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.
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Graphic EQ and presets.
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Gets incredibly loud.
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Long-lasting battery life.
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Lacks low-bass.
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Directional soundstage.
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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.
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Graphic EQ and presets.
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Gets incredibly loud.
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Low Bluetooth latency with iOS and Android.
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Lacks low-bass.
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Directional soundstage.
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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.
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Gets incredibly loud.
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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.
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Graphic EQ and presets.
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Gets incredibly loud.
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Portable design.
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Long-lasting battery life.
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No Mic/Guitar inputs.
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Lacks low-bass.
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Directional soundstage.
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Requires two units for stereo audio.
- 6.4 Music
- 5.9 Videos/Movies
- 7.1 Podcasts
- 2.7 Voice Assistant
- 6.6 Outdoors
- 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.
- Updated Jun 08, 2022: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Jun 02, 2022: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
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.
Compared To Other Speakers
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 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 SOUNDBOKS (Gen. 3) is a slightly better speaker than the SOUNDBOKS Go overall. The (Gen. 3) can offer a more balanced sound profile that can produce a much more extended low bass. It also comes with XLR inputs you can use to wire an external microphone, guitar, DJ mixer, or other instruments to the speaker. However, while it gets slightly louder than the Go, it has a lot more compression present at max volume, so your audio doesn't sound as clean and clear at louder volume levels. The Go is also made to look like a smaller version of the (Gen. 3), making it significantly lighter, more portable, and easier to bring with you on the go.
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 JBL PartyBox Encore Essential is a better speaker than the SOUNDBOKS Go. The JBL has a better-balanced sound profile that can produce a deeper and thumpier low-bass. It can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, resulting in a more immersive soundstage. It comes with a mic input whose sound you can customize in its companion app. It's also smaller and better built with an IPX4 rating for water resistance. However, the SOUNDBOKS can get much louder. It also has a longer-lasting battery life of over 35 hours from a single charge, so the speaker doesn't die on you in the middle of the party.
The Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM is a smaller, more portable alternative to the SOUNDBOKS Go. The Ultimate Ears plays stereo content, and it has an IPX4 rating for water resistance, unlike the SOUNDBOKS, so it's ideal if you want something to take with you outside. That said, the SOUNDBOKS is more of a traditional party speaker, and it gets louder and delivers more bass overall. Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other.
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 Sony 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.
The JBL PartyBox On-The-Go is a slightly better speaker than the SOUNDBOKS Go. The JBL offers a more balanced sound profile with its 'Bass Boost' feature set to its first level. It can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, resulting in a more immersive-sounding soundstage. It's rated IPX4 for water resistance, meaning it's certified to withstand small splashes of water, and it's a bit smaller and lighter, making it more portable. There are also mic and guitar inputs. The SOUNDBOKS comes with a graphic EQ and presets in its companion to customize its sound to your liking. It gets louder and has a significantly longer-lasting battery life of almost 36 hours.
Test Results
The SOUNDBOKS Go is a rectangular rugged-looking speaker that's fairly large, and has a removable handle to help you bring the party with you anywhere. There's a removable loop strap you can use to clip various items to the speaker, and you can also purchase the speaker in a bundle that includes a long carrying strap if you want to carry it on your shoulder.
The SOUNDBOKS Go is decently portable. While it's bulky and heavy, it's significantly smaller than the SOUNDBOKS (Gen.3), and comes with a removable handle you can use to bring it along with on the move. The manufacturer also sells the SOUNDBOKS Go in a small bundle that includes a longer carrying strap to help you carry it on your shoulder. They also say it can fit on your bike rack if you want to bring it along with you on the go.
The SOUNDBOKS Go's build quality isn't bad. It's mostly plastic, with a rubber trim around its edges to protect the speaker from drops and shocks. There's a mounting hole underneath the speaker to mount it to a pole, and there's a hard plastic honeycomb grille that protects its drivers, though it isn't removable like that of the SOUNDBOKS (Gen. 3). There's also a removable silicone handle to help transport it, and a removable loop-strap wrapped snuggly around the speaker to clip items and accessories to it.
However, while it's advertised to be dentproof and splashproof, the SOUNDBOKS Go doesn't have an IP rating for dust and water resistance or an IK rating for impact resistance. The manufacturer claims its internal electrical components and parts are coated to comply with an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning it should withstand some spills. You just need to be mindful not to let water and dirt enter the speaker through some of its holes behind the grille.
The SOUNDBOKS Go has a limited selection of controls. You can press its volume control knob to turn the speaker on/off. There's a JOIN button you can use to let you join the SOUNDBOKS Go to a separate host SOUNDBOKS speaker when you want to create a stereo pair or amplify your audio across a large space. This button also acts as the BOND button, which lets you access and control a variety of features which you can see here. There's a SOLO/HOST button to change the speaker's connection. You can set the speaker to SOLO when you want to use it on its own, and the HOST setting lets the speaker host and control up to four separate SOUNDBOKS Go or SOUNDBOKS (Gen. 3) speakers wirelessly. There's a button on the rear of the battery which lets you check its remaining battery levels. However, you can't use the speaker's physical controls to play/pause your audio, skip tracks, or backtrack, and you need to do so via your paired device.
- SOUNDBOKS Go speaker
- BATTERYBOKS battery
- Power cable
- AC/DC adapter
- 4x SOUNDBOKS stickers
- User Manual
The SOUNDBOKS Go has a fair frequency response accuracy. With its default POWER EQ preset enabled, it has a V-shaped sound profile overall. Like the SOUNDBOKS (Gen. 3), The overemphasis in the mid and high bass range gives it a boomy quality, though this also muddies the vocals and lead instruments in your audio. There's also an overemphasis in the treble range that gives higher-pitched vocals and instruments a bright and sparkling quality, though sibilants like S and T sound harsh and honky at times. Fortunately, there's a graphic EQ and presets in its companion app, which you can use to tweak its sound to your liking. It still lacks some low-bass, so you can't feel the deep thump and rumble typically present in bass-heavy music like hip-hop and EDM.
The SOUNDBOKS Go has a poor soundstage performance. While you can pair it to another unit to create a stereo pair, it downmixes stereo content to mono when using it on its own, resulting in a soundstage that isn't as immersive. Its directivity is disappointing, so your audio doesn't sound as clear from all angles, and the soundstage is perceived as narrow and directional-sounding.
The SOUNDBOKS Go has an impressive dynamics performance. With its POWER EQ enabled, this portable speaker can get incredibly loud and easily fill large crowded spaces like parties with sound. It gets almost as loud as the significantly larger SOUNDBOKS (Gen. 3) with a lot less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner-sounding audio when the volume is maxed out. It gets a bit louder with its 'BASS+' preset enabled. However, while the manufacturer advertises that the speaker can reach a max volume level of up to 119dB on its POWER EQ, it could only reach 106.6dB during testing.
The SOUNDBOKS Go's battery life is very good. With its POWER EQ enabled, it lasts up to almost 36 hours from a single two-hour charge, so you don't have to worry about the speaker dying on you in the middle of a party. That said, battery performance varies depending on your usage habits and chosen settings, and your real-world experience can vary. The battery is also removable, and you can purchase a spare from the manufacturer and replace it once it drains. While you can use the speaker and charge the battery simultaneously, the manufacturer advises against setting the volume above half-volume with five lights illuminated to avoid damaging the battery. They also warn against using the speaker without its battery plugged in. That said, there isn't any auto power-saving mode.
The SOUNDBOKS app is very good, and you can see short video of navigating the app here. You can access a graphic EQ and its 'BASS+', 'POWER', and 'INDOOR' presets to customize its sound profile to your liking. Using its TeamUP feature, you can also connect the speaker to up to four additional SOUNDBOKS Go or SOUNDBOKS (Gen.3) speakers and use the app to assign left, mono, or right channels to each paired speaker. There's an SKAA Pro Mode that reduces the latency between paired speakers, though this mode is only available when pairing no more than two units together.
There's a Bluetooth auto-connect mode you can enable in the app to ensure the speaker remembers and automatically connects to the last device you paired it to. If you own an iOS device, you can also access its DIREKT feature, which gives access to live concerts on Fridays and Saturdays.
Aside from the power port, the SOUNDBOKS Go comes with an AUX input you can use to wire your devices to the speaker. However, unlike the Soundboks (Gen.3), this speaker doesn't have any XLR ports to connect an external DJ mixer, microphone, or instruments.
The SOUNDBOKS Go has great Bluetooth connectivity. It has low-latency with iOS and Android devices, so the visuals you see and the audio you hear remain in sync when using the speaker to watch videos and movies. It also has a fantastic range, so your paired device stays connected to the speaker when it's far away. However, you can only pair the SOUNDBOKS Go to one device at a time, which isn't ideal if you want to quickly and frequently switch between audio sources.