Short answer: the JBL Flip Essential 2. It ranks #81 of 164 medium speakers by sound quality (rated 3.3/5) at $85.90 and is still sold new; the Sonos Roam ranks #93 (rated 3.1/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
The JBL Flip Essential 2 is the tougher pick. Essentially a Flip 5 in a new shell: the same single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver and 20W amplifier, rated down to 65Hz. It is rated IPX7 against IPX5 for the Sonos Roam. Watch for: 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.
The case for the Sonos Roam: Very neutral. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks. It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks. The tradeoff: Bass extension isn’t very good.
Buy the JBL Flip Essential 2. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Sonos Roam is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip Essential 2 | Sonos Roam | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $85.90 | $179.99 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #81 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #93 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | - |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX5 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| App | No | Sonos S2 App |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| 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) | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) | 2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 63Hz |
| Maximum SPL | - | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (choose one) plus Sonos Voice Control |
| Strap | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Flip Essential 2:
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- Minirig 4 vs JBL Flip Essential 2
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- Minirig 2 vs JBL Flip Essential 2
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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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Sonos Roam: $179.99 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Sonos Roam 2, ranked higher, rated 3.2/5.
Pros: Very neutral. IP67 rated at ~1 lb. Wireless (Qi) charging: rare for a portable speaker. Works with Alexa/Sonos Voice Control and the wider Sonos ecosystem over Wi-Fi. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass extension isn’t very good. Not stereo. Gets distorted if you turn up the bass. Discontinued.
Full Sonos Roam review and specifications →
| App | Sonos S2 App |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | Dual full-range drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (choose one) plus Sonos Voice Control |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons