Short answer: the JBL Flip Essential 2. It ranks #71 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.3/5, at $85.90; the B&O Beosound Explore ranks #120, rated 2.5/5, and costs $294.99, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
Why pick the JBL Flip Essential 2: Essentially a Flip 5 in a new shell: the same single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver and 20W amplifier, rated down to 65Hz. The tradeoff: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight.
What the B&O Beosound Explore does well: IP67 rated with a rugged ‘seatbelt’ strap and carabiner hook. The catch: Huge lack of bass extension compared to competitors, overly hot ringing treble.
Buy the JBL Flip Essential 2. It is rated higher for sound quality than the B&O Beosound Explore and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Battery life favors the B&O Beosound Explore: rated for 27 hours against 10 hours for the JBL Flip Essential 2.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip Essential 2 | B&O Beosound Explore | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $85.90 | $294.99 |
| Ranked | #71 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #120 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators | 2x 1.8” (46mm) full-range drivers |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | 60W |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 27 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| App | No | Yes (Bang & Olufsen app) |
| EQ | No | Yes (App EQ) |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (520 g) | 1.4 lbs (631 g) |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) | 3.2” x 4.9” x 3.2” (81 x 124 x 81 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | ~70Hz |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Strap | - | Yes (carabiner) |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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 Essential 2: $85.90 Amazon eBay
Older model: the JBL Flip Essential (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: Essentially a Flip 5 in a new shell: the same single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver and 20W amplifier, rated down to 65Hz. In a side by side loudness test it got louder than the JBL Grip, and listeners comparing it with the Marshall Emberton found it more open sounding and clearer. IPX7 waterproof, 520 g, USB-C charging and Bluetooth 5.1 with two phones connected at once.
Cons: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight. No app, no EQ, no PartyBoost or stereo pairing, a claimed 10 hours of battery, and IPX7 covers water but not dust.
Full JBL Flip Essential 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- AudioTribe: JBL Flip 6 vs JBL Flip Essential 2 FULL TEARDOWN in Just 15 Minutes!
- Speaker Fan: JBL Flip 6 VS JBL Flip Essential 2 VS JBL Grip Loudness Test - Which Is Louder?
- HQ AUDIO Exchange: JBL Flip Essential 2 vs. Flip 6 | Bass Sound Test!
- Cristian Catalin’s Sound&Video: JBL Flip Essential 2 VS Marshall Emberton - sound comparison
- Angelicaaudio: Mini JBL Flip Essential 2 vs. JBL Charge 5 Bluetooth Speaker Review
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B&O Beosound Explore: $294.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated with a rugged ‘seatbelt’ strap and carabiner hook. Real-world battery life around 20-24 hours. Distinctive anodized-aluminum design. Measured bass extension of ~70Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Huge lack of bass extension compared to competitors, overly hot ringing treble. Colored midrange. Just not great sounding overall.
Full B&O Beosound Explore review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 60W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Bang & Olufsen app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~70Hz |
| Battery Life | 27 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 3.2” x 4.9” x 3.2” (81 x 124 x 81 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.8” (46mm) full-range drivers |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (carabiner) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (631 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
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