If you're looking for a speaker to use at your next party, it's important to choose one that can get loud enough to fill large, crowded spaces. Speakers designed for parties are often large and heavy, which helps them reproduce deeper, thumpier bass than smaller speakers. They sometimes have RGB lighting and inputs for connecting external microphones and instruments. If you want the best Bluetooth speaker for outdoor parties, battery power is a must, so you're not limited to where you can place it. A speaker with an IP rating for water resistance is also ideal, so you won't have to worry about splashes or light rain.
We've tested over 195 speakers, and below are our recommendations for the best speakers for parties. See also our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers for bass, the best outdoor speakers, and the best karaoke speakers.
All of our recommendations start with the products we've tested. And, they're backed by in-house experts who ensure unbiased, objective data to help you choose the right speaker.
Want to see how we've tested more than 150 speakers? Our How We Test Speakers article walks you through the entire process: from selecting and purchasing products to testing, reviewing, and publishing our results.
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Best Speaker For Parties
The best speaker for parties we've tested is the JBL PartyBox 520. This large speaker produces a bass-heavy sound with plenty of thump and rumble for genres like EDM and hip-hop. It also gets loud enough to fill large spaces like garages with sound, though there's some compression in the bass range at max volume, which can rob kick drums of a little punch. If you prefer a different sound, the JBL PartyBox app includes a graphic EQ, presets, and Bass Boost settings.
The PartyBox 520 also offers plenty of options for setting up your event. It has RGB lighting, karaoke and DJ effects, two XLR microphone inputs, and the second input can also connect an instrument or line-level source. You can play audio over USB-C or use the AUX input and output to connect or daisy-chain other equipment. It runs for just over 12 hours on its replaceable battery, or you can plug it into AC power to keep the party going non-stop. Its wheels and telescopic handle help with transport, but at 56.7 lb (25.7 kg), you'll still want to avoid carrying it far.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Speaker For Parties
If you want something smaller and easier to move, consider the JBL PartyBox Stage 320. It doesn't get quite as loud as the JBL PartyBox 520, but it gets close! Unless you're throwing a massive rager, this speaker delivers enough volume and bass to keep your guests grooving into the wee hours. And like most JBL speakers, you also get a companion app that offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you customize the sound. Like the larger PartyBox 520, its front-facing design means the sound is a bit muffled if you're off to the side of it.
The Stage 320 has many of the same party-friendly features as the PartyBox 520, including customizable RGB lighting and inputs, as well as wheels and a telescopic handle for transporting it. In fact, it lasts over 23 hours, almost twice as long as the 520. That makes it a better choice for long events where access to an outlet may be limited. However, the Stage 320 lacks USB-C audio and true XLR inputs, so you'll have to make do with the regular guitar-style 1/4 inch input jacks.
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Best Mid-Range Speaker For Parties
If you're looking for the best Bluetooth party speaker you can carry with one hand, check out the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2. This smaller, more lightweight party speaker has a built-in carrying handle, so it's easier to bring around than the JBL PartyBox Stage 320. It also comes with JBL's standard suite of party-friendly features, including an input for a mic or guitar, customizable RGB lights, and a companion app with a graphic EQ and presets.
Like its predecessor, the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential, the Essential 2 delivers plenty of punch in the bass, while still reproducing vocals and other mid-range sounds clearly and accurately. That said, it doesn't dig quite as deep in the bass or get as loud as the more expensive picks above, and it compresses a bit more at max volume. Its battery lasts almost 13 hours with the lights off, which is enough for a long day outside. If battery life is your priority, consider the LG xboom Stage 301. It lasts almost two hours longer and compresses less at max volume, though it doesn't get as loud or produce as much low-bass as the JBL.
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Best Budget Bluetooth Speaker For Parties
The Klipsch GIG XXL is one of the best speakers you can pick up on a budget if you're looking to party. This powerful speaker offers solid performance for the price, and it comes with many of the same cool party features as the more premium options on the list. Even though it costs under $100, it can still put out more than 100 dB, so it has plenty of volume for casual parties and events. Its sound is slightly warm, and it keeps the dynamics of your music intact with very little compression, regardless of your listening level. You also get a few useful extras at this price, including a wired handheld microphone, a bit of echo control, and intuitive onboard controls for playback and inputs.
That said, there are some trade-offs compared to the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2. The battery lasts just shy of six hours, so you may need to plug it in before the night is over, and there's no app for EQ adjustments or other extra tools. Still, you can pair two identical speakers for less than $200, which is a big plus if you need more volume on a shoestring budget. If longer battery life matters more than loudness, consider the Anker Soundcore Motion Boom instead. It's smaller, more portable, and lasts 22 hours, but it isn't as loud and only supports Bluetooth connectivity.
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Best Party Speaker For Bass
The bassiest speaker for parties we've tested is the Sony ULT TOWER 9AC. Unlike other picks on this list, this Bluetooth speaker has to be plugged in to work. Still, its sound quality is impressive, with a bass-heavy sound that you can boost further via the 'ULT' button. It's well-suited to getting the party started, rendering kicks and bass lines with plenty of oomph.
With a max volume of over 110 decibels, this powerful speaker packs a punch, making it a great choice for filling larger, more open spaces with your favorite tunes. It has many useful features to make the most of your next event. For example, you can connect an external microphone for karaoke or a guitar to play with your friends, and you also get a 10-band graphic EQ and DJ effects. It's not as portable as the JBL PartyBox Stage 320, weighing in at a hefty 63.3 lb (28.7 kg), but that matters less if you plan to keep it in one place.
Check out our recommendations for the loudest Bluetooth speakers if you want similar options.
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Best Portable Loud Party Speaker
If you want to take your party on the go, check out the Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM. This speaker is more compact than the other options on our list, but it still gets loud enough to bring the energy to your next big event. In fact, its max volume of 100 decibels rivals some of the larger picks on our list. Thanks to its built-in carrying strap, it's easy to bring from room to room, and a 23-hour battery life means you can keep the party going all night long.
When it comes to sound, voices and lead instruments are clearly and accurately reproduced right out of the box, and there's a touch of extra warmth across the high-bass and low-mids to keep disco basslines feeling full. Thanks to the graphic EQ in the companion app, you can tune the speaker to your preferences, too. That said, it lacks some of the karaoke features, like guitar or microphone inputs, that you get with the larger JBL PartyBox Stage 320. The Sony ULT FIELD 7 represents a good middle ground between the Ultimate Ears' smaller size and the JBL's karaoke-readiness. It has a bass-heavy sound, with more bass on tap via the 'ULT' button. Still, it compresses much more at max volume and has less than half the battery life, though it can get a little louder than the Ultimate Ears.
Notable Mentions
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ION Tailgater Tough:
The ION Tailgater Tough is a more portable and affordable alternative to the Klipsch GIG XXL. That said, the ION can't get as loud as our pick, and its battery life is a little shorter, too.
See our review -
JBL Boombox 4:
The JBL Boombox 4 is a portable Bluetooth speaker that's better built than the Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM. The JBL also has a longer battery life. However, it's quite a bit more expensive than the Ultimate Ears, and it has much worse directivity, so your audio sounds quite muffled if you're behind it.
See our review -
JBL PartyBox 720:
If you're looking to squeeze out every bit of bass and volume from your speaker, consider the JBL PartyBox 720. It supports battery-powered operation while still clearing 110 dB SPL. And you can plug it in for an extra three to four decibels of headroom. That said, it's much more expensive than the Sony ULT TOWER 9AC.
See our review
Recent Updates
Aug 03, 2026:
The JBL PartyBox 520 is our new top pick because it offers full XLR inputs, unlike the JBL PartyBox Stage 320, which is now our upper mid-range pick. We've removed our lower mid-range pick, so the LG xboom Stage 301 is now an alternative to the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2 for buyers who prioritize battery life. We also moved the JBL PartyBox 720 to our Notable Mentions. Finally, we updated the text throughout to align with changes made as part of Speaker Test Bench 1.0.
Jun 01, 2026:
We've double-checked that these are still the best party speakers that we've tested, and ensured the trade-offs between different models are clear.
Apr 23, 2026:
We've rejigged this article slightly to better serve readers shopping at different price points. The JBL PartyBox 110 is now our upper mid-range pick, with the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2 as our mid-range pick. That makes the LG xboom Stage 301 our lower mid-range pick, with the Klipsch GIG XXL becoming our new budget pick. Finally, in our Notable Mentions, the JBL Boombox 4 replaces the JBL Boombox 3, and we removed the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go.
Mar 24, 2026:
We've updated our top pick to the JBL PartyBox Stage 320 for its longer battery life and merged the 'Loud' and 'Bass' picks, as the Sony ULT TOWER 9AC is great in both categories.
Nov 24, 2025:
We've replaced the JBL PartyBox 1000 with the Sony ULT TOWER 9AC as our loudest speaker for parties, as the Sony can get a bit louder and is capable of stereo playback. The JBL remains as a comparison, though.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the top party speakers for most people to buy, according to their needs. We factor in the price (cheaper speakers win over pricier ones if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no speakers that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you'd like to see more products, here's the list of all our speaker reviews filtered by maximum volume. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect speakers. Personal taste and listening habits will matter more in your selection.