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 Do you want the finest bass and loudest-but-still-smooth sound from a portable speaker for tailgating, yard parties, and beach dances? The two best speakers out right now for these purposes are both from JBL: The JBL Xtreme 3 and Boombox 2. Which should you get? Depends on things like whether you need extreme battery life or really extreme battery life, excellent bass and volume or even-more-ridiculously excellent bass and volume, and a chunky or starting-to-get-a-bit-heavy-for-one-hand size and weight. For the former for all of these, choose the Xtreme 3. For the later, and if you’re willing to pay quite a bit more, go for the Boombox 2. My personal take is that for most outdoor grooving the Xtreme 3 is fabulous and plenty of speaker already; I’d say rare is the person who really needs to bother with the extra weight and expense of the Boombox 2. But do your own comparing in the table below and then peruse my full explanation of the sound and feature differences after that. Contents
This article was first published on May 31, 2021. Side-by-Side Comparison: JBL Xtreme 3 vs JBL Boombox 2
Contents
The JBL Xtreme 3 is, hands-down, our top recommendation for outdoor party speaker for really blasting a loud and yet beautifully controlled sound around a big yard or terrace, or over the sound of waves crashing on the beach. And we’re not the only ones who think it’s good. The top YouTube audio critics and tech reviewers have generally praised the Xtreme 3’s clarity, warmth, and particularly satisfying bass for a speaker of its size and price. There’s not an immense sense of stereo soundstage but for a portable speaker it does great. This latest-model Xtreme 3 is a slight improvement from its predecessors, the Xtreme and Xtreme 2, with basically the same form factor and sound profile. The JBL Boombox 2 is JBL’s latest model that is another step in terms of price and size—and it’s a fairly big step up in both of these. (For the best prices do check all of the sites we link to in the table above—sometimes some of them have it at a discount.) The Xtreme 3 can be gripped at its diameter in one hand (like an American football) whereas the Boombox 2, at twice the size and weight, really does remind you of those 1980s boomboxes that played cassette tapes. For those simple reasons we think most of you will be happier in the end with the Xtreme 3: you’ll have another hundred bucks in your pocket and a speaker that’s much more convenient to take anywhere.
But if you do snag the JBL Boombox 2 you’re certainly getting a significant step up in power and sonic range. The various critics that have weighed in loved how even it sounded; it held its composure even at top (very loud volumes). The bass is even deeper and more present than the Xtreme 3, which can help it in outdoor settings when bass can be particularly prone to falling away at a distance. That said, even the Boombox 2 is not a refined speaker for demanding indoor listening, where you might want to be able to set your own EQ or have less-boosted bass (which can reverberate off of surfaces). If you’re willing to settle for a less-durable, less-outdoorsy speaker than the Boombox 2, check out our large Bluetooth speaker recommendations for the types of speakers you’d mostly use indoors, but be able to place on the patio if needed, when it’s not raining. The Boombox 2 is JBL’s largest speaker that can conveniently be carried in one hand; for the next step up consider our review of the JBL PartyBox 100. And if the Boombox 2 is unavailable at the moment or if you are eying its cheaper predecessor, consider our comparison of the original JBL Boombox with the Boombox 2. Finally, if the Xtreme 3 seems too expensive or big for your needs, you could consider stepping down to the very similar JBL Charge 5, which is half the weight and price. Key Feature Differences Between the JBL Xtreme 3 and Boombox 2Aside from the size and sound differences discussed above, there’s not too much to worry about in terms of other differences between the Xtreme 3 and Boombox 2. They are both designed with essentially the same interface and features, with quite similar uses in mind. Here are the (rather slight) differences:
The features in common include:
The Best Non-JBL Alternative to Consider: The Ultimate Ears Hyperboom 3If you ‘re wondering what might be an option for you in leaving the universe of JBL, an interesting option comes from Ultimate Ears, whose loud, portable option at this size and price range is more designed for a living room than a rough outdoor party.
Ultimate Ears Hyperboom An enormous amount of pristine, portable sound from a small box; not as waterproof as the JBL options here (it’s rated IPX4) or as suitable for the outdoors We have written a separate comparison of the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom with the larger JBL Partybox 100 to give a full idea of how it stacks up in terms of sound. Wrap-up: So Which Is Right for You?Our preference is the more manageably sized, cheaper Xtreme 3, ourselves. Fight with us in the comments if you like.
JBL Xtreme 3 Incredibly loud but even sound with good bass in a very portable package you won’t hesitate to make use of
JBL Boombox 2 Twice as bulky, but goes louder and sounds great doing so What is the difference between JBL boombox and Xtreme?Our Verdict
The JBL Boombox 2 is a better speaker than the JBL Xtreme 3. The Boombox has a more balanced sound profile, and its battery lasts longer. The underemphasized treble range of the Xtreme can make audio sound a bit dull and veiled. However, it's is a lot smaller and lighter and takes less time to charge.
Is the JBL boombox louder than the extreme?Side-by-Side Comparison
The Boombox has a more balanced sound profile with a more extended low-bass. It can also get louder than the Xtreme, and its treble range sounds less dull and veiled. Although both speakers have an exceptionally long battery life, the Boombox can last almost 24 hours on a single charge.
Can you pair JBL Xtreme 3 and boombox 2?A JBL Xtreme 3 can connect to a JBL Boombox 2 with a PartyBoost feature.
Is Xtreme 3 a good speaker?The JBL Xtreme 3 is good for outdoor use. It has a great build quality and is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, meaning it's certified to be dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes, and you don't have to worry about it getting a bit wet when taking it outdoors with you.
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Jbl xtreme 3 vs boombox 2
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