Short answer: the JBL Grip, mainly for its extra features rather than a sound quality leap. It ranks #99 of 175 medium speakers at $99.95. The Wonderboom 4 ranks #109 at $74.50, $25.45 cheaper.
Neither speaker is a strong performer for its class. The Grip’s own notes call it lacking in deeper bass and say it’s the worst of the current JBL line above the smaller Clip, with rolled-off highs and a wavy midrange; a Patreon EQ from Oluv helps a bit but the review is direct that it still isn’t very neutral. The Wonderboom 4’s cons are just as blunt: bass isn’t as deep as the top-ranked speakers and comes across a little thuddy, and it isn’t much of an improvement over the previous Wonderboom 3 besides the USB-C charging port.
Where the Grip pulls ahead is features, not tone. It adds a 7-band EQ, Auracast party mode, a USB-C digital Aux input, and a higher IP68 rating versus the Wonderboom 4’s IP67. It also has an ambient light on the back with settable themes, a purely cosmetic touch that doesn’t affect sound.
What the Wonderboom 4 offers instead: true 360-degree omnidirectional sound, a smaller and lighter body, and a lower price.
Buy the JBL Grip if the 7-band EQ, Auracast, and higher IP rating are worth the extra cost to you, and you’re willing to use an EQ preset to tame its tuning.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 if you want a smaller, omnidirectional speaker at a lower price and don’t need an app or EQ.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Grip | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.95 | $74.50 |
| Ranked | #99 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #109 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~68Hz | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (385 g) | 0.9 lbs (420 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.2 |
| Drivers | 1x 43x80mm fullrange | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| Dimensions | 2.5” x 6” x 2.6” (64 x 152 x 65 mm) | 4.1” x 3.8” (104 x 95.3 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 | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Strap | Yes (strap) | Yes (built-in loop) |
| Maximum SPL | - | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Grip:
- JBL Grip vs EarFun Uboom L
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Grip
- Soundcore Motion+ vs JBL Grip
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Grip
- JBL Grip vs Minirig 4
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 Wonderboom 4: $74.50 Amazon $74.50 eBay
Older models: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5), the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Same family: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 (larger model, ranked lower, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 (larger model, ranked lower, rated 2.1/5).
Pros: Small size.
Cons: Bass isn’t as deep as the top-ranked speakers and is a little thuddy. Not much improvement over the previous Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 besides the USB-C charging port.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.1” x 3.8” (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (420 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Soundcore 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- See all 138 comparisons