These are not really the same size class, and that is the honest framing here. The JBL Partybox 330 ranks #2 of 39 party speakers by sound quality at $549.95; the Sony ULT Tower Max ranks #1 of 12 large party speakers by sound quality at $1499.99.
Short answer: the Sony ULT Tower Max edges it out, 4.8 against the JBL Partybox 330’s 4.6. The JBL Partybox 330’s case starts with a highly complete rolling party speaker: removable battery, telescoping handle and wheels, light show, Auracast, USB-C lossless and optical inputs, plus dual mic/guitar inputs. The Sony ULT Tower Max’s case starts with AudioTribe measured 110.6dBC at roughly 6m outdoors with Flat EQ and ULT1 enabled, 4.4dB above the JBL PartyBox Ultimate in the same setup.
Where they differ on paper:
- Battery Life: 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) vs No Battery
- IP Rating: IPX4 vs Splashproof top surface
- Drivers: 2x 6.5” (165mm) woofers + 2x 1” (25mm) PEN dome tweeters vs 9 drivers: 3x 11” woofer (2 front, 1 rear), 2x 4.7” midrange, 2x 1” tweeter, 2x 1.6” rear tweeter
- Amplifier Power: 280W vs 2,150W (manufacturer specified)
The JBL Partybox 330 is worth it for a highly complete rolling party speaker: Watch for: it remains very large and heavy, and the sound improvement over the Stage 320 is modest rather than transformational. Price also favors it, $549.95 versus $1499.99.
The Sony ULT Tower Max is the pick if you want AudioTribe measured 110.6dBC at roughly 6m outdoors with Flat EQ and: Watch for: the same comparison found it 1.2dB behind the JBL in A-weighted loudness and weaker below 40Hz. It commands a premium as well, $1499.99 against $549.95.
Buy the JBL Partybox 330 ($549.95) for a party speaker; the Sony ULT Tower Max ($1499.99) suits a large party speaker instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Partybox 330 | Sony ULT Tower Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $549.95 | $1,499.99 |
| Ranked | #2 of 39 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #1 of 12 in Large Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Sony Sound Connect) |
| Aux Input | Yes | RCA input |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) | No Battery |
| 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 | 9 drivers: 3x 11" woofer (2 front, 1 rear), 2x 4.7" midrange, 2x 1" tweeter, 2x 1.6" rear tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (Smart EQ mode) | Yes (10 band; ULT1 / ULT2 / Flat / Live) |
| Guitar Input | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | Splashproof top surface |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) | Yes (6.3mm) |
| Inputs | Optical | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Party Chain) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/1A) | Yes (USB charging) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC 120-240V, 50/60Hz |
| Removable Battery | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Partially | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes (360 degree Party Sound) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (Stereo Pair) |
| USB Playback | Yes | Yes (USB-A) |
| Weight | 37.7 lbs (17.1 kg) | 124.1 lbs (56.3 kg) |
| Amplifier Power | 280W | 2,150W (manufacturer specified) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | Yes |
| Wheels | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Dimensions | - | 21" x 41.8" x 18.6" (534 x 1062 x 472 mm) |
| Wi-Fi | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Partybox 330:
- Sony ULT Tower 7 vs JBL Partybox 330
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox Stage 320
- JBL Partybox 310 vs JBL Partybox 330
- Sony ULT Tower 5 vs JBL Partybox 330
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox Club 120
Prices on this page were last checked September 17, 2026 at 12:43 AM 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 Partybox 330: $549.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: A highly complete rolling party speaker: removable battery, telescoping handle and wheels, light show, Auracast, USB-C lossless and optical inputs, plus dual mic/guitar inputs. It supplies a little more power than the 310 and Stage 320, while reviewers report better midrange clarity than the older 310 and the same deep party-speaker bass.
Cons: It remains very large and heavy, and the sound improvement over the Stage 320 is modest rather than transformational. JBL removed the dedicated mic gain/control knobs found on earlier models, a real drawback for frequent karaoke use. Do not upgrade from a 310 or Stage 320 just for the higher watt figure.
Full JBL Partybox 330 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 280W |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Inputs | Optical |
| Lights | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| 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) |
| Wheels | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox Stage 320
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Sony ULT Tower 7
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox 310
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Sony ULT Tower 5
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox Club 120
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox 130
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox 100
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox 110
- See all 73 comparisons
Sony ULT Tower Max: $1,499.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: AudioTribe measured 110.6dBC at roughly 6m outdoors with Flat EQ and ULT1 enabled, 4.4dB above the JBL PartyBox Ultimate in the same setup. Its three 11-inch woofers held about 110dB from 40-100Hz; Sony also provides 10-band EQ, Sound Field Optimization, RCA and XLR inputs, USB-C, a mic input, and XLR output.
Cons: The same comparison found it 1.2dB behind the JBL in A-weighted loudness and weaker below 40Hz. At 56.3kg (124lb) and AC-only, this is a wheeled event speaker rather than a portable battery model.
Full Sony ULT Tower Max review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 2,150W (manufacturer specified) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sony Sound Connect) |
| Aux Input | RCA input |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 21" x 41.8" x 18.6" (534 x 1062 x 472 mm) |
| Drivers | 9 drivers: 3x 11" woofer (2 front, 1 rear), 2x 4.7" midrange, 2x 1" tweeter, 2x 1.6" rear tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (10 band; ULT1 / ULT2 / Flat / Live) |
| Guitar Input | No |
| IP Rating | Splashproof top surface |
| Lights | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (6.3mm) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes (360 degree Party Sound) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Chain) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB charging) |
| Power Input | AC 120-240V, 50/60Hz |
| Removable Battery | No |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes (Stereo Pair) |
| USB Playback | Yes (USB-A) |
| Weight | 124.1 lbs (56.3 kg) |
| Wheels | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs JBL Partybox Ultimate
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs JBL Partybox 1000
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs Teufel Rockster 2
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs JBL Partybox 720
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs JBL Partybox 710
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs JBL Partybox 520
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs Sony ULT Tower 9
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs Sony ULT Tower 10
- See all 25 comparisons