Short answer: the JBL Flip Essential for better sound quality, the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove for the lower price. The JBL Flip Essential ranks #66 of 136 medium speakers at $130. The Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove ranks #90 at $89, $41 cheaper.
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 Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove offers: Pretty balanced sound. Distinctive mid-century design with real wood veneer and a woven grille, unlike most plastic/rubber portables. ~8 hour battery life. Watch for: Not stereo. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others its size. Gets distorted at higher levels. Wouldn’t generally recommend these old speakers as they can’t compete with modern speakers for bass performance and features.
Buy the JBL Flip Essential if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove if the price matters more than sound quality.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Flip Essential at IPX7 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove at IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip Essential | Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 | $89.00 |
| Ranked | #66 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #90 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | No |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | No |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Weight | / 1 lbs / 471 g | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 4.0 |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange | 1x 3" full-range driver + 2x side-firing passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 6.7" x 2.5" x 2.5" (169 x 64 x 64 mm) | 5" x 6" x 2.6" (127 x 152 x 67 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 16W RMS | 10W RMS |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Power Input | - | Micro USB |
| TWS | - | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Tribit Stormbox Pro vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs Klipsch Nashville
- JBL Charge 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- JBL Flip 7 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
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
Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove: $89.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Pretty balanced sound. Distinctive mid-century design with real wood veneer and a woven grille, unlike most plastic/rubber portables. ~8 hour battery life.
Cons: Not stereo. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others its size. Gets distorted at higher levels. Wouldn’t generally recommend these old speakers as they can’t compete with modern speakers for bass performance and features.
Full Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5" x 6" x 2.6" (127 x 152 x 67 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 3" full-range driver + 2x side-firing passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 10W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Tribit Stormbox
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- See all 70 comparisons