JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus vs Zealot S78: Which Is Better? (2026)

Q: Which is better, the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus or the Zealot S78?

Short answer: the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus. It ranks #5 of 91 boombox speakers by sound quality, rated 4.4/5, at $349.95. The Zealot S78 ranks #90, rated 2.0/5, at $159.68, $190.27 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.

Q: Should I buy the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus or the Zealot S78?

Buy the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $190.27 you would save on the Zealot S78 does not close the gap.

Short answer: the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus. It ranks #5 of 91 boombox speakers by sound quality, rated 4.4/5, at $349.95. The Zealot S78 ranks #90, rated 2.0/5, at $159.68, $190.27 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.

The JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus is the better-sounding option. 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 links with other speakers (Auracast), which the Zealot S78 cannot. The tradeoff: The bass has less kick and physical impact than the Encore 2 or PartyBox Club 120, and the Club 120 gets noticeably louder.

The Zealot S78 is the longer-running, lighter option. A robust 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg) party speaker with claimed 120W RMS output, IP67 protection, USB-C charging, a power-bank function, aux, USB and microSD playback, TWS pairing and multiple EQ modes. It is rated for 40 hours of battery against 15 for the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus. At 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg) it weighs noticeably less than the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus at 14.2 lbs (6.45 kg). It is rated IP67 against IPX4 for the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus. The catch: At high volume, reviews report distortion and fluctuating level, so its headline power is more useful below its maximum setting.

Buy the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $190.27 you would save on the Zealot S78 does not close the gap.

Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.

Check JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus price at Amazon ($349.95) →Check Zealot S78 price at Amazon ($159.68) →

Specifications Side By Side

	JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus	Zealot S78
Price	$349.95	$159.68
Ranked	#5 of 91 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers	#90 of 91 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers
App	Yes (JBL One app)	No
Aux Input	Yes	Yes
Battery Life	15 hours (Manufacturer specified)	40 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Built-in Microphone	No	No
EQ	Yes (app EQ, Deep and Punchy bass boost)	Yes (multiple modes)
IP Rating	IPX4	IP67
Party Mode	Yes (Auracast)	No
Power Bank	Yes (USB-C, 11V/2A)	Yes (USB-A)
Power Input	AC Power cord	USB-C
Removable Battery	Yes	-
Stereo	Partially	Yes
Omnidirectional	No	No
TWS	Yes	Yes
USB Playback	Yes	Yes
Weight	14.2 lbs (6.45 kg)	9.7 lbs (4.4 kg)
Wireless Microphones	Yes 1 Included	-
Microphone Input	No (wireless only)	-
Guitar Input	No	-
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth Codecs	SBC, LC3	SBC
Bluetooth Version	5.4	-
Amplifier Power	100W RMS	120W RMS / 150W peak
Dimensions	19.7” x 10.2” x 8.7” (501 x 258 x 221 mm)	16.1” x 6.6” x 7.3” (410 x 167 x 185 mm)
Drivers	1x 135mm (5.25”) woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75”) dome tweeters	2x ~120mm (4.72”) woofers + 2x ~42mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators
Frequency Response	40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB, Manufacturer specified)	-
Digital Aux Input	Yes (USB-C)	No
Lights	Yes	-
Strap	Yes (detachable shoulder strap)	Yes (detachable shoulder strap)
MicroSD Playback	-	Yes

Check JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus price at Amazon ($349.95) →Check Zealot S78 price at Amazon ($159.68) →

More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus:

Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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 On-The-Go 2 Plus: $349.95 Amazon eBay

Older model: the JBL Partybox On the Go (ranked lower, 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.

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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	Yes
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

Check current price at Amazon ($349.95) →Search eBay for JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus →

Zealot S78: $159.68 Amazon AliExpress eBay

Pros: A robust 4.4kg party speaker with claimed 120W RMS output, IP67 protection, USB-C charging, a power-bank function, aux, USB and microSD playback, TWS pairing and multiple EQ modes. Reviews find it very loud with useful bass and long claimed battery life, making it a credible choice for outdoor gatherings.

Cons: At high volume, reviews report distortion and fluctuating level, so its headline power is more useful below its maximum setting. It has no app-based EQ, and the bass and midrange refinement do not match better-established boombox speakers; assess its sound in person if tonal accuracy matters.

Full Zealot S78 review and specifications →

Amplifier Power	120W RMS / 150W peak
App	No
Aux Input	Yes
Battery Life	40 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Bluetooth	Yes
Bluetooth Codecs	SBC
Built-in Microphone	No
Digital Aux Input	No
Dimensions	16.1” x 6.6” x 7.3” (410 x 167 x 185 mm)
Drivers	2x ~120mm (4.72”) woofers + 2x ~42mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators
EQ	Yes (multiple modes)
IP Rating	IP67
MicroSD Playback	Yes
Omnidirectional	No
Party Mode	No
Power Bank	Yes (USB-A)
Power Input	USB-C
Stereo	Yes
Strap	Yes (detachable shoulder strap)
TWS	Yes
USB Playback	Yes
Weight	9.7 lbs (4.4 kg)

Check current price at Amazon ($159.68) →Check current price at AliExpress ($91.38) →Search eBay for Zealot S78 →

Top PickJBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 PlusAmazon • $349.95

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Specifications Side By Side

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The Two Speakers In Full

JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus: $349.95 Amazon eBay

Zealot S78: $159.68 Amazon AliExpress eBay