Short answer: the Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus. It ranks #21 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $79.99; the JBL Charge Essential 2 ranks #35 and costs $130, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
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 Charge Essential 2 offers: Doubles as a power bank. IP67 rated. Close to Charge 5 performance at a lower price. Watch for: Not stereo. Slightly less bass than a Charge 5.
Buy the Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Charge Essential 2 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
Specifications Side By Side
| Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus | JBL Charge Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | $130 |
| Ranked | #21 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #35 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58Hz | ~55Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | No | - |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 160ms | - |
| Max Volume | 99dB | - |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 595 g | 2.1 lbs / 930 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| Drivers | 2x 44mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| Output Power | 24W | 40W |
| Dimensions | 2.6" x 7.8" x 2.7" (65 x 198 x 68 mm) (2.56 x 7.79 x 2.68 inches) | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | - | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | - | USB-C |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Bose Soundlink Mini
- Tribit Xsound Mega vs Klipsch Nashville
- Tribit Stormbox Pro vs Tribit Xsound Mega
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- Soundcore Motion+ vs JBL Charge Essential 2
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
Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus: $79.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Use Xbass mode for flattest frequency response. V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus sound exactly the same.
Cons: Slightly less deep bass than the best in category.
Full Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/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 |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 595 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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- Reddit Search for Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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JBL Charge Essential 2: $130 eBay
Pros: Doubles as a power bank. IP67 rated. Close to Charge 5 performance at a lower price.
Cons: Not stereo. Slightly less bass than a Charge 5.
Full JBL Charge Essential 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~55Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs / 930 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Soundcore Motion 100
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