Short answer: the JBL Grip. It ranks #75 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $99.95; the Bose SoundLink Color II ranks #98 and costs $107.15, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the JBL Grip offers: Ambient light on the back with settable themes Watch for: Lacking deeper bass, definitely the worst of the JBL line until you get to the smaller clip. Not as much clarity as higher ranked speakers, rolled off highs and wavy midrange
What the Bose SoundLink Color II offers: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. IPX4 splashproof. Supports multipoint pairing to two devices at once. Watch for: Boosted bass on Color II. Not as deep of bass as other models. Lacking midrange detail. Rolled off treble
Buy the JBL Grip. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Bose SoundLink Color II and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the JBL Grip is rated for 14 hours, the Bose SoundLink Color II only 8 hours.
Water resistance is not close: the JBL Grip is rated at IP68 (extended submersion), well ahead of the Bose SoundLink Color II at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Grip | Bose SoundLink Color II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.95 | $107.15 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #75 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #98 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose Connect) |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~68Hz | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX4 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs / 385 g | 1.3 lbs / 600 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 4.2 |
| Drivers | 1x 43x80mm fullrange | 2x 40mm full-range drivers |
| Dimensions | 2.5" x 6" x 2.6" (64 x 152 x 65 mm) | 5.2" x 5" x 2.2" (132 x 127 x 56 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 16W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Built in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| Power Input | - | Micro USB |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
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- Sony XB33 vs Sony ULT Field 1
- Marshall Emberton III vs W-King D8 Mini
- Sony XB23 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Ultimate Ears Roll 2
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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 Grip: $99.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Ambient light on the back with settable themes
Cons: Lacking deeper bass, definitely the worst of the JBL line until you get to the smaller clip. Not as much clarity as higher ranked speakers, rolled off highs and wavy midrange
Setup: EQ from Oluv in his post can help it a bit but still isn’t very neutral
Full JBL Grip review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~68Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 2.5" x 6" x 2.6" (64 x 152 x 65 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 43x80mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs / 385 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Bose SoundLink Color II: $107.15 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. IPX4 splashproof. Supports multipoint pairing to two devices at once.
Cons: Boosted bass on Color II. Not as deep of bass as other models. Lacking midrange detail. Rolled off treble. Discontinued.
Full Bose SoundLink Color II review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.2" x 5" x 2.2" (132 x 127 x 56 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 600 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Marshall Emberton III
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Marshall Emberton II
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Cabasse Swell
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Tribit Stormbox
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Sony SRS-XE300
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