Minirig 4 vs JBL Flip Essential 2

Short answer: the Minirig 4. It ranks #6 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.3/5, at $229.95. The JBL Flip Essential 2 ranks #71, rated 3.3/5, at $85.90, $144.05 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.

The case for the Minirig 4: Modular, can easily attach a subwoofer. Watch for: Calls itself splash resistant and has no official water rating.

What the JBL Flip Essential 2 does well: Essentially a Flip 5 in a new shell: the same single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver and 20W amplifier, rated down to 65Hz. The catch: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight.

Buy the Minirig 4. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $144.05 you would save on the JBL Flip Essential 2 does not close the gap.

Water resistance is not close: the JBL Flip Essential 2 is rated at IPX7 (brief submersion), well ahead of the Minirig 4 at Splash resistant (splashing).

Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.

Specifications Side By Side

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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

Minirig 4: $229.95 Amazon eBay

Older models: the Minirig 3 (ranked lower, rated 4.3/5) and the Minirig 2 (ranked lower, rated 4.3/5).

Pros: Modular, can easily attach a subwoofer. Finally USB-C charging. Dynamically changes sound based on forward facing or upward facing orientation. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).

Cons: Calls itself splash resistant and has no official water rating. App is buggy. A bit expensive. Has reliability issues more often than any other speaker

Full Minirig 4 review and specifications →

Amplifier Power	50W
App	Yes
Aux Input	Yes
Aux Latency	0ms
Bass Extension (-10dB)	56Hz
Battery Life	30 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Bluetooth	Yes
Bluetooth Codecs	AAC, SBC
Bluetooth Latency	60ms
Bluetooth Version	5.0
Built-in Microphone	Yes
Digital Aux Input	No
Dimensions	4” x 2.9” (101.6 x 73 mm) (diameter x height)
Drivers	70mm custom driver
EQ	Yes
Frequency Response	60Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified)
IP Rating	Splash resistant
Maximum SPL	106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)
Omnidirectional	Pointing up
Power Bank	Yes (USB-C)
Power Input	USB-C
Stereo	No
TWS	Yes (Bluetooth or cable)
Weight	1.2 lbs (550 g)

• Links
  • Official Minirig 4 Product Page
• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • Alan Ross Reviews: Minirig 4 vs Minirig 3, stuff they tell you, stuff they don’t! 😂 More from alanrossreviews →
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JBL Flip Essential 2: $85.90 Amazon eBay

Older model: the JBL Flip Essential (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).

Pros: Essentially a Flip 5 in a new shell: the same single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver and 20W amplifier, rated down to 65Hz. In a side by side loudness test it got louder than the JBL Grip, and listeners comparing it with the Marshall Emberton found it more open sounding and clearer. IPX7 waterproof, 520 g, USB-C charging and Bluetooth 5.1 with two phones connected at once.

Cons: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight. No app, no EQ, no PartyBoost or stereo pairing, a claimed 10 hours of battery, and IPX7 covers water but not dust.

Full JBL Flip Essential 2 review and specifications →

Amplifier Power	20W RMS
App	No
Aux Input	No
Battery Life	10 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Bluetooth	Yes
Bluetooth Codecs	SBC
Bluetooth Version	5.1
Digital Aux Input	No
Dimensions	6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm)
Drivers	1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators
EQ	No
Frequency Response	65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified)
IP Rating	IPX7
Omnidirectional	No
Party Mode	No
Power Bank	No
Power Input	USB-C
Stereo	No
TWS	No
Weight	1.1 lbs (520 g)

• Links
  • Official JBL Flip Essential 2 Website
• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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