Short answer: the JBL Partybox 130. It ranks #5 of 50 party speakers by sound quality at $449.95; the Soundboks 4 ranks #28 and costs $1199, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the JBL Partybox 130 side: Handle and wheels are convenient. Watch for: Boomier and less clear than the Partybox 120. High price.
What the Soundboks 4 gets right: Tied for the loudest battery powered speaker. Removable 40 hour battery. The tradeoff: Very large. Not as neutral or as deep of bass as the above Partyboxes.
Buy the JBL Partybox 130. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Soundboks 4 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Soundboks 4 is rated for 40 hours versus 15 hours for the JBL Partybox 130.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Partybox 130 | Soundboks 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $449.95 | $1199 |
| Ranked | #5 of 50 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #28 of 50 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | 5.0 |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | - |
| Drivers | 2x 5.2" woofers, 2x 1" tweeters | 2x 10" woofers, 1" compression driver |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Guitar Input | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP65 |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (TeamUp, up to 5 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | No |
| Weight | 24.9 lbs / 11.3 kg | 34 lbs / 15.4 kg |
| Output Power | 200W | 3 x 72W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 52Hz |
| Dimensions | - | 25.6" x 17" x 13" (650.2 x 431.8 x 330.2 mm) |
| Max Volume | - | 126dB |
| SKAA | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Teufel Rockster Neo vs Teufel Rockster Air
- Electro-Voice Everse 12 vs JBL Partybox 100
- Electro-Voice Everse 12 vs JBL Partybox Club 120
- Soundboks 4 vs Mackie Thump Go
- JBL Partybox 130 vs Marshall Bromley 750
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Partybox 130: $449.95 Amazon
Pros: Handle and wheels are convenient. Customizable color lighting modes. Quite neutral sound. Removable battery.
Cons: Boomier and less clear than the Partybox 120. High price. Note, JBL daisychain is not compatible with any other non-JBL speaker and is possibly a fully digital signal.
Full JBL Partybox 130 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Drivers | 2x 5.2" woofers, 2x 1" tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 200W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 24.9 lbs / 11.3 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Partybox 130 vs JBL Partybox 100
- JBL Partybox 130 vs JBL Partybox Club 120
- JBL Partybox 130 vs JBL Partybox 110
- JBL Partybox 130 vs JBL Partybox 310
- JBL Partybox 130 vs JBL Partybox Stage 320
- JBL Partybox 130 vs JBL Partybox 300
- JBL Partybox 130 vs JBL Partybox 330
- JBL Partybox 130 vs Electro-Voice Everse 12
- See all 66 comparisons
Soundboks 4: $1199 Soundboks Amazon
Pros: Tied for the loudest battery powered speaker. Removable 40 hour battery. High efficiency drivers reach 2-3x the volume of typical speakers for the same wattage.
Cons: Very large. Not as neutral or as deep of bass as the above Partyboxes. Not stereo. External power brick for charging.
Full Soundboks 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 52Hz |
| Battery Life | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 25.6" x 17" x 13" (650.2 x 431.8 x 330.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 10" woofers, 1" compression driver |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP65 |
| Max Volume | 126dB |
| Microphone Input | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 3 x 72W |
| Party Mode | Yes (TeamUp, up to 5 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| SKAA | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 34 lbs / 15.4 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- GYMCADDY: SOUNDBOKS Gen 4 Review - Better Sound And More Power Efficient More from GYMCADDY →
- Flossy Carter: SOUNDBOKS 4 - The World’s LOUDEST Bluetooth Speaker! More from FlossyCarter →
- Oluv Patreon: SoundBoks 4 vs Stormbox Blast - first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- GYMCADDY: JBL Partybox Ultimate Vs SOUNDBOKS 4 & Sony XV900 - Is It Worth It?
- Reddit Search for Soundboks 4 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons