The 9 Best Party Speakers

The Sony SRS-XP700 is a great all-around party speaker

The Sony SRS-XP700 Bluetooth speaker is loud, portable, and packs loads of party-friends features. Louder, stronger, and more versatile than the previous model, the XP500. 

Housed in an easily transportable and eye-catching enclosure, the SRS-XP700 Sony Bluetooth speaker can withstand some gentle splashes and sounds great indoors and out. The speaker can be placed upright or horizontally, while the onboard adaptive equalizer analyzes the speaker’s surroundings to provide consistent sound quality and characteristics wherever you are. 

As for output levels, the Sony SRS-XP700, at maximum volume, reaches an average reading of 99dB- enough to power a medium-sized house party with people talking over the music. More importantly, the sound quality remains tight, clear, and punchy at all volume levels, where some encounter distortion territories. 

Supporting Bluetooth, USB, microphone, and guitar inputs, the SRS-XP700 will entertain your guests for up to 25 hours on a single charge, and a 10-minute recharge will provide 3 hours of entertainment should you find your party going a little longer than expected. Sony’s Fiestable App gives you control over the speaker’s built-in mesmerizing lighting show and other functionality, including playlist building and custom equalization. 

The Ultimate Ears Hyperboom is a discreet, classy, and highly portable party speaker

The Ultimate Ears Hyperboom is rather subtle compared to most of the other Bluetooth party speakers on this list as it excludes the flashing lights, karaoke modes, and other party-focused features, but rather draws attention to its sound quality and elegant design. 

Shaped like a cube, the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom can be set up anywhere and sounds great in all directions. The adaptive equalization function helps the UE Hyperboom speaker produce high-quality sound in any setting, analyzing its surroundings and tweaking the sound signature to suit the obstacles around it, eliminating unwanted reflections and resonances. 

Thanks to this feature and high-quality materials and DSP, the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom is one of our favorite-sounding portable Bluetooth speakers. Volume-wise, the Hyperboom can reach reasonably powerful output levels, enough to power a small to medium-sized house party, and the Hyperboom retains its punchy, full-bodied sound at all listening levels.  

As for additional features, the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom is splash-proof, and the onboard battery can provide up to 24 hours of playtime. Considering its size, the Hyperboom is reasonably lightweight and can easily be taken wherever the party takes you. 

While it excludes the fun, interactive party features, the UE Hyperboom is a reliable, powerful, portable, and great-sounding Bluetooth speaker that can be enjoyed in many scenarios. If you’re after something a little more interactive, I’d suggest reading further and taking a look at some of our other party-friendly options.    

JBL’s PartyBox Encore Essential offers great lighting effects

JBL’s PartyBox Encore Essential can be described as a portable version of the popular, powerful PartyBox speakers, which vary in size from larger tabletop speakers to colossal speaker towers. 

The PartyBox Encore Essential packs all of JBL’s classic PartyBox features in a smaller enclosure that can easily be carried around with you or stationed in your trunk. Protected by an IPX4 weather-resistance rating, the PartyBox Encore Essential can resist splashes from the pool or spilled drinks; other than this, I wouldn’t recommend using it in seriously threatening environments. 

One of the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential’s main selling points is the interactive light show, which pulses to the beat of your music and can be deactivated if you prefer. JBL’s signature sound characteristics are present here, bringing on thumping low-end, with the option to further enhance it using the bass boost function while maintaining the high-end clarity and midrange depth. The Partybox Encore Essential can also get reasonably loud, I’d say loud enough to power a medium-sized party, and the battery life is as reliable as always when it comes to JBL speakers.

I would have liked to see a speaker mounting option for a party-focused speaker, like the other PartyBox speakers, especially since it is smaller. The PartyBox Encore Essential doesn’t have a hard time being heard, and projects sound powerful and retain clarity at higher listening levels.

The only concern with the PartyBox Encore Essential is the battery life. If you’re going to be hosting parties from home and can have it plugged in, this isn’t a problem. With just 6 hours of battery life, you may find yourself needing to plug it in to charge before your party is over.

The Soundboks 3 tops the charts with 126dB of volume

One of the largest, most powerful, and most impressive Bluetooth speakers on the market is the 3^rd generation Soundboks. While it isn’t easily transportable, the monstrous volume levels make up for this. 

Built to resemble a PA speaker or bass amplifier, the Soundboks 3 is no joke of a Bluetooth speaker, and weighing just over 30 pounds, you’ll need a friend to help you carry this one! Pumping sound in one direction through 2 x 10-inch woofers and a 1-inch tweeter, the Soundboks 3 can get incredibly loud and sounds great even when the volume levels are maxed. If you’re having a larger party, up to 5 Soundboks speakers can be paired together, forming an extensive speaker network that’ll surely rattle some windows. 

The Soundboks 3 is rated IPX5 water resistant, so you can’t exactly leave it out in a storm or drop it in the lake, but the speaker will certainly survive the odd spilled drink here and there. Battery-wise, the Soundboks 3 offers up to 40 hours of playtime, and the battery brick is removable/exchangeable, so you can purchase others separately and reload when necessary to keep the party going. 

For the party-goers, one can connect using Bluetooth connections or 3.5mm auxiliary wired connections, and this latest Soundboks model includes a dual XLR/jack input for a microphone or electric instrument. The Soundboks app can also be used to perform firmware upgrades and control the speaker’s basic functions.

The Marshall Woburn III offers class, elegance, and a bright sound

From one of the world’s leading amplifier designers, the Marshall Woburn III is the latest iteration of the Woburn model. Like the Woburn II, this speaker is not battery-powered and will require an AC power connection.

The Marshall Woburn III still supports high-quality Bluetooth streaming, now using Bluetooth 5.2 for improved connection stability and range. We also find many of the same port connections as the Woburn II, though we now have an HDMI Arc connection port if you want to connect this speaker to your television.

The Marshall Woburn III is a bright-sounding speaker that has an emphasis on the upper frequencies while at the same time having a slightly recessed bass presence. This is not a bass-heavy speaker and isn’t what I’d recommend for pumping electronic music. Instead, the Woburn’s sound matches its aesthetic, offering a more classic, mature approach to sound. The Woburn III is something you’d throw on at a cocktail party, more than a house rager.

With regards to portability, the lack of a battery automatically limits this speaker’s portability. However, when it comes down to the weight itself, the Woburn III is relatively light at just over 15 lbs, a reduction from the Woburn II’s weight.

The Aiwa Exos-9 is one for the bass-heads

The Aiwa Exos-9 is another favorite of ours. Following a slightly more unique design that looks great on bedside tables, kitchen countertops, and home entertainment systems. Despite this speaker looking and sounding great in indoor situations, the Aiwa Exos-9 is durable enough for some outdoor usage, though it can’t be exposed to any rain or other dangerous materials. 

The Aiwa Exos-9 can get pretty loud, and sounds excellent at all volumes. Bass-heads will be pleased to know this speaker packs plenty of low-end thump, guaranteed to get your guests moving, and it’s refreshing to see a bass-heavy speaker that doesn’t cloud the remaining frequency range. 

The battery of the Aiwa Exos-9 is, in my opinion, where it falls short. Lasting up to 9 hours, it can certainly power a night-long house party, but pushing the volume limits will prove to shorten this battery’s lifespan, which is already incredibly low. To add to this, the battery has to be removed to be charged, so the speaker can’t be used while it refuels, unfortunately.  

As for connectivity options, Bluetooth connections are stable and high-quality, and for those who prefer wired connections, there is a 3.5mm auxiliary port on the Aiwa Exos-9; using this connection could save some battery life, too. 

The Turtlebox Gen 2 is the ultimate rugged Bluetooth speaker for parties

Probably the most durable Bluetooth speaker we’ve ever reviewed, the 2^nd Generation Turtlebox speaker is reliable, extremely loud, and unique. 

Designed like a military lunchbox and constructed from hard plastic all-round, the Turtlebox Gen 2 can certainly take a hard knock, drop, and will function as normal when exposed to snow, sand, dust, or high-pressure water contact. For on-the-go partiers, the Turtlebox is easily transportable (though it is a little heavy, can still be carried in one hand) and perfect for beach parties, as it can simply be hosed down after a sandy day. 

The Turtlebox Gen 2 can run for around 25 hours before you’ll need to get hold of a charger, though if you’re conservative regarding listening levels, you should get a little more out of it. This speaker is astonishingly loud, so unless you’re hosting a large house party, you shouldn’t need to crank the volume too far. 

Volume-wise, the Turtlebox Gen 2 is one of the louder speakers on this list, reaching ear-shattering volumes with ease while maintaining its stellar audio quality. This speaker is designed to be played loud, as low-volume listening sounds are rather muffled.

The JBL PartyBox 710 provides an outdoor party solution

JBL’s PartyBox range includes several different speakers. The primary speakers from this range include the 100, 310, 710, and 1000, though other models like the Encore also exist within the PartyBox range. I’ve picked the PartyBox 710 as the top pick for the best party speaker for a few reasons.

The PartyBox 1000 is a louder and larger speaker, but the features are somewhat limited to those with high requirements from their speaker, along with the hefty price tag and lack of battery power means the 710 is the next strongest in the PartyRange line and is also the loudest PartyBox speaker that is battery powered.

The sound profile of the PartyBox 710 is very good, especially for those who need to power outdoor parties. While the tuning on bass remains relatively accurate, the PartyBox 710 sounds deep, with an impressive low-end extension. The midrange is also balanced and sounds good, though towards the treble. There is a lack of brightness that comes with the 710.

This lack of definition in the treble is not a problem for outdoor use, but indoors, where you want a bit more brightness – there are some better choices on the market. For instance, the Marshall Woburn III sounds much brighter, with a better indoor sound presentation but lacks the bass of the PartyBox 710. Most partygoers may not notice this difference, but it’s something to keep in mind if you are picky about your sound signature.

There is no battery power offered on the PartyBox 710, which is important to consider, especially with the 710 doing its best work outdoors. You will need to provide AC power for this speaker. If you’re looking for a similar speaker but one that offers battery capabilities, take a look at the smaller PartyBox 310.

The JBL Boombox II is easy to carry despite its size and weight

Adopting the classic boombox design style with a modern twist, JBL’s Boombox II Bluetooth speaker provides the thumping low-end and characteristic loudness associated with boombox speakers. 

Protected by an IPX7 water-resistance rating, the JBL Boombox II can withstand some serious liquid contact, and the build quality is great. This speaker can certainly take a knock. While it isn’t the most lightweight speaker on this list, it’s not too uncomfortable to carry around with you, and it doesn’t occupy much space either. 

The sound quality here is the same as most JBL speakers; one can expect a tight low-end response with the option to boost the bass even further while the remaining frequency range retains clarity and detail. For parties, the JBL Boombox II is excellent at distributing sound in all directions and sounds pretty much the same no matter which angle you’re facing the speaker from. As for volume levels, the JBL Boombox II can reach some pretty impressive levels for its size while maintaining strong audio quality.

The Boombox II is an excellent on-the-go Bluetooth speaker for party-goers, offering impeccable sound quality, durability, and a reasonably strong battery life of up to 24 hours. If you’re looking for something with slightly more interactive features, such as lighting functions, the JBL Boombox II does not offer any of this; it simply just works as it should and sounds great.