The SOUNDBOKS Go is a party speaker designed to look like a smaller version of the SOUNDBOKS (Gen. 3), and is portable enough for you to easily bring the party with you anywhere you go. It gets incredibly loud, so you can easily blast your favorite music across large crowded spaces. It also comes with a removable carrying handle and loop-strap to clip various items to the speaker. However, while it comes with an AUX input to wire your devices, it doesn't come with any XLR ports to connect external instruments or microphones to the speaker.
Our Verdict
The SOUNDBOKS Go is acceptable for music. With its default POWER EQ preset on, it has a V-shaped sound profile overall with boomy bass and a bright treble. You can customize its sound profile thanks to the graphic EQ and presets featured in its companion app. It also gets incredibly loud, making it great for parties. It lacks some low bass, so you can't feel the deep thump and rumble typically present in bass-heavy music like EDM or hip-hop. It also requires two units to play stereo audio and downmixes stereo content to mono when using it on its own, resulting in a less immersive soundstage.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Gets incredibly loud.
- Long-lasting battery life.
- Lacks low-bass.
- Directional soundstage.
- Requires two units for stereo audio.
The SOUNDBOKS Go isn't designed with videos and movies in mind, and is sub-par for this use. It has low latency with iOS and Android devices, so the visuals you see are in sync with the audio you hear. However, its soundstage is immersive and narrow-sounding. It also lacks some low-bass, so you can't feel the deep thump and rumble typically present in action-packed scenes. Voices and dialogue also sound muddy and harsh at times. Fortunately, there's a graphic EQ and presets to tweak its sound.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Gets incredibly loud.
- Low Bluetooth latency with iOS and Android.
- Lacks low-bass.
- Directional soundstage.
- Requires two units for stereo audio.
While it isn't specifically for this use, the SOUNDBOKS Go is decent for podcasts. It's portable and gets incredibly loud, meaning you can listen to your favorite podcasts and audiobooks from any room in your home. That said, it has disappointing directivity, so you can't hear your audio as clearly from most angles. Voices and dialogue sound alternately muddy and harsh at times due to the boomy bass and overemphasized treble range. Fortunately, you can tweak its sound to your liking using the graphic EQ and presets in its companion app.
- Gets incredibly loud.
- Directional soundstage.
The SOUNDBOKS Go doesn't support voice assistants.
The SOUNDBOKS Go is okay for outdoor use. This portable speaker comes with a removable handle to help you bring it outdoors with you, and its long-lasting battery life is great for long listening sessions spent outdoors. It's advertised to be dentproof and splashproof, and while it doesn't come with an IP rating or an IK rating, the manufacturer claims its internal electrical parts are coated to comply with an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning it should withstand some spills.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Gets incredibly loud.
- Portable design.
- Long-lasting battery life.
- No Mic/Guitar inputs.
- Lacks low-bass.
- Directional soundstage.
- Requires two units for stereo audio.
Changelog
- Updated Sep 06, 2024: We've updated the Battery scores and text, as we've reevaluated how the Battery Life, Charge Time, and Power Saving scores are weighted. We've also updated the relevant usage boxes that were affected by this recalculation.
- Updated Jun 22, 2022: Review published.
- Updated Jun 16, 2022: Early access published.
- Updated Jun 09, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The SOUNDBOKS Go only comes in one color, black. You can purchase the speaker in a bundle that includes a 'CARRIER STRAP' if you want to carry it on your shoulder. However, this review represents the results for the SOUNDBOKS Go sold separately, without the carrying strap. We expect the speaker purchased within the bundle to perform similarly. You can find the label for the model tested in this review here.
If you come across any other variants of this speaker, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update the review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The SOUNDBOKS Go is a portable party speaker designed to be a smaller, more portable version of the SOUNDBOKS (Gen. 3). It gets almost as loud as the (Gen. 3), so it can easily fill large crowded rooms with sound. It has a V-shaped sound profile that offers a boomy bass and a bright treble, and you can customize its sound to your liking thanks to the graphic EQ and presets in its companion app. However, unlike other portable party speakers we've tested, it doesn't come with any inputs to wire external instruments or microphones to it. It also lacks some low-bass, so you can't feel the deep thump and rumble in bass-heavy music like EDM or hip-hop. Also, its honeycomb grille is made of plastic, and you can't swap it out for other colors and styles.
See also our recommendations for the best speakers for parties, the best portable Bluetooth speakers, and the loudest Bluetooth speakers.
The JBL PartyBox 110 is a better party speaker than the SOUNDBOKS Go. The JBL reproduces more low-bass, so you feel the rumble in bass-heavy genres like hip-hop and EDM. It comes with some extra features, like customizable RGB lights as well as mic and guitar inputs for karaoke sessions. While it's a bit bigger than the SOUNDBOKS, its telescopic handle means it's still pretty easy to transport.
The JBL Boombox 2 is a better speaker than the SOUNDBOKS Go overall. The JBL offers a better-balanced sound profile out of the box and a wider and more immersive-sounding soundstage. It's smaller and lighter, making it more portable. It's also better-built with an IPX7 rating for water resistance, certifying it to be immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. However, SOUNDBOKS can get louder than the JBL and offers a much longer-lasting battery life of almost 36 hours.
The SOUNDBOKS Go and the JBL PartyBox 310 are both versatile party speakers, but the JBL performs better. It reproduces more low bass, so you feel more rumble in genres like hip-hop and EDM. Unlike the SOUNDBOKS, it comes with lights to enhance the party and mic and guitar inputs for karaoke sessions. While it's a bit bigger than the SOUNDBOKS, its telescopic handle makes it easy to transport.
The Sony SRS-XG500 is a better speaker than the SOUNDBOKS Go overall. The Sony is a smaller and lighter party speaker, making it more portable. It's better-built with an IP66 rating for dust and water resistance that certifies it to be dust-tight and protected against direct contact with water for up to three minutes. It can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, resulting in a more immersive-sounding soundstage. It also comes with a mic/guitar input with its very own volume knob and two USB ports to charge your devices and playback audio. That said, the SOUNDBOKS can get much louder than the Sony. Its battery also lasts around 10 hours longer, and you can purchase a spare battery and switch it once it drains, so it never has to die on you in the middle of the party.
Test Results
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