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 Xdobo X8 ranks #133, rated 2.3/5, at $35, $50.90 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The case for 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 Xdobo X8: A compact 860g speaker with a useful practical feature set: IPX5 splash resistance, USB-C charging, aux and microSD playback, speakerphone and TWS pairing. The catch: The single full-range driver is the limitation.
Buy the JBL Flip Essential 2. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $50.90 saving on the Xdobo X8 is not enough to make up the difference.
Battery life favors the Xdobo X8: rated for 15 hours against 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 | Xdobo X8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $85.90 | $35 |
| Ranked | #71 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #133 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators | 66mm full-range driver |
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS | 60W |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX5 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| App | No | No |
| EQ | No | Yes (multiple modes) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| 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) | 1.9 lbs (860 g) |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) | 8.7” x 3.7” x 2.8” (220 x 95 x 72 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | ~65Hz |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Flip Essential 2:
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- 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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- See all 86 comparisons
Xdobo X8: $35 eBay
Pros: A compact 860g speaker with a useful practical feature set: IPX5 splash resistance, USB-C charging, aux and microSD playback, speakerphone and TWS pairing. Reviews consistently find it surprisingly loud and full-bodied for the size, making it a plausible inexpensive outdoor/background-music option. Measured bass extension of ~65Hz (-10dB).
Cons: The single full-range driver is the limitation. Reviews note a harsh midrange, rolled-off treble and audible distortion, while bass extension is only about 65Hz. It can play loud, but it does not have the clarity or control for attentive listening.
Full Xdobo X8 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 60W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~65Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 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 | 8.7” x 3.7” x 2.8” (220 x 95 x 72 mm) |
| Drivers | 66mm full-range driver |
| EQ | Yes (multiple modes) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.9 lbs (860 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons