Short answer: the JBL Partybox Stage 320. It ranks #2 of 50 party speakers by sound quality at $629.95; the Bose S1 Pro ranks #16 and costs $699, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the JBL Partybox Stage 320 offers: Handle and wheels are convenient. Watch for: Slightly sibilant in the treble at full blast.
On the Bose S1 Pro side: Extremely compact and light with flexible placement options. Set against that: With full range music, it becomes distorted above ⅔ volume.
Buy the JBL Partybox Stage 320. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Bose S1 Pro and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the JBL Partybox Stage 320 is rated for 18 hours versus 11 hours for the Bose S1 Pro.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Partybox Stage 320 at IPX4 (splashing) holds up far better than the Bose S1 Pro at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Partybox Stage 320 | Bose S1 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $629.95 | $699.00 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #2 of 50 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #16 of 50 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 11 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.0 |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5" woofers, 2x 25mm tweeters | 1x 6" (152mm) woofer + 3x 2.25" (57mm) tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | Yes |
| Guitar Input | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | None |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes | - |
| Stereo | Partially | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | No |
| Weight | 36.4 lbs / 16.5 kg | 14.3 lbs / 6.5 kg |
| Output Power | 240W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 55Hz |
| Charging Time | - | 5 hours |
| Dimensions | - | 13.1" x 9.4" x 11" (332.7 x 238.8 x 279.4 mm) |
| XLR Input | - | Yes |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Max Volume | - | 109dB |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Electro-Voice Everse 8 vs JBL Partybox 330
- Soundboks Mix vs JBL Partybox 330
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Soundboks Go
- Bose S1 Pro vs Audiocase S5
- Bose S1 Pro vs JBL Partybox 330
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Partybox Stage 320: $629.95 Amazon Bhphotovideo
Pros: Handle and wheels are convenient. Customizable color lighting modes. Keeps more bass than the 310 at high volume. Removable battery.
Cons: Slightly sibilant in the treble at full blast. Very large. Note, JBL daisychain is not compatible with any other non-JBL speaker and is possibly a fully digital signal.
Full JBL Partybox Stage 320 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5" woofers, 2x 25mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 240W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 36.4 lbs / 16.5 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Oluv Patreon: JBL Partybox 320 vs 520 - indoor listening session
- Oluv Patreon: JBL Partybox 320 vs 520 - outdoor test
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: JBL Partybox Stage 320 vs 310 🛜 Defcon 5🚨 Bass Alert! Take Shelter Immediately! 😲 Best Bass Goes To?
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: JBL Partybox Stage 320 vs 310 🥳 A Family Feud! Battery Powered🔋Bluetooth Party Speakers Face-Off🤬
- GYMCADDY: JBL PartyBox Stage 320 Review - Big Upgrades Everywhere, Worth The Upgrade
- Reddit Search for JBL Partybox Stage 320 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Partybox Stage 320 vs JBL Partybox 330
- JBL Partybox Stage 320 vs JBL Partybox 310
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- JBL Partybox Stage 320 vs JBL Partybox 130
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- JBL Partybox Stage 320 vs JBL Partybox 300
- JBL Partybox Stage 320 vs Teufel Rockster Neo
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Bose S1 Pro: $699.00 Discontinued Amazon
Pros: Extremely compact and light with flexible placement options. Full sound with no lack of low-end output, crystal-clear audio quality. Three-channel mixer (2 mic/line + 1 line/Bluetooth). Auto EQ adjusts sound based on orientation. Multiple angled surfaces for various positioning including tilted portrait mode. Up to 11 hours battery life. Professional build quality. High efficiency drivers reach 2-3x the volume of typical speakers for the same wattage.
Cons: With full range music, it becomes distorted above ⅔ volume. Better suited for voice amplification. Not as much deep bass as the Everse 8, midrange sounds reasonably balanced. Treble is pretty boosted. Not stereo. Designed for more loudness than deeper bass. Discontinued.
Full Bose S1 Pro review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 11 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Charging Time | 5 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 13.1" x 9.4" x 11" (332.7 x 238.8 x 279.4 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x 6" (152mm) woofer + 3x 2.25" (57mm) tweeters |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | None |
| Max Volume | 109dB |
| Microphone Input | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 14.3 lbs / 6.5 kg |
| XLR Input | Yes |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Precision Drive Audio: Music test for BOSE S1 PRO& PD K8 & JBL EON ONE COMPACT
- Precision Drive Audio: Bose S1 pro VS PD K8 VS JBL EON ONE COMPACT
- HQ AUDIO Exchange: Bose S1 Pro vs. JBL PartyBox 100 Bass Sound Test 😱💥🔥
- briansredd: Electro-Voice Everse 8 VS Bose S1 Pro - Side By Side Shoot-Out (Attempt)
- briansredd: Q&A - Electro-Voice Everse 8 Vs Bose S1 Pro AND (Warning) My Opinion
- True Techy: BOSE S1 Pro vs JBLPartybox ENCORE This Comparison SHOCKED me!!!
- JPW Pro: EV Everse 8 vs JBL EON One Compact Review
- W. Weiss: Part 3 Shootout MACKIE THUMP GO vs BOSE S1 PRO vs JBL EON ONE COMPACT Max Volume Demo A New Winner!
- James from Canada: SOUND TESTS - Soundboks, Minirig 3, dB Technologies, Bose S1 Pro, etc - RAVE TEST
- Reddit Search for Bose S1 Pro Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons