Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus. It ranks #35 of 89 boombox speakers by sound quality, rated 3.6/5, at $179.99. The Pioneer PBM5 ranks #89, rated 2.0/5, at $149, $30.99 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
What the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus does well: Quite a bit lighter than most of the other boombox size speakers. The tradeoff: Warm tuning meaning a rolled off treble and some upper bass boost.
The case for the Pioneer PBM5: Loud for its size: Williston Audio Labs measured about 105 dB at 2 meters, louder than the Turtlebox Original Gen3 and Kicker Bullfrog BF400 in the same test. The catch: Williston Audio Labs was not impressed with its sound: there is very little bass below 100Hz, and the amplifier’s output has a big dip from 1.6kHz to 10kHz that leaves the upper mids and treble recessed.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $30.99 with the Pioneer PBM5 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Battery life favors the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus: rated for 20 hours against 13 hours for the Pioneer PBM5.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 2 Plus | Pioneer PBM5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $179.99 | $149.00 |
| Ranked | #35 of 89 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #89 of 89 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 13 hours at 60% volume (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (Pro EQ + presets) | Yes (presets + user EQ) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX5 |
| Maximum SPL | 111dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 105dB at 2m (measured by Williston Audio Labs) |
| MicroSD Playback | No | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/2A) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C or AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 8.4 lbs (3.8 kg) | 14.1 lbs (6.4 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | - |
| USB Playback | No | Yes (MP3 only) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| Amplifier Power | 140W | 300W peak (Manufacturer specified), about 90W measured |
| Dimensions | 17.3” x 9.1” x 5.9” (440 x 230 x 150 mm) | 8.9”H x 17.4”W x 8.1”D (226 x 442 x 207 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 114mm (4.5”) woofers + 2x 19mm (0.75”) tweeters | 2x 133mm (5.25”) woofers + 2x 51mm (2”) tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | - |
| Lights | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
| Guitar Input | - | Yes |
| Microphone Input | - | Yes (2 inputs) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Soundcore Boom 2 Plus:
- Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Soundcore Boom 2 Plus
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs Soundcore Boom 2 Plus
- JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus vs Soundcore Boom 2 Plus
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Soundcore Boom 2 Plus
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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
Soundcore Boom 2 Plus: $179.99 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Older model: the Soundcore Motion Boom+ (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5).
Pros: Quite a bit lighter than most of the other boombox size speakers. This speaker will likely move up as we get a good EQ tune that makes it a lot more neutral. Measured bass extension of 39Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Warm tuning meaning a rolled off treble and some upper bass boost. Reasonably deep bass, but not as good as the top ranked.
Full Soundcore Boom 2 Plus review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 140W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 17.3” x 9.1” x 5.9” (440 x 230 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 114mm (4.5”) woofers + 2x 19mm (0.75”) tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Pro EQ + presets) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 111dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 8.4 lbs (3.8 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: This sounds totally different now! Soundcore Boom Plus 2 firmware 03.10 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Boom 2 Plus Review - worst boombox speaker under $400?
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Boom 2 Plus VS Tribit Stormbox Blast 🛜 Boombox Basement Battle 📊Custom EQ 🔥Who You Got? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Picky Audio: SO CLOSE! Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs JBL Boombox 3 More from pickyaudio →
- Picky Audio: Extended Sound Test (Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs JBL Boombox 3)
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: NEW RELEASE! Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs Motion Boom Plus🤯Stock EQ, Bass^ Enabled🤜🤛 A Family Feud😆
- GYMCADDY: Soundcore Boom 2 Plus Showcase - Lots Of Bass In A Small Package More from GYMCADDY →
- EL JEFE REVIEWS: Soundcore Boom 2 Plus 💥 BIGGER & BADDER! More from ELJefeReviews →
- Jagist reviews: Zealot S95 Vs Soundcore Boom 2 Plus!!! More from Jagistreviews →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs W-King D20
- Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs Zealot ZE01
- Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs Zealot S95
- Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs W-King X20
- Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs LG Xboom Stage 301
- Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs Aiwa Exos-10
- Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs JBL Boombox 2
- Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs W-King H330
- See all 92 comparisons
Pioneer PBM5: $149.00 Sam’s Club eBay
Pros: Loud for its size: Williston Audio Labs measured about 105 dB at 2 meters, louder than the Turtlebox Original Gen3 and Kicker Bullfrog BF400 in the same test. Two 5.25 inch woofers and two 2 inch tweeters with a port tuned to 48Hz, two microphone inputs plus a guitar input with bass, treble and reverb controls for the mics, aux and USB playback, IPX5 splash resistance, RGB lights, a shoulder strap, Bluetooth 5.4 with Auracast, and charging from either USB-C or the included AC cord. A rated 13 hours at 60% volume.
Cons: Williston Audio Labs was not impressed with its sound: there is very little bass below 100Hz, and the amplifier’s output has a big dip from 1.6kHz to 10kHz that leaves the upper mids and treble recessed. None of the EQ presets fixed it, and a 1990 JVC boombox sounded cleaner. The amp measured about 90W in total, not the claimed 300W, and only about 23W per woofer channel on battery. USB playback is MP3 only, there is no audio output and no microphone in the box, and it is sold only at Sam’s Club.
Full Pioneer PBM5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 300W peak (Manufacturer specified), about 90W measured |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 13 hours at 60% volume (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 8.9”H x 17.4”W x 8.1”D (226 x 442 x 207 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 133mm (5.25”) woofers + 2x 51mm (2”) tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (presets + user EQ) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB at 2m (measured by Williston Audio Labs) |
| Microphone Input | Yes (2 inputs) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | USB-C or AC Power cord |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes (MP3 only) |
| Weight | 14.1 lbs (6.4 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons