Short answer: the JBL Pulse 5, if you are buying new. The Huawei Sound Joy ranks higher than it (#40 vs #47 of 177 medium speakers, 3.8/5 vs 3.7/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the JBL Pulse 5 is still sold new at $224.99. The Huawei Sound Joy’s replacement, the Huawei Sound Joy 2, is rated 3.5/5 at $154.73.
The case for the JBL Pulse 5: A waterproof party speaker with a built in light show, app EQ and linking with up to 100 other JBL speakers. The tradeoff: Bass is limited by its ~58Hz specification.
The Huawei Sound Joy is the longer-running, lighter pick. A waterproof speaker with a separate tweeter, long battery life and good loudness, with a Devialet mode for its best sound. It is rated for 26 hours of battery against 12 for the JBL Pulse 5. At 1.5 lbs (680 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Pulse 5 at 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg). It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the JBL Pulse 5 lacks. The catch: Boosted treble, not quite as deep of bass as a JBL Charge 5.
Buy the JBL Pulse 5, since the Huawei Sound Joy is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
A waterproof party speaker with a built in light show, app EQ and linking with up to 100 other JBL speakers.
A waterproof speaker with a separate tweeter, long battery life and good loudness, with a Devialet mode for its best sound.
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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Pulse 5 | Huawei Sound Joy | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $224.99 | $180 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #47 of 177 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #40 of 177 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 26 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (with G-sensor orientation switching) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1500 g) | 1.5 lbs (680 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 4.2” x 8.4” x 5.2” (107 x 214 x 131 mm) | 8” x 2.9” (202 x 73 mm) (height x width) |
| Drivers | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter | 1x 50x75mm racetrack woofer (20W) + 1x 19mm silk dome tweeter + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C (5V/2A, 9V/2A, 10V/4A) |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 30W total (20W + 10W) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Strap | No | - |
| Maximum SPL | - | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes (3 microphones) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
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