The LG xboom Stage 301 is a fairly lightweight and medium-sized party speaker made in collaboration with music producer, will.i.am. It's packed with oodles of AI technology, a well-appointed app with EQ and quality-of-life functions like battery-saving settings. The speaker's connectivity and design offer versatility for all sorts of uses and placements, from wired to multi-speaker party mode. You can place it upright, mount it on a PA stand, or tilt it back like a wedge stage monitor. It even includes a mic/guitar input, and the app can remove vocal tracks for sing-alongs for karaoke, alongside thoughtful additions like a removable battery.
Our Verdict
LG xboom Stage 301 is decent for music. It boasts several EQ presets alongside a three-band graphic EQ to tailor the sound to your preferences. At max volume—which is plenty loud for most people—the stereo speaker retains the dynamics of your music very well. The tuning trends towards warm with de-emphasized upper treble, but it's not intensely bass-heavy, despite the 'boom' in its name. It's pretty versatile: you can plug in a guitar to play along, or a mic and use the app to remove vocals for karaoke, complete with DJ sound effects. It can connect through Bluetooth or via AUX in, and you can wirelessly pair two devices at once to switch between audio sources. You can also create a stereo pair with a second identical speaker or another compatible LG speaker using Party Link. Plus, you can mount the speaker or angle it, depending on your needs. However, you'll get the most out of the speaker if it's well-placed in the space, because clarity is strongly hampered if it faces away from the crowd.
Plenty of EQ presets and graphic EQ to adjust tuning.
Minimal compression.
Front-facing design limits the clarity of audio at off-axis angles.
IPX4-rated but not especially rugged.
LG xboom Stage 301 is passable for videos and movies. Its tuning is well-suited to playing back voices and effects without much compression at all, retaining the dynamics of your audio. The bass isn't especially rumbly, which can weaken how immersive the movie's audio feels, though. Plus, it's a stereo speaker, so it won't downmix movies to mono. However, unless you use the AUX input for low-latency audio, the speaker has fairly elevated Bluetooth latency, which can result in lip sync mismatch. It's also sensitive to placement within the room, so you'll need to ensure it's directed toward you and not offset.
Plenty of EQ presets and graphic EQ to adjust tuning.
Minimal compression.
Elevated Bluetooth latency.
Front-facing design limits the clarity of audio at off-axis angles.
LG xboom Stage 301 is decent for podcasts. It reproduces voices clearly with plenty of volume on tap. The app provides plenty of customizable tools for EQ, but by default, it has a reasonably flat mid-range, though it dips a bit in the treble; still, voices sound fairly natural. It can pair with a second device to control it from, which is handy for switching between a laptop and your smartphone, for example. However, it's pretty large, albeit light, and sensitive to directivity, so it's not the most convenient speaker if you're moving around a space.
Plenty of EQ presets and graphic EQ to adjust tuning.
Front-facing design limits the clarity of audio at off-axis angles.
LG xboom Stage 301 doesn't have a built-in microphone and isn't compatible with voice assistants.
LG xboom Stage 301 is good for outdoor use. It has an IPX4 rating, so it's resistant to water splashes, and it's relatively lightweight for its size, which is easy to tote single-handedly. It can run off its internal battery (which is hot-swappable) for over 14 hours with the lights disabled, or about 10 hours with the lightshow. You can connect two devices to the speaker simultaneously, which is useful for sharing the party's playlist. Its app has EQ presets and a three-band graphic EQ, alongside karaoke features, which makes it a flexible choice for different kinds of gatherings outside. It also offers versatile placement with a tilt-back and PA stand mountable design. But, it's not an especially rugged speaker, so while it's well-suited to a backyard, it's not a prime choice for the beach, for instance.
Plenty of EQ presets and graphic EQ to adjust tuning.
Hot-swappable battery is user-friendly.
Minimal compression.
Front-facing design limits the clarity of audio at off-axis angles.
IPX4-rated but not especially rugged.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The LG xboom Stage 301 comes in one color, 'Black,' and here's its label. If you encounter another variant of this speaker, please let us know in the comments.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
LG's xboom line includes speakers of varying sizes designed in collaboration with will.i.am. Despite its name, 'xboom,' the LG xboom Stage 301 and the much smaller and portable LG xboom Grab aren't exceptionally bass-heavy, though they're tuned with somewhat neutral-leaning sound profiles, which helps lead parts cut through clearly. The advantage of the xboom Stage 301 is its versatility when it comes to connectivity, app support, and price point, like a jack-of-all-trades. While the Bose S1 Pro+ weighs roughly the same as the LG and can also run on a battery or via A/C with more professional XLR mic inputs, it's limited in other regards. You can't filter out vocal tracks with the app like with the LG, and the Bose's companion app works more like a mixer, so you can't control playback, but you can adjust audio input channel mixes.
A boombox-style speaker like the Sony ULT FIELD 7 is worth a look, given the slightly more portable design, paired with comparable mic/guitar inputs, lighting effects, and party mode compatibility. The Sony sounds a bit more excited with greater bass and treble emphasis, compared to the slightly more neutral LG. The LG's battery lasts the longest when the lights are disabled, and you can swap out the battery, too. On the other hand, the Sony is better suited to rough-and-tumble outdoor locations due to its better IP67 rating.
Check out our picks for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best speakers for karaoke, and the best outdoor speakers.
The LG xboom Stage 301 is a bit better for outdoor use than the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2, but the JBL delivers a more accurate frequency response for listening to music. The LG has an extra two hours of playtime and doesn't compress as much at max volume, retaining your music's dynamics. On the other hand, the JBL has a flatter frequency response with a deeper low-frequency extension. It's also a little lighter and smaller. Otherwise, both speakers offer similar mic/guitar and wired options.
Whether the JBL Boombox 3 or the LG xboom Stage 301 is better will depend on how you plan to use the speaker. Both speakers weigh roughly the same, though the JBL is smaller. The JBL boasts a more accurate frequency response (though it's brighter-sounding), a more rugged IP67-rated build, and a much longer battery life. On the other hand, the LG offers far more comprehensive physical controls and optional karaoke connectivity, and you can tilt it back or place it on a PA stand.
The LG xboom Stage 301 is a bit better than the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential for outdoor use, but which is best for other usages depends on your needs. The LG boasts a more comprehensive set of physical controls, a handful of more flexible app features, and a longer battery life. It also doesn't compress as much at max volume. However, the JBL has a more accurate frequency response out of the box, and it's a bit lighter, so it's a little easier to carry around. It also has a lower Bluetooth latency, which means it's better for watching movies and videos, too.
If you're choosing between the LG xboom Stage 301 and the JBL PartyBox Club 120, a few defining differences will help you decide. You can easily replace the internal batteries on both speakers, and both offer their respective brands' versions of Party modes, letting you link them up with compatible speakers, alongside equalizers in the app. First of all, the LG is smaller and weighs considerably less, and it gets plenty loud, albeit not as loud as the JBL. The LG's battery life lasts a little longer than the JBL's. While the LG comes with karaoke effects such as removing vocals, it only has one mic/guitar input. In contrast, the JBL offers two mic inputs for duets with similar karaoke and lighting controls. The JBL has a more accurate tuning, though it compresses more at max volume in the bass range than the LG. The JBL doesn't offer as many options at different listening angles as the LG, which can tilt back or mount on a stand.
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