Short answer: the JBL Pulse 5 on measured sound quality, the Bose SoundLink Color II on price. The JBL Pulse 5 ranks #42 of 136 medium speakers at $199.12. The Bose SoundLink Color II ranks #98 at $107.15, $91.97 cheaper.
What the JBL Pulse 5 offers: Cool light show, although not synced to the music like the Pulse 2. Watch for: Not quite as deep bass as others. Plastic scratches easily.
What the Bose SoundLink Color II offers: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. IPX4 splashproof. Supports multipoint pairing to two devices at once. Watch for: Boosted bass on Color II. Not as deep of bass as other models. Lacking midrange detail. Rolled off treble
Buy the JBL Pulse 5 when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Bose SoundLink Color II when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the JBL Pulse 5 at IP67 (brief submersion) against the Bose SoundLink Color II, which has IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Pulse 5 | Bose SoundLink Color II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.12 | $107.15 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #42 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #98 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose Connect) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs / 1500 g | 1.3 lbs / 600 g |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 4.2" x 8.4" x 5.2" (107 x 214 x 131 mm) | 5.2" x 5" x 2.2" (132 x 127 x 56 mm) |
| Drivers | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter | 2x 40mm full-range drivers |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Output Power | 40W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Built in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- Turtlebox Ranger vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- Soundcore Glow vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Sony SRS-XB30
- JBL Charge 6 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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 Pulse 5: $199.12 Amazon eBay
Pros: Cool light show, although not synced to the music like the Pulse 2.
Cons: Not quite as deep bass as others. Plastic scratches easily.
Full JBL Pulse 5 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.2" x 8.4" x 5.2" (107 x 214 x 131 mm) |
| Drivers | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs / 1500 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Techder Audios: JBL PULSE 5 VS JBL CHARGE 5 “LIGHTS VS BASS?!” More from techderaudios →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bass Check 💣 Treblab HD-360, Ultimate Ears EpicBoom, Marshall Middleton & JBL Pulse 5. Boom or Bust? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- M1MTechChannel: Welche JBL Partybox ist die BESTE ? Alle Partyboxen im Vergleich | 2026 More from M1MTechChannel →
- Reddit Search for JBL Pulse 5 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Soundcore Glow
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- JBL Pulse 5 vs W-King D320
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Soundcore Motion 100
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve
- See all 72 comparisons
Bose SoundLink Color II: $107.15 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. IPX4 splashproof. Supports multipoint pairing to two devices at once.
Cons: Boosted bass on Color II. Not as deep of bass as other models. Lacking midrange detail. Rolled off treble. Discontinued.
Full Bose SoundLink Color II review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.2" x 5" x 2.2" (132 x 127 x 56 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 600 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Marshall Emberton III
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Marshall Emberton II
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Cabasse Swell
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Tribit Stormbox
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Sony SRS-XE300
- See all 74 comparisons