Short answer: the Tribit Xsound Plus 2. It ranks #36 of 182 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.9/5, at $64.99; the JBL Flip Essential 2 ranks #80, rated 3.3/5, and costs $85.90, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The Tribit Xsound Plus 2 is the better-sounding, longer-running option. An affordable waterproof stereo speaker with long battery life and an app EQ that can tune it to sound well balanced. It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 10 for the JBL Flip Essential 2. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks. It keeps a wired aux input, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks. Watch for: Boosted treble, boosted bass in the factory EQs.
The JBL Flip Essential 2 is the lighter pick. A compact, affordable waterproof speaker that gets fairly loud for its size and connects to two phones at once. At 1.1 lbs (520 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Tribit Xsound Plus 2 at 1.8 lbs (798 g). Watch for: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the JBL Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight.
Buy the Tribit Xsound Plus 2. It is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Flip Essential 2 and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 14, 2026 at 6:17 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| Tribit Xsound Plus 2 | JBL Flip Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $64.99 | $85.90 |
| Ranked | #36 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #80 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Latency | 16ms | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | SBC 233ms, AAC 240ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs (798 g) | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 7.8” x 2.8” x 2.6” (198 x 71 x 66 mm) | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Amplifier Power | 30W | 20W RMS |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm neodymium full-range drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Strap | Yes (strap) | - |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Tribit Xsound Plus 2: reviews by Oluv, Alan Ross and Storytripper HD.
- JBL Flip Essential 2: reviews by Speaker Fan, Angelicaaudio and AudioTribe.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Tribit Xsound Plus 2: