These are not really the same size class, and that is the honest framing here. The Sony ULT Tower 7 ranks #1 of 40 party speakers by sound quality at $649.99; the JBL Partybox Encore 2 ranks #4 of 76 boombox speakers by sound quality at $330.
What the Sony ULT Tower 7 does well: A compelling large-party value at $650: 420W output, an IPX4-rated 30-hour battery, 360-degree sound, wheels and four carry handles at 22.8kg. The tradeoff: The reviewer notes that Auracast pairing is not backward-compatible with Sony’s older Party Connect speakers, and the hard-plastic corners lack protective rubber bumpers.
Why pick 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 7 at $649.99 if you want a party speaker. Buy the JBL Partybox Encore 2 at $330 if you want a boombox speaker instead.
If battery life is a priority, the Sony ULT Tower 7 is rated for 30 hours versus 15 hours for the JBL Partybox Encore 2.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony ULT Tower 7 | JBL Partybox Encore 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $649.99 | $330 |
| Ranked | #1 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 | 30 hours (lights off; 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 | 13.7” x 16.6” x 28” (348 x 422 x 711 mm) | 12.6” x 13.3” x 10.4” (319.5 x 338.6 x 263 mm) |
| Drivers | 7 drivers: 1x woofer, 2x midrange, 2x front tweeter, 2x rear 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 | Yes (360 degree Party Sound) | No |
| Amplifier Power | 420W | 100W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB charging) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | AC power cord | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | No | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| TWS | Yes (Stereo Pair) | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes (USB-A) | Yes |
| Weight | 50.3 lbs (22.8 kg) | 14.1 lbs (6.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | - |
| Lights | Yes | Yes |
| Wheels | Yes | - |
| Strap | No | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Wireless Microphones | - | Yes 2 Included |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Sony ULT Tower 7:
- Sony ULT Tower 7 vs JBL Partybox 330
- Sony ULT Tower 7 vs JBL Partybox Stage 320
- Sony ULT Tower 5 vs Sony ULT Tower 7
- JBL Partybox Club 120 vs Sony ULT Tower 7
- JBL Partybox 130 vs Sony ULT Tower 7
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 7: $649.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: A compelling large-party value at $650: 420W output, an IPX4-rated 30-hour battery, 360-degree sound, wheels and four carry handles at 22.8kg. The full review praises its punchy, clean ULT1 bass, ULT2’s higher-output mode, simplified controls and unusually complete I/O: USB-C, USB-A, RCA, balanced XLR and mic input.
Cons: The reviewer notes that Auracast pairing is not backward-compatible with Sony’s older Party Connect speakers, and the hard-plastic corners lack protective rubber bumpers. IPX4 is splash resistance rather than full weatherproofing; the 30-hour claim requires lights off.
Full Sony ULT Tower 7 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 420W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sony Sound Connect) |
| Aux Input | RCA input |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (lights off; manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 13.7” x 16.6” x 28” (348 x 422 x 711 mm) |
| Drivers | 7 drivers: 1x woofer, 2x midrange, 2x front tweeter, 2x rear tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (10 band; ULT1 / ULT2 / Flat) |
| Guitar Input | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes (360 degree Party Sound) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB charging) |
| Power Input | AC power cord |
| Removable Battery | No |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes (Stereo Pair) |
| USB Playback | Yes (USB-A) |
| Weight | 50.3 lbs (22.8 kg) |
| Wheels | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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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
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