These are not really the same size class, and that is the honest framing here. The Tribit Stormbox Lava ranks #3 of 82 large speakers by sound quality at $100; the JBL Charge 5 ranks #28 of 144 medium speakers by sound quality at $179.95.
The case for the Tribit Stormbox Lava: A powerful, IP67-rated portable speaker with a measured 44Hz -10dB bass point, 10-band app EQ, aux input and 24-hour claimed battery life. The catch: XBass can make the low end muddy and obscure vocals, while the deepest notes lose authority and clarity falls at maximum volume.
Why pick the JBL Charge 5: Doubles as a power bank (USB-A out) for charging your phone. The tradeoff: Not stereo.
Buy the Tribit Stormbox Lava at $100 if you want a large speaker. Buy the JBL Charge 5 at $179.95 if you want a medium speaker instead.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Tribit Stormbox Lava | JBL Charge 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $100 | $179.95 |
| Ranked | #3 of 82 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #28 of 144 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Latency | 20ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 128ms AAC, 144ms SBC | 125ms |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes (dual microphones) |
| EQ | Yes (10 band) | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 108dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 5.2 lbs (2.37 kg) | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 12.2” x 5.8” x 6” (310 x 147 x 152 mm) | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 30mm tweeters | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 80W | 40W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) | No |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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 Stormbox Lava: $100 Amazon AliExpress eBay
Pros: A powerful, IP67-rated portable speaker with a measured 44Hz -10dB bass point, 10-band app EQ, aux input and 24-hour claimed battery life. Independent reviews find that it gets loud with impactful bass, and careful EQ or current firmware can produce relatively clean sound through the mids and highs. Measured bass extension of 44Hz (-10dB).
Cons: XBass can make the low end muddy and obscure vocals, while the deepest notes lose authority and clarity falls at maximum volume. It is heavy for its size, its front-facing design has a narrow soundstage, and one review noted a brief sound interruption while changing volume; use a restrained EQ rather than expecting neutral sound out of the box.
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 →
| Amplifier Power | 80W |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 108dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 5.2 lbs (2.37 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 3D Audio Show: Tribit StormBox Lava vs SoundCore Boom 2 - sound quality demo More from Oluv’Sone →
- Oluv Patreon: An evening with the “best portable speakers”?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Lava Latest Firmware Update Result! v2.0.3 More from alanrossreviews →
- 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 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- 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?
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs JBL Xtreme 5
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- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Soundcore Boom 2
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JBL Charge 5: $179.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Newer model: the JBL Charge 6, rated 4.2/5.
Pros: Doubles as a power bank (USB-A out) for charging your phone. IP67 rated, survives a 1m dunk for 30 minutes. ~20 hour battery life. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive.
Full JBL Charge 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) |
| 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 | Yes (3 band) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 6 or the JBL Charge 5? don’t go home till you watch this! More from alanrossreviews →
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Charge 6 🎶👌Unboxing 📦vs Jbl Charge 5 Short Test Audio i Hz. More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 6 Review - Worth Upgrading Even If You Have The JBL Charge 5 More from GYMCADDY →
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- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Mega vs the world! (JBL Charge 5, Bose Flex, Sony XB33, LG PL7) 👍
- Oluv Patreon: JBL Charge 5 - unboxing & first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bogasing M4 Review - vs JBL Charge 5 & Motion Plus - a new contender?
- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE 5 Vs. CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 #shorts
- Alan Ross Reviews: Huawei sound joy vs JBL Charge 5 and Flip 6 - top mono speaker! 🤓
- New Stuff TV 2: Sony ULT Field 1 vs JBL Flip 6, JBL Charge 5 & Soundcore Motion 300 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- Techder Audios: JBL PULSE 5 VS JBL CHARGE 5 "LIGHTS VS BASS?!" More from techderaudios →
- Storytripper HD: Klipsch Nashville vs JBL Charge 5 More from storytripperhd →
- Flossy Carter: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 vs JBL Charge Essential More from FlossyCarter →
- Storytripper HD: KEF MUO vs JBL Charge 5
- KULAS TECH SHOW: JBL Charge 5 vs Tronsmart Mirtune S100 - Sound Comparison💥🔥 More from KULASTECHSHOW20 →
- Alan Ross Reviews: UE Megaboom 3 review vs JBL Charge 5 & Motion Boom! how bad can it be??
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XE300 vs JBL Charge 5
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 5 Vs Sony XE300 - How Can You Mess Up This Bad?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Stockwell 2 Review and huge sound test! - vs JBL Charge 5! 💯
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Boom vs Sony XB43 - a step to far? 🤪
- DIGI-EARS: Xdobo X8 Max vs. JBL Charge 5 vs. Anker Soundcore Motion+ vs. Tribit Stormbox Pro Sound Test Battle More from DigitalSlang →
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Charge 5 vs BOGASING S8 Pro MAX
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