Short answer: the Tribit Stormbox Micro 3, if you are buying new. The Tribit Stormbox Micro ranks higher than the JBL Go 5 (#5 vs #29 of 62 small speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the Tribit Stormbox Micro 3, is rated 4.2/5 at $56.76 and is still sold new.
The Go 5’s problems go beyond a small price premium. Its cons describe an audible growling artifact from mono downmixing (the same issue noted on the JBL Charge 6), weak off-axis dispersion, an uneven upper-mid-heavy balance, and a max volume that just gets harsher rather than louder. Its own notes call it not very different from the Go 4 besides the lights, and say it still falls well short of similarly priced rivals like the Stormbox Micro 2.
The Stormbox Micro measures close to neutral, with one real caveat. Its pros call it quite neutral with only slight hollowness in the mids, but its cons note it gets murky and slightly sharp near max volume as the boosted bass starts to distort, and its down-firing passive radiator needs a flat surface underneath or the bass gets muffled.
The Stormbox Micro’s own pros text recommends its own successor: it explicitly suggests spending the extra $10 for the Stormbox Micro 2, which goes louder and deeper. If you are shopping today rather than hunting for old stock, that is worth factoring in before chasing this specific model.
Buy the Go 5 only if you specifically want AirTouch tap-to-pair stereo linking, USB-C wired input, or Auracast, none of which the Stormbox Micro offers.
Buy the Stormbox Micro if you can find it, or better yet its successor the Stormbox Micro 2, for meaningfully more neutral sound at the same price point.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 7, 2026 at 7:34 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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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Go 5 | Tribit Stormbox Micro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $54.95 | $40 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #29 of 62 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #5 of 62 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours, 10 with Playtime Boost (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| 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 (295 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 | 5.0 |
| 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 1.4” (99.1 x 99.1 x 35.6 mm) |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | - |
| Drivers | 45mm | 48mm NdFeB |
| Amplifier Power | 4.8W | 13W |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | Yes (built-in strap) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 62Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 180ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 93dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
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