Short answer: the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2. It ranks #1 out of 62 small speakers against the Go 5’s #29, at essentially the same price, so sound quality should decide this one.
The gap here is unusually wide for two speakers at the same price. The Stormbox Micro 2’s pros call it best in class sound, with much deeper bass than most speakers its size and a genuinely neutral tuning, measured at 65Hz bass extension. The Go 5’s own cons are pointed by comparison: still lacking bass and not very clear overall, an audible mono downmixing growl artifact, weak off-axis dispersion, an uneven upper-mid-heavy balance, and a direct admission that it falls well short of similarly priced rivals like this exact Stormbox Micro 2.
The Go 5 does hold some feature advantages. It carries an IP68 rating against IP67 for the Stormbox Micro 2, supports AirTouch tap-to-pair stereo linking, Auracast party mode, and newer Bluetooth 6.0 with LC3 codec support. The Stormbox Micro 2 counters with a higher 9-band EQ, a genuinely useful built-in strap for attaching it to bags or gear, and a built-in microphone the Go 5 lacks, though its own cons note the USB-C power bank function is finicky and usually doesn’t work.
Buy the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 for meaningfully better, more neutral sound at the same price, and use Music EQ mode rather than Custom for full bass response.
Buy the JBL Go 5 only if AirTouch stereo pairing or the higher IP68 rating specifically outweigh sound quality for you.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Go 5 | Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $54.95 | $35.39 |
| Ranked | #29 of 62 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #1 of 62 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 (9 Band) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (but it doesn’t usually work; USB-C, 10W) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (230 g) | 0.7 lbs (317 g) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | 5.3 |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Dimensions | 4” x 3” x 1.7” (101 x 77 x 43 mm) | 3.9” x 3.9” x 1.7” (99.1 x 99.1 x 42.7 mm) |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | - |
| Drivers | 45mm | 48mm NdFeB driver |
| Amplifier Power | 4.8W | 10W |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | Yes (built-in strap) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 65Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 265ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 94dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
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