Short answer: the JBL Flip 6. It ranks #13 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $79.95; the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 ranks #113, rated 2.9/5, and costs $129.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The JBL Flip 6 is the better-sounding option. A very neutral speaker, very small, almost pocket size, a huge sound quality leap over the JBL Flip 5. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 lacks. Watch for: Some slight upper mids emphasis.
Why pick the Ultimate Ears Boom 4: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the JBL Flip 6. The catch: Not much improvement over the old ones.
Buy the JBL Flip 6. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 6 | Ultimate Ears Boom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.95 | $129.99 |
| Ranked | #13 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #113 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 116ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 85dBC (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (544 g) | 1.4 lbs (620 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (176 x 68 x 72 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” x 2.9” (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 44mm x 80mm woofer, 16mm tweeter | 2x 1.57” (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81” x 2.57” (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 30W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | Yes (built-in loop) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- JBL Flip 6 vs Soundcore Motion+
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Flip 6
- JBL Flip 6 vs Minirig 4
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 6: $79.95 Amazon $114.95 Woot $79.95 Lowest eBay
Newer model: the JBL Flip 7, ranked lower, rated 4.2/5, released Mar 2025. It adds USB audio input, but drops stereo pairing. Water resistance goes from IP67 to IP68.
Older models: the JBL Flip 5 (ranked lower, rated 3.3/5) and the JBL Flip 4 (ranked lower, rated 3.3/5). See every JBL Flip generation.
Pros: A very neutral speaker, very small, almost pocket size, a huge sound quality leap over the JBL Flip 5. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Some slight upper mids emphasis. The TL version (made in Vietnam) tweeter can sound somewhat scratchy and doesn’t sound as good as the GG version (made in China)
Full JBL Flip 6 review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 30W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 116ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (176 x 68 x 72 mm) |
| Drivers | 44mm x 80mm woofer, 16mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (544 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: JBL, Bose, B&O, Sonos, Earfun, SoundCore… which portable speaker sounds best? More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 7 is screech-fest heaven! vs Flip 6! More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 6 vs Maxsound Plus and Soundcore Boost - ultimate travel speaker!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Mifa WildRod Review and new firmware comparison vs JBL Flip 6 - things got interesting 👀
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 6 vs Marshall Emberton review - mono or pseudo surround sound? 🤷♀️
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex or JBL Flip 6 (eq adjusted) or Denon Envaya - best speaker for travel!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex Review! vs JBL Flip 6 and JBL Charge 5. Travel heaven?? 🤞
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion 300 or JBL Flip 6 or Soundcore Boost v2? we all have issues!
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 6 vs JBL Charge 4 and JBL Charge 3 - small one or a large one? 🤷♂️
- Alan Ross Reviews: Huawei sound joy vs JBL Charge 5 and Flip 6 - top mono speaker! 🤓
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: Beats Pill (by Apple) 2024 version review vs JBL and Soundcore!
- Techder Audios: JBL Flip 6 Martin Garrix Edition VS Wisetiger P3 "PRICEY VS REAL CHEAP?!" More from techderaudios →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: JBL Flip 6 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (Indoor Mode)⚔️ Battle of the Handheld Bluetooth Speakers. More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- CEONTHEMAKING: Earfun Uboom L - This Speaker Replaced My JBL Flip 6… More from CEONTHEMAKING →
- Storytripper HD: Huawei Sound Joy 2 vs JBL Flip 6 vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor More from storytripperhd →
- GYMCADDY: JBL Flip 7 Review - Is It Worth Upgrading Over The JBL Flip 6 Or Flip 5? More from GYMCADDY →
- FishBee Product Reviews: Xiaomi Mi Sound Outdoor 30W Speaker vs JBL Flip 6 - CRAZY GOOD! More from FishBee Product Reviews →
- New Stuff TV 2: Sony ULT Field 1 vs JBL Flip 6, JBL Charge 5 & Soundcore Motion 300 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- SpeakerBlowUpMan Lee: Broke Man’s JBL Flip 6! Miatone Boompro Bluetooth Speaker Review
- Audio y Mas 🔊: Altavoces JBL Flip 6 vs W-King D320: ¿Cuál es el mejor en calidad de sonido? 🔊
- Daniel Pérez: Tronsmart T7 vs JBL Flip 6
- Luan Tech: JBL FLIP 6 vs LG XBOOM XG5 COMPARATIVO COMPLETO!
- Audio 503: Tronsmart T7 Lite (24w) vs JBL Flip 6 (30w)
- AudioPro Reviews: Tronsmart Mirtune C3 vs JBL Flip 6
- Chrispy Things [EDC]: JBL Flip 7: My thoughts & sound test VS the Flip 6!
- AudioTribe: JBL Flip 6 vs JBL Flip Essential 2 FULL TEARDOWN in Just 15 Minutes!
- AudioPro Reviews: Tronsmart T8 vs JBL Flip 6 | Which one sounds BETTER?
- HQ AUDIO Exchange: JBL Flip Essential 2 vs. Flip 6 | Bass Sound Test!
- Speaker Fan: JBL Flip 6 VS JBL Flip Essential 2 VS JBL Grip Loudness Test - Which Is Louder?
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 4: $129.99 Amazon $129.99 eBay
Older model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Same family: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 (smaller model, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 (larger model, ranked lower, rated 2.1/5).
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. 15 hour battery. Customizable EQ and speaker-pairing via the UE app.
Cons: Not much improvement over the old ones. Weak bass extension and thuddy bass. Gets distorted above 90%
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 4 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.9” x 2.9” (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.57” (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81” x 2.57” (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 85dBC (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (620 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Klipsch Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs DBSONO X-Blast F37
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- See all 139 comparisons