Short answer: the JBL Grip. It ranks #99 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.1/5, at $99.95; the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ranks #114, rated 2.9/5, and costs $134.99, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The JBL Grip is the deeper-bass, lighter pick. Ambient light on the back with settable themes. Its bass reaches about 68Hz before falling 10dB, against 91Hz for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. At 0.8 lbs (385 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 at 1.3 lbs (608 g). It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. Watch for: Lacking deeper bass, definitely the worst of the JBL line until you get to the smaller clip.
What the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 does well: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the JBL Grip. The tradeoff: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the JBL Grip. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Grip | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.95 | $134.99 |
| Ranked | #99 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #114 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~68Hz | 91Hz |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (385 g) | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 4.2 |
| Drivers | 1x 43x80mm fullrange | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 2.5” x 6” x 2.6” (64 x 152 x 65 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 16W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Strap | Yes (strap) | Yes (built-in loop) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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 $99.95 B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Ambient light on the back with settable themes. Measured bass extension of ~68Hz (-10dB).
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 →
| Released | Sep 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 16W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~68Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| 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 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (385 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $134.99 Amazon $134.99 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5, released Jun 2024. See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Pros: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. Measured bass extension of 91Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 3 review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
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- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- See all 99 comparisons