Short answer: the JBL Flip Essential. It ranks #66 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $130; the KEF Muo gen2 ranks #73 and costs $249.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the JBL Flip Essential offers: Aux input for wired sources. IPX7 rated. Genuinely portable at under a pound; a cheaper, more basic alternative to the Flip 5. Watch for: Less bass than a Flip 5.
What the KEF Muo gen2 offers: KEF seemed to have fixed the rolled off treble and overall balance Watch for: Lacking deeper bass. Very thuddy bass. Appears to be the exact same hardware but with updated tuning. Bass distorts as volume increases, and the claimed 43Hz extension is really only audible at low listening volumes, with a few seconds of lag after volume changes. Loses most of its bass off-axis. Customer reviews are mixed, ranging from praise for detail at low volume to complaints of a boxy, hollow sound.
Buy the JBL Flip Essential. It ranks higher for sound quality than the KEF Muo gen2 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the KEF Muo gen2 is rated for 24 hours versus 10 hours for the JBL Flip Essential.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip Essential | KEF Muo gen2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 | $249.99 |
| Ranked | #66 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #73 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | - |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | / 1 lbs / 471 g | 1.6 lbs / 740 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 5.4 |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange | 1x 58x117mm racetrack woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter |
| Dimensions | 6.7" x 2.5" x 2.5" (169 x 64 x 64 mm) | 8.5" x 3.2" x 2.3" (216 x 82 x 59 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 16W RMS | 40W |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, aptX Adaptive up to 48 KHz 24 bit |
| Built in Microphone | No | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Max Volume | - | 90dB |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Turtlebox Ranger vs Sonos Roam
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Klipsch Nashville
- Harman Kardon Luna vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs KEF Muo gen2
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs JBL Flip Essential
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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: $130 eBay
Pros: Aux input for wired sources. IPX7 rated. Genuinely portable at under a pound; a cheaper, more basic alternative to the Flip 5.
Cons: Less bass than a Flip 5.
Full JBL Flip Essential review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7" x 2.5" x 2.5" (169 x 64 x 64 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Weight | / 1 lbs / 471 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Flip Essential vs Klipsch Nashville
- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Flip Essential vs Sony XB23
- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Charge Essential
- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Charge 2
- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Flip 4
- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Flip 5
- JBL Flip Essential vs Beats Pill 2024
- See all 73 comparisons
KEF Muo gen2: $249.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: KEF seemed to have fixed the rolled off treble and overall balance
Cons: Lacking deeper bass. Very thuddy bass. Appears to be the exact same hardware but with updated tuning. Bass distorts as volume increases, and the claimed 43Hz extension is really only audible at low listening volumes, with a few seconds of lag after volume changes. Loses most of its bass off-axis. Customer reviews are mixed, ranging from praise for detail at low volume to complaints of a boxy, hollow sound.
Full KEF Muo gen2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX Adaptive up to 48 KHz 24 bit |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 8.5" x 3.2" x 2.3" (216 x 82 x 59 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 58x117mm racetrack woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 90dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.6 lbs / 740 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons