Short answer: the JBL Pulse 5 on measured sound quality, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 on price. The JBL Pulse 5 ranks #42 of 136 medium speakers at $199.12. The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 ranks #86 at $80, $119.12 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 Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 offers: IP67 rated and floats. Compact and light enough to toss in a bag. Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. Slightly boosted 93hz upper bass Dip at 9khz. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2019. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Buy the JBL Pulse 5 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Pulse 5 | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.12 | $80 |
| Ranked | #42 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #86 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz | 82Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Yes |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs / 1500 g | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 4.2" x 8.4" x 5.2" (107 x 214 x 131 mm) | 4.1" x 3.8" (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Output Power | 40W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Max Volume | - | 88dB |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Built in Microphone | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Soundcore Glow vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Soundcore Glow
- JBL Pulse 5 vs JBL Charge 3
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
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Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2: $80 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated and floats. Compact and light enough to toss in a bag.
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. Slightly boosted 93hz upper bass Dip at 9khz. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2019. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 82Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.1" x 3.8" (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 88dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
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