The JBL Boombox 3 is a good upgrade from the JBL Boombox 2 and delivers much better bass due to its built-in subwoofer, in addition to the two tweeters and two midrange drivers that both speakers already have. This new 3-way design allows the JBL Boombox 3 to have much better clarity when it comes with the highs, midranges and bass, without the sound bleeding into another frequency range; each woofer and tweeter is designed for a specific frequency band. The Xtreme 3 improves charge time to just 2.5 hours, down from 3.5 hours for the Xtreme 2 (both have 15 hours of battery life)

Features: water/dustproof according to protection class IP67, JBL Party Boost, powerbank function, equalizer, integrated power supply unit JBL claims the Boombox 3 has a 24-hour battery. These claims are pretty accurate, and it’s very impressive. The Boombox 3 is compatible with Bluetooth 5.3 and supports the SBC codec, but not AAC or AptX. Sonic fidelity is less important outdoors, but we expect higher-end codec support in light of the premium price. Again, this doesn't really affect the powerful bass or impressive volume output, but anything to help with audio clarity over Bluetooth is welcome. Like JBL's smaller Bluetooth speakers, the Xtreme 3 is a versatile boom box that can be stood up vertically or placed horizontally. Though a tad bigger than the Xtreme 2, at first glance it doesn't look much different from the previous model, but it does have upgraded sound with slightly better bass and clarity while actually weighing slightly less. Here are the key differences between the two speakers, according to JBL: It’s a portable speaker that can deliver a massive sound, and it delivers it well. The audio is crisp, clean, and precise and the bass booms. The battery lasts a massive 24 hours, and the IP67-resistant design allows you to take the speaker anywhere without worrying about it.For outdoor use, I like the design of the Boombox 3 better than UE Hyperboom. The portable Bluetooth speaker is easier to carry around and just looks more like an outdoor speaker. It's also fully waterproof and dustproof with an IPX67 rating (the previous model was waterproof but didn't have a dustproof rating).

On the contrary: Its subwoofer seemed to really get going when the volume control was turned halfway up and pushed more and more vehemently up to a certain point as the level increased. The punch was very rich, just the way you like it with dance music beats. At the upper end of the transmission range, the JBL Boombox 3 produced fresh, but by no means sharp highs. Cymbals and other high-frequency impulses not only flashed magnificently. They also had a pleasant effortlessness about them. Freedom with the equalizer

Impressive Power

The Boombox 3 looks quite similar to the older Boombox 2, with a familiar built-in handle and large passive radiators on either end. But there are some notable upgrades under the grille. The previous model had dual tweeters and woofers, as well as passive radiators at either end. The updated version uses a similar setup, but adds a subwoofer to the mix.

The Boombox had to defend a reputation in the listening test that it has built up over two generations of hard party use. And then the third generation still has to assert itself against stronger competition. Not only Sony unabashedly poaches in the heavy Bluetooth speaker’s territory with the SRS-XG500. Also just the recently introduced and at STEREO GUIDE tested Tribit Stormbox Blast aims at the ancestral territory of JBL’s great “Ghetto Blaster”. The latter is still in the editorial office, which is why we were able to use it for a direct comparison with the big model. But first, the sound description of the JBL Boombox 3. The Boombox 3 boasts a very similar design to the Boombox 2. The only immediate difference is the handle. It’s now a metal handle with silicone grips that sits on top of the speaker instead of blending into the ends like on the Boombox 2. It looks good. The JBL Boombox Series has been one of the most important products in the line-up of portable Bluetooth speaker systems from Harman International Industries for years, and this is also to apply to the new JBL Boombox 3, which the company presented at CES 2022 in Las Vegas at the beginning of the year. To test the sound capabilities of the Boombox 3, I played Uh Uh by Thundercat. This is a complex song, and the speaker gave each element of the mix a natural-sounding amount of space. The subfrequencies came through clearly, and the bass notes hit hard enough to give the song a rhythmic bounce. Harman International Industries describes the new JBL Boombox 3 as a solution with JBL Original Pro Sound and thus establishes the connection to its solutions in the pro audio sector, even if in the final analysis it is still a portable Bluetooth speaker.Like the UE Hyperboom (see below), this has a USB-out port that allows you to charge external devices like your phone, and there's also an analog audio input if you want to go wired and connect a device without using Bluetooth connectivity (the Hyperboom adds an optical digital input). Midrange and treble are classically reproduced in stereo by a pair each of 9 cm midrange drivers and 1.9 cm domes. For this, two times 40 plus two times 10 watts RMS are added. Makes a nice total power of 180 watts in total. Namely, RMS, which is the most conservative power rating besides sine wave power. Other manufacturers would probably write twice as much in the spec sheet without shame. JBL even states in the spec sheet that the power is somewhat reduced when running on battery power, namely to 136 watts RMS. Power hungry The bass capabilities are impressive, delivering powerful and clean lower frequencies without sounding distorted. Midrange and high frequencies also sound clean. A weakness of a lot of portable speakers is the audio starts to sound tinny at higher volumes. The Boombox 3 does an excellent job of keeping the sound well-balanced and precise throughout the volume spectrum.

It’s not surprising that the Boombox 3 is power-hungry and requires a mains connection for battery charging as well as for maximum power operation. Nevertheless, it needs a whopping 6.5 hours until an empty battery is full again. Though it costs more than Tribit's Stormbox Blast, the 11.7-pound Rave Party 2 is a more attractively designed speaker and arguably sounds slightly better. Its two 4-inch woofers and two 2-inch tweeters deliver aggressive, punchy sound with enough volume to fill larger rooms (the Tribit's bass goes a little deeper, but I was pretty satisfied with this speaker's low-end capabilities). For even bigger sound, you can wirelessly link multiple Rave Party 2 and other Soundcore speakers that support the company's PartyCast 2.0 feature. If we were to compare the JBL Boombox 3 and JBL Boombox 2 side by side, the one thing we can say with confidence is that the JBL Boombox 3 definitely delivers much louder and sustained bass performance with very deep lows. You will certainly enjoy listening to pop and disco music on the JBL Boombox 3 and the bass from this speaker is very powerful and punchy. Specifications While the battery life rating remains the same (up to 24 hours at moderate volume levels), this Gen 3 model includes Bluetooth 5.3 instead of Bluetooth 5.1. Also, the speaker weighs about 1.7 pounds more (14.7 pounds or 6.7 kg) and just feels that much more substantial.It’s important to know that not all JBL speakers work with PartyBoost, though, so it always pays to do some research before buying a load of them. As of now the speakers that are compatible with PartyBoost are the Flip 6, Charge 5, Xtreme 3, Boombox 3 and their predecessors. Battery The Boombox 3 boasts an IP67 resistance rating, meaning the speaker is waterproof. It will survive being submerged in up to 1m of water for 30 minutes and is protected from dust. This means you can take it to the beach, use it at a pool party or wash it off in the sink without worrying about it getting damaged. As far as the comparison with Tribit’s challenger named Stormbox Blast was concerned, the first thing that amazed us was the Stormbox Blast’s tight performance for a significantly lower price – at least at moderate volume. Vocals sounded as pleasingly natural over both, and both also offered an exceedingly rich bass. But at medium levels, the JBL Boombox 3 seemed to ignite a kind of booster and set itself further and further apart as the volume increased. Quite obviously, JBL is not simply getting paid for the name here. There’s also a lot of oomph behind it. JBL estimates that the speaker can last roughly 24 hours on a charge, but your results will vary based on your volume levels. The company claims the battery takes about 6.5 hours to fully charge from empty.