Short answer: the JBL Partybox 300. It ranks #8 of 50 party speakers by sound quality at $300; the Bose S1 Pro ranks #16 and costs $699, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the JBL Partybox 300: Exceptional sound quality with crisp, crystal clear highs and midranges, hard punchy bass without muddiness. The tradeoff: Hard to carry, too tall, drags on the ground.
What the Bose S1 Pro gets right: Extremely compact and light with flexible placement options. The catch: With full range music, it becomes distorted above ⅔ volume.
Buy the JBL Partybox 300. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Bose S1 Pro and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the JBL Partybox 300 is rated for 18 hours versus 11 hours for the Bose S1 Pro.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Partybox 300 | Bose S1 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $300 Discontinued | $699.00 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #8 of 50 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #16 of 50 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 11 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 27" x 13" x 12.7" (685.8 x 330.2 x 322.6 mm) | 13.1" x 9.4" x 11" (332.7 x 238.8 x 279.4 mm) |
| EQ | No | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Guitar Input | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes (lying down) | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | No |
| Weight | 35.3 lbs / 16 kg | 14.3 lbs / 6.5 kg |
| Output Power | 120W | - |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5" (165mm) woofers + 3x 2.25" (57mm) tweeters | 1x 6" (152mm) woofer + 3x 2.25" (57mm) tweeters |
| Discontinued | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Charging Time | - | 5 hours |
| XLR Input | - | Yes |
| Max Volume | - | 109dB |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Partybox Stage 320 vs JBL Partybox 110
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Sony SRS-XP700
- JBL Partybox 310 vs Sony SRS-XP700
- Bose S1 Pro vs Samsung MX-ST50B
- Bose S1 Pro vs Soundcore Rave 3/3s
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Partybox 300: $300 Discontinued
Pros: Exceptional sound quality with crisp, crystal clear highs and midranges, hard punchy bass without muddiness. 2x 6.5” woofers + 3x 2.25” tweeters, bass boost function, 45Hz-20kHz frequency range. 18-hour battery with 10400mAh capacity. Multiple inputs (RCA, USB, 3.5mm aux, mic, guitar). LED light modes (meter/pulse/party). True Wireless Stereo pairing up to 2 units.
Cons: Hard to carry, too tall, drags on the ground. Max spl and bass extension are only as good as the Partybox 100. No real reason to ever get one, get a Partybox 100 instead. Note, JBL daisychain is not compatible with any other non-JBL speaker and is possibly a fully digital signal. Discontinued.
Full JBL Partybox 300 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 27" x 13" x 12.7" (685.8 x 330.2 x 322.6 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5" (165mm) woofers + 3x 2.25" (57mm) tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | None |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 120W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes (lying down) |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 35.3 lbs / 16 kg |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Bose S1 Pro: $699.00 Discontinued Amazon
Pros: Extremely compact and light with flexible placement options. Full sound with no lack of low-end output, crystal-clear audio quality. Three-channel mixer (2 mic/line + 1 line/Bluetooth). Auto EQ adjusts sound based on orientation. Multiple angled surfaces for various positioning including tilted portrait mode. Up to 11 hours battery life. Professional build quality. High efficiency drivers reach 2-3x the volume of typical speakers for the same wattage.
Cons: With full range music, it becomes distorted above ⅔ volume. Better suited for voice amplification. Not as much deep bass as the Everse 8, midrange sounds reasonably balanced. Treble is pretty boosted. Not stereo. Designed for more loudness than deeper bass. Discontinued.
Full Bose S1 Pro review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 11 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Charging Time | 5 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 13.1" x 9.4" x 11" (332.7 x 238.8 x 279.4 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x 6" (152mm) woofer + 3x 2.25" (57mm) tweeters |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | None |
| Max Volume | 109dB |
| Microphone Input | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 14.3 lbs / 6.5 kg |
| XLR Input | Yes |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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- HQ AUDIO Exchange: Bose S1 Pro vs. JBL PartyBox 100 Bass Sound Test 😱💥🔥
- briansredd: Electro-Voice Everse 8 VS Bose S1 Pro - Side By Side Shoot-Out (Attempt)
- briansredd: Q&A - Electro-Voice Everse 8 Vs Bose S1 Pro AND (Warning) My Opinion
- True Techy: BOSE S1 Pro vs JBLPartybox ENCORE This Comparison SHOCKED me!!!
- JPW Pro: EV Everse 8 vs JBL EON One Compact Review
- W. Weiss: Part 3 Shootout MACKIE THUMP GO vs BOSE S1 PRO vs JBL EON ONE COMPACT Max Volume Demo A New Winner!
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