Short answer: the Tozo PA1. It ranks #57 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $39.99; the JBL Flip Essential 2 ranks #71, rated 3.3/5, and costs $85.90, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Tozo PA1 does well: Tozo PA1 uses 67mm fullrange. The catch: Bass is limited by its 52Hz specification.
The case for the JBL Flip Essential 2: Essentially a Flip 5 in a new shell: the same single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver and 20W amplifier, rated down to 65Hz. Watch for: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight.
Buy the Tozo PA1. It is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Flip Essential 2 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Tozo PA1 | JBL Flip Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39.99 | $85.90 |
| Ranked | #57 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #71 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 52Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 220ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (581 g) | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.1 |
| Drivers | 67mm fullrange | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 8.3” x 3.6” x 2.4” (210 x 91 x 61 mm) | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 20W | 20W RMS |
| IP Rating | IPX6 | IPX7 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) | - |
| Party Mode | - | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
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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
Tozo PA1: $39.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Tozo PA1 uses 67mm fullrange. Its 581 g, claimed 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) battery life, IPX6 protection, up to 98dB and mono playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. Measured bass extension of 52Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 52Hz specification. There is no companion app. No EQ adjustment.
Full Tozo PA1 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 52Hz |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 220ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.3” x 3.6” x 2.4” (210 x 91 x 61 mm) |
| Drivers | 67mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (581 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: On A Ledge 🪟 Soundcore Motion 300 vs Tozo PA1 ⚒ Battle of the Budget Handheld Bluetooth Speakers More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
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- Head-to-Head Comparisons
JBL Flip Essential 2: $85.90 Amazon eBay
Older model: the JBL Flip Essential (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: Essentially a Flip 5 in a new shell: the same single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver and 20W amplifier, rated down to 65Hz. In a side by side loudness test it got louder than the JBL Grip, and listeners comparing it with the Marshall Emberton found it more open sounding and clearer. IPX7 waterproof, 520 g, USB-C charging and Bluetooth 5.1 with two phones connected at once.
Cons: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight. No app, no EQ, no PartyBoost or stereo pairing, a claimed 10 hours of battery, and IPX7 covers water but not dust.
Full JBL Flip Essential 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- AudioTribe: JBL Flip 6 vs JBL Flip Essential 2 FULL TEARDOWN in Just 15 Minutes!
- Speaker Fan: JBL Flip 6 VS JBL Flip Essential 2 VS JBL Grip Loudness Test - Which Is Louder?
- HQ AUDIO Exchange: JBL Flip Essential 2 vs. Flip 6 | Bass Sound Test!
- Cristian Catalin’s Sound&Video: JBL Flip Essential 2 VS Marshall Emberton - sound comparison
- Angelicaaudio: Mini JBL Flip Essential 2 vs. JBL Charge 5 Bluetooth Speaker Review
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