Short answer: the JBL Flip 7, if you are buying new. The JBL Flip 5 ranks higher than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 (#81 vs #108 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 5 is the deeper-bass, lighter choice. Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. Its bass reaches about 59Hz before falling 10dB, against 70Hz for the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3. At 1.2 lbs (540 g) it weighs much less than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 at 2 lbs (925 g). It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. The catch: Boosted upper bass.
The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 is the louder, longer-running pick. IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. Alan Ross Reviews measured it at 98dB at full volume, against 92dB for the JBL Flip 5. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 12 for the JBL Flip 5. The catch: Not stereo, barely any bass.
Buy the JBL Flip 7, the replacement for the discontinued JBL Flip 5; it is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 5 | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $64.97 Discontinued | $191.99 |
| Ranked | #81 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #108 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz | 70Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 92dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| 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 | Yes | Yes |
| 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) |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| App | Yes | Yes (UE | BOOM app) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) | Yes (built-in loop) |
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More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Flip 5:
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- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Flip 5
- Soundcore Motion+ vs JBL Flip 5
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Flip 5
- Minirig 4 vs JBL Flip 5
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 5: $64.97 Discontinued Amazon $64.97 eBay
Newer model: the JBL Flip 7, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5, released Mar 2025.
Older model: the JBL Flip 4 (ranked lower, rated 3.3/5). See every JBL Flip generation.
Pros: Compact and light (1.1 lb) with a carry lanyard. Charges via USB-C, topping off in about 2.5 hours. IP67 rated. Measured bass extension of 59Hz (-10dB).
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 →
| Released | Jul 2019 (7 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| 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) |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 92dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (540 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: UE Wonderboom 2 review and sound test - vs Flip 5 - Flip 4 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs JBL Flip 5 v Tribit Maxsound Plus
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs JBL Flip 5 & Soundcore Boost - true stereophonic 🤓
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Pro - two versions compared - was it broken? 🤔
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beoplay A1 Denon 250bt JBL Flip 5 Anker Flare 2
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3? More from DLXWillington →
- Techder Audios: #JBL Flip 5 VS #JBL Flip Essential "IMPRESSIVE COMPARISON!?" More from techderaudios →
- GYMCADDY: JBL Flip 7 Review - Is It Worth Upgrading Over The JBL Flip 6 Or Flip 5? More from GYMCADDY →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3: $191.99 Amazon $191.99 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4, ranked lower, rated 2.1/5, released Jun 2024. See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. 20 hour battery life: about double most speakers this size. Measured bass extension of 70Hz (-10dB).
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 →
| Released | Sep 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (UE | BOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| 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 |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2 lbs (925 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- 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
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