Short answer: the B&O Beosound A5 for a neutral tonal balance, the JBL Xtreme 3 for deeper bass. The Beosound A5 has a pretty neutral sound, though there is not enough good sound sample data yet to rank it properly. The Xtreme 3 improves on the Xtreme 2 with better treble and deeper bass and sounds more balanced than the Xtreme 4, but its bass is boosted and not as deep as the better speakers in its class.
The JBL Xtreme 3 earns points for: Better treble and deeper bass than the Xtreme 2, and it sounds more balanced than the Xtreme 4. But: its bass is boosted and not as deep as better speakers, and it’s not quite as balanced as the top performers in its class.
The Beosound A5’s case: It has a pretty neutral sound. The catch is: there isn’t enough good sound sample data yet to rank it properly.
Buy the JBL Xtreme 3 if the price is the priority over sound quality, or the B&O Beosound A5 if sound quality is the priority over the price.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Xtreme 3 | B&O Beosound A5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.95 | $1,650.00 |
| Ranked | #18 of 83 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #12 of 83 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12+ hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 133ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 101dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Beolink Multiroom) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.83 kg) | 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg) |
| App | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP65 |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 11.7” x 5.4” x 5.3” (298 x 136 x 134 mm) | 11.2” x 7.4” x 5.1” (285 x 187 x 130 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 20mm tweeters | 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” fullrange, 0.8” tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 53.5Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 32Hz - 23kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 100W | 280W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to B&O Beosound A5:
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- JBL Xtreme 5 vs B&O Beosound A5
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs B&O Beosound A5
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs B&O Beosound A5
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Marshall Stockwell II
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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 Xtreme 3: $329.95 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the JBL Xtreme 5, ranked higher, rated 4.6/5.
Pros: Better treble and deeper bass than the Xtreme 2. More balanced sounding than the Xtreme 4. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Boosted bass. Not as deep bass as better speakers. Not as balanced as better speakers.
Full JBL Xtreme 3 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 100W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 133ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.7” x 5.4” x 5.3” (298 x 136 x 134 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 53.5Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.83 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA - Unboxing.📦 Short Test vs Xtreme 4 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
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- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs JBL Xtreme 2 and Xtreme 1 - review and sound test
- Alan Ross Reviews: Anker Soundcore Motion Boom Plus vs JBL Xtreme 3 - Extreme review!
- DLX Willington: Who Sounds The Best Of Sony XG300, XB43 & JBL XTREME3 With Sound Sample BLIND CHALLENGE Reveal. More from DLXWillington →
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XG300 Vs JBL Xtreme 3 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King X10 vs JBL Xtreme 3, Xtreme 2 and Xtreme 1! Xtreme Review 🤓
- Smart Home Sounds: Best Premium Bluetooth Speakers: Sonos Move, JBL Xtreme 3, Marshall Middleton & More… More from Smart Home Sounds →
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Xtreme 4 vs JBL Xtreme 3 Sound Test 😍 Best upgrade in the history? 😂 More from Dominik Reviews →
- Audio Inside Scoop: Klipsch Detroit VS JBL Xtreme 3 Hear With Me!!
- GYMCADDY: JBL Xtreme 3 Vs Sony XG300 - Its Not Even Close More from GYMCADDY →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs Soundcore Motion Boom vs Rave Neo - Boombox Battle!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ortizan M8🦨 Bluetooth Speaker. Is This The Budget JBL Xtreme 3 Killer? Better Than Zealot S67? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Danny Pops: It’s shaped like a Football - JBL Xtreme 3 Review vs Marshall Tufton and Flips Party Mode More from DannyPops →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Soundcore Motion X600
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Bose SoundLink Max
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs B&O Beoplay A2 active
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Loewe We. Hear Pro
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- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Soundcore Motion Boom
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- See all 76 comparisons
B&O Beosound A5: $1,650.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: At 3.86 kg, B&O Beosound A5 combines 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” fullrange, 0.8” tweeter with Bluetooth and aux. Ip65 protection, up to 101db and mono playback make its feature set practical for its intended room or portable use. Reviews find the sound fairly neutral.
Cons: Bass is limited by its 32Hz - 23kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification. There is no companion app. No EQ adjustment.
Full B&O Beosound A5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 280W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12+ hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 11.2” x 7.4” x 5.1” (285 x 187 x 130 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” fullrange, 0.8” tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 32Hz - 23kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP65 |
| Maximum SPL | 101dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Beolink Multiroom) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Marshall Stockwell II
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Soundcore Boom 2
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Bose SoundLink Max
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Soundcore Motion X600
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Tribit Stormbox Lava
- B&O Beosound A5 vs JBL Xtreme 5
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Vifa Helsinki
- See all 15 comparisons