Short answer: the JBL Flip Essential. It ranks #66 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $130; the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 ranks #132 and costs $200, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
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 Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 offers: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together. Watch for: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Buy the JBL Flip Essential. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 is not a sound-quality pick. It sits near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers; there are better options higher up.
If battery life is a priority, the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 is rated for 20 hours versus 10 hours for the JBL Flip Essential.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip Essential | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 | $200 |
| Ranked | #66 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #132 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Weight | / 1 lbs / 471 g | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 5.1 |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 6.7" x 2.5" x 2.5" (169 x 64 x 64 mm) | 3.4" x 3.4" x 8.9" (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 16W RMS | - |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Built in Microphone | No | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Stereo | - | No |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Power Input | - | USB-C |
| Max Volume | - | 91dB |
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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 |
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Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4: $200 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together.
Cons: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4" x 3.4" x 8.9" (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 91dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
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