Short answer: the Aiwa Exos-9. It ranks #8 of 73 boombox speakers by sound quality at $250; the Turtlebox ranks #70 and costs $329, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Turtlebox offers: Waterproof and crushproof, loud with punchy bass. 25 hour battery life (6 hours at full volume). Pairs with a second unit for stereo. Watch for: Sounds basically identical to the later Gen 2 and Gen 3: each generation mainly added features, not sound quality. They pretty much lie about all their specs and sound horrible in all youtube sound samples. Only 50w (from their indigogo page), will never hit 120db at a reasonable measuring distance. Putting your db meter right against the speaker doesn’t count, 1 meter distance is the standard. Barely any bass. Rattles at high volume. Uses an external AC power brick to charge, before USB-C was added on the Gen 2. Looking at it, it appears to be a generic car 2-way 6x9 speaker in a plastic box.
What the Aiwa Exos-9 offers: Still a great sounding speaker even against today’s models. Watch for: Features are lacking, generally not recommended anymore, not sold new anymore. No water rating.
Buy the Aiwa Exos-9. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Turtlebox and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Turtlebox. It ranks near the bottom of the 73 boombox speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
If battery life is a priority, the Turtlebox is rated for 25 hours versus 10 hours for the Aiwa Exos-9.
If water resistance matters to you, the Turtlebox at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Aiwa Exos-9 at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Turtlebox | Aiwa Exos-9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329 Discontinued | $250 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #70 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #8 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~65Hz | 44Hz |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | None |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes | - |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 10 lbs / 4.54 kg | 15.2 lbs / 6.9 kg |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | No | No |
| EQ | No | Yes (5-band graphic EQ + 4 presets) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Power Input | AC Power brick | AC Power cable |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 | - |
| Output Power | 50W | 200W |
| Dimensions | 12" x 7" x 8.7" (305 x 178 x 222 mm) | 19.4" x 7.5" x 11.7" (492.8 x 190.5 x 297.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 6x9" (152x228mm) woofer + 1x 1" (25mm) tweeter | 6.5" dual voice coil woofer + 2x 3" midwoofers + 2x 1" silk dome tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Discontinued | Yes | Yes |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| Microphone Input | - | Yes (with adapter) |
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- Turtlebox vs LG Xboom Stage 301
Prices on this page were last checked August 25, 2026 at 6:19 AM 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
Turtlebox: $329 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Waterproof and crushproof, loud with punchy bass. 25 hour battery life (6 hours at full volume). Pairs with a second unit for stereo.
Cons: Sounds basically identical to the later Gen 2 and Gen 3: each generation mainly added features, not sound quality. They pretty much lie about all their specs and sound horrible in all youtube sound samples. Only 50w (from their indigogo page), will never hit 120db at a reasonable measuring distance. Putting your db meter right against the speaker doesn’t count, 1 meter distance is the standard. Barely any bass. Rattles at high volume. Uses an external AC power brick to charge, before USB-C was added on the Gen 2. Looking at it, it appears to be a generic car 2-way 6x9 speaker in a plastic box. Discontinued.
Full Turtlebox review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~65Hz |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12" x 7" x 8.7" (305 x 178 x 222 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x 6x9" (152x228mm) woofer + 1x 1" (25mm) tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 50W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 10 lbs / 4.54 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Turtlebox Gen 1 vs JBL Partybox 110 Review
- Outeraudio: Turtlebox vs EcoXgear Defender Sound Comparison
- Risk Profile: TurtleBox Demo Risk Profile Podcast
- Everyday Man: Soundboks Go Vs Turttlebox Vs EcoXGear Defender
- KosherTech: Soundcore Rave VS Turtlebox- (Sound Test Only)🎧
- Reddit Search for Turtlebox Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Aiwa Exos-9: $250 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Still a great sounding speaker even against today’s models.
Cons: Features are lacking, generally not recommended anymore, not sold new anymore. No water rating. Discontinued.
Full Aiwa Exos-9 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 19.4" x 7.5" x 11.7" (492.8 x 190.5 x 297.2 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 6.5" dual voice coil woofer + 2x 3" midwoofers + 2x 1" silk dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (5-band graphic EQ + 4 presets) |
| FM Tuner | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Microphone Input | Yes (with adapter) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 200W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 15.2 lbs / 6.9 kg |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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- Aiwa Exos-9 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs Vifa Copenhagen 2.0
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs JBL Partybox Encore
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs Zealot ZE41
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs JBL Boombox 4
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs Yeahbox Sonic Boom Max 3
- Aiwa Exos-9 vs Turtlebox Gen 3
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