Short answer: the Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus. It ranks #21 of 140 medium speakers by sound quality at $79.99; the JBL Flip Essential ranks #69 and costs $130, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus offers: Use Xbass mode for flattest frequency response. V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus sound exactly the same. Watch for: Slightly less deep bass than the best in category.
What the JBL Flip Essential offers: Aux input for wired sources. IPX7 rated. Genuinely portable at under a pound; a cheaper, more basic alternative to the Flip 5. Watch for: Less bass than a Flip 5.
Buy the Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Flip Essential and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus is rated for 20 hours, the JBL Flip Essential only 10 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus | JBL Flip Essential | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | $130 |
| Ranked | #21 of 140 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #69 of 140 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 160ms | - |
| Max Volume | 99dB | - |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Stereo | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | No | - |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 595 g | / 1 lbs / 471 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.1 |
| Drivers | 2x 44mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| Output Power | 24W | 16W RMS |
| Power Input | Micro USB | - |
| Dimensions | 2.6" x 7.8" x 2.7" (65 x 198 x 68 mm) (2.56 x 7.79 x 2.68 inches) | 6.7" x 2.5" x 2.5" (169 x 64 x 64 mm) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | - | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Flip 7 vs JBL Charge 3
- Beats Pill 2024 vs JBL Charge 3
- Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Flip Essential
Prices on this page were last checked September 1, 2026 at 2:15 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
Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus: $79.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Use Xbass mode for flattest frequency response. Identical driver, tuning, and sound to the Thunderbox Plus and the newer Maxsound Plus V2.
Cons: Slightly less deep bass than the best in category. No true wireless stereo pairing between two units, unlike the V2.
Full Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 160ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.6" x 7.8" x 2.7" (65 x 198 x 68 mm) (2.56 x 7.79 x 2.68 inches) |
| Drivers | 2x 44mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 24W |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 595 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: All Tribit Speakers Compared - Maxsound Plus, Stormbox, Xsound Go, Maxboom More from alanrossreviews →
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- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Maxsound Plus v1 vs V2 - upgraded Maxsound Plus tested! 🏅
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JBL Flip Essential: $130 eBay
Pros: Aux input for wired sources. IPX7 rated. Genuinely portable at under a pound; a cheaper, more basic alternative to the Flip 5.
Cons: Less bass than a Flip 5.
Full JBL Flip Essential review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7" x 2.5" x 2.5" (169 x 64 x 64 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Weight | / 1 lbs / 471 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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