Short answer: the JBL Flip 7, if you are buying new. The JBL Flip 5 ranks higher than the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 (#81 vs #109 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 Flip 5 is the louder, fuller speaker, but it is discontinued. Alan Ross measured 92dB, its racetrack driver reaches about 59Hz before falling 10dB, and it links with other JBL speakers through PartyBoost. Its upper bass is boosted and it gets piercing when turned up, and JBL has retired the app that held its EQ.
The Wonderboom 4 is the small, current alternative. Its round 0.9 lbs (420 g) body has two drivers and two passive radiators and is rated IP67, it claims 14 hours of battery, and UE specifies it at 87dB. Its bass is a little thuddy and not very deep, and it is only a small step over the Wonderboom 3, mainly adding USB-C charging.
Buy the JBL Flip 7, the replacement for the discontinued JBL Flip 5; it is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 5 | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $64.97 Discontinued | $74.50 |
| Ranked | #81 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #109 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 92dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (540 g) | 0.9 lbs (420 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.2 |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm fullrange | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| Dimensions | 7.1” x 2.7” x 2.9” (181 x 69 x 74 mm) | 4.1” x 3.8” (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (via JBL app, sunsetted in 2024) | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| App | Yes | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) | Yes (built-in loop) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Flip 5 compares with other leading options:
- EarFun Uboom L vs JBL Flip 5
- 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 Wonderboom 4: $74.50 Amazon $74.50 eBay
Older models: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5), the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Same family: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 (larger model, ranked lower, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 (larger model, ranked lower, rated 2.1/5).
Pros: Small size.
Cons: Bass isn’t as deep as the top-ranked speakers and is a little thuddy. Not much improvement over the previous Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 besides the USB-C charging port.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.1” x 3.8” (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (420 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Soundcore 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- See all 138 comparisons