Short answer: the JBL Flip 5. It ranks #62 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $64.97; the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 ranks #132 and costs $200, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
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 4 offers: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together. Watch for: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Buy the JBL Flip 5. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
Skip the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 if sound quality matters to you. It ranks near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 is rated for 20 hours, the JBL Flip 5 only 12 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 5 | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $64.97 Discontinued | $200 |
| Ranked | #62 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #132 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms | - |
| Max Volume | 92dB | 91dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs / 540 g | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm fullrange | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 2.7" x 2.9" (181 x 69 x 74 mm) | 3.4" x 3.4" x 8.9" (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 20W RMS | - |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Built in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| App | - | Yes |
| Stereo | - | No |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Power Input | - | USB-C |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Bose Soundlink Revolve vs JBL Flip 4
- JBL Flip 4 vs Sony SRS-XB30
- JBL Pulse 5 vs JBL Flip 4
- JBL Flip 5 vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
- JBL Charge 6 vs JBL Flip 5
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 4: $200 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together.
Cons: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4" x 3.4" x 8.9" (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 91dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs Sony ULT Field 1 😧 $200 vs $128 Cylinder Bluetooth Speaker Matchup More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs W-King D320 🔋Does Paying More Get You Less? 😧
- Reddit Search for Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 Review
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