Short answer: the Encore Essential 2, without qualification. It ranks #5 out of 68 boombox speakers at $209. The original ranks #7 at $329.95. Better and $120 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 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.
Last updated: August 07, 2026
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 | JBL Partybox Encore Essential | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $209.00 | $329.95 |
| Ranked | #5 of 68 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #7 of 68 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 |
| Max Volume | 110dB | 110dB |
| Microphone Input | Yes | — |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes | Yes |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 13.7 lbs / 6.2 kg | 13 lbs / 5.9 kg |
| Wireless Microphones | No | — |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.1 |
| Output Power | 100W RMS | 100W RMS |
| Dimensions | 12.58" x 13.46" x 10.25" (319.5 x 342 x 260.4 mm) | 10.87" x 12.87" x 11.54" (276 x 327 x 293 mm) |
| Driver | 1x 135mm (5.25") woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75") dome tweeters | 135mm woofer + 2x 44mm tweeters |
| Aux Latency | — | 17ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | — | 38Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | — | 100ms |
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2: $209.00 Amazon Bhphotovideo
Pros: Appears to have better off axis performance due to the move to dome tweeters over cone. A little less rolled off in the highs than the first Encore. Goes slightly deeper than the old Encore. Better battery life than the first Encore.
Cons: Missing a little bit of upper bass. No wireless Microphones like the non-Essential
| 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 |
| Dimensions | 12.58" x 13.46" x 10.25" (319.5 x 342 x 260.4 mm) |
| Driver | 1x 135mm (5.25") woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75") dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (7 band App EQ) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Max Volume | 110dB |
| Microphone Input | Yes |
| Output Power | 100W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 13.7 lbs / 6.2 kg |
| Wireless Microphones | No |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Links
JBL Partybox Encore Essential: $329.95 Amazon Ebay Refurbished
Pros: A great sounding somewhat boosted bass party speaker.
Cons: Only 6 hours of battery at medium volume. Poor Water rating.
| App | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 17ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz |
| Battery Life | 6 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 100ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Dimensions | 10.87" x 12.87" x 11.54" (276 x 327 x 293 mm) |
| Driver | 135mm woofer + 2x 44mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (3 band App EQ) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Max Volume | 110dB |
| Output Power | 100W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 13 lbs / 5.9 kg |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- DLX Willington: Called It!🤣 JBL Partybox Encore VS Essential, with binaural sound sample.
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- Links
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Product prices and availability were last checked August 7, 2026 at 5:43 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.