Short answer: the Minirig Mini 2 for sound, the JBL Go 5 for water resistance and price. The Mini 2 ranks #3 of 54, is very neutral with much deeper bass than most speakers in the size, and is modular enough to attach a subwoofer, though it has no official water rating despite calling itself splash resistant and its app is buggy. The Go 5 costs $39.95, $60.05 less and is IP68 with AirTouch pairing.
Buy the Minirig Mini 2. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $60.05 saving on the JBL Go 5 is not enough to make up the difference.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Go 5 | Minirig Mini 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39.95 | $100 |
| Ranked | #27 of 54 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #3 of 54 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours, 10 with Playtime Boost (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP68 | Splash resistant |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | Proprietary USB cable |
| Stereo | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (Bluetooth or cable) |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (230 g) | 0.7 lbs (320 g) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | aptX, AAC, SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | 4.2 |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 65Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 4” x 3” x 1.7” (101 x 77 x 43 mm) | 3.3” x 2.1” (84 x 53 mm) |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | 2.5-3.5 hours |
| Drivers | 45mm | 52mm custom neodymium |
| Amplifier Power | 4.8W | 15W |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | - |
| Aux Latency | - | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 58Hz |
| Maximum SPL | - | 92dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Minirig Mini 2:
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Soundcore Boom Go 3i
- Minirig Mini vs Minirig Mini 2
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 3
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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 Go 5: $39.95 Amazon eBay
Older models: the JBL Go 4 (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5) and the JBL Go 3 (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: IP68 rating, up from the Go 4’s IP67. AirTouch tap-to-pair stereo linking. 7-band custom app EQ, up from the Go 4’s 5-band. USB-C wired audio input.
Cons: Still overpriced for what it delivers, not very different from the Go 4 besides the lights. Still lacking bass and not very clear overall. Mono downmixing produces an audible growling artifact, the same issue noted on the JBL Charge 6. Falls well short of similarly priced rivals like the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2. Weak off-axis dispersion and an uneven, upper-mid-heavy tonal balance. Doesn’t get meaningfully louder at max volume, just harsher.
Full JBL Go 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 4.8W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours, 10 with Playtime Boost (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 4” x 3” x 1.7” (101 x 77 x 43 mm) |
| Drivers | 45mm |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (230 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Minirig Mini 2: $100 Minirigs eBay
Older model: the Minirig Mini (ranked lower, rated 4.3/5).
Pros: Very neutral. Much deeper bass than most other speakers in the size. Modular, can easily attach a subwoofer. Measured bass extension of 58Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Calls itself splash resistant and has no official water rating. App is buggy. Wireless TWS pairing is buggy.
Full Minirig Mini 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 15W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX, AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Charging Time | 2.5-3.5 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.3” x 2.1” (84 x 53 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm custom neodymium |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | Splash resistant |
| Maximum SPL | 92dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Proprietary USB cable |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes (Bluetooth or cable) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (320 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Minirig Mini
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Soundcore Boom Go 3i
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 3
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Marshall Willen II
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Ultimate Ears Miniroll
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Anker Soundcore Mini
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