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 Skullcandy Terrain XT ranks #142, rated 2.1/5, at $38.77, $47.13 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
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 Skullcandy Terrain XT does well: IPX7 rated with a nylon wrist wrap for carrying. 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 $47.13 with the Skullcandy Terrain XT does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip Essential 2 | Skullcandy Terrain XT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $85.90 | $38.77 |
| Ranked | #71 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #142 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators | 2x 48mm drivers + passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | - |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 14 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) | 1.6 lbs (720 g) |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) | 3.1” x 3.1” x 6.3” (79 x 79 x 160 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 90dB SPL (Manufacturer specified) |
| Strap | - | Yes (wrist strap) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Flip Essential 2 compares with other leading options:
- Earfun Uboom L vs JBL Flip Essential 2
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Flip Essential 2
- Minirig 4 vs JBL Flip Essential 2
- 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Flip Essential 2 vs JBL Flip 5
- JBL Flip Essential 2 vs Beats Pill 2024
- JBL Flip Essential 2 vs Bose Portable Smart Speaker
- JBL Flip Essential 2 vs Klipsch Nashville
- JBL Flip Essential 2 vs Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus
- JBL Flip Essential 2 vs JBL Flip Essential
- JBL Flip Essential 2 vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Flip Essential 2 vs Sony ULT Field 3
- See all 86 comparisons
Skullcandy Terrain XT: $38.77 Amazon eBay
Pros: IPX7 rated with a nylon wrist wrap for carrying. 14 hour battery life. Multi-Link pairs it with other Skullcandy speakers.
Cons: Shares the Terrain line’s tuning: no bass, very rolled off treble, and distortion in the treble. Costs more than the standard Terrain without sounding better.
Full Skullcandy Terrain XT review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.1” x 3.1” x 6.3” (79 x 79 x 160 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 48mm drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 90dB SPL (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (SKDY Multi-Link, up to 99 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (wrist strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.6 lbs (720 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Skullcandy Terrain XT vs Skullcandy Terrain
- Skullcandy Terrain XT vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- Skullcandy Terrain XT vs Marshall Emberton II
- Skullcandy Terrain XT vs Marshall Emberton III
- Skullcandy Terrain XT vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Skullcandy Terrain XT vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Skullcandy Terrain XT vs Soundcore 2
- Skullcandy Terrain XT vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- See all 32 comparisons