Short answer: the JBL Pulse 6. It ranks #49 of 164 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.7/5, at $329.95. The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ranks #111, rated 2.9/5, at $134.99, $194.96 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The JBL Pulse 6 is the better-sounding pick. A 63.8mm woofer on 30W RMS and a 16mm tweeter on 10W RMS, with JBL rating the response down to 42Hz, well below the Pulse 5’s 58Hz. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 lacks. It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. The catch: No independent measurements or tested reviews have been published yet, so its real bass extension, loudness and tonal balance can’t be compared with ranked speakers.
The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is the lighter choice. Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. At 1.3 lbs (608 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Pulse 6 at 3.3 lbs (1.49 kg). It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the JBL Pulse 6. The catch: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the JBL Pulse 6. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $194.96 you would save on the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 does not close the gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Pulse 6 | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.95 | $134.99 |
| Ranked | #49 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #111 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Amplifier Power | 40W RMS (30W woofer, 10W tweeter) | - |
| App | JBL One | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Capacity | 34Wh (7.2V, 4722mAh) | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | 4.2 |
| Charging Time | 4.5 hours | - |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C, lossless) | No |
| Dimensions | 10.4”H x 5.2”W x 4.2”D (264 x 132 x 106 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 63.8mm woofer, 16mm tweeter | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (via app) |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Strap | No | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) | Yes |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1.49 kg) | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 91Hz |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Pulse 6:
- Earfun Uboom L vs JBL Pulse 6
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Pulse 6
- Minirig 4 vs JBL Pulse 6
- Minirig 3 vs JBL Pulse 6
- Minirig 2 vs JBL Pulse 6
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Pulse 6: $329.95 Estimated Amazon eBay
Older model: the JBL Pulse 5 (ranked higher, rated 3.7/5).
Pros: A 63.8mm woofer on 30W RMS and a 16mm tweeter on 10W RMS, with JBL rating the response down to 42Hz, well below the Pulse 5’s 58Hz. IP68 makes it fully dustproof and submersible, a step up from the Pulse 5’s IP67. The 360° light show now runs over an illuminated carry handle too, with 16 themes, a double-tap bedside lamp and a Sunset Mode sleep timer in the JBL One app. Bluetooth 6.0 with SBC, AAC and LC3, lossless playback over USB-C, and Auracast for stereo pairing or linking PartyBox speakers and PartyLight Sticks.
Cons: No independent measurements or tested reviews have been published yet, so its real bass extension, loudness and tonal balance can’t be compared with ranked speakers. It plays in mono from one woofer and one tweeter, so a single unit gives no stereo separation. Battery life is rated at only 12 hours from its 34Wh pack, charging takes up to 4.5 hours, and the USB-C port can’t charge a phone. There is no strap, only the built-in handle.
Full JBL Pulse 6 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W RMS (30W woofer, 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | JBL One |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Capacity | 34Wh (7.2V, 4722mAh) |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Charging Time | 4.5 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C, lossless) |
| Dimensions | 10.4”H x 5.2”W x 4.2”D (264 x 132 x 106 mm) |
| Drivers | 63.8mm woofer, 16mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1.49 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Pulse 6 vs JBL Pulse 5
- JBL Pulse 6 vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- JBL Pulse 6 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- JBL Pulse 6 vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- JBL Pulse 6 vs Sonos Play
- JBL Pulse 6 vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- JBL Pulse 6 vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- JBL Pulse 6 vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- See all 50 comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $134.99 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5.
Pros: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. Measured bass extension of 91Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. 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 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 3 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Klipsch Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- See all 99 comparisons