Verdict
If even party speakers are n’t enough for your pauperism , the PartyBox Ultimate is exactly what you need . It ’s super - sized , extremely flash , extremely flashy and very well - link . It ’s probably too big for most home , but if you ’re running events , this speaker delivers in earnest bang-up sound at a clean reasonable price .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
JBL ’s party speakers have a repute for delivering big bassy sounds and dazzling light shows , but one loudspeaker system tower above the rest – the JBL PartyBox Ultimate .
This thing is an absolute social unit . It ’s well over 3 metrical unit grandiloquent , matter almost 40 kg and can output a ground - shaking 1100W of pure power .
There ’s no dubiousness this speaker is overkill for any normal household , but if you ’re looking for that concert or nightclub sound that you may feel in your chest , maybe this could be the one for you . If you ’re a disc jockey , an issue PDA or a busker , this speaker starts to look even more appealing .
It ’s sure to be tacky , and the wink RGB lighting is guaranteed to attract attention , but is it worth investing in such a large , cloggy and expensive speaker ? I was keen to detect out , and after annoying my neighbours for the last couple of weeks , here ’s what I made of the JBL PartyBox Ultimate .
Design
When the JBL PartyBox Ultimate arrive at my house , I was not full prepared for the shell of this behemoth . I ’m no unknown to heavy speaker , having tested theSony SRS - XV800 , but the PartyBox Ultimate is on a different level . The super - sized boxful prominently tells you that carry it is a two - man job , and it ’s no hyperbole to say that it was a challenge to fit it through my front door .
Thankfully , once it ’s out of the box , manoeuvring the verbaliser becomes a mo easier . It has bag - style wheels on the fanny , and a build up - in grab hold so you may tow it along . That say , you are n’t going to need to trundle it for long distances , the 39.5 kg weightiness is something that ’s difficult to contend with . You should also keep in mind that while it ’s technically portable , it ’s still likely to be too bombastic for many machine boots .
The speaker is mostly made from a undestroyable - tactile sensation black plastic textile , with a mammoth metal verbalizer grille covering the six driver on the front . There ’s a prominent JBL badge in the centre of this grille , finished in dark grey with a pernicious orange tree cut down around the edge . This signature orange colourway is recapitulate on the interior of the grab - hold , with a soft - touch rubberised cloth .
When it ’s move around off , the design is rather subtle , but that quickly changes the bit you change by reversal it on . This speaker has more lights than any other talker that I ’ve come across , and they ’re able to smoothen , flash and pulsate in a dazzling rainbow of gloss along with the music . Of course , if that ’s not you thing , you may turn them off too .
Around the back , you ’ll find three rubber bung covering the various connection point and a bass reflex port wine that ’s so tumid you could almost conform to your head inside . The fundamental fuss covers a small compartment that ’s just large enough to fit the AC cable at heart for store , a thoughtful touch . The bottom - most flapping hides the figure-8 main connection , while the top one has the respite of the I / O.
Here you ’ll find two 1/4 - inch old salt , one that ’s designed for a mike and the other that can be used with a guitar or a mic – with a separate increase control knob . Then , there are two 3.5 millimetre sockets , one that acts as an auxiliary input , while the other is an output that can be used to daisy - chain loudspeaker system . Finally , there ’s a USB - A port , and that can be used to bear down other gadget or to play back music from a flash thrust .
On top , there ’s a set of physical controls for the basic verbalizer functions and a convenient slot that can act as a stand for your phone or tab . There are two large rubberised knobs , one for volume control and one for cycling through inflammation modes , there ’s also a play / suspension and lights on / off on/off switch in the center of each .
You also get four backlit button , one for Bluetooth conjugation , one for wireless sexual union of multiple loudspeaker , a favourite predetermined button and a bass rise toggle switch . At the rear , you ’ll find physical controls for the microphone EQ , and in the centre , there ’s a PartyPad . This allows you to run samples and effects on the fly for a bit of DJ - style natural action .
Features
The JBL PatyBox Ultimate pack in a serious amount of characteristic , and it ’s so well equipped on the connectivity front that you ’d fight to find a music source that ’s incompatible . Of course , you get the basic like Bluetooth 5.3 and 3.5 mm aux , but the speaker can also connect to your Wi - Fi web to enable an extra set of capabilities .
Most features are controlled via the JBL One companion app , which is available for both Android and iOS , but once it ’s set up you could play your melodic line directly via Chromecast , Spotify Connect , Tidal Connect andApple AirPlay . you could also get at some music services directly in the JBL One app , includingAmazon Music , Tidal , Qobuz , TuneIn and iHeartRadio .
The vantage here , compare to relying on Bluetooth , is that you’re able to play your favored music without break from notifications or incoming call . It also means you could listen in Dolby Atmos using corroborate services like Tidal and Amazon Music .
The app gives you accession to a 5 - band EQ , which is on the canonical side , but to be honest , it sounds so in effect by nonremittal that I did n’t sense the pauperization to tinker too much . Besides , there are plenty of other ways to pull off the sound . For example , you’re able to take between recondite or punchy presets for the bass rise function , allowing you to append more rumble or thud , look on your tastes .
There ’s also an Effects Lab , which allows you to use legion DJ - style filters and effects , like an echo , repeating firearm , gater and a bunch of sound core . It ’s not going to replace an factual mixing desk anytime soon , but it ’s a upright bit of merriment . you’re able to also choose to add your favored essence and samples to the PartyPad on top of the speaker system , giving you quick memory access to physical gist pads at all times .
in person , my favourite feature film is the inflammation . This speaker is loaded with bright vibrant light-emitting diode , there ’s a giant diffuse figure 8 on the front , LED flight strip around the perimeter and the sides , downward - fuel light-emitting diode on the infrastructure and white strobe light sprinkled across the grille . It take care incredible in action , it really is a political party in a box .
In the app , you may fine - tune these effects to your liking . There are 6 preset style , all of which are medicine - reactive , and you may change the colour of each , as well as selecting which perch zone are active . Say , for model , you love the light-emitting diode on the side , but you do n’t want the strobes or the big figure 8 active , you’re able to just toggle them off in the app .
If you ’re a instrumentalist , an event organizer or if you ’re holding a karaoke political party , you may connect up to two microphones and control how they sound using the commodious dominance dial on the top panel . You get controls for volume , freshwater bass , threefold and echo , so dialling thing in should be no fuss at all .
If you ’ve somehow found a blank space large enough to require more than one of these speakers , you’re able to quickly create a wireless dyad using the button with a triangular symbol on it . Plus , if you have a non - JBL speaker that you ’d choose to connect rather , you could easily daisy chain them using the 3.5 mm output on the rearward panel .
Sound Quality
The scale and price of this speaker devote me high-pitched hopes for its audio timbre , and I ’m pleased to say it did not let down . In fact , the JBL PartyBox Ultimate exceeded my expectations . I fuck it would be garish , and I expected plenty of bass , but I was n’t anticipate the svelte sound that this speaker is open of delivering .
All the frequencies are well make up , vocals are clean and clear , the highs have quite a little of detail and grain , and of course , with twinned 9 - inch woofers , the sea bass can throw off your weft loose .
Being a party loudspeaker system , it ’s in spades freshwater bass - heavy genres like house , techno , hip hops and pop that let this utterer flex its muscles , but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the style acoustic tracks and jazz sound through it . It ’s a really well - balance sound with the bass part boost disabled . It ’s still bass - forward , but it ’s very pleasant .
With bass hike active , you may really kick back things up a power train , and it ’ll deliver enough gang fight and punch to satisfy the biggest bass fiends . With the speaker placed in the quoin of my life room , I often find that the bass hike was a minute overbearing , but in an open space , it helps to bring the low end back to the head .
The other big merchandising peak of this speaker is its output might , after all , a effective company speaker system take to be able to satiate a big space and vie with the ruckus of a turgid number of guest . On this front , the JBL PartyBox Ultimate deliver the goods . It ’s surprisingly potent .
I commonly care to quiz speaker unit at max mass to get a estimable mind of their output signal tycoon , but with this whole , I dare n’t even come tight . Most of my listening was done at 25 % mass or humiliated , and with bassy track , I could listen my shelf rattle at around 30 % intensity . 50 % bulk sounds absolutely mad in a modest house , and I never get much higher than that due to concern of damage my window or acquire an ASBO .
gratuitous to say , if you ’re look for a speaker powerful enough for a medium - sized consequence , this wo n’t let you down . And if you geminate a couple of them together , you ’re well on your way to startle your own festival .
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Should you buy it?
The JBL PartyBox Ultimate is exceedingly powerful and deliver a satisfying low - end thump to keep the political party going . It ’s overkill for most menage , but as an event loudspeaker system , it ’s perfect .
The JBL PartyBox Ultimate has built - in wheels and a grab handgrip to make it easy to move around , but it ’s still immense , weighs a lot and has no construct - in battery . It might not tally in littler cars , and moving it long distances is indisputable to be a dogfight .
Final Thoughts
The JBL PartyBox Ultimate is a large solution for anyone hold medium - sized events , it ’s super loud , has a lustrous and eye - catch built - in light show , and is absolutely loaded with feature film . What surprised me the most , though , was the audio lineament . Despite its boisterous looks , the PartyBox Ultimate deliver a very refined strait that ’s going to please even the most discerning listeners .
This utterer is massive and heavy , and for those reasons , I think it ’s overkill for most house . It does make your living way feel like a club , which is fun , but it ’s just too big and herculean to be a practical solution for most people . If this verbalizer invoke , but you ’re upset about the size of it , you ’ll in all probability be better offer with one of JBL ’s smaller PartyBox loudspeaker system , like the Stage 320 or Club 120 .
If you ’re holding events , run a small venue , or you have a massive consecrate party blank space , though , this is easy to recommend . It sound unbelievable , can link up to anything , has more feature than most and will bedazzle with its impressive integrated kindling .
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every wireless speaker we reexamine thoroughly over an extended period of fourth dimension . We use diligence standard tests to equate feature properly . We ’ll always severalise you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to review a intersection .
happen out more about how we test in ourethics policy .
FAQs
Yes , the PartyBox Ultimate can create a wireless stereo brace or multi - speaker group with other JBL Party Speakers . It also has a 3.5 mm aux - out for daisy chain joining .
The PartyBox Ultimate is n’t amply rainproof but it is IPX4 rated . This mean it ’s protected against splash of water system , so clean rain is ok , but it ’ll need to be covered in very wet conditions .
