Short answer: the Xiaomi Sound Party. It ranks #20 of 182 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.1/5, at $135.84. The JBL Flip Essential 2 ranks #80, rated 3.3/5, at $85.90, $49.94 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
The Xiaomi Sound Party is the better-sounding, longer-running choice. A versatile outdoor speaker with warm, balanced sound, fully waterproof build, long battery life, a phone charging port and a handy retractable handle. It is rated for 26 hours of battery against 10 for the JBL Flip Essential 2. It links with other speakers (Party Connect, up to 100 speakers), which the JBL Flip Essential 2 cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Flip Essential 2 lacks. The tradeoff: The sound evidence is mixed rather than universally glowing.
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 much less than the Xiaomi Sound Party at 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg). The tradeoff: 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 Xiaomi Sound Party. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $49.94 saving on the JBL Flip Essential 2 is not enough to make up the difference.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
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
| Xiaomi Sound Party | JBL Flip Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $135.84 | $85.90 |
| Ranked | #20 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #80 of 182 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 54Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 26 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect, up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/3A) | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 10” x 3.6” x 3.6” (255 x 92 x 92 mm) | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm woofers (35W total) + 2x 15mm tweeters | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 102dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Weight | 2.6 lbs (1200 g) | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 20W RMS |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A, 9V/2A, 12V/2A) | USB-C |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | - |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Xiaomi Sound Party: reviews by Joy & Oluv’Sone, Oluv and Alan Ross.
- 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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