Short answer: the JBL Pulse 5, which ranks much higher and costs a little less. It places #47 of 179 against the KEF Muo gen2’s #96 of 179 and costs $224.99 against $249.99. The Muo gen2 fixed the rolled off treble and improved overall balance, but it is lacking deeper bass, and the Pulse 5 answers with a cool light show, though not synced to the music like the Pulse 2, and its own bass is not quite as deep as others.
Buy the JBL Pulse 5. It is rated higher for sound quality than the KEF Muo gen2 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the KEF Muo gen2 is rated for 24 hours, the JBL Pulse 5 only 12 hours.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete 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 stylish waterproof stereo speaker with aptX Adaptive, USB-C audio input, Auracast and long battery life.
Prices on this page were last checked November 7, 2026 at 7:34 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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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Pulse 5 | KEF Muo gen2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $224.99 | $249.99 |
| Ranked | #47 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #96 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1500 g) | 1.6 lbs (740 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, aptX Adaptive up to 48 kHz 24 bit |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 4.2” x 8.4” x 5.2” (107 x 214 x 131 mm) | 8.5” x 3.2” x 2.3” (216 x 82 x 59 mm) |
| Drivers | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter | 1x 58x117mm racetrack woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 40W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Strap | No | - |
| Maximum SPL | - | 90dB (Manufacturer specified) |
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