Short answer: the Encore Essential 2, without qualification. It ranks #6 out of 112 boombox speakers at $249.95. The original ranks #8 at $299.95. Better and $50 cheaper is rare enough in this category to be worth stating plainly.
Battery is the headline. 15 hours against 6. The original’s six hours at medium volume is its defining weakness. It barely covers an evening, and our notes flag it first among its cons. The 2 more than doubles that.
The EQ went from 3 bands to 7. On a JBL, where the stock tuning is V-shaped by design, that is the difference between nudging the sound and actually correcting it.
Pairing moved to Auracast from no multi-speaker mode at all, so two of them can play together, and they will pair with the current JBL range rather than only each other.
What the original wins: almost nothing. It is 0.7 lbs (300 g) lighter and has a published 38 Hz bass extension figure. Both are 100 W RMS, both hit 110 dB, both are IPX4, splash-resistant only, so neither belongs near a pool.
The one thing to know about both: neither has the wireless microphones of the non-Essential Partybox Encore. If you want karaoke out of the box, that is the model to look at, or see best speakers with microphone inputs and karaoke setups.
Buy the Encore Essential 2. The only reason to consider the original is a clearance price well under $150, and even then the battery makes it a poor deal.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
A compact party speaker with balanced sound, punchy bass, mic and guitar inputs, and enough volume for a backyard party.
A compact stereo party speaker with great sound, strong output, and splash resistance for backyard parties.
Prices on this page were last checked November 5, 2026 at 10:30 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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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 | JBL Partybox Encore Essential | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249.95 | $299.95 |
| Ranked | #6 of 112 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #8 of 112 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 6 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (7 band App EQ) | Yes (3 band App EQ) |
| Guitar Input | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IPX4 |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A, 5V/0.5A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) | 13 lbs (5.9 kg) |
| Wireless Microphones | No | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.1 |
| Amplifier Power | 100W RMS | 100W RMS |
| Dimensions | 12.6” x 13.5” x 10.3” (319.5 x 342 x 260.4 mm) | 10.9” x 12.9” x 11.5” (276 x 327 x 293 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 135mm (5.25”) woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75”) dome tweeters | 135mm woofer + 2x 44mm tweeters |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 42Hz | 38Hz |
| Aux Latency | - | 17ms |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 100ms |
Watch Them Compared
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