Short answer: the JBL Flip Essential 2 on measured sound quality, the Tribit Xsound Go on price. The JBL Flip Essential 2 ranks #71 of 150 medium speakers, rated 3.3/5, at $85.90. The Tribit Xsound Go ranks #88, rated 3.1/5, at $34.99, $50.91 cheaper.
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 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.
The case for the Tribit Xsound Go: Well balanced sound. The catch: Lacking quite a bit of bass compared to bigger speakers.
Buy the JBL Flip Essential 2 when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Tribit Xsound Go when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
If battery life is a priority, the Tribit Xsound Go is rated for 24 hours versus 10 hours for the JBL Flip Essential 2.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip Essential 2 | Tribit Xsound Go | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $85.90 | $34.99 |
| Ranked | #71 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #88 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators | 2x 40mm full-range drivers + 1x passive radiator |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | 16W |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| App | No | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (520 g) | 0.8 lbs (380 g) |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) | 6.9” x 2.3” x 2.2” (175 x 59 x 56 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 83Hz |
| Maximum SPL | - | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Strap | - | Yes (built-in 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.
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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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Tribit Xsound Go: $34.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Well balanced sound. Very light (13.4 oz) and inexpensive. IPX7 rated; up to 24 hours of battery at moderate volume. Measured bass extension of 83Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Lacking quite a bit of bass compared to bigger speakers
Full Tribit Xsound Go review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 16W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 83Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.3” x 2.2” (175 x 59 x 56 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers + 1x passive radiator |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (380 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Tribit Xsound Go vs Treblab HD77
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- Tribit Xsound Go vs Sony ULT Field 1
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