Short answer: the JBL Pulse 5. It ranks #47 of 177 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.7/5, at $224.99; the Sonos Play ranks #56, rated 3.5/5, and costs $299, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
Why pick 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. It links with other speakers (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers), which the Sonos Play cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Sonos Play lacks. Watch for: Bass does not reach as deep as others, and the plastic scratches easily.
The Sonos Play is the longer-running choice. A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support. It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 12 for the JBL Pulse 5. It keeps a wired aux input, which the JBL Pulse 5 lacks. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the JBL Pulse 5. The tradeoff: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app.
Buy the JBL Pulse 5. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sonos Play and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
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 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support.
Prices on this page were last checked October 31, 2026 at 7:11 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 | Sonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $224.99 | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #47 of 177 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #56 of 177 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 | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1500 g) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 4.2” x 8.4” x 5.2” (107 x 214 x 131 mm) | 7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Strap | No | - |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
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