Short answer: the JBL Grip. It ranks #75 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $99.95; the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 ranks #132 and costs $200, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
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 Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 offers: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together. Watch for: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Buy the JBL Grip. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 is not a sound-quality pick. It sits near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers; there are better options higher up.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Grip | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.95 | $200 |
| Ranked | #75 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #132 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~68Hz | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | 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 | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.1 |
| Drivers | 1x 43x80mm fullrange | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 2.5" x 6" x 2.6" (64 x 152 x 65 mm) | 3.4" x 3.4" x 8.9" (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 16W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Stereo | - | No |
| Power Input | - | USB-C |
| Built in Microphone | - | No |
| Max Volume | - | 91dB |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Sony ULT Field 1 vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
- JBL Charge 6 vs Sony ULT Field 1
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Sony ULT Field 1
- JBL Grip vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
- Sony XB23 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
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
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4: $200 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together.
Cons: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4" x 3.4" x 8.9" (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 91dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs Sony ULT Field 1 😧 $200 vs $128 Cylinder Bluetooth Speaker Matchup More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs W-King D320 🔋Does Paying More Get You Less? 😧
- Reddit Search for Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 Review
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