Short answer: the JBL Flip Essential 2. It ranks #81 of 164 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.3/5, at $85.90; the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ranks #111, rated 2.9/5, and costs $134.99, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The JBL Flip Essential 2 is the better-sounding choice. Essentially a Flip 5 in a new shell: the same single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver and 20W amplifier, rated down to 65Hz. It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. 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 Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is the longer-running choice. Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. It is rated for 15 hours of battery against 10 for the JBL Flip Essential 2. It links with other speakers (PartyUp up to 50 speakers), which the JBL Flip Essential 2 cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks. The catch: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the JBL Flip Essential 2. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip Essential 2 | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $85.90 | $134.99 |
| Ranked | #81 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #111 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | - |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 4.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| App | No | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (520 g) | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 91Hz |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Strap | - | Yes (built-in loop) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Flip Essential 2:
- Earfun Uboom L vs JBL Flip Essential 2
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Flip Essential 2
- Minirig 4 vs JBL Flip Essential 2
- Minirig 3 vs JBL Flip Essential 2
- 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
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $134.99 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5.
Pros: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. Measured bass extension of 91Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 3 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
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