Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 2 on measured sound quality, the Zealot S97 on price. The Boom 2 ranks #10 of 78 large speakers, the S97 ranks #46, and the Boom 2 costs $34.13 more.
The Boom 2’s stock tuning undersells it. Our notes say that with the stock tuning it would rank far lower due to boosted bass and rising treble, and recommend Oluv’s EQ or Alan Ross’s EQ to unlock its real potential, which includes pretty deep bass for the size. Even so, it has a real hardware limitation: a single midrange driver means only the tweeters actually deliver stereo separation. Our notes also flag sound processing issues where bass notes can disappear at low listening levels and recommend turning off BassUp, which makes it too bass heavy.
The S97 is a genuine budget standout for its bass. Our notes call it unmatched at its price point for that depth of bass with a reasonable tuning. The tradeoff is real, though: it doesn’t get very loud compared to other speakers in this class, has a short battery life, and is fairly heavy for its size.
Battery life clearly favors the Boom 2: 24 hours against the S97’s 12 hours. The Boom 2 also adds an app with EQ control and PartyCast multi-speaker pairing, while the S97 counters with an aux input, MicroSD playback, and a built-in microphone, none of which the Boom 2 has.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 2 if you’re willing to apply an EQ preset for the best sound, and want a longer battery and app control.
Buy the Zealot S97 if you want strong bass for the money and don’t need maximum loudness or a long battery.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 2 | Zealot S97 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $65.86 with coupon YZZL10 |
| Ranked | #10 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #46 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | 3 EQ presets |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX6 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| MicroSD Playback | No | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 11.7" x 7.3" x 4" (297 x 185 x 102 mm) | 12.6" x 7.3" x 5.9" (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm x 90mm woofer, 2x 20mm tweeters | 2x 76mm (3") woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 80W | 80W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
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- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Lava
- Brane X vs Soundcore Boom 2
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Minirig 4 with subwoofer
Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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: $99.99 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Pretty deep bass for the size. Cool lights in the side passive radiators. For the best sound quality use Oluv’s EQ or Alan Ross’s EQ. With the stock tuning, this speaker would rank around #24, due to the boosted bass and rising treble. Measured bass extension of 47Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Only a single midrange driver, so you only get stereo for the tweeters. Sound processing issues with inconsistent bass notes that disappear at low levels like the Soundcore Boom and Soundcore Boost, not great for listening at low levels. Quite bass heavy with BassUp turned on, which is best left off. A little bit of a bright tuning in the treble, about +5db.
Full Soundcore Boom 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 80W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.7" x 7.3" x 4" (297 x 185 x 102 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm x 90mm woofer, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA vs Soundcore BOOM 2 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - indoor soundtest
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - outdoor soundtest
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Best portable speakers 2025 - get the best bang for your buck $$$
- Oluv Patreon: SoundCore Boom 3i - first impressions & EQs
- Alan Ross Reviews: Ultimate Soundcore Boom 2 Review - Is It Worth The Hype? More from alanrossreviews →
- Oluv Patreon: Anker Soundcore Boom 2 - first impressions
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Boom 2 💣vs Mifa Wildbox 🪇 Basement Battle of the Bluetooth Boombox Welterweights ⚖️ More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: New Release! Soundcore Boom 2 😯 Bluetooth Boombox Speaker 🔊 Unboxing, First Look & Sound Demo
- CEONTHEMAKING: Soundcore Boom 2 - HANDS DOWN The Best Speaker Under $150! More from CEONTHEMAKING →
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- Joy & Oluv’Sone: JBL, Bose, B&O, Sonos, Earfun, SoundCore… which portable speaker sounds best?
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Sony ULT Field 5 vs Anker SoundCore Boom 2 - listening test
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Mifa Wildbox
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- Soundcore Boom 2 vs B&O Beosound A5
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
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- See all 57 comparisons
Zealot S97: $65.86 with coupon YZZL10 Aliexpress eBay
Pros: For a compact 3.3kg boombox, the S97 delivers unusually deep, clean-enough bass with a more sensible default balance than many inexpensive Zealot models. It also brings IPX6 protection, aux and microSD playback, power-bank outputs, three EQ presets and PartyAdd linking.
Cons: It is not especially loud for its size, battery life is only a claimed 12 hours, and the bass preset can swamp the rest of the music. There is no app or fine-grained EQ, so the Vocal preset is the only practical way to improve the balance. It is still heavy for a speaker with this output ceiling.
Full Zealot S97 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 80W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.6" x 7.3" x 5.9" (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 76mm (3") woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | 3 EQ presets |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons