Short answer: the JBL Flip Essential 2. It ranks #80 of 182 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.3/5, at $85.90. The Skullcandy Terrain XL ranks #171, rated 2.1/5, at $79.99, $5.91 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The JBL Flip Essential 2 is the better-sounding choice. A compact, affordable waterproof speaker that gets fairly loud for its size and connects to two phones at once. Watch for: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the JBL Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight.
The Skullcandy Terrain XL is the longer-running choice. A very loud, long running Terrain speaker, waterproof with a wrist wrap and a built in microphone. It is rated for 18 hours of battery against 10 for the JBL Flip Essential 2. It links with other speakers (SKDY Multi-Link, up to 99 speakers), which the JBL Flip Essential 2 cannot. The tradeoff: Shares the Terrain line’s tuning: no bass, very rolled off treble, and distortion in the treble.
Buy the JBL Flip Essential 2. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $5.91 with the Skullcandy Terrain XL does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
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Prices on this page were last checked November 14, 2026 at 6:17 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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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip Essential 2 | Skullcandy Terrain XL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $85.90 | $79.99 |
| Ranked | #80 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #171 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators | 2x 48mm drivers + passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | 2 x 20W |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (SKDY Multi-Link, up to 99 speakers) |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| App | No | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (520 g) | 1.4 lbs (635 g) |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) | 7.5” x 3.5” x 3.5” (190.5 x 88.9 x 88.9 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | - | 95dB SPL (Manufacturer specified) |
| Strap | - | Yes (wrist strap) |
Where the Ratings Come From
- JBL Flip Essential 2: reviews by Speaker Fan, Angelicaaudio and AudioTribe.
- Skullcandy Terrain XL: reviews by FishBee Product and Flossy Carter.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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