Short answer: the Tribit Xsound Mega. It ranks #20 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $116.70; the JBL Flip Essential ranks #66 and costs $130, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Tribit Xsound Mega offers: Deepest bass of any medium size speaker. Use xbass mode for flattest frequency response. Watch for: Single driver, not stereo. Lack of detail. Lack of upper treble, peaky lower treble. Not great off axis. Keep in mind this speaker gives up some sound quality for deeper bass.
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 Xsound Mega. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Flip Essential and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Battery life favors the Tribit Xsound Mega: rated for 20 hours against 10 hours for the JBL Flip Essential.
Specifications Side By Side
| Tribit Xsound Mega | JBL Flip Essential | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $116.70 | $130 |
| Ranked | #20 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #66 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms | - |
| Max Volume | 100dB | - |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1020 g | / 1 lbs / 471 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.1 |
| Power Input | USB-C | - |
| Drivers | 60mm woofer + 35mm tweeter + passive radiators | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | - | No |
| Dimensions | - | 6.7" x 2.5" x 2.5" (169 x 64 x 64 mm) |
| Frequency Response | - | 80Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | - | 16W RMS |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
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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 Xsound Mega: $116.70 Amazon eBay
Pros: Deepest bass of any medium size speaker. Use xbass mode for flattest frequency response.
Cons: Single driver, not stereo. Lack of detail. Lack of upper treble, peaky lower treble. Not great off axis. Keep in mind this speaker gives up some sound quality for deeper bass.
Full Tribit Xsound Mega review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 200ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Drivers | 60mm woofer + 35mm tweeter + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 100dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1020 g |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Mega Review vs Anker Soundcore Motion Plus - bang for buck champs! 😛 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: £50/$50 bluetooth speaker shootout! Tribit Xsound Mega vs Soundcore Boost and others…👍
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bose SoundLink Max vs Tribit XSound Mega 😲 Can the Budget Priced Speaker Hang With the Big $ One? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Flow vs XSound Mega - Sound Comparison, Stock EQ, Both Mono Sound 😶🌫️ A Family Feud
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Mega vs the world! (JBL Charge 5, Bose Flex, Sony XB33, LG PL7) 👍
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Earfun UBoom L 💣(EQ2) 🆚 Tribit XSound Mega 🔥(XBass EQ)- Bluetooth Speaker Bedroom Bash. Who U Got?🔝
- Reddit Search for Tribit Xsound Mega Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Tribit Xsound Mega vs Xiaomi Sound Party
- Tribit Xsound Mega vs Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus
- Tribit Xsound Mega vs Harman Kardon Luna
- Tribit Xsound Mega vs B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen
- Tribit Xsound Mega vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- Tribit Xsound Mega vs JBL Charge 5
- Tribit Xsound Mega vs JBL Flip 7
- Tribit Xsound Mega vs Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021
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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
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