Short answer: the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2. It ranks #1 out of 47 small speakers against the Go 5’s #24, 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.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Go 5 | Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39.95 | $44.99 |
| Ranked | #24 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #1 of 47 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 | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) | 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 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 | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 65Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 265ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 94dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 compares with other leading options:
- Soundcore Boom Go 3i vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
- Minirig Mini vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
- Tribit Stormbox Micro vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
- Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 3
Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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
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 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) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (230 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Tribit Stormbox Micro 2: $44.99 Amazon Aliexpress eBay
Pros: Best in class sound. Much deeper bass than most other speakers in the size. Built in strap is super useful for attaching it to things. Very neutral. To have it aimed directly at you unclip the strap and the speaker will sit upright with a slight lean back. Measured bass extension of 65Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Finicky phone charging, which doesn’t usually work.
Setup: Use in Music EQ mode, when you switch to custom it’s not able to boost the bass properly as it is missing an EQ band that Music EQ mode uses
Full Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 10W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 65Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 265ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.9" x 3.9" x 1.7" (99.1 x 99.1 x 42.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 48mm NdFeB driver |
| EQ | Yes (9 Band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 94dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (but it doesn't usually work; USB-C, 10W) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (317 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: TRIBIT StormBox Micro 3, fully tested vs Micro 2, not clickbait More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 ultimate review 🤭 vs Micro 1 - small and mighty!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Bose Soundlink Micro for best small speaker! 👌
- Storytripper HD: Bose Micro 2 vs Soundcore Boom Go 3i vs Tribit Micro 2 More from storytripperhd →
- Danny Pops: I WAS BLOWN AWAY - Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 VS Marshall Willen More from DannyPops →
- Sound Quality Joss: Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 VS Anker Soundcore Mini 3 Pro
- Storytripper HD: Marshall Willen vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
- Alkar Audio: Speaker Bluetooth Marshall Willen Review VS Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
- MyTechAudio: MARSHALL WILLEN Detail Review Indonesia Vs TRIBIT Micro 1 & Micro 2
- Gi Rides: Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs JBL Clip 4 - sound battle
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Best portable speakers 2025 - get the best bang for your buck $$$ More from Oluv’Sone →
- Storytripper HD: Marshall Willen vs Tribit StormBox Micro 2 vs Klipsch Austin
- DIY Subwoofers - Stormbox Micro 2 Measurements and Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Soundcore Boom Go 3i
- Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Minirig Mini 2
- Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Minirig Mini
- Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro
- Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 3
- Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Teufel Boomster Go
- Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Soundcore Mini 3 Pro
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- See all 38 comparisons