This is the review of the comparison between the two speakers from the same brand but from different series. The comparison here is between the JBL Boombox 2 and the JBL Xtreme 2. To know which one is good for you to buy, go to the detailed review.

JBL Boombox 2	JBL Xtreme 2
BUY NOW	BUY NOW
PROS	PROS
Very powerful audio performance, with booming bass and sculpted highs. 24-hour battery life. Loud, distortion-free sound. IPX7 water-resistant.	Clean, clear sound. Balanced bass. Solid design.
CONS	CONS
Expensive. Lacks a bit of low bass. Missing the best Bluetooth codecs. Doesn’t have an EQ. Won’t work with the original.	Big. No wi-fi or multi-room. Presentation too grown-up for some.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Detail Review:

INTRODUCTION:

JBL Boombox 2

The JBL Boombox 2 is one of the updated version speakers from the JBL. The JBL Boombox 2 has few updated features compared to its predecessor. This speaker is retailing for around five hundred dollars currently on Amazon which is on the premium side.

JBL Xtreme 2

In September 2015 JBL released the JBL Xtreme. It made a big splash in the portable Bluetooth speaker category. So, riding on the success of its predecessor, JBL has made some improvements but nothing too Xtreme 2 brings you the Xtreme 2. This speaker is retailing for around three hundred and fifty dollars currently on Amazon.

DESIGN: 

JBL Boombox 2

As far as the build quality and design, this gives you a nice manly feel as it weighs too much. It’s covered in a nice rugged fabric mesh and all across the speaker which is the plastic body and it feels nice in the hand. It has like the rubberized coating to it, it’s kind of matte and also, you get like these little rubber knobs in the handle to increase the grip is needed. As far as the weight, this speaker weighs 13 pounds and it’s going to have two 106 millimeter woofers in the front and two quarter-inch tweeters in the side. You also have your two JBL Brandon and JBL logo itself on the radiators on the sides.

As far as the buttons, on the top, you have your party boost button to connect to 100 compatible portable speakers, then volume down, power on, Bluetooth connect button, and the ring right there actually lights up when you turn on party boots, so that you get to know that the feature is enabled, then volume up and play-pause button and also, that doubles as skip but not reverse track, so that’s kind of disappointing. On to the back is where the charger goes, there’s your USB-A output, your micro USB port, you and your 3.5 mm in their headphone jack. You need to keep this closed because without this remember your speaker will be water damage.

JBL Xtreme 2

As far as the physical features, the Xtreme 2 currently comes in three colors black, blue, and green. The Xtreme 2 is not your average-sized mini Bluetooth speaker, it’s something else. The dimensions are eleven point three times five point four times five points two inches and it weighs in at a whopping five points to eight pounds. It is not very easy to grip and carry around in one hand but the speaker comes with a handy carrying strap for when you need to take it on the road to the park or to the beach. The body of the speaker has a cylindrical shape that is wider at the center than at the ends. The majority of the speaker is covered with a woven fabric that gives the speaker its rugged facade and is becoming one of JBL’s signature design elements.

There are two silicone shoes on the base of the speaker that keeps it from rolling away, and reduce vibration to the surface that it’s placed. On the top of the speaker has anchors for the carrying strap and the control panel with the power, Bluetooth, and other controls. There are no lights on the speaker except for the power and JBL connects buttons and the charging indicator. Both sides of the Xtreme 2 have passive radiators that enhance low-frequency sound produced by the speaker. They are recessed and somewhat protected by the hard plastic edge of the speaker. The front of the speaker has a JBL logo and indicator lights. The back has a watertight flap that opens to reveal all the ports. There is a power port, one USB charge-out port, a micro USB service port, and an auxiliary port.

FEATURES:

JBL Boombox 2

The JBL Boombox 2 retails for 499.95 dollars. This is the flagship waterproof portable Bluetooth speaker out of the JBL line. The battery is 24 hours long with its 10,000 milliamp power bank you can actually charge your phone while it’s music at the same time and also this speaker features a JBL party boost. So you will not be able to connect to older speakers such as the JBL Xtreme 2 and going back on party boost, it’s not compatible. But you are able to pair up to 100 plus JBL party boost enabled speakers. The Bluetooth version on this is Bluetooth 5.1 which is an upgrade because the older one was running at 4.2. The frequency response is 50 hertz to 20 000 kilohertz but like the bass starts definitely drops off around 45 but the lowest you can get is around 32.

Inside the box, you get your Boombox 2 speaker itself, then you get your JBL quick start guide to quickly start a speaker and it’s actually a pretty nice one, you get your warranty information, and your warning information so on what not to do in all kinds of languages. For the charging source, you get your little AC adapter, this is a variety of plug to charge the Boombox 2 with its 10,000 battery. This thing can charge it in 6.7 hours so, that’s why you know this brick’s so big, and your United States wall adapter.

As far as the portability the JBL Boombox 2 weighs in at 13 pounds, so you will be switching your hands from time to time but if I’m rock out the old school just place it on your shoulder and rocker just like a boss. To connect the speaker to your phone, you need to first turn on the speaker and press the Bluetooth button that will allow your speaker to go into pairing mode. Then turn on the Bluetooth in your phone and go to your Bluetooth settings and click on Boombox 2, accept, and once you get the notification, and you are done.

JBL Xtreme 2

The JBL Xtreme 2 is a rugged portable Bluetooth speaker that doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles of some of its competition. But it delivers where it’s most desired the performance. On the performance side of things, this speaker is great. The Xtreme 2 comes with four forward-facing drivers, two 2.75 inch woofers, and two 0.79 inch tweeters. There is no 360 degrees sound, which I would like but the speaker delivers a great performance. The speaker has a rechargeable 10000 milliampere-hour battery that has an average battery life of 15 hours but tests have shown that you can get more hours of enjoyment from the Xtreme 2. Recharge time takes 3.5 hours from zero to 100%.

When it comes to connectivity, the speaker uses Bluetooth 4.2 technology which is not as new as Bluetooth 5.0 but will give you a good signal strength in a medium to large-sized room without interference. The speaker also features JBL connects plus that all-new JBL speakers have, allowing you to link over 100 speakers that have the connect plus feature to play simultaneously. The Xtreme 2 comes with a speakerphone option, so you can accept calls from the device and an app for more in-depth interaction. One of my favorite features on the Xtreme 2 is the IPX7 rating, which makes the speakers waterproof in 3 feet of water for 30 minutes, and as an added bonus the speaker also floats, so don’t be afraid to get it wet or if it falls in a pool, or in the lake. My biggest disappointment with this speaker is the price I pick this up for $279.

JBL has made your speaker as quick as possible it can. Connecting the speaker with your smartphone or tablet is very easy. First of all, you need to turn on the power and wait for the tone. Then you need to go to the settings in your smart device and make sure your Bluetooth is turned on. Next, you need to go on the controls of the Xtreme 2 and press the Bluetooth button. So, the blue light will start to blink it means is in pairing mode. Once your smart device has found your Xtreme 2, just go ahead and click it, then you will hear a tone that it is connected.

SOUND QUALITY:

JBL Boombox 2

As far as the sound quality, at lower volumes it’s been decent, it sounds like it’s been held back because due to the 80-watt power limiter but once you get above 40 percent, that bass starts kicking. But once it gets higher the vocals and mid sound clear but at times it can get overpowered by the bass, and it can like go up and down as far as the voices sound. The Boombox 2 got way louder and way more bass than the Xtreme 2 but the thing is about it due to the huge passive radiators, it can get overly blown by the music itself, due to the bass.

JBL Xtreme 2

If you like bass just know you’re not getting deep sub-bass like some of these standing portable speakers from like Sonos. But if your priority is portability Xtreme 2 has the best amount of bass to quality ratio. The vocals are bright and forward, which I personally love it’s clear distinct in-your-face at times but without being harsh or overdone. This is good for entertaining since it’s not just about bass but you want your vocals to stand out, you can also hear some depth with the Xtreme 2 as there’s some sense of audio being in the forefront and an audio a little bit more rearward of that.

WHICH TO BUY?

In my opinion, you can any of the two speakers without any doubt because both of the speakers are really good for their price. It just depends on you what want in your portable speaker. If you want your speaker to sound very loud with punchy and heavy bass then you should buy the Boombox 2 because it sounds better than the Xtreme 2. If the loudness and punchiness of the bass are not important for you but to be portable easily is your first priority, then the Xtreme 2 is good for you to buy than the Boombox 2.

Expert Reviews of JBL Boombox 2:

By PC Mag
JBL’s Boombox 2 speaker is built for backyard parties, tailgates, and anywhere else you want to bring big Bluetooth audio.

By Rtings
The JBL Boombox 2 is decent for music. Although it lacks a bit of low-bass, its mid and treble ranges are well-balanced, so vocals and…

By Tech Radar
JBL doesn’t reinvent all that much with this newer iteration of the Boombox, though did manage to change its multi-speaker connectivity and…

By Good House Keeping
This portable speaker is ideal for a camping trip or for use in a large garden. It’s big and expensive but the sound it produces is worth it.

Expert Reviews of JBL Xtreme 2:

By What Hi-Fi?
One of the best portable speakers around, the Xtreme 2 offers sonic subtlety you wouldn’t expect from first impressions…

By Sound Guys
The JBL Xtreme 2 is for a specific kind of person and if you got to this point in the review then chances are that person is you. If you want…

By PCMag
The portable JBL Xtreme 2 speaker can be submerged in water and still pump out loud tunes with intense bass depth, making…

By TechHive
The JBL Xtreme 2 is an excellent portable Bluetooth speaker. Setup is a snap, and it sounds surprisingly good for such a small speaker, though…

By cnet
The JBL Xtreme 2 is a jumbo-sized Bluetooth speaker that trades light and easy portability for much fuller sound, both indoors and outdoors.