 5. It ranks #62 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $64.97; the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 ranks #83 and costs $163, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the JBL Flip 5 offers: Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. Charges via USB-C, topping off in about 2.5 hours. IP67 rated. Watch for: Not stereo. Boosted upper bass. Piercing sound when turned up. Peaky lower treble at higher volumes.
What the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 offers: IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. 20 hour battery life - about double most speakers this size. Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2018. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Buy the JBL Flip 5. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
Battery life favors the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3: rated for 20 hours against 12 hours for the JBL Flip 5.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 5 | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $64.97 Discontinued | $163 |
| Ranked | #62 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #83 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz | 70Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms | - |
| Max Volume | 92dB | 98dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs / 540 g | 2 lbs / 925 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm fullrange | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 2.7" x 2.9" (181 x 69 x 74 mm) | 3.4" x 8.9" x 3.4" (87 x 225 x 87 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 20W RMS | - |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Built in Microphone | No | - |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Power Input | - | Micro USB |
| Stereo | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs JBL Flip 4
- Beats Pill 2024 vs Sony XB23
- JBL Flip 4 vs Marshall Emberton II
- JBL Flip 5 vs Marshall Emberton III
- JBL Flip 5 vs Marshall Emberton II
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 Flip 5: $64.97 Discontinued Amazon eBay
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 |
- 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
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3: $163 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. 20 hour battery life - about double most speakers this size.
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2018. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4" x 8.9" x 3.4" (87 x 225 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 98dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 2 lbs / 925 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Soundcore 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Tribit Xsound Surf
- See all 74 comparisons