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109

Speakers

True Score Methodology v1.0

JBL Boombox 3 Review

Name: JBL Boombox 3
Brand: JBL

By

Nikshep Myle

2/14/2024 11:05 AM

True Score

84

Absolutely Fresh

83

6

Experts

93

2,743

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Expert Pick

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

(

6

)

The JBL Boombox 3 offers impressive sound quality with great bass response and is excellent for outdoor use because of its long battery life and strong dust and water resistance. However, its 14.7-pound weight might hinder portability for some users.

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Table of Contents

Product Snapshot
Overview
Consensus
- {post.0.post_title} Specs
- Test Results
Product Comparison
All Stores
Score Card
Expert Score Breakdown
Customer Score Breakdown
Learn More About Speakers

Product Snapshot

Overview

The JBL Boombox 3 is a premium Bluetooth speaker first announced in late 2022. The speaker’s IP67 rating makes it both waterproof and dustproof, and therefore, the perfect music companion for outdoor listening. The speaker also has a built-in power bank that allows users to charge their devices, and this unique feature isn’t common even with the best speakers on the market.

The Boombox 3 also stands out with its 29.7-hour battery life, and a special feature known as JBL PartyBoost allows users to pair the Boombox 3 with another speaker for a stereo sound output. It also has a fairly high 94.4 dB max volume, which is pretty standard among many of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market.

Rankings (recommended in)

Best For

Airplay
Bass
Boat
Boombox
Jbl
Multi-Room
Shower
Tailgate Speakers

Consensus

our Verdict

The JBL Boombox 3 is a great speaker to use outdoors mainly because of its IP67 rating (waterproof and dustproof) and its exceptional 29.7-hour battery life. Sound quality is impressive courtesy of a well-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box and a pretty accurate frequency response, ranging between 46.2 and 19300 Hz.

Its low-frequency bass response is also likely to impress bass heads, and with a volume output of up to 94.45 decibels, it ranks in the top 20% on our list of verified tested speakers.

The Boombox 3 also has reliable connectivity, as its Bluetooth 5.3 connection works over a range of up to 334 ft, and its 143 ms and 141 ms latencies over both iOS and Android connections are great for in-sync audiovisuals. Also included is an AUX port and a USB-A out port for charging other devices are also included. Still, weighing 14.7 pounds, it may be heavy for some, so it isn’t very portable.

Reason to Buy

Great sound quality
- The JBL Boombox 3 offers well-balanced sound quality, with good bass response and a max volume rating of 94.45 dB, which places it in the top 10% of speakers on our certified tested list. The sound also doesn’t distort at max volume.
Long battery life
- The JBL Boombox 3’s battery lasts up to 29.7 hours, long enough for more than a day of listening. Its long play time earns it a top 10% ranking compared to other Bluetooth speakers in this regard.
Great build quality
- The JBL Boombox 3 has a rigid exterior, a rubberized plastic casing, and sturdy rubber feet. Rated IP67, the speaker is designed to be both dust and water-resistant.

Reason to Avoid

14.7-pound weight may be heavy for some
- The speaker’s 14.7-pound weight may make it less portable compared to other alternatives.

JBL Boombox 3 Specs

	Battery Charge Time	6.5 hrs
	Battery Life	24 hrs
	Built In Microphone	No
	Depth	20"
	Height	25.7"
	IPX Rating	IP67
	Size	–
	Smart App	JBL Portable
	Speaker Pairing	Yes
	Water Resistant	Yes
	Wattage	180 W
	Width	48.2"
	Wireless Range	30 ft

All Specs

Test Results

Battery Life (Hours)	29.7
Volume Output (dB)	94.45
Low End Roll Off (Hz)	52.628
High End Roll Off (Hz)	15,792.239

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Product Comparison

	JBL Boombox 3 Review	Ultimate Ears Hyperboom Review
True Score	84	82
Ranking	# 19 / 109	# 33 / 109
Market Context	The JBL Boombox 3 is a premium Bluetooth speaker first announced in late 2022. The speaker’s IP67 rating makes it both waterproof and dustproof, and… The JBL Boombox 3 is a premium Bluetooth speaker first announced in late 2022. The speaker’s IP67 rating makes it both waterproof and dustproof, and therefore, the perfect music companion for outdoor listening. The speaker also has a built-in power bank that allows users to charge their devices, and this unique feature isn’t common even with the best speakers on the market. The Boombox 3 also stands out with its 29.7-hour battery life, and a special feature known as JBL PartyBoost allows users to pair the Boombox 3 with another speaker for a stereo sound output. It also has a fairly high 94.4 dB max volume, which is pretty standard among many of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market.	While the JBL Boombox 3’s companion app only has a graphic equalizer, the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom’s companion app offers a graphic equalizer with presets. This… While the JBL Boombox 3’s companion app only has a graphic equalizer, the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom’s companion app offers a graphic equalizer with presets. This makes the Ultimate Ears speaker a better alternative for sound customization. The JBL Boombox 3 is also dust-proof, while the Hyperboom is not, but they both go for around the same price. However, if you’re looking for speakers designed for outside use but not so much for portability, then you might like our Pohopa EF B210G review.
Battery Charge Time	6.5 hrs	2.6 hrs
Battery Life	24 hrs	24 hrs
Built In Microphone	No	Yes
Depth	20"	7.5"
Height	25.7"	14.3"
IPX Rating	IP67	IPX4
Size	–	–
Smart App	JBL Portable	Boom
Dig Deeper		Ultimate Ears Hyperboom Review →

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

83

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

93

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

84

Expert Score Breakdown

Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight.

102.6
Category Trust Score
75
The JBL Boombox 3 is good for music. It has a fairly balanced sound profile… read more
By:
Mahmood Ahmed
54.9
Category Trust Score
80
You won’t want to carry it too far, but the highly durable JBL Boombox 3… read more
By:
Tim Gideon
68.04
Category Trust Score
80
JBL’s Boombox 3 has a wide sound with booming bass, and there’s plenty of power… read more
By:
Michael Gowan
55.87
Category Trust Score
NR
A durable party speaker, whether you’re indoors or outdoors. The JBL Boombox 3 is IP67… read more
By:
Sam Smart
46.86
Category Trust Score
NR
read more
By:
Unknown
51.48
Category Trust Score
80
The JBL Boombox 3 Wi-Fi is, for some tastes, comfortably the best-sounding model in JBL’s… read more
By:
Andrew Williams