Short answer: the Klipsch Gig XXL. It ranks #22 of 43 party speakers by sound quality, rated 3.7/5, at $79.99; the Soundboks Rider ranks #26, rated 3.4/5, and costs $599, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Klipsch Gig XXL does well: A straightforward 8.2kg party speaker with a large 8-inch woofer, horn tweeter, aux and USB playback, guitar and microphone inputs, karaoke reverb, TWS pairing and a USB-A power bank. The catch: Bass is more warm than deep and can become muddy at high volume.
Why pick the Soundboks Rider: At 6.5 kg it is the lightest Soundboks yet, with a carry handle, IP66 dust and water protection, and the same swappable 100Wh battery as the Mix and Soundboks 4, rated for 35 hours at mid volume and 8 hours at maximum. The tradeoff: Its sealed 8in woofer runs out of real bass at high volume: Xander measured the -6 dB point rising to roughly 75 to 85 Hz at maximum, with 40 Hz some 20 dB down, and M1M heard the bass pulled back toward the upper bass above mid volume.
Buy the Klipsch Gig XXL. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Soundboks Rider and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
If water resistance matters to you, the Soundboks Rider at IP66 (powerful water jets) holds up far better than the Klipsch Gig XXL at no water resistance.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch Gig XXL | Soundboks Rider | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | $599.00 |
| Ranked | #22 of 43 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #26 of 43 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes (Soundboks) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 35 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | Yes (6-band EQ + Bass+, Indoor and Outdoor profiles) |
| Guitar Input | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | None | IP66 |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with reverb effect) | - |
| Party Mode | No | No (no TeamUp) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | - |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | USB-C (65W fast charging) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| USB Playback | Yes | - |
| Weight | 18.1 lbs (8.2 kg) | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Drivers | 8” (203mm) Cerametallic woofer + horn tweeter | 8” woofer (sealed), 1.2” dome tweeter in horn |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Dimensions | 21.7”H x 10.8”W x 11.4”D (551 x 275 x 290 mm) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 80W RMS | 92W RMS (72W woofer + 20W tweeter) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | - |
| Strap | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | - | 113.2dB(C) (measured by M1M Tech Channel) |
| Removable Battery | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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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
Klipsch Gig XXL: $79.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: A straightforward 8.2kg party speaker with a large 8-inch woofer, horn tweeter, aux and USB playback, guitar and microphone inputs, karaoke reverb, TWS pairing and a USB-A power bank. Independent testing confirms that it gets remarkably loud and gives EDM and hip-hop a lively, bass-forward character. Really good value for the money.
Cons: Bass is more warm than deep and can become muddy at high volume. There is no app or proper EQ beyond a Bass button, no water rating, and the claimed eight-hour battery life is short for an outdoor party speaker. It is a fun, simple option, but not the cleanest or most flexible choice.
Full Klipsch Gig XXL review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 80W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 21.7”H x 10.8”W x 11.4”D (551 x 275 x 290 mm) |
| Drivers | 8” (203mm) Cerametallic woofer + horn tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | None |
| Lights | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with reverb effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 18.1 lbs (8.2 kg) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Klipsch Gig XXL vs JBL Partybox 110 🎉 Bluetooth Party Speaker Comparison. Is The Party Over For Gig? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
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- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Klipsch Gig XXL vs ONN Large Party Speaker Gen 2 ⚔️ Budge Bluetooth Speaker Battle🔉 Bass Boost On
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Soundboks Rider: $599.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: At 6.5 kg it is the lightest Soundboks yet, with a carry handle, IP66 dust and water protection, and the same swappable 100Wh battery as the Mix and Soundboks 4, rated for 35 hours at mid volume and 8 hours at maximum. Xander’s measurements found its flat profile genuinely flat, with distortion around 0.2 percent at moderate volume and below 2 percent from 500 Hz to 10 kHz even at full output, and the Indoor profile reaching down to 40 Hz at moderate volume. Both Xander and M1M Tech Channel preferred its punchy, controlled kick bass to the larger Soundboks Mix, and the app adds a six-band EQ with saveable presets.
Cons: Its sealed 8in woofer runs out of real bass at high volume: Xander measured the -6 dB point rising to roughly 75 to 85 Hz at maximum, with 40 Hz some 20 dB down, and M1M heard the bass pulled back toward the upper bass above mid volume. It measured 107 dB(C) outdoors for Xander and 113.2 dB(C) for M1M, about 3 dB below the Soundboks Mix and well short of the claimed 118 dB. There is no TeamUp, so it cannot link with other Soundboks speakers, the strap and charger are sold separately, and Xander found the grille causes dispersion artifacts around 5 kHz and judged the price too high for what it delivers.
Full Soundboks Rider review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 92W RMS (72W woofer + 20W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Soundboks) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 35 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Drivers | 8” woofer (sealed), 1.2” dome tweeter in horn |
| EQ | Yes (6-band EQ + Bass+, Indoor and Outdoor profiles) |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP66 |
| Maximum SPL | 113.2dB(C) (measured by M1M Tech Channel) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No (no TeamUp) |
| Power Input | USB-C (65W fast charging) |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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