Short answer: the JBL Partybox 330. It ranks #1 of 44 party speakers at $579.95; the Soundboks 3 ranks #24 and costs $699, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
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.
On the Soundboks 3 side: Tied for the loudest battery powered speaker. Set against that: Not as neutral or as deep of bass as the above Partyboxes.
Buy the JBL Partybox 330 if the ranking matters more than the price. Buy the Soundboks 3 if the price matters more than the ranking.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Partybox 330 | Soundboks 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $579.95 | $699 |
| Ranked | #1 of 44 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #24 of 44 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | - |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | - |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5" (165mm) woofers + 2x 1" (25mm) PEN dome tweeters | 2x 10" (254mm) woofers + 1x 1" (25mm) compression tweeter with horn |
| EQ | Yes (Smart EQ mode) | Yes |
| Guitar Input | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP65 |
| Microphone Input | Yes | Yes |
| Optical Input | Yes | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Power Bank | Yes | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes (USB-C, lossless) | No |
| Weight | 37.7 lbs / 17.1 kg | 34 lbs / 15.4 kg |
| Output Power | 280W | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 52Hz |
| Max Volume | - | 126dB |
| SKAA | - | Yes |
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Partybox 330: $579.95 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.
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| 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 |
| Optical Input | Yes |
| Output Power | 280W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes (USB-C, lossless) |
| Weight | 37.7 lbs / 17.1 kg |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox Stage 320
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Eon One Compact
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox 130
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox 310
- JBL Partybox 330 vs LG XL7
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Soundboks 2
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Soundboks Go
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Bose S1 Pro
- JBL Partybox 330 vs dB technologies B-Hype M
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox 100
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- JBL Partybox 330 vs Ultimate Ears Hyperboom
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Electro-Voice Everse 8
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Mackie Thump Go
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Sony SRS-XP700
- JBL Partybox 330 vs JBL Partybox Club 120
- Links
Soundboks 3: $699 Amazon
Pros: Tied for the loudest battery powered speaker. Removable 40 hour battery.
Cons: Very large. Not as neutral or as deep of bass as the above Partyboxes. Not stereo. External power brick for charging.
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 52Hz |
| Battery Life | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Drivers | 2x 10" (254mm) woofers + 1x 1" (25mm) compression tweeter with horn |
| EQ | Yes |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP65 |
| Max Volume | 126dB |
| Microphone Input | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes |
| 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 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Links
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Product prices and availability were last checked August 9, 2026 at 6:57 AM UTC 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.