If you’re looking for a portable smart speaker that can double as light shows, 2 out of the 3 new speakers that JBL has announced can do the job. The JBL Pulse 5 is a device with 360 degree immersive sound plus an LED lightshow to light up your party. The JBL PartyBox Encore Essential is a bigger but still compact speaker that comes with an immersive lightshow experience. The 3rd speaker announced is the Boombox 3 with its 3-way acoustic speaker design.
The JBL Pulse 5 is a portable Bluetooth 5.3 speaker that has IP67 water and dust proof certification. It brings you 360-degree sound so it’s perfect for gatherings and parties in both indoor and outdoor setting. Plus you get a vibrant 360 LED lightshow that can be customized through the JBL Portable app and it can even light up without playing any sound. If you’re in a bigger venue, you can combine it with other Playboost-enabled speakers. You get 12 hours of playtime on a single charge.
If you need something bigger and more powerful, the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential may be more your jam. It comes with a digital wireless mic in case you need something for singalongs or karaoke parties. It has the Signature JBL PartyBox Lightshow and an interface on top to give you direct control over the lightshow as well as the mic and volume. It is IPX4 splashproof and caan give you 6 hours of playtime. It has an 100W output power and can playback from USB and Aux-in inputs.
If you just need a portable speaker without a lightshow, the new JBL Boombox 3 has a subwoofer, two mid-range drivers, and two tweeters, giving you a deeper bass sound and more “intense clarity” than its predecessors. You can get up to 24 hours of playtime before you need to recharge it and it has IP67 waterproof and dustproof resistance. You can connect up to 2 smartphones or tablets so they can take turns playing audio. You can even charge smartphones and tablets with its built-in power bank and you can connect it to two PartyBoost-compatible speakers.
The JBL Pulse 5 will be priced at $249.95 and will be available in the summer of 2022 while the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential will be released in March 2022 for $299.95. The JBL Boombox 3 will come in black and squad color options and priced at $499.95. It will be released in the summer of 2022 as well.