Short answer: the JBL Partybox Encore 2. Both are rated 4.4/5 for sound quality (#4 and #5 of 76 boombox speakers), and the JBL Partybox Encore 2 costs $330 against $419.95 for the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
Side by side they sound similar, with strong vocals and the same layout of one 5.25 inch woofer and two dome tweeters. The difference is the bass. The Encore 2’s rear port gives it more kick and physical impact, and it gets even more from a wall behind it. The On-The-Go 2 Plus fires its ports forward, so its bass is smoother and cleaner and never overpowers the vocals, even on the Punchy bass setting.
Volume is almost even. The On-The-Go 2 Plus gets louder by a small margin.
Karaoke setups differ. The Encore 2 includes two wireless mics. The On-The-Go 2 Plus includes one, adds EasySing AI vocal removal, and has no wired mic or guitar input, so a second singer needs JBL’s separate EasySing mics.
Carrying: the On-The-Go 2 Plus comes with a padded shoulder strap. Both weigh about 6.4 kg, share the same removable 34Wh battery, claim 15 hours, and are IPX4 with Auracast and lights.
Buy the JBL Partybox Encore 2. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $89.95 less than the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Partybox Encore 2 | JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $330 | $419.95 |
| Ranked | #4 of 76 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #5 of 76 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) | Yes (JBL One app) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (7 band App EQ) | Yes (app EQ, Deep and Punchy bass boost) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IPX4 |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-C, 11V/2A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes | Partially |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 14.1 lbs (6.4 kg) | 14.2 lbs (6.45 kg) |
| Wireless Microphones | Yes 2 Included | Yes 1 Included |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| Amplifier Power | 100W RMS | 100W RMS |
| Dimensions | 12.6” x 13.3” x 10.4” (319.5 x 338.6 x 263 mm) | 19.7” x 10.2” x 8.7” (501 x 258 x 221 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 135mm (5.25”) woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75”) dome tweeters | 1x 135mm (5.25”) woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75”) dome tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Lights | Yes | Yes |
| Strap | No | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
| Microphone Input | - | No (wireless only) |
| Guitar Input | - | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB, Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Partybox Encore 2 compares with other leading options:
- Earfun Uboom X vs JBL Partybox Encore 2
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs JBL Partybox Encore 2
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Partybox Encore 2
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2
- JBL Partybox Encore vs JBL Partybox Encore 2
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 PM 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 Encore 2: $330 Sam’s Club eBay
Older model: the JBL Partybox Encore (rated 4.3/5).
Pros: The Encore 2 improves the original with dome tweeters, a less boomy balance, slightly deeper bass, longer battery life and two included wireless microphones. Its compact karaoke-ready design and 7-band EQ make it more adaptable indoors than the earlier Encore.
Cons: It still lacks some upper-bass punch and cannot match the scale of the larger PartyBoxes. The main value is compact karaoke convenience rather than full-range party output.
Full JBL Partybox Encore 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 100W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.6” x 13.3” x 10.4” (319.5 x 338.6 x 263 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 135mm (5.25”) woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75”) dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (7 band App EQ) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 14.1 lbs (6.4 kg) |
| Wireless Microphones | Yes 2 Included |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL giving it to us large! The good, The bad, The diabolical! More from alanrossreviews →
- M1M Tech Channel: Partybox Killer? 2x Earfun UBoom X stärker als JBL Encore 2 ? More from M1MTechChannel →
- M1M Tech Channel: JBL Partybox Encore 2 Ein fettes Bass Upgrade
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Partybox ENCORE 2👌FULL TEST🆚 JBL Partybox ENCORE 1 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Mateusz Cholewa: Jbl Partybox Encore 2 📦UNBOXING. Short TEST AUDIO z ENCORE 1👌
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Encore 2 Partybox Deep Bass 🆚 Jbl Boombox 3 WiFi 🎶
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL Boombox 3 WiFi - Sound Test - Wide vs Narrow Soundstage! More from Dominik Reviews →
- M1M Tech Channel: JBL Partybox Encore 2 Ein fettes Bass Upgrade
- M1MTechChannel: Welche JBL Partybox ist die BESTE ? Alle Partyboxen im Vergleich | 2026
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs Harman Kardon Go + Play 3
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL Partybox Encore
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs Earfun Uboom X
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs Yeahbox Sonic Boom Ultra
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
- See all 76 comparisons
JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus: $419.95 Amazon eBay
Older model: the JBL Partybox On the Go (rated 3/5).
Pros: Well balanced with strong vocals, and its front-firing bass ports give it cleaner, smoother bass than other PartyBoxes, so even the Punchy bass boost setting never overpowers the vocals. It gets a touch louder than the PartyBox Encore 2. EasySing AI vocal removal strips vocals from any song on the speaker itself, with 25%, 50% or 100% removal, and the included rechargeable wireless mic has a tight pickup pattern that rejects handling noise. A removable 34Wh battery shared with the Encore 2 and PartyBox 120, a claimed 15 hours, a padded shoulder strap, USB-C playback and charging, a 3.5mm aux input, Auracast and a light show.
Cons: The bass has less kick and physical impact than the Encore 2 or PartyBox Club 120, and the Club 120 gets noticeably louder. There is no wired microphone or guitar input, so more mics means buying JBL’s EasySing mics separately, and AI vocal removal is disabled while the speaker is linked to other speakers over Auracast. Real world battery life is closer to 7 hours at 80% volume with lights and bass boost on. IPX4 only covers splashes, the grille dents easily, and the battery must be installed for it to run even when plugged in.
Full JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 100W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (JBL One app) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 19.7” x 10.2” x 8.7” (501 x 258 x 221 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 135mm (5.25”) woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75”) dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (app EQ, Deep and Punchy bass boost) |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB, Manufacturer specified) |
| Guitar Input | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Microphone Input | No (wireless only) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 11V/2A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 14.2 lbs (6.45 kg) |
| Wireless Microphones | Yes 1 Included |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons