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 Sony SRS-XE200 ranks #122, rated 2.5/5, at $69, $16.90 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up 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 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 Sony SRS-XE200 does well: IP67 rated with dedicated per-function buttons. The tradeoff: Sounds hollow.
Buy the JBL Flip Essential 2. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $16.90 saving on the Sony SRS-XE200 is not enough to make up the difference.
Battery life favors the Sony SRS-XE200: rated for 16 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 | Sony SRS-XE200 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $85.90 | $69.00 |
| Ranked | #71 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #122 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators | 1x 42x51mm full-range + 2x passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | - |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| App | No | Yes (Sony | Music Center app) |
| EQ | No | - |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| 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) | 1.8 lbs (800 g) |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) | 3.5” x 8.2” x 3.7” (90 x 208 x 94 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Strap | - | Yes (included 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
Sony SRS-XE200: $69.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated with dedicated per-function buttons. Can prop up a phone/tablet as a stand. Fast charging (10 min charge = ~70 min playback); Stamina mode extends battery when low.
Cons: Sounds hollow. Very muffled. Rolled off treble, weird midrange boost, just not great overall. Worse than a XB33.
Full Sony SRS-XE200 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony | Music Center app) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.5” x 8.2” x 3.7” (90 x 208 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 42x51mm full-range + 2x passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (included strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs (800 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony SRS-XE200 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- Sony SRS-XE200 vs Doss E-Go II
- Sony SRS-XE200 vs B&O Beosound Explore
- Sony SRS-XE200 vs LG Xboom Go PL5
- Sony SRS-XE200 vs LG Xboom XG5
- Sony SRS-XE200 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini
- Sony SRS-XE200 vs W-King D8 Mini
- Sony SRS-XE200 vs Soundcore Flare 2
- See all 89 comparisons