Short answer: the Minirig Mini for sound, the JBL Go 5 for water resistance and price. The Mini ranks #4 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 JBL Go 5, since the Minirig Mini is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Go 5 | Minirig Mini | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39.95 | $100 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #27 of 54 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #4 of 54 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours, 10 with Playtime Boost (Manufacturer specified) | 10 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 (cable) |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (230 g) | 0.7 lbs (314 g) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | aptX, SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | 4.2 |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Dimensions | 4” x 3” x 1.7” (101 x 77 x 43 mm) | 3.3” x 2.1” (84 x 53 mm) (depth not listed) |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | - |
| Drivers | 45mm | 52mm custom neodymium |
| Amplifier Power | 4.8W | 15W RMS |
| 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 worthwhile head-to-heads for Minirig Mini:
- Minirig Mini vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
- Minirig Mini vs Soundcore Boom Go 3i
- Minirig Mini vs Minirig Mini 2
- Minirig Mini vs Tribit Stormbox Micro
- Minirig Mini 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: $100 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Minirig Mini 2, ranked higher, rated 4.4/5.
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. Discontinued; Minirig’s current lineup is the Minirig 4, Subwoofer 4 Ultra and Finite MR-79.
Full Minirig Mini review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 15W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.3” x 2.1” (84 x 53 mm) (depth not listed) |
| Drivers | 52mm custom neodymium |
| EQ | Yes |
| 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 (cable) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (314 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons