Short answer: the Soundboks Rider. It ranks #27 of 44 party speakers by sound quality (rated 3.4/5) at $599 and is still sold new; the Soundcore Rave ranks #39 (rated 2.3/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
The Soundboks Rider is the better-sounding, longer-running option. At 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) it is the lightest Soundboks yet, with a carry handle, IP66 dust and water protection, and the same swappable 100Wh battery as the Mix and Soundboks 4, rated for 35 hours at mid volume and 8 hours at maximum. It is rated for 35 hours of battery against 24 for the Soundcore Rave. At 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) it weighs noticeably less than the Soundcore Rave at 21.6 lbs (9.8 kg). It is rated IP66, while the Soundcore Rave has no water resistance. The catch: Its sealed 8in woofer runs out of real bass at high volume: Xander measured the -6 dB point rising to roughly 75 to 85 Hz at maximum, with 40 Hz some 20 dB down, and M1M heard the bass pulled back toward the upper bass above mid volume.
The case for the Soundcore Rave: 20,000mAh battery for 24-hour claimed playtime. It links with other speakers (PartyCast up to 100 speakers), which the Soundboks Rider cannot. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Soundboks Rider. The tradeoff: Pretty big lack of deep bass, treble rolled off.
Buy the Soundboks Rider. It is rated higher for sound quality; the Soundcore Rave is no longer sold new.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundboks Rider | Soundcore Rave | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599.00 | $220 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #27 of 44 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #39 of 44 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (Soundboks) | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 35 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Drivers | 8” woofer (sealed), 1.2” dome tweeter in horn | 60W: Multiple drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (6-band EQ + Bass+, Indoor and Outdoor profiles) | No |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP66 | None |
| Maximum SPL | 113.2dB(C) (measured by M1M Tech Channel) | - |
| Party Mode | No (no TeamUp) | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C (65W fast charging) | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes | - |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | No | No |
| Weight | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) | 21.6 lbs (9.8 kg) |
| Amplifier Power | 92W RMS (72W woofer + 20W tweeter) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | ~60Hz |
| Power Bank | - | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| USB Playback | - | No |
| Lights | - | Yes |
| Dimensions | - | 21.7” x 12.7” x 12.2” (552 x 322 x 310 mm) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Soundboks Rider compares with other leading options:
- Sony ULT Tower 7 vs Soundboks Rider
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Soundboks Rider
- JBL Partybox Stage 320 vs Soundboks Rider
- JBL Partybox 310 vs Soundboks Rider
- Sony ULT Tower 5 vs Soundboks Rider
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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
Soundboks Rider: $599.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: At 6.5 kg it is the lightest Soundboks yet, with a carry handle, IP66 dust and water protection, and the same swappable 100Wh battery as the Mix and Soundboks 4, rated for 35 hours at mid volume and 8 hours at maximum. Xander’s measurements found its flat profile genuinely flat, with distortion around 0.2 percent at moderate volume and below 2 percent from 500 Hz to 10 kHz even at full output, and the Indoor profile reaching down to 40 Hz at moderate volume. Both Xander and M1M Tech Channel preferred its punchy, controlled kick bass to the larger Soundboks Mix, and the app adds a six-band EQ with saveable presets.
Cons: Its sealed 8in woofer runs out of real bass at high volume: Xander measured the -6 dB point rising to roughly 75 to 85 Hz at maximum, with 40 Hz some 20 dB down, and M1M heard the bass pulled back toward the upper bass above mid volume. It measured 107 dB(C) outdoors for Xander and 113.2 dB(C) for M1M, about 3 dB below the Soundboks Mix and well short of the claimed 118 dB. There is no TeamUp, so it cannot link with other Soundboks speakers, the strap and charger are sold separately, and Xander found the grille causes dispersion artifacts around 5 kHz and judged the price too high for what it delivers.
Full Soundboks Rider review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 92W RMS (72W woofer + 20W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Soundboks) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 35 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Drivers | 8” woofer (sealed), 1.2” dome tweeter in horn |
| EQ | Yes (6-band EQ + Bass+, Indoor and Outdoor profiles) |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP66 |
| Maximum SPL | 113.2dB(C) (measured by M1M Tech Channel) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No (no TeamUp) |
| Power Input | USB-C (65W fast charging) |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundboks Rider vs Ultimate Ears Hyperboom
- Soundboks Rider vs Soundboks Mix
- Soundboks Rider vs Samsung MX-ST50B
- Soundboks Rider vs Soundboks Go
- Soundboks Rider vs Marshall Bromley 450
- Soundboks Rider vs Klipsch Gig XXL
- Soundboks Rider vs Onn Large Party gen 1
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Soundcore Rave: $220 Discontinued eBay
Pros: 20,000mAh battery for 24-hour claimed playtime. Booming bass and crisp vocals with colorful LED light show. IPX4 waterproof design for poolside/beach/outdoor use. AI-assisted karaoke removes vocals in real-time via Soundcore app. Wireless microphones included, eight preset lighting modes. Can link multiple speakers together. Long battery life, fun light patterns synced to music. Measured bass extension of ~60Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Pretty big lack of deep bass, treble rolled off. Discontinued.
Full Soundcore Rave review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~60Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 21.7” x 12.7” x 12.2” (552 x 322 x 310 mm) |
| Drivers | 60W: Multiple drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 21.6 lbs (9.8 kg) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons