Short answer: the JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 for off axis consistency, the Tribit Stormbox Blast for size-defying output. The Essential 2’s dome tweeters over cone appear to give better off axis performance, though it is missing a little bit of upper bass. The Blast is amazing given its size and competes with some speakers in the Party size class, but it lacks a bit of detail next to the top ranked speakers and has a dip at 5.5kHz.
What the JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 gets right: Appears to have better off axis performance due to the move to dome tweeters over cone. The catch: Missing a little bit of upper bass.
On the Tribit Stormbox Blast side: Amazing speaker given its size, competes well with some speakers in the Party size class. The tradeoff: Lacks a bit of detail compared to the top ranked speakers in other size categories, dip at 5.5kHz.
Buy the Tribit Stormbox Blast. It is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Battery life favors the Tribit Stormbox Blast: rated for 30 hours against 15 hours for the JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2.
Water resistance is not close: the Tribit Stormbox Blast is rated at IPX7 (brief submersion), well ahead of the JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 at IPX4 (splashing).
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 | Tribit Stormbox Blast | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $254.12 | $179.99 |
| Ranked | #5 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #2 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) | Yes (Tribit App) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (7 band App EQ) | Yes (10 band) |
| Guitar Input | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IPX7 |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | No |
| Weight | 13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) | 12 lbs (5.45 kg) |
| Wireless Microphones | No | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Amplifier Power | 100W RMS | 90W RMS (140W peak) |
| Dimensions | 12.6" x 13.5" x 10.3" (319.5 x 342 x 260.4 mm) | 15.7" x 6.3" x 9.1" (400 x 160 x 230 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 135mm (5.25") woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75") dome tweeters | 2x ~107mm (4.2") woofers + 2x ~25mm tweeters |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 108dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | - | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 43Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 66ms |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Tribit Stormbox Blast compares with other leading options:
- Earfun Uboom X vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs JBL Partybox Encore 2
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs JBL Partybox Encore
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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 Essential 2: $254.12 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: A compact 6.2kg party speaker with 100W output, 110dB maximum level, a 15-hour claimed battery, app-based 7-band EQ, dynamic lighting, USB playback, guitar and mic inputs, and Auracast linking. Independent testing finds a balanced midrange, genuinely punchy low bass and enough output for a backyard gathering; its dome tweeters also improve the earlier Encore’s high-frequency behavior.
Cons: It is front-facing, so the sound changes noticeably to the sides and behind it, and bass compression reduces kick-drum impact at maximum volume. Bluetooth latency can cause lip-sync issues, its IPX4 rating only covers splashes, and it omits the wireless microphones bundled with the non-Essential Encore 2.
Full JBL Partybox Encore Essential 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 13.5" x 10.3" (319.5 x 342 x 260.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 135mm (5.25") woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75") dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (7 band App EQ) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) |
| Wireless Microphones | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs JBL Partybox Encore
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs JBL Partybox Encore 2
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Harman Kardon Go + Play 3
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Earfun Uboom X
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Yeahbox Sonic Boom Ultra
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6
- See all 59 comparisons
Tribit Stormbox Blast: $179.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Amazing speaker given its size, competes well with some speakers in the Party size class, bass almost as deep as a Partybox 100. Quite neutral in the default and xbass modes, but try Oluv’s EQ or Alan Ross’s EQ for a slightly more neutral sound. Oluv has mentioned v3.5 now uses his EQ as the defaults and sounds extremely good. 2 different light modes or can be turned off. Measured bass extension of 43Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Lacks a bit of detail compared to the top ranked speakers in other size categories, dip at 5.5kHz. Without the above EQ this speaker would rank around #4 in the rankings. The curved underside of the handle makes it a little harder to grip and can be uncomfortable to carry long distances.
Full Tribit Stormbox Blast review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 90W RMS (140W peak) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Tribit App) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 66ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 15.7" x 6.3" x 9.1" (400 x 160 x 230 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x ~107mm (4.2") woofers + 2x ~25mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (10 band) |
| FM Tuner | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 108dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Microphone Input | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 12 lbs (5.45 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast Firmware Update 5.2 and other things……. More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast vs JBL Boombox 2 big bass boombox speakers 💕
- Alan Ross Reviews: pound for pound battle! WKing X20 D20 vs Stormbox Blast! OMG its a shocker!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast compared to the 2022 StormBox Blast, i wasn’t expecting this!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion x600 (best speaker ever) or two motion booms?
- Mateusz Cholewa: Tribit Stormbox Blast 🎶 🆚Deep BASS - Tribit Stormbox LAVA More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Blast 🆚 Sony SRS-XG500 - Tailgater Special - Battery Powered ☢️ Bass Boost Enabled. More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast or two Motion Boom Pluses for best cheap boombox?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast or Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 Mini by an old bloke!
- InFaze Audio: SPEAKER SHOOTOUT Does the Tribit Stormbox Blast Beat the InFaze Audio MS5CX?
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Boom 2 Plus VS Tribit Stormbox Blast 🛜 Boombox Basement Battle 📊Custom EQ 🔥Who You Got?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Not quite! JBL Authentics 300 review and sound test vs Boombox 3, Encore and Stormbox Blast
- Techder Audios: Tribit Stormbox Blast VS Teufel Boomster "BASS VS FUNCTIONS!" More from techderaudios →
- Oluv Patreon: SoundBoks 4 vs Stormbox Blast - first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Earfun UBoom X, a PROPER sound test 😎
- Mateusz Cholewa: EarFun UBOOM X Deep Bass 🆚 Tribit Stormbox Blast🎶Review👌
- Oluv Patreon: Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Earfun UBoom X - outdoor test
- Oluv Patreon: Harman Kardon go+play 3 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast - outdoor soundtest
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Boombox 3 vs 2x Tribit Stormbox Blast 🤑 Huge difference? More from Dominik Reviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: W-King X20 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 🍿 Garage Battle of Boombox Speakers 🍻Custom & Standard EQ’s
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: W-King X20 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 🍿 Garage Battle of Boombox Speakers 🍻Custom & Standard EQ’s
- Dominik Reviews: Sony ULT Field 7 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast Both good? 😂
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bugani Boost Max vs Tribit Stormbox Blast - GhettoBlaster Battle 🏠Indoors 🔋Battery Powered
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Rave Party 2 vs. Tribit Stormbox Blast - Bluetooth Speaker Basement ⚒ Battle
- Jagist reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Sony SRS XG 500 More from Jagistreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast or Soundcore Motion Boom Plus or W King D10? 🤪
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast Review vs Soundcore Motion Boom Plus - cheap bass!
- DLX Willington: Tough Game! Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Soundcore Motion Boom Plus Binaural sound samples More from DLXWillington →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast or Soundcore Motion Boom Plus or W King D10? 🤪
- Jagist reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Altec Lansing Mix 2.0
- Alan Ross Reviews: Spatial Audio: Soundcore Motion X600 Vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Oluv Patreon: Audiocase S5 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast - first impressions
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Earfun Uboom X
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Harman Kardon Go + Play 3
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- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs JBL Partybox Encore
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
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- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6
- See all 65 comparisons