Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i on measured sound quality, the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove on price. The Soundcore Boom 3i ranks #27 of 136 medium speakers at $110. The Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove ranks #90 at $89, $21 cheaper.
What the Soundcore Boom 3i offers: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Better value for the money than the Charge 5. Watch for: Not quite as good as a Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close. An earlier firmware version had some bass distortion, update your firmware in the Soundcore App
What the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove offers: Pretty balanced sound. Distinctive mid-century design with real wood veneer and a woven grille, unlike most plastic/rubber portables. ~8 hour battery life. Watch for: Not stereo. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others its size. Gets distorted at higher levels. Wouldn’t generally recommend these old speakers as they can’t compete with modern speakers for bass performance and features.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove if the price matters more than sound quality.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Soundcore Boom 3i is rated for 16 hours, the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove only 8 hours.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the Soundcore Boom 3i at IP68 (extended submersion) against the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove, which has IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 3i | Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $110 | $89.00 |
| Ranked | #27 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #90 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.0 |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) | 5" x 6" x 2.6" (127 x 152 x 67 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter | 1x 3" full-range driver + 2x side-firing passive radiators |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 783 g | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
| Output Power | 50W | 10W RMS |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- JBL Charge 5 vs Tronsmart Mirtune S100
- W-King D320 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE200
- Sony XB33 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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 3i: $110 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Better value for the money than the Charge 5.
Cons: Not quite as good as a Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close. An earlier firmware version had some bass distortion, update your firmware in the Soundcore App
Full Soundcore Boom 3i review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 50W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 783 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Teufel Rockster XS
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Harman Kardon Luna
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Xsound Mega
- See all 77 comparisons
Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove: $89.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Pretty balanced sound. Distinctive mid-century design with real wood veneer and a woven grille, unlike most plastic/rubber portables. ~8 hour battery life.
Cons: Not stereo. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others its size. Gets distorted at higher levels. Wouldn’t generally recommend these old speakers as they can’t compete with modern speakers for bass performance and features.
Full Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5" x 6" x 2.6" (127 x 152 x 67 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 3" full-range driver + 2x side-firing passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 10W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Tribit Stormbox
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- See all 70 comparisons