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 W-King D8 Mini ranks #117, rated 2.6/5, at $49.99, $35.91 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
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.
Why pick the W-King D8 Mini: 30W output with switchable indoor/outdoor EQ modes. The tradeoff: Recessed midrange, harsh treble.
Buy the JBL Flip Essential 2. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $35.91 you would save on the W-King D8 Mini does not close the gap.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the W-King D8 Mini is rated for 24 hours, the JBL Flip Essential 2 only 10 hours.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip Essential 2 | W-King D8 Mini | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $85.90 | $49.99 |
| Ranked | #71 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #117 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 30mm tweeters |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | 30W |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX6 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| TWS | No | No |
| App | No | No |
| EQ | No | Yes (2 modes - Indoor/Outdoor) |
| 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) | 2.8 lbs (1260 g) |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) | 9.9” x 3.7” x 3.7” (251 x 94 x 94 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 63Hz |
| Maximum SPL | - | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
| 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.
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
W-King D8 Mini: $49.99 W-King eBay
Pros: 30W output with switchable indoor/outdoor EQ modes. IPX6 rated with a 5000mAh battery. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Recessed midrange, harsh treble. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others.
Full W-King D8 Mini review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 30W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.9” x 3.7” x 3.7” (251 x 94 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 30mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (2 modes - Indoor/Outdoor) |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 2.8 lbs (1260 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- W-King D8 Mini vs Soundcore Flare 2
- W-King D8 Mini vs Sony SRS-XB30
- W-King D8 Mini vs B&O Beosound Explore
- W-King D8 Mini vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- W-King D8 Mini vs Sony SRS-XE200
- W-King D8 Mini vs Marshall Emberton II
- W-King D8 Mini vs Marshall Emberton III
- W-King D8 Mini vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- See all 94 comparisons