These sit in different size classes, so this is not a straight ranking comparison. The Mackie Thump Go ranks #7 of 14 battery-powered PA speakers by sound quality at $449.99; the Soundboks Rider ranks #26 of 43 party speakers by sound quality at $599.
What the Mackie Thump Go does well: 8-inch custom high-output woofer + 1-inch compression driver delivers powerful audio with incredible dynamic range. Watch for: Not quite as good sounding as a Everse 8 or S1 Pro.
The case for 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. Watch for: 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 Mackie Thump Go at $449.99 if you want a battery-powered PA speaker. Buy the Soundboks Rider at $599 if you want a party speaker instead.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Soundboks Rider is rated for 35 hours, the Mackie Thump Go only 12 hours.
If water resistance matters to you, the Soundboks Rider at IP66 (powerful water jets) holds up far better than the Mackie Thump Go at no water resistance.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete PA & Live Sound rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Mackie Thump Go | Soundboks Rider | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $449.99 | $599.00 |
| Ranked | #7 of 14 in Battery-Powered PA Speakers | #26 of 43 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Soundboks) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 35 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Dimensions | 18” x 9.1” x 11.2” (457 x 230 x 285 mm) | - |
| Drivers | 8” woofer, 1” compression driver | 8” woofer (sealed), 1.2” dome tweeter in horn |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (6-band EQ + Bass+, Indoor and Outdoor profiles) |
| IP Rating | None | IP66 |
| Inputs | 2x XLR/TRS combo (mic/line), 3.5mm stereo, Bluetooth | - |
| Microphone Input | Yes | - |
| Party Mode | No | No (no TeamUp) |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | No | No |
| USB Playback | No | - |
| Weight | 17.6 lbs (8 kg) | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) |
| XLR Input | Yes | - |
| Maximum SPL | 115dB | 113.2dB(C) (measured by M1M Tech Channel) |
| Amplifier Power | 200W | 92W RMS (72W woofer + 20W tweeter) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Configuration | Battery-powered 2-way active PA | - |
| Cabinet Material | Polypropylene | - |
| Rigging | 35mm pole mount; monitor wedge | - |
| Coverage | 90° H x 60° V | - |
| DSP | Feedback eliminator, Music Duck and voicing modes | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | - |
| Guitar Input | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 57Hz | - |
| Frequency Response | 57Hz - 20kHz (-3dB, Manufacturer specified) | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | - | USB-C (65W fast charging) |
| Removable Battery | - | Yes |
| Strap | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Mackie Thump Go compares with other leading options:
- Electro-Voice Everse 12 vs Mackie Thump Go
- Mackie Thump Go vs Electrotec Stage One
- Electro-Voice Everse 8 vs Mackie Thump Go
- Teufel Rockster Neo vs Mackie Thump Go
- Teufel Rockster Air 2 vs Mackie Thump Go
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
Mackie Thump Go: $449.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: 8-inch custom high-output woofer + 1-inch compression driver delivers powerful audio with incredible dynamic range. Built-in mini live mixer with two XLR/TRS combo inputs + 3.5mm aux. Up to 12 hours battery (5 hours comfortable gig time), removable for swapping spares. Lightweight 17.6 lbs. Balanced sound with crisp highs, tight lows, natural vocals. Pair two Mackie Thump Gos for stereo via app. High efficiency drivers reach 2-3x the volume of typical speakers for the same wattage. Measured bass extension of 57Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Not quite as good sounding as a Everse 8 or S1 Pro. Bluetooth pairing doesn’t auto connect every time. Designed for more loudness than deeper bass. Battery latch breaks easily. Handle on top also can break off. Not very deep bass
Full Mackie Thump Go review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 200W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 57Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Cabinet Material | Polypropylene |
| Configuration | Battery-powered 2-way active PA |
| Coverage | 90° H x 60° V |
| DSP | Feedback eliminator, Music Duck and voicing modes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 18” x 9.1” x 11.2” (457 x 230 x 285 mm) |
| Drivers | 8” woofer, 1” compression driver |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 57Hz - 20kHz (-3dB, Manufacturer specified) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | 2x XLR/TRS combo (mic/line), 3.5mm stereo, Bluetooth |
| Maximum SPL | 115dB |
| Microphone Input | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Rigging | 35mm pole mount; monitor wedge |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 17.6 lbs (8 kg) |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- W. Weiss: Part 3 Sound Demonstration The New EV Everse 8 compared to The Mackie Thump Go
- W. Weiss: Part 3 Shootout MACKIE THUMP GO vs BOSE S1 PRO vs JBL EON ONE COMPACT Max Volume Demo A New Winner!
- W. Weiss: Part 2 NEW MACKIE THUMP GO review/sound demo VS JBL Compact & Bose S1Pro Most Popular portable PAs
- W. Weiss: The $400 Club - Budget Portable PA’s Mackie Thump Go, JBL Partybox 110, Yamaha DBR10
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Mackie Thump Go vs Bose S1 Pro+
- Mackie Thump Go vs Soundboks 4
- Mackie Thump Go vs Teufel Rockster Air
- Mackie Thump Go vs Teufel Rockster Air 2
- Mackie Thump Go vs Teufel Rockster Neo
- Mackie Thump Go vs Electro-Voice Everse 8
- Mackie Thump Go vs Electrotec Stage One
- Mackie Thump Go vs JBL Eon One Compact
- See all 36 comparisons
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
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundboks Rider vs Ultimate Ears Hyperboom
- Soundboks Rider vs Soundboks Mix
- Soundboks Rider vs Klipsch Gig XXL
- Soundboks Rider vs Soundcore Rave 3S
- Soundboks Rider vs Onn Large Party gen 2
- Soundboks Rider vs Sony SRS-XV500
- Soundboks Rider vs Zealot PT21
- Soundboks Rider vs JBL Partybox 110
- See all 27 comparisons