Short answer: the JBL Partybox Encore Essential for party sound, the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 for deeper bass. The Encore Essential is a great sounding speaker with somewhat boosted bass, but only 6 hours at medium volume and a poor water rating. The Blast 2 goes pretty deep, but it sounds quite muddy with the boosted lower and upper bass and has boosted treble around 6kHz.
Buy the JBL Partybox Encore Essential. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $29.96 saving on the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 is not enough to make up the difference.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 at IP67 (brief submersion) against the JBL Partybox Encore Essential, which has IPX4 (splashing).
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Partybox Encore Essential | Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.95 | $299.99 |
| Ranked | #8 of 90 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #31 of 90 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) | Yes (Tribit app) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 17ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz | 40Hz |
| Battery Life | 6 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (3 band App EQ) | Yes (10 band) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 100ms | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/0.5A) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power Cable or 10w USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | No |
| Weight | 13 lbs (5.9 kg) | 19.2 lbs (8.7 kg) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.4 |
| Amplifier Power | 100W RMS | 200W AC / 180W battery |
| Dimensions | 10.9” x 12.9” x 11.5” (276 x 327 x 293 mm) | 18.7” x 7.6” x 10.2” (476 x 193 x 259 mm) |
| Drivers | 135mm woofer + 2x 44mm tweeters | 1x ~180x110mm rectangular subwoofer + 2x ~80mm mid drivers + 2x ~25mm tweeters |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | No |
| Microphone Input | - | Yes (2x 6.35mm) |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
Prices on this page were last checked October 3, 2026 at 10:26 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: $329.95 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2, ranked higher, rated 4.3/5.
Pros: JBL Partybox Encore Essential uses 135mm woofer + 2x 44mm tweeters. Its 5.9 kg, claimed 6 hours (Manufacturer specified) battery life, IPX4 protection, aux input, up to 110dB and stereo playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. Measured bass extension of 38Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 38Hz specification.
Full JBL Partybox Encore Essential review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 100W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 17ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz |
| Battery Life | 6 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 100ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.9” x 12.9” x 11.5” (276 x 327 x 293 mm) |
| Drivers | 135mm woofer + 2x 44mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (3 band App EQ) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/0.5A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 13 lbs (5.9 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL giving it to us large! The good, The bad, The diabolical! More from alanrossreviews →
- DLX Willington: Called It!🤣 JBL Partybox Encore VS Essential, with binaural sound sample. More from DLXWillington →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Triple Threat 💸 $200 Challenge 🔋 Soundcore Rave Party 2, W-King H10, JBL Partybox Encore Essential More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Klipsch Gig XXL vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential (Pee-Wee) - Indoors, Plugged In🔌 Bluetooth Speakers
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Tribit Stormbox Blast 2: $299.99 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Tribit Stormbox Blast (ranked higher, rated 4.5/5).
Pros: Pretty deep bass. Measured bass extension of 40Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Sounds quite muddy with the boosted lower and upper bass. Boosted treble around 6kHz. Xbass mode makes it sound even more muddy. Nowhere near as neutral and balanced as the first Blast and a big downgrade unless you only care about max volume
Setup: Try the EQ from Alan Ross at this timestamp of his video
Full Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 200W AC / 180W battery |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Tribit app) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 18.7” x 7.6” x 10.2” (476 x 193 x 259 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x ~180x110mm rectangular subwoofer + 2x ~80mm mid drivers + 2x ~25mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (10 band) |
| FM Tuner | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Microphone Input | Yes (2x 6.35mm) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power Cable or 10w USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 19.2 lbs (8.7 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 - outdoor sound test More from Oluv’Sone →
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 - indoor sound test
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 vs 2 Earfun UBoom X - outdoor test
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 custom EQ best settings! Alan Ross! More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 firmware V11 update - earthquake warning!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 review - fun fun fun! sometimes 😊
- Mateusz Cholewa: Soundcore Rave 3 🤗v🆚s Tribit Stormbox Blast 2👌🎶 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 😳 First Look, EQ and Light Modes Demo 🚨 More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 vs JBL Boombox 3 🔊 Got Bass? Let’s See How They Compare 😲 Battery Powered 🔋
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 vs Blast 😲 A Family Feud 🚗 Tailgater Special 🔋 Battery Powered 🎶 Old vs New
- Jagist reviews: Zealot Ze21 Vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 2!!! More from Jagistreviews →
- Jagist reviews: Zealot S95 Vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 2!!!
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