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 Tozo PA2 ranks #118, rated 2.5/5, at $39.99, $45.91 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
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 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.
The case for the Tozo PA2: IPX8 rated, rugged fabric-wrapped design. The catch: Quite a bit of bass distortion thudding as you turn the volume up.
Buy the JBL Flip Essential 2. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $45.91 you would save on the Tozo PA2 does not close the gap.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Tozo PA2 is rated for 25 hours, the JBL Flip Essential 2 only 10 hours.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip Essential 2 | Tozo PA2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $85.90 | $39.99 |
| Ranked | #71 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #118 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators | 2x 1.7-inch full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators (44x49mm each) |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | 16W |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX8 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| App | No | Yes (TOZO App) |
| EQ | No | Yes (16 EQ modes via app) |
| 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) | 1.2 lbs (540 g) |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) | 7.1” x 2.8” x 3” (180 x 70 x 76 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
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.
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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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Tozo PA2: $39.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: IPX8 rated, rugged fabric-wrapped design. App offers 16 EQ modes and TWS dual-pairing with a second PA2.
Cons: Quite a bit of bass distortion thudding as you turn the volume up. Bass not that deep. The Tozo PA1 totally outclasses it.
Full Tozo PA2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 16W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (TOZO App) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1” x 2.8” x 3” (180 x 70 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.7-inch full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators (44x49mm each) |
| EQ | Yes (16 EQ modes via app) |
| IP Rating | IPX8 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (540 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons