The SOUNDBOKS Mix is a party speaker aimed at buyers who want a rugged, high-output speaker that's still portable enough for more casual use. The brand emphasizes the model's durability, and its replaceable battery lets you swap in a spare for longer listening sessions. However, the charger is sold separately, and it offers limited wired connectivity, so don't expect this speaker to soundtrack your next karaoke.
Our Verdict
The SOUNDBOKS Mix speaker is decent for music. It has a bass-heavy sound, so techno tunes sound extra punchy. That said, all that bass can make basslines feel overly boomy at times. Voices and higher-pitched instruments are reproduced pretty accurately, but can feel quiet relative to the booming bass. On the plus side, the app's presets and graphic EQ give you some control over its tuning. This speaker also gets exceptionally loud, though your audio loses some impact at max volume due to compression. This speaker also has poor directivity, so you'll want to be positioned in front of it to get the best sound. It also downmixes stereo content to mono.
Gets exceptionally loud.
Presets and a graphic EQ in the app.
18-hour battery life with a replaceable battery.
Bass-heavy sound can feel overly boomy.
Audio sounds notably duller beside or behind the speaker.
Downmixes stereo content to mono.
The SOUNDBOKS Mix speaker is acceptable for videos and movies. Its relatively balanced mid-range and treble keep dialogue intelligible, though the bass-heavy tuning means rumbly explosion sounds can overshadow voices. It gets remarkably loud, but bass-heavy effects lose some punch near maximum volume. Since it downmixes stereo content to mono, wide soundtracks don't feel very immersive. You'll also want to be seated right in front of the drivers for the best sound, as the audio sounds muffled if you're off to the side. Bluetooth latency is very low on both iOS and Android, so you shouldn't run into lip-sync issues, though performance varies between devices and apps.
Gets exceptionally loud.
Presets and a graphic EQ in the app.
18-hour battery life with a replaceable battery.
Bass-heavy sound can feel overly boomy.
Audio sounds notably duller beside or behind the speaker.
Downmixes stereo content to mono.
The SOUNDBOKS Mix is decent for podcasts. Voices sound relatively balanced, and as long as you're not listening to podcasts with a bass-heavy soundtrack, all the extra boom in the bass won't muddy up the hosts' voices too much. The speaker gets loud enough to fill open spaces with audio, although voices do sound noticeably duller and more muffled when you're beside or behind the speaker. Its integrated handle helps with shorter trips around the house or yard, but its bulky frame isn't ideal for carrying far. It has Bluetooth multipoint so you can stay connected to a couple of devices at once.
Gets exceptionally loud.
Presets and a graphic EQ in the app.
18-hour battery life with a replaceable battery.
Bass-heavy sound can feel overly boomy.
Audio sounds notably duller beside or behind the speaker.
The SOUNDBOKS Mix doesn't have a microphone, so you can't use it with your phone's voice assistant.
The SOUNDBOKS Mix is good for outdoor use. It has a sturdy cabinet, and its electronic internals have an IP65 rating, making them resistant to jets of water. The manufacturer also says it'll survive drops of up to 1 m. Its 18-hour battery will get you through a full day at the park, while its exceptional loudness means you can use this to get a party started, even outdoors. That said, the bass loses some punch near maximum volume, and its narrow directivity means people behind it hear a much duller sound. The integrated handle helps with short carries, but this is a heavy speaker, so you won't want to move it often or very far.
Gets exceptionally loud.
Presets and a graphic EQ in the app.
18-hour battery life with a replaceable battery.
IP65-rated electronics and advertised to withstand drops from 1 m.
Bass-heavy sound can feel overly boomy.
Audio sounds notably duller beside or behind the speaker.
Bulky and heavy.
Changelog
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Updated Oct 14, 2026:
We added a reference to the SOUNDBOKS 4 in the Battery box.
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Updated Sep 01, 2026:
We've updated the Directivity box to mention the Marshall Bromley 450.
- Updated Jul 28, 2026: This review has been updated to Test Bench 1.0.1. This includes the Test Bench 1.0 updates to all of our Sound tests: Frequency Response Accuracy, Raw Frequency Response, Directivity, and Loudness, as well as the revised Low-Frequency Extension calculation and related DRC updates introduced in Test Bench 1.0.1. There have also been text changes throughout the review, including to the usages and product comparisons, where applicable, to match these results. You can read more about these changes in our Test Bench 1.0 changelog and Test Bench 1.0.1 changelog.
- Updated Jul 24, 2026: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The SOUNDBOKS Mix comes in one color: 'Black.' We took a photograph of its label.
If you encounter another version or variant, please let us know in the comments below, and we'll update the review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The SOUNDBOKS Mix is the brand's more stripped-back and portable option for buyers who want serious output without moving up to a full-size event speaker. It occupies a similar rugged, portable niche to the older SOUNDBOKS Go, but adds Bluetooth multipoint. However, it doesn't last as long on a single charge, and neither speaker offers microphone or instrument inputs. Compared with the older SOUNDBOKS (Gen. 3), the Mix is considerably smaller and lighter, but it doesn't have the larger speaker's XLR inputs and AUX output.
The Mix is more stripped back than mainstream party speakers like the JBL PartyBox Stage 320, the JBL PartyBox 520, and the Sony ULT FIELD 7. Those models offer extras like RGB lighting, stereo playback, and karaoke-friendly inputs. On the other hand, the Mix has a sturdy design, gets exceptionally loud, and has an 18-hour removable battery, all in a relatively compact frame. It's just a big shame you have to buy the charger separately.
Check out our recommendations for the best speakers for parties, the best portable Bluetooth speakers, and the loudest Bluetooth speakers.
The SOUNDBOKS Mix is better than the SOUNDBOKS Go unless battery life is a top priority. Both options fill a similar role as loud, portable speakers with removable batteries and support for linked SOUNDBOKS setups. The Mix is slightly lighter and has a sturdier-feeling steel grille, along with Bluetooth multipoint. On the other hand, the Go comes with its charger included and lasts twice as long off a single charge. Both downmix stereo content to mono unless paired with another unit and don't come with extra inputs for microphones or guitars. They also both use a companion app for EQ and stereo channel assignment.
The SOUNDBOKS Mix is much more portable and versatile than the SOUNDBOKS 4, making it a better choice for most people. The 4 is the better dedicated party speaker, though. Both speakers offer a removable battery, in-app EQ, and wireless speaker linking. But the larger 4 offers higher maximum volume, a much longer battery life, and two XLR/TRS inputs for microphones or instruments. Still, both speakers downmix stereo content to mono and have pretty narrow directivity. A major plus for the Mix is that it supports Bluetooth multipoint, making it the more convenient everyday Bluetooth speaker.
The SOUNDBOKS Mix and the SOUNDBOKS (Gen. 3) are rugged, battery-powered party speakers aimed at different scales of events. The Mix is smaller and lighter, making it the better choice for casual outdoor gatherings or any event where you might need to carry the speaker on foot for more than a few steps. However, the Gen. 3 is the more capable companion for karaoke or larger parties, with two XLR inputs, an AUX output, and almost 44 hours of measured battery life. In contrast, the Mix lasts 18 hours, has only an AUX input, and doesn't include a charger.
The SOUNDBOKS Mix and Marshall Bromley 450 are both mid-sized speakers that excel in different ways. The SOUNDBOKS has a more comprehensive app, complete with features like a graphic EQ and stereo pairing with a compatible speaker. The Marshall relies mostly on physical controls, which some might prefer, but there's less room for customization with just bass and treble knobs. Still, it has a balanced sound that remains consistent regardless of your listening angle, while the SOUNDBOKS sounds closed-off if you listen from wider angles. If you care about volume, both speakers get loud enough to fill a large listening space, but the SOUNDBOKS has more loudness headroom.
Test Results
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