So over all I really like the new JBL Partybox 310. Its rocking both cosmetic and performance
improvements from the JBL Partybox 300 that just makes it easier to transport and it also
sounds a little better as well. Now obviously the Partybox 310 is very different from the
JBL Boombox 2 but people want to know how they stack up against one another.
Now the main reason why people want to know how these two speakers stack up against one
another is cause they both retail for $500. Now obviously the Partybox 310 is going to
get way louder and have more bass than the Boombox 2. But depending on your needs and
wants you’ll might want to go with the Boombox 2. Regardless if you want to pick either of
these speakers up they’ll be linked down below.
Now first off we’ve got to address these speakers deigns… for all intents and purposes
the Boombox 2 is a little less than half the size of the Partybox 310 and it also weighs
a little less than half as much weighing in at 13 pounds. Where as the 310 weighs in at
38.4 pounds. So the Boombox 2’s sheer smaller size and lighter weight is just obviously
going to make it much easier to take on the go with you. Now granted the 310 does have
a new pair of wheels and a retraceable handle so you can easily roll this speaker around…
but if you are looking for a speaker that you do plan on constantly taking on the go
with you you’ll still want to go with the Boombox 2 cause it is more durable. Namely,
this speaker has a fabric covered body so it is going to stand up constant bumps and
scrapes without any problems. Where as the partybox has a mostly plastic body… so it
can get beat up quite easily. So overall if portability is a big to deal to you or if
you’ve just got a limited amount of room… then the boombox 2 is the way to go here.
However something the Partybox really has going for it is that it does have a built
in light feature. And over all I think this light feature looks great. And through JBL’s
you can control and customize this light feature. So if you’re looking for a speaker to mainly
use in your man cave or garage and if you plan on mostly keeping it plugged in and only
occasiounly moving it somewhere then you’ll might want to go with the Partybox.
Now when it comes to battery life these speakers are very different. Now the Boombox 2 has
an advertised battery life of 24 hours but thats when this speaker is playing at 50%
volume. And the Partybox 310 has an advertised battery life of 18 hours but that when its
playing at 50% volume, with its light feature turned off and with its bass boost feature
turned off as well.
But real world use with the Boombox 2 playing at 80% volume its good for around 7 to 8 hours
of playback and with the Partybox 310 playing at 80% volume, with its light feature turned
on and with its bass boost set to level 1 its good for around 5 hours of playback time
which is not bad at all given at just how big it is. And at 80% volume on the partybox
its like having the Boombox 2 playing at 100% volume. But nonetheless if battery life is
a big deal to you then you’ll might want to go with the boombox 2.
However, the Partybox does have a trick up its sleeve. The 310 actually has a 12 volt
dc port separate from its main AC charging port that allows you to charge this speaker
with JBL’s optional car charger. So if you’re at a cook out at like a public park or camping
you can still power the 310 with your car. Which I think its pretty cool.
Now when it comes to connectivity both of these speaker can be connected to two bluetooth
devices at the same time and they both have an easy to reach 3.5 millimeter audio jack
for wired connections. Now both of these speakers also have a USB A Port so that you can charge
your own devices… but only the Partybox allows you to plug in a USB Drive and play
music off of it.
Now the partybox also has a microphone and guitar input which could be useful if you
plan on hosting events or doing karaoke. But one very important thing to keep in mind is
that these control buttons up top are strictly used for adjust the sound of your microphone.
These buttons are not used for adjusting the sound of your music.
But now lets talk about listening to music with these speakers cause obviously these
speakers sound and preform very differently. The Boombox 2 has dual frontward firing woofers,
dual tweeters and dual passive radiators that shoot out its side. And when its plugged in
this speaker is rated at 80 watts RMS… but when its running off of its internal battery
its rated at 60 watts RMS. Then there’s the Partybox 310 which has dual frontward
firing woofers with an exhaust port on the back, and dual tweeters. And this speaker
is rated at 240 watts RMS when its plugged in. Now before we jump into the soundest keep
in mind that both of these speakers are running off of their internal battery, and they’re
playing at the same loudness which is 100% volume for the Boombox 2 and 80% volume for
the Partybox. And also the Partybox is playing while in bass boost level 2.
So
in general both of these speakers share the same sound signature as in they do like to
put a slight emphasis on the vocals. But obviously the Partybox has way more bass than the Boombox
2. If you’re looking for a speaker for your garage or man cave and you want your walls
to shake then the Partybox is the way to go cause the bass on the Boombox 2 comes nowhere
near the Partybox. At max volume the Boombox 2 starts to sound very bright and flat cause
once this speaker hits 80% volume from there on out really only the mid and highs increase
on the Boombox 2 and the bass just stays the same leading to a flat listening experience.
Where as with the Partybox its bass does linearly increase as you raise its volume. But even
at lower volumes the Partybox just sounds warmer and you get a lot more physicality
out of your music than with the Boombox 2.
Then there’s also the fact that the Partybox just gets way louder than the Boombox 2. Like
I mentioned earlier the sound test that you listened to had the Boombox 2 playing at max
volume whereas the Partybox was at 80% volume. Now yeah if you plugged in the Boombox 2 its
going to get a little louder and have a little more bass… but still its no match for the
Partybox. And with the Partybox you’re also going to get a performance bump out of it
as well if you use it while plugged in. So even though the Boombox 2 is great for portability…
if sound is your main priority than you are going to want to go with the Partybox 310.
But finally lets talk about pairing these speakers with other speakers. Now the boombox
2 is using JBL’s Partyboost meaning that you can wirelessly pair it up to other JBL
Partyboost like another JBL Boombox 2, a JBL Flip 5, a JBL Pulse 4, or even a JBL Xtreme
3. But you can not pair a JBL Partyboost speaker to JBL’s older speakers using JBL connect
plus like an original boombox, Xtreme 2, a charge 4, charge 3, flip 4, or a JBL Pulse
3.
And you also can not pair a JBL Partyboost speaker to any Partybox. And unfortunately
you can only wirelessly pair one Partybox 310 to one other Partybox 310 and get left
and right stereo sound going. But you can not wirelessly pair a Partybox 310 up to any
other partybox speaker.
However the Partybox 310 does a an AUX out so you can daisy chain one other speaker and
get them to play in sync. Even though I do which you could wirelessly pair a few partybox’s
together… I do think the AUX out port on the 310 is a good consolation prize.
So overall, when it comes to choosing between the Partybox 310 and Boombox 2 is all boils
down to portability and sound. If you want maximum portability then go with the Boombox
2. Its smaller and more rugged, its got better battery life, and if you have other party
boost speaker you can easily pair them up and cover a large area with music. Or if you
want the best sound then go with the Partybox 310. This speaker has a lot more bass so it
does lead to a warmer listening experience, and it also get considerably louder. But then
there’s also the fact that this speaker is just great for hosting parties… dance
the name Partybox. Its got a great looking light feature, and you can plug in you microphone
or guitar. And if you do plan on taking it on the go with its wheels make lugging this
speaker around much easier than its predecessor. Not its not at as as carrying around the Boombox…
but the partybox is still doable. And then there’s also the fact that if you do plan
on taking this speaker camping or to a cookout… you can always power it up with your car.