Short answer: the Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus. Both are rated 3.3/5 for sound quality (#84 and #80 of 182 medium speakers), and the Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus costs $49.99 against $85.90 for the JBL Flip Essential 2, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
Why pick the Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus: An affordable waterproof speaker with a separate tweeter, app EQ, Auracast linking, stereo pairing and USB-C audio input. It links with other speakers (Auracast), which the JBL Flip Essential 2 cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks. The catch: In side by side tests by Clinch Audio Bass and Mateusz Cholewa, the Xiaomi Sound Party and Soundcore Boom 3i sounded more refined and fuller, and listeners described the C3 Plus’s treble as dull.
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 Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus at 1.8 lbs (810 g). The catch: 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 Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $35.91 less than the JBL Flip Essential 2.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete 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.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus | JBL Flip Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.99 | $85.90 |
| Ranked | #84 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #80 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 20W RMS |
| App | Yes (Tronsmart) | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours at 50% volume (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | 5.1 |
| Charging Time | 4 hours | - |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Dimensions | 8.3”H x 3.1”W x 3.3”D (210 x 80 x 85 mm) | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x racetrack woofer + 1x tweeter | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (app) | No |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (lanyard) | - |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs (0.81 kg) | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus: reviews by Oluv, Mateusz Cholewa and Techder Audios.
- 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.
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