Short answer: the Tribit Stormbox Lava. It ranks #3 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $100; the B&O Beoplay A2 active ranks #16 and costs $400, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Tribit Stormbox Lava gets right: Fantastic bass extension. Goes deeper than the Boom 2 as seen in the linked video of sound samples. The catch: Quite heavy for the size. Some bass boost way down low. Treble and upper mids have some peaks.
On the B&O Beoplay A2 active side: B&O’s True360 sound from both sides. Customizable sound via Beoplay app. 22 hour battery (improved from original A2). Watch for: Not stereo.
Buy the Tribit Stormbox Lava. It ranks higher for sound quality than the B&O Beoplay A2 active and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If water resistance matters to you, the Tribit Stormbox Lava at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the B&O Beoplay A2 active at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Tribit Stormbox Lava | B&O Beoplay A2 active | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $100 | $400 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #3 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #16 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 20ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 128ms AAC, 144ms SBC | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (10 band) | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | None |
| Max Volume | 108dB | - |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 5.2 lbs / 2.37 kg | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 12.2" x 5.8" x 6" (310 x 147 x 152 mm) | 10.1" x 5.6" x 1.7" (256 x 142 x 44 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 30mm tweeters | 2x 3" fullrange woofers, 2x 0.75" tweeters + 2x 3" passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 55Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 80W | 60W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Xtreme 5 vs Marshall Stockwell 2
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs JBL Xtreme 5
- JBL Xtreme 5 vs Sony ULT Field 5
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Vifa Helsinki
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs B&O Beoplay A2 active
The Two Speakers In Full
Tribit Stormbox Lava: $100 Amazon Aliexpress
Pros: Fantastic bass extension. Goes deeper than the Boom 2 as seen in the linked video of sound samples. Firmware 2.0.0 is a big improvement in neutrality.
Cons: Quite heavy for the size. Some bass boost way down low. Treble and upper mids have some peaks.
Setup: Try out the Alan Ross EQ’s at this timestamp in his video There’s also a max bass EQ from Oluv and you can turn down the lowest slider for it to be more neutral
Full Tribit Stormbox Lava review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 20ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 128ms AAC, 144ms SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.2" x 5.8" x 6" (310 x 147 x 152 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 30mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (10 band) |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 108dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 80W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 5.2 lbs / 2.37 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 3D Audio Show: Tribit StormBox Lava vs SoundCore Boom 2 - sound quality demo
- Oluv Patreon: An evening with the “best portable speakers”?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Lava Latest Firmware Update Result! v2.0.3
- Alan Ross Reviews: From harsh to smooth with these EQ settings - Tribit StormBox Lava
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit StormBox Lava Just Got a MASSIVE Update… WOW! 🔥
- Alan Ross Reviews: Some people love the Tribit Stormbox Lava, highly professional review 😁
- Mateusz Cholewa: Tribit Stormbox Blast 🎶 🆚Deep BASS - Tribit Stormbox LAVA
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA vs EarFun UBOOM X
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA vs Soundcore BOOM 2
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA - Unboxing.📦 Short Test vs Xtreme 4
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA Deep BASS 🆚 JBL XTREME 4
- Oluv Patreon: Tribit Stormbox Lava - quick look
- Mateusz Cholewa: 👌TRIBIT StormBox LAVA Deep Bass 🆚 Bogasing S8 Pro MAX - HiFi?
- Reddit Search for Tribit Stormbox Lava Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs JBL Xtreme 5
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Brane X
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Minirig 4 with subwoofer
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Vifa Helsinki
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Soundcore Boom 2
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Marshall Stockwell 2
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- See all 22 comparisons
B&O Beoplay A2 active: $400 Discontinued Amazon
Pros: B&O’s True360 sound from both sides. Customizable sound via Beoplay app. 22 hour battery (improved from original A2). Stereo pairing with a second A2 Active. Splash/dustproof, USB-C charging. ~1.1 kg with carry strap.
Cons: Not stereo. Discontinued.
Full B&O Beoplay A2 active review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.1" x 5.6" x 1.7" (256 x 142 x 44 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 3" fullrange woofers, 2x 0.75" tweeters + 2x 3" passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Output Power | 60W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- B&O Beoplay A2 active vs Soundcore Select Pro
- B&O Beoplay A2 active vs Bose SoundLink Max
- B&O Beoplay A2 active vs JBL Xtreme 3
- B&O Beoplay A2 active vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- B&O Beoplay A2 active vs Soundcore Motion X600
- B&O Beoplay A2 active vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
- B&O Beoplay A2 active vs Soundcore Rave Neo 2
- B&O Beoplay A2 active vs Marshall Stockwell 2
- See all 20 comparisons