These are not really the same size class, and that is the honest framing here. The Sony ULT Tower 5 ranks #5 of 40 party speakers by sound quality at $448; the JBL Partybox Encore 2 ranks #4 of 76 boombox speakers by sound quality at $330.
What the Sony ULT Tower 5 does well: At $448, its 300W system with a 9-inch woofer delivers a notably capable party-speaker package: a removable 20-hour battery, IPX4 splash resistance, 10-band EQ and ULT1/ULT2 modes. Watch for: It has a shorter 20-hour battery claim than the Tower 7’s 30 hours, no wheels, and only IPX4 splash resistance.
The case for the JBL Partybox Encore 2: The Encore 2 improves the original with dome tweeters, a less boomy balance, slightly deeper bass, longer battery life and two included wireless microphones. The tradeoff: It still lacks some upper-bass punch and cannot match the scale of the larger PartyBoxes.
Buy the Sony ULT Tower 5 at $448 if you want a party speaker. Buy the JBL Partybox Encore 2 at $330 if you want a boombox speaker instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony ULT Tower 5 | JBL Partybox Encore 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $448.00 | $330 |
| Ranked | #5 of 40 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #4 of 76 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (Sony Sound Connect) | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) |
| Aux Input | RCA input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Dimensions | 14.1” x 21.1” x 11.1” (358 x 536 x 282 mm) | 12.6” x 13.3” x 10.4” (319.5 x 338.6 x 263 mm) |
| Drivers | 3 drivers: 1x 9” woofer, 2x 2.4” tweeter | 1x 135mm (5.25”) woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75”) dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (10 band; ULT1 / ULT2 / Flat) | Yes (7 band App EQ) |
| Guitar Input | No | - |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IPX4 |
| Microphone Input | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 300W | 100W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C charging) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | AC power cord | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| TWS | Yes (Stereo Pair) | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes (USB-A and USB-C) | Yes |
| Weight | 28 lbs (12.7 kg) | 14.1 lbs (6.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | - |
| Lights | Yes | Yes |
| Strap | No | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Wireless Microphones | - | Yes 2 Included |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Partybox Encore 2 compares with other leading options:
- Earfun Uboom X vs JBL Partybox Encore 2
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs JBL Partybox Encore 2
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Partybox Encore 2
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2
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
Sony ULT Tower 5: $448.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: At $448, its 300W system with a 9-inch woofer delivers a notably capable party-speaker package: a removable 20-hour battery, IPX4 splash resistance, 10-band EQ and ULT1/ULT2 modes. AudioTribe’s first impressions praise its deeper bass and clearer sound than the JBL PartyBox Club 120; it also has USB-C and USB-A, RCA, balanced XLR and mic inputs for DJ and karaoke use.
Cons: It has a shorter 20-hour battery claim than the Tower 7’s 30 hours, no wheels, and only IPX4 splash resistance. Its single-woofer, two-tweeter layout lacks the Tower 7’s 360-degree rear-driver array, and the reviewer describes the sound assessment as first impressions rather than a controlled measurement comparison.
Full Sony ULT Tower 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 300W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sony Sound Connect) |
| Aux Input | RCA input |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 14.1” x 21.1” x 11.1” (358 x 536 x 282 mm) |
| Drivers | 3 drivers: 1x 9” woofer, 2x 2.4” tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (10 band; ULT1 / ULT2 / Flat) |
| Guitar Input | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C charging) |
| Power Input | AC power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes (Stereo Pair) |
| USB Playback | Yes (USB-A and USB-C) |
| Weight | 28 lbs (12.7 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony ULT Tower 5 vs JBL Partybox Club 120
- Sony ULT Tower 5 vs JBL Partybox 130
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- Sony ULT Tower 5 vs Sony ULT Tower 7
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JBL Partybox Encore 2: $330 Sam’s Club eBay
Older model: the JBL Partybox Encore (rated 4.3/5).
Pros: The Encore 2 improves the original with dome tweeters, a less boomy balance, slightly deeper bass, longer battery life and two included wireless microphones. Its compact karaoke-ready design and 7-band EQ make it more adaptable indoors than the earlier Encore.
Cons: It still lacks some upper-bass punch and cannot match the scale of the larger PartyBoxes. The main value is compact karaoke convenience rather than full-range party output.
Full JBL Partybox Encore 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 100W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.6” x 13.3” x 10.4” (319.5 x 338.6 x 263 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 135mm (5.25”) woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75”) dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (7 band App EQ) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 14.1 lbs (6.4 kg) |
| Wireless Microphones | Yes 2 Included |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL giving it to us large! The good, The bad, The diabolical! More from alanrossreviews →
- M1M Tech Channel: Partybox Killer? 2x Earfun UBoom X stärker als JBL Encore 2 ? More from M1MTechChannel →
- M1M Tech Channel: JBL Partybox Encore 2 Ein fettes Bass Upgrade
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Partybox ENCORE 2👌FULL TEST🆚 JBL Partybox ENCORE 1 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Mateusz Cholewa: Jbl Partybox Encore 2 📦UNBOXING. Short TEST AUDIO z ENCORE 1👌
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Encore 2 Partybox Deep Bass 🆚 Jbl Boombox 3 WiFi 🎶
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL Boombox 3 WiFi - Sound Test - Wide vs Narrow Soundstage! More from Dominik Reviews →
- M1M Tech Channel: JBL Partybox Encore 2 Ein fettes Bass Upgrade
- M1MTechChannel: Welche JBL Partybox ist die BESTE ? Alle Partyboxen im Vergleich | 2026
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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