In the experiment, JBL PartyBox On-The-Go and Go 3: Speaker in a pocket or on the shoulder

JBL is the market leader in portable speakers – and rightly so. The new JBL PartyBox On-The-Go brings a sweet set of features.

Text: Teppo Hirvikunnas
Photos: Teppo Hirvikunnas and the manufacturer

Before then, young people – and even a little older ones – carried various-sized, mostly quite large stereo cassettes (i.e., portable battery-powered cassette players) to the beaches and festivals. Then came streaming services and Bluetooth speakers equipped with rechargeable batteries. Music now easily travels anywhere, and in these rather small speakers there is also an incredibly good bass response for its size. These wireless speakers are sold in huge quantities.

JBL has long been the market leader in this product group. And not without reason; JBL has succeeded in making affordable yet soundly-tuned loudspeakers – and of course, their marketing and distribution have also been effective.

On the shoulder or in a pocket

We tested two interesting new models: the latest version of the nearly pocket-sized JBL Go 3, as well as the all-new JBL PartyBox On-The-Go, which is supported by a shoulder strap.

Go 3 is a small and affordable (recommended price €39) portable wireless speaker that is built to withstand tough conditions and deliver powerful sound for a large audience. It might not be the mini speaker you would carry in your backpack, but it is small nonetheless. Go 3 is easy to carry in a backpack or on a belt if you only have a carabiner – not anymore now. The speaker is IP67-rated, meaning it is completely waterproof and dustproof. Therefore, it is likely to withstand even demanding conditions and even being submerged in water.

The speaker has a 43 x 47 millimeter wide-band driver and a four-watt amplifier in its class. The JBL Go 3 sounds incredibly loud. You don't believe it until you try it yourself. The speaker has good and clear sound. There are also bass sounds. However, as the volume increases, you have to compromise on the bass sound. The speaker is promised a maximum of five hours of playtime on a full battery. This could be a bit longer, but a smaller device simply doesn't have room for a larger battery.

Bass guitar

The PartyBox On-The-Go (recommended price 299 euros) represents the other extreme. It is not, however, a carry-on suitcase like the ones on the market; it is rather a portable speaker that is carried on the shoulder and the waist, relying on a shoulder strap. The thick shape of the speaker is a bit difficult to carry, and the 7.5-kilogram weight also imposes certain limitations on carrying it. The easiest way to carry it is perhaps just in a ghetto blaster style on the shoulder.

The PartyBox On-The-Gossa has a separate 133mm bass driver and two 44mm wideband drivers. However, despite the two wideband drivers located on the sides of the enclosure, it is still a mono speaker. A bit of an odd solution when the prerequisites for stereo playback would have been in place.

The power output is a whopping 100 watts on the mains power and 50 watts with the built-in battery. This is also included. The PartyBox On-The-Go really sounds loud, and with the three-way bass boost, the bass also sounds really manly. The audio quality is generally good, and you can of course adjust the sound using the tone controls in the various playing apps.

The device is promised about six hours of playing time on battery depending on volume and bass settings, but in practice, with the lighting effects on, a bit of bass emphasis in the game and volume suitable for shore use, the playing time was less than two hours. This is too much and surprisingly little considering the weight of the device.

Sing-a-long
The PartyBox On-The-Go also comes with a very high-quality wireless microphone. It has its own place on the device’s side, and there is also a level control, tone controls, and adjustable echo for the microphone’s sound on the device’s top. These settings are intended for the microphone’s sound only. They have no effect on the music playback. Additionally, the device has wired connections for another microphone and for an electric guitar or a keyboard. You can thus easily set up small band rehearsals or even karaoke sessions with the speaker. And that’s not all: there are also showy and replaceable lighting effects in front of the device, even for a small home disco.

You can connect the music to the device wirelessly, but also via the 3.5 mm aux port and directly from the USB port. The USB port can also provide power for the phone if needed.

PartyBox On-The-Go also supports JBL's True Wireless Stereo function, where two speakers can be connected wirelessly to each other to form a stereo pair.

The JBL PartyBox On-The-Go has connections for a microphone and instrument. The device comes with a wireless microphone that has volume control, tone controls, and adjustable equalizer. There are several different options for the front panel lighting effect and three for bass boost. The power button has LED indicators to indicate the battery level. It is also possible to switch the Bluetooth device tracks from the speaker.

Behind the speaker is a 3.5 mm input and a slot for a USB flash drive. The USB connection can also be used to charge the phone.