Short answer: the JBL Xtreme 5. It ranks #2 of 85 large speakers by sound quality, rated 4.6/5, at $399.95. The Tronsmart Force Max ranks #63, rated 3.0/5, at $119.99, $279.96 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
What the JBL Xtreme 5 does well: Removable battery. Watch for: High priced.
What the Tronsmart Force Max does well: Two woofers, two tweeters and two passive radiators on opposite faces spread its 80W of sound all around it. The catch: Sonido Pesado found the Tronsmart Halo 100 clearly better, with clearer mids and highs.
Buy the JBL Xtreme 5. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $279.96 you would save on the Tronsmart Force Max does not close the gap.
Battery life favors the JBL Xtreme 5: rated for 28 hours against 13 hours for the Tronsmart Force Max.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Xtreme 5 | Tronsmart Force Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.95 | $119.99 |
| Ranked | #2 of 85 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #63 of 85 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 28 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 13 hours at 50% volume (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | Yes (3 presets) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX6 |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/3A) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Removable Battery | Yes | - |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 6.4 lbs (2.9 kg) | 5.6 lbs (2.54 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | - |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | No (front/rear drivers) |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 13.6” x 6.5” x 6.1” (346 x 165 x 155 mm) | 6”H x 10.2”W x 3.3”D (153 x 258 x 85 mm) |
| Drivers | 98x145mm woofer, 2x 20mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 2x woofers + 2x tweeters + 2x passive radiators (front and rear) |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 1 x 90W RMS Woofer + 2 x 20W RMS Tweeter (AC power mode) 1 x 60W RMS Woofer + 2 x 15W RMS Tweeter (Battery mode) | 80W |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) | Yes (built-in strap) |
| Charging Time | - | 4 to 5 hours |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
| USB Playback | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Xtreme 5 compares with other leading options:
- JBL Xtreme 5 vs Vifa Helsinki
- JBL Xtreme 5 vs Tribit Stormbox Lava
- Brane X vs JBL Xtreme 5
- JBL Xtreme 5 vs Minirig 4 with subwoofer
- JBL Xtreme 5 vs Minirig 3 with subwoofer
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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 5: $399.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Older models: the JBL Xtreme 3 (ranked lower, rated 4.3/5), the JBL Xtreme 4 (ranked lower, rated 3.8/5), the JBL Xtreme 2 (ranked lower, rated 3.4/5) and the JBL Xtreme (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: Removable battery. Quite deep bass, reaching well below 40Hz. A fantastic sounding speaker with excellent off-axis dispersion, a big step up from older JBL portables. Beats the Soundcore Boom 2 and Tribit Stormbox Blast on bass depth and clarity. Plays clean at volume, unlike the JBL Boombox 4.
Cons: High priced. Some bass boost. A hole in the mid-upper bass which can’t be EQ’d out. Default EQ presets are weak (Signature is boring, Chill and Vocal are close to unusable): needs the custom EQ to sound its best. Bigger and heavier than the Xtreme 4.
Setup: Try this Oluv EQ for the most neutral sound
Full JBL Xtreme 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 1 x 90W RMS Woofer + 2 x 20W RMS Tweeter (AC power mode) 1 x 60W RMS Woofer + 2 x 15W RMS Tweeter (Battery mode) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 28 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 13.6” x 6.5” x 6.1” (346 x 165 x 155 mm) |
| Drivers | 98x145mm woofer, 2x 20mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/3A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 6.4 lbs (2.9 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone🔈3DAudio🎧& Music: JBL Xtreme 5 - universal EQ for best sound overall More from Oluv’Sone →
- Joy & Oluv’Sone🔈3DAudio🎧& Music: JBL Xtreme 5 - Best Bluetooth Speaker 2026 award
- Joy & Oluv’Sone🔈3DAudio🎧& Music: JBL Xtreme 5 vs Studio Monitors: too V-shaped or not to V-shaped, that’s the question!
- Joy & Oluv’Sone🔈3DAudio🎧& Music: JBL Xtreme 5 - outdoor test
- Joy & Oluv’Sone🔈3DAudio🎧& Music: Minirigs 4 with Sub 4 vs JBL Xtreme 5 - 1st impressions
- Oluv Patreon: VIFA Helsinki & JBL Xtreme 5 - listening test
- Oluv Patreon: JBL Xtreme 5 - 1st detailed impression with custom EQs
- Oluv Patreon: JBL Xtreme 5 - outdoor test
- Alan Ross Reviews: Brane X vs JBL Xtreme 5: Maximum Bass, No Mercy More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 5 2026, massive upgrade over JBL Xtreme 4! Full tests!
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 5 vs JBL Xtreme 4 in 2026
- Alan Ross Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5ImoaGw3t0
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 5 or the amazing Tribit Stormbox Blast? 🤔
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Tronsmart Force Max: $119.99 Tronsmart eBay
Pros: Two woofers, two tweeters and two passive radiators on opposite faces spread its 80W of sound all around it. IPX6 water resistance, a 13 hour battery rating at half volume, a retractable strap, aux input, TF card and USB playback, a USB-C power bank, three EQ presets, a speakerphone microphone and stereo pairing.
Cons: Sonido Pesado found the Tronsmart Halo 100 clearly better, with clearer mids and highs. The Force Max’s mids are recessed and it audibly distorts near full volume, which Dominik Reviews put down to a poorly set limiter, and listeners preferred the Sony SRS-XB43 for balance. There is no app, it uses the older Bluetooth 5.0, and it weighs 2.54 kg.
Full Tronsmart Force Max review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 80W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 13 hours at 50% volume (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Charging Time | 4 to 5 hours |
| Dimensions | 6”H x 10.2”W x 3.3”D (153 x 258 x 85 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x woofers + 2x tweeters + 2x passive radiators (front and rear) |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets) |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No (front/rear drivers) |
| Strap | Yes (built-in strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 5.6 lbs (2.54 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Sonido Pesado: TRONSMART HALO VS FORCE MAX
- Sonido Pesado: Reacciono al sonido, tronsmart FORCE MAX vs SONY XB 43
- Dominik Reviews: Tronsmart Force Max vs Tronsmart Bang - Distortion vs Boom? - Sound Test More from Dominik Reviews →
- Audio y Mas: Tronsmart Force Max vs Bang Mini
- NozeeD StudiO: JBL Xtreme 3 vs Tronsmart Force Max Comparison
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Tronsmart Force Max vs Marshall Stockwell III
- Tronsmart Force Max vs Ultimate Ears Epicboom
- Tronsmart Force Max vs Klipsch Detroit
- Tronsmart Force Max vs Doss Soundbox XL
- Tronsmart Force Max vs Tronsmart Halo 100
- Tronsmart Force Max vs W-King D9
- Tronsmart Force Max vs Sony ULT Field 5
- Tronsmart Force Max vs Tronsmart Bang 2
- See all 15 comparisons