Short answer: the Tribit Xsound Plus 2. It ranks #34 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.9/5, at $69.99; the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE ranks #40, rated 3.7/5, and costs $199.95, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The case for the Tribit Xsound Plus 2: Use this EQ for the best sound quality. Watch for: Boosted treble, boosted bass in the factory EQs.
What the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE does well: Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. Watch for: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural.
Buy the Tribit Xsound Plus 2. It is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Tribit Xsound Plus 2 | JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $69.99 | $199.95 |
| Ranked | #34 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #40 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Latency | 16ms | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Latency | SBC 233ms, AAC 240ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs (798 g) | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 7.8” x 2.8” x 2.6” (198 x 71 x 66 mm) | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Amplifier Power | 30W | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm neodymium full-range drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Strap | Yes (strap) | No |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-C) |
| Frequency Response | - | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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 Plus 2: $69.99 Amazon eBay
Older models: the Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus (ranked higher, rated 4.1/5) and the Tribit Maxsound Plus V2 (ranked higher, rated 4.1/5).
Pros: Use this EQ for the best sound quality. Measured bass extension of 55Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Boosted treble, boosted bass in the factory EQs. Peak at 320Hz, dip at 500Hz. Bass is slappy and distorted in xbass mode
Full Tribit Xsound Plus 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 30W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 16ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | SBC 233ms, AAC 240ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.8” x 2.8” x 2.6” (198 x 71 x 66 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm neodymium full-range drivers |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs (798 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Plus 2: Upgrade Your Sound With Maxsound Eq Preset! New firmware tested More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Goodbye Maxsound Plus hello Tribit Xsound Plus 2! neutral heaven or bass for the masses?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bogasing G4 spot cheap speaker - I was NOT expecting this!
- Oluv Patreon: Tribit XSound Plus 2 - first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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JBL Charge Essential 3 SE: $199.95 JBL eBay
Older models: the JBL Charge Essential 2 (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5) and the JBL Charge Essential (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. IP67 water and dust protection, a claimed 20 hours of battery life, a USB-C power bank output, Auracast stereo pairing and multi-speaker linking, Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC, and app EQ.
Cons: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural. Against the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen it sounds muddier and more strident, with less detail and a smaller soundstage. At full price it costs as much as the Charge 6, which is the better speaker.
Full JBL Charge Essential 3 SE review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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