Short answer: the Barrel, on both price and ranking. It ranks #60 of 113 boombox speakers at $145; the Rave Party 2 ranks #64 at $159.99, $14.99 more.
The Rave Party 2 doesn’t have a clear strength to point to. Our own pros entry is little more than a placeholder noting it may move around as better sound samples come in, while its cons flag a poor water rating and weak bass extension.
The Barrel has a genuine feature set to justify its ranking. Water resistance, an LED lightshow synced to music, a Bass Boost mode, and a Multi-Link feature connecting up to 99 speakers, though our notes say it doesn’t reach the bass depth or loudness of the top-ranked speakers in the class.
Buy the Skullcandy Barrel. It is rated higher for sound quality; the Soundcore Rave Party 2 is no longer sold new.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the Skullcandy Barrel at IP67 (brief submersion) against the Soundcore Rave Party 2, which has IPX4 (splashing).
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Prices on this page were last checked November 7, 2026 at 7:34 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Skullcandy Barrel | Soundcore Rave Party 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $145.00 | $159.99 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #60 of 113 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #64 of 113 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~50Hz | - |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 11.9 lbs (5.4 kg) | 10.1 lbs (4.6 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | Yes (Skullcandy app) | No |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (App EQ) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| FM Tuner | No | - |
| Amplifier Power | 60W | 80W RMS / 120W peak |
| Dimensions | 11.8” x 22.1” x 9.6” (300 x 560.1 x 243.8 mm) | 7.5” x 7.8” x 15.7” (191 x 198 x 400 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 20mm drivers | 2x 4” (100mm) woofers + 2x 2” (50mm) tweeters |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Maximum SPL | 104dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC Power brick |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Microphone Input | - | Yes (Karaoke mode with reverb effect) |
| Strap | - | No |
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