These sit in different size classes, so this is not a straight ranking comparison. The JBL Partybox 330 ranks #1 of 50 party speakers by sound quality at $629.95; the Sony ULT Tower 9 ranks #8 of 11 large party speakers by sound quality at $800.
What the JBL Partybox 330 gets right: Handle and wheels are convenient. The tradeoff: Sound quality is nearly identical to the 310 and Stage 320 despite the power bump, so probably not worth an upgrade if you already own either of those.
What the Sony ULT Tower 9 offers: Slightly better sounding than the ULT Tower 10. Set against that: Not as deep of bass and loses more bass at high volume even compared to the lower end Partybox speakers.
Buy the JBL Partybox 330 at $629.95 if you want a party speaker. Buy the Sony ULT Tower 9 at $800 if you want a large party speaker instead.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Partybox 330 at IPX4 (splashing) holds up far better than the Sony ULT Tower 9 at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Partybox 330 | Sony ULT Tower 9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $629.95 | $800 |
| Ranked | #1 of 50 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #8 of 11 in Large Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | 5.3 |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | - |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5" (165mm) woofers + 2x 1" (25mm) PEN dome tweeters | 7 drivers: 1x 12.6"x12.6" woofer, 2x 4.7" midrange, 2x 2" tweeter, 2x 1.6" rear tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (Smart EQ mode) | Yes (10 band) |
| Guitar Input | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | None |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Optical Input | Yes | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Auracast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/1A) | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1.5A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Partially | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 37.7 lbs / 17.1 kg | 65.3 lbs / 29.6 kg |
| Output Power | 280W | 148W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Built in Microphone | - | No |
| Wifi | - | No |
| Dimensions | - | 16.1" x 35.8" x 18" (410 x 910 x 456 mm) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Teufel Rockster Neo vs JBL Partybox Stage 320
- JBL Partybox Stage 320 vs Bose S1 Pro
- Teufel Rockster vs Sony ULT Tower 10
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox 710
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Sony ULT Tower 10
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Partybox 330: $629.95 Amazon Bhphotovideo
Pros: Handle and wheels are convenient. Customizable lightshow. Removable battery. Slightly more power than the 310 and Stage 320 (280W vs 240W). Adds an optical TV input and USB-C lossless playback, plus dual mic and guitar inputs for karaoke and live sets.
Cons: Sound quality is nearly identical to the 310 and Stage 320 despite the power bump, so probably not worth an upgrade if you already own either of those. Removed the dedicated mic gain and microphone control knobs found on the 310/320. Some people don’t like the new lightshow design. Very large. Note, JBL daisychain is not compatible with any other non-JBL speaker and is possibly a fully digital signal.
Full JBL Partybox 330 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5" (165mm) woofers + 2x 1" (25mm) PEN dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Smart EQ mode) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Optical Input | Yes |
| Output Power | 280W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/1A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 37.7 lbs / 17.1 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Sony ULT Tower 9: $800 Amazon
Pros: Slightly better sounding than the ULT Tower 10
Cons: Not as deep of bass and loses more bass at high volume even compared to the lower end Partybox speakers. Bass drops off a lot at higher volumes. Not quite as loud as the ULT Tower 10
Full Sony ULT Tower 9 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 16.1" x 35.8" x 18" (410 x 910 x 456 mm) |
| Drivers | 7 drivers: 1x 12.6"x12.6" woofer, 2x 4.7" midrange, 2x 2" tweeter, 2x 1.6" rear tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (10 band) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | None |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 148W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1.5A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | No |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 65.3 lbs / 29.6 kg |
| Wifi | No |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Oluv Patreon: Sony ULT Tower 9 vs JBL Partybox 720 - indoor listening test More from Oluv’Sone →
- Oluv Patreon: Sony ULT Tower 9 vs JBL Partybox 720 - power generator test
- GYMCADDY: Sony ULT Tower 9 Vs Sony ULT Tower 10 - Size Doesn’t Matter More from GYMCADDY →
- GYMCADDY: Sony ULT Tower 9 Review - Amazing Instrument Separation
- GYMCADDY: JBL Partybox 720 Vs Sony ULT Tower 9
- Reddit Search for Sony ULT Tower 9 Review
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