Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE, if you are buying new. The Minirig 2 ranks higher than it (#9 vs #43 of 164 medium speakers, 4.3/5 vs 3.7/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE is still sold new at $199.95.
The Minirig 2 is the better-sounding, longer-running option. Modular, can easily attach a subwoofer. It is rated for 40 hours of battery against 20 for the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE. At 1.1 lbs (488 g) it weighs much less than the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE at 2.1 lbs (960 g). It supports aptX Bluetooth, which the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE lacks. Watch for: Calls itself splash resistant and has no official water rating.
The JBL Charge Essential 3 SE is the tougher choice. Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. It is rated IP67 against Splash resistant for the Minirig 2. The tradeoff: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural.
Buy the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE new; the Minirig 2 is no longer sold new, so it only makes sense as a used find.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Minirig 2 | JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $140 Discontinued | $199.95 |
| Ranked | #9 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #43 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Latency | 0ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 54Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | Splash resistant | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | Proprietary USB cable | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| TWS | Yes (cable) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (488 g) | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 150ms (1 speaker) / 500ms (2 speakers stereo) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.4 |
| Drivers | 70mm speaker driver | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 15W | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) |
| Dimensions | 4” x 3” (102 x 76 mm) (diameter x height) | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Auracast) |
| Frequency Response | - | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Strap | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Minirig 2 compares with other leading options:
- Earfun Uboom L vs Minirig 2
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Minirig 2
- Minirig 2 vs Minirig 4
- Minirig 2 vs Minirig 3
- B&O Beosound A1 vs Minirig 2
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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Minirig 2: $140 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Minirig 4, ranked higher, rated 4.3/5.
Pros: Modular, can easily attach a subwoofer. Measured bass extension of 54Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Calls itself splash resistant and has no official water rating. App is buggy. Wireless TWS pairing is buggy. A bit expensive. Has reliability issues more often than any other speaker. Discontinued; Minirig’s current lineup is the Minirig 4, Subwoofer 4 Ultra and Finite MR-79.
Full Minirig 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 15W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 54Hz |
| Battery Life | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX |
| Bluetooth Latency | 150ms (1 speaker) / 500ms (2 speakers stereo) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4” x 3” (102 x 76 mm) (diameter x height) |
| Drivers | 70mm speaker driver |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | Splash resistant |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Proprietary USB cable |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes (cable) |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (488 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
JBL Charge Essential 3 SE: $199.95 JBL eBay
Older models: the JBL Charge Essential 2 (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5) and the JBL Charge Essential (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. IP67 water and dust protection, a claimed 20 hours of battery life, a USB-C power bank output, Auracast stereo pairing and multi-speaker linking, Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC, and app EQ.
Cons: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural. Against the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen it sounds muddier and more strident, with less detail and a smaller soundstage. At full price it costs as much as the Charge 6, which is the better speaker.
Full JBL Charge Essential 3 SE review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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