The JBL PartyBox Encore Essential is a portable party speaker from JBL's PartyBox lineup. It rocks the same iconic style as other PartyBox speakers like the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go and the JBL PartyBox 110, with an RGB light ring surrounding its driver, though it's much smaller. This portable speaker comes with a handle built into its top so you can easily bring the party with you anywhere you go. Like other PartyBox speakers, it comes with a mic input that's great for karaoke lovers. It's also compatible with the JBL PartyBox app which gives you access to the speaker's extra party features.
Our Verdict
The JBL PartyBox Encore is good for listening to music. With its Bass Boost feature set to 'Deep', it has a neutral sound profile overall that's good for listening to different music genres. It can produce quite a deep bass for its size, which is great if you're a fan of bass-heavy music genres like hip-hop and EDM. If you want to bump the bass up even more, you can set Bass Boost to 'Punchy'. It's also compatible with the JBL PartyBox app, so you can access a graphic EQ that lets you customize its sound to your liking. This speaker gets loud enough to fill large spaces with sound, too but there's a lot of compression present at max volume.
- Gets pretty loud.
- Graphic EQ.
- Poor directivity.
- Compression present at max volume.
While the JBL PartyBox Encore is mainly designed to be a party speaker, you can still use it to watch videos and movies. It has low Bluetooth latency with iOS and Android devices, so there aren't any syncing issues between the audio you hear and the visuals you see on your screen. However, some apps compensate for latency differently. It plays stereo content, so you can hear sound effects move from the right side of the speaker to the left when they move on the screen. It can get pretty loud and can produce quite an extended low-bass for its size, which is great for watching action-packed scenes. That said, there's compression present at max volume that degrades audio quality.
- Low Bluetooth latency with iOS and Android devices.
- Graphic EQ.
- Poor directivity.
- Compression present at max volume.
While the JBL PartyBox Encore isn't designed for listening to dialogue-centric audio content like podcasts and audiobooks, it's still good for this usage. With its Bass Boost feature set to 'Deep', it has a balanced sound profile that ensures voices and dialogue reproduce clearly and accurately in the mix. You can also disable its Bass Boost feature and customize its sound profile using its graphic EQ if you want to reduce the bass. It's incredibly portable with a built-in carrying handle atop it, meaning you can move your podcasts from room to room. It can also get pretty loud, so you hear your podcast from across the room.
- Incredibly portable.
- Gets pretty loud.
- Graphic EQ.
- Poor directivity.
- Compression present at max volume.
The JBL PartyBox Encore doesn't support voice assistants.
The JBL PartyBox Encore is good for outdoor use. It has an IPX4 rating for water resistance that certifies it to withstand small splashes of water, so you don't have to worry about it getting a bit wet when you bring the party outside with you. It's very portable for a party speaker and comes with a handle built-in, so you can easily transport it wherever you go. It gets loud and can produce a good amount of bass for its size, which is great for fans of bass-heavy music like hip-hop or EDM. That said, there's compression present at max volume that degrades the quality of your audio at louder volume levels.
- Incredibly portable.
- Gets pretty loud.
- IPX4 rating for water resistance.
- Mic input.
- Poor directivity.
- Compression present at max volume.
Changelog
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Updated Jul 15, 2025:
We've updated the Build Quality test to clarify that this speaker can't float in water or be submerged.
- Updated Jan 24, 2024: We've made minor changes to the text of this review to ensure the information remains accurate. We've also added relevant comparisons to other speakers.
- Updated Aug 17, 2023: Updated the Portability picture for greater clarity and consistency between reviews.
- Updated Jun 29, 2023: Added market comparison with the Tribit StormBox Blast in the Style box.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The JBL PartyBox Encore Essential comes in one color variant: Black. You can find the label for the model tested here. JBL also manufactures the JBL PartyBox Encore, that's geared more specifically towards karaoke. It has a longer, 10-hour advertised battery life and two wireless microphones included in the box.
If you encounter any other variants of this speaker, let us know in the forums, and we'll update the review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The JBL PartyBox Encore is a portable party speaker from JBL's PartyBox lineup, like the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go. While it's the smallest speaker from this lineup that we've tested at the time of the review, it still packs a punch, with a bass that gets as deep as that of the larger JBL PartyBox 110, and it gets pretty loud too. Unlike the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go and the JBL PartyBox 100, it's compatible with the JBL PartyBox app, which lets you access extra party features like sound effects and light show features. There's a graphic EQ to customize its sound to your liking. That said, unlike other speakers in this lineup, it has a mic input to connect an external microphone to the speaker.
Check out our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best speakers for parties, and the loudest Bluetooth speakers.
The JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2 is a subtle but worthwhile upgrade over the original JBL PartyBox Encore Essential. Both speakers share the same compact design with a front-firing sound profile and a built-in handle, but the Encore 2 adds modern touches like Bluetooth 5.4, support for Auracast speaker pairing, an upgraded RGB light ring that's larger and more prominent, along with a better battery life. Sound-wise, performance remains largely similar across the generations, with punchy bass and a balanced mid-range. If you already own the original Encore, the jump may not feel essential, but for new buyers, the Encore 2 is the better pick.
The JBL Boombox 3 is a better speaker than the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential, though they have different strengths. The Boombox 3 is much better built with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, making it better suited for use outdoors. It's immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes and even floats, while the PartyBox can only withstand some splashes with an IPX4 rating. It also has a significantly longer-lasting battery life of almost 30 hours, and gets a little louder than the PartyBox. On the other hand, the PartyBox offers a more balanced sound profile overall that can produce deeper bass than the Boombox 3. It comes with a mic input as well as party-related features like DJ sound effects, light show effects, and karaoke effects.
The JBL PartyBox Encore Essential is a better speaker than the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go. The Encore offers a better-balanced sound profile with its Bass Boost feature set to 'Deep'. It's also compatible with the JBL PartyBox app, which lets you access extra party features like sound effects and light show features. There's a graphic EQ you can use to tweak its sound profile to your liking. It also has a longer-lasting battery life of over 8 hours. The On-The-Go features an extra guitar input and comes with a microphone in the box.
The JBL PartyBox 110 is a better speaker than the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential. The 110 can get slightly louder with less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volumes. It has better directivity, resulting in a wider and more open-sounding soundstage. It also has a longer-lasting battery life of almost 15 hours, making it better suited to longer listening sessions. It also comes with mic and guitar inputs. That said, the Encore packs the same amount of bass at a much smaller size and more at a more affordable price point. It still gets quite loud. While it doesn't come with a guitar input, you can still wire a mic to the speaker via its mic input.
Test Results
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