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 KEF Muo gen2 ranks #83, rated 3.1/5, and costs $249.99, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the JBL Flip Essential 2 does well: Essentially a Flip 5 in a new shell: the same single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver and 20W amplifier, rated down to 65Hz. The catch: 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 KEF Muo gen2 does well: KEF seemed to have fixed the rolled off treble and overall balance. The catch: Lacking deeper bass.
Buy the JBL Flip Essential 2. It is rated higher for sound quality than the KEF Muo gen2 and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the KEF Muo gen2 is rated for 24 hours, the JBL Flip Essential 2 only 10 hours.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip Essential 2 | KEF Muo gen2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $85.90 | $249.99 |
| Ranked | #71 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #83 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators | 1x 58x117mm racetrack woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | 40W |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.4 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, aptX Adaptive up to 48 kHz 24 bit |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Auracast) |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| App | No | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (520 g) | 1.6 lbs (740 g) |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) | 8.5” x 3.2” x 2.3” (216 x 82 x 59 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | - | 90dB (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Flip Essential 2 compares with other leading options:
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- B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen vs JBL Flip Essential 2
- JBL Charge 6 vs JBL Flip Essential 2
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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KEF Muo gen2: $249.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: KEF seemed to have fixed the rolled off treble and overall balance
Cons: Lacking deeper bass. Very thuddy bass. Appears to be the exact same hardware but with updated tuning. Bass distorts as volume increases, and the claimed 43Hz extension is really only audible at low listening volumes, with a few seconds of lag after volume changes. Loses most of its bass off-axis. Customer reviews are mixed, ranging from praise for detail at low volume to complaints of a boxy, hollow sound.
Full KEF Muo gen2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX Adaptive up to 48 kHz 24 bit |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 8.5” x 3.2” x 2.3” (216 x 82 x 59 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 58x117mm racetrack woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 90dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.6 lbs (740 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons