Short answer: the Sony ULT Tower 5 for battery life and price, the JBL Eon One Compact for phantom-powered mixing. The Tower 5’s claimed 20-hour battery beats the Eon One Compact’s 12 hours, and at $348 it costs less. The JBL has a 4-channel mixer with phantom power for condenser mics, auto-ducking and an 8-inch woofer reaching 37.5Hz in an 17.6 lbs (8 kg) cabinet.
This pits Sony’s Tower 5, a compact consumer party speaker, against the JBL Eon One Compact, a performer-focused battery PA. The Tower 5 offers a 9-inch woofer with dual tweeters, a removable 20-hour battery, IPX4 splash resistance, 10-band EQ with ULT1/ULT2 modes, and RCA/XLR/USB-C inputs for DJ and karaoke use. The JBL Eon One Compact offers a 4-channel mixer with phantom power for condenser mics and auto-ducking, an 8-inch woofer extending to 37.5Hz, and a swappable 12-hour battery at 17.6 lbs (8 kg).
Choose the Tower 5 for longer claimed battery life, big-room output and app EQ modes and a lower price: Its claimed 20h battery beats the JBL Eon One Compact’s 12h. Its ULT1/ULT2/EQ modes and compact footprint suit a living-room-to-backyard party speaker better than a performer-focused PA cabinet. At $348 it also costs less.
Choose the JBL Eon One Compact for true multi-channel mixing with phantom power for performers: Its independent-channel mixer with dedicated gain/EQ per input suits a performer or DJ better than the Tower 5’s single mic/line jack.
Buy the Sony ULT Tower 5 at $348 for a party speaker, or the JBL Eon One Compact at $699 for a battery-powered PA speaker instead.
Water resistance is not close: the Sony ULT Tower 5 is rated at IPX4 (splashing), well ahead of the JBL Eon One Compact at no water resistance.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings and PA & Live Sound rankings.
A powerful party tower with deep bass, a removable long battery, and mic and XLR inputs for karaoke or DJ use.
A light battery PA speaker with a four channel mixer, phantom power for condenser mics, and a swappable 12 hour battery.
Prices on this page were last checked October 30, 2026 at 6:34 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
| Sony ULT Tower 5 | JBL Eon One Compact | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $348.00 | $699.00 |
| Ranked | #5 of 51 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #15 of 17 in Battery-Powered PA Speakers |
| App | Yes (Sony Sound Connect) | No |
| Aux Input | RCA input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | - |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Dimensions | 14.1” x 21.1” x 11.1” (358 x 536 x 282 mm) | 11.5” x 10” x 15.7” (291.1 x 255 x 399 mm) |
| Drivers | 3 drivers: 1x 9” woofer, 2x 2.4” tweeter | 8” woofer, 1” tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (10 band; ULT1 / ULT2 / Flat) | No |
| Guitar Input | No | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | None |
| Microphone Input | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 300W | 150W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C charging) | No |
| Power Input | AC power cord | - |
| Removable Battery | Yes | - |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| TWS | Yes (Stereo Pair) | No |
| USB Playback | Yes (USB-A and USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 28 lbs (12.7 kg) | 17.6 lbs (8 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | - |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | No | - |
| Passive | - | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 37.5Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | - | 2x XLR/TRS combo (mic/line), 6.3mm Hi-Z instrument, 3.5mm stereo, Bluetooth |
| Configuration | - | Battery-powered 2-way active PA |
| Cabinet Material | - | Polypropylene |
| Rigging | - | 35mm pole mount |
| Coverage | - | 100° H x 50° V |
| Maximum SPL | - | 112dB |
| DSP | - | 4-channel digital mixer with EQ and effects |
| XLR Input | - | Yes |
| RCA Input | - | No |
| TRS Input | - | Yes |
| Optical Input | - | No |
| Coaxial Input | - | No |
| USB Input | - | No |
| HDMI Input | - | No |
| AES Input | - | No |
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