Perhaps I’m naive of the needs and desires of those who like listening to loud music. I say that because, in testing out the latest PartyBox from JBL, a series of (sort of) portable Bluetooth speakers that seem to get bigger and bolder with each iteration, I found it offered me more power than I could wield.

JBL is known for producing comprehensive and versatile speakers in all shapes and sizes for a number of different occasions. They even paired with Govee to put a terrific speaker in a colorful smart lamp. The PartyBox 520, however, definitely puts the emphasis on ‘party,’ offering a wealth of options for those looking to keep the beat pulsing and pounding.

Maximum output power

~ 50 / 60 Hz

Connectivity

Bluetooth

JBL’s massive Bluetooth speaker offers booming sound, numerous inputs, and myriad effects designed to start and sustain any party.

Pros & Cons

• Big, booming sound
• Connects to mic, guitar, and other speakers
• App control includes lighting and sound effects

• Cumbersome and heavy
• Expensive

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Price, availability, and specs

The JBL PartyBox 520 is a large, portable, battery-powered Bluetooth speaker. It retails for $880 and is available from Amazon and JBL. It features two 2 x 7.5-inch transducers and two 2 x 1-inch dome tweeters backed by a 15-hour battery. It includes manual controls as well as app compatibility, allowing you to toggle a light show, adjust settings, and connect to other PartyBox speakers. It includes a sturdy handle and a pair of durable wheels for transport. However, it does weigh just over 55 pounds.

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What I liked about the JBL PartyBox520

Huge sound and plenty of effects

The PartyBox 520 is a pretty impressive piece of technology with immersive, detailed audio that certainly fills up any indoor room, and casts throughout any outdoor space as well. It’s easy to set up, has fast charging to give you a bit of juice if you’re in a pinch, and the Bluetooth connection is fast and reliable.

A couple of things stand out when you first break the speaker out of the box and get it going. Firstly, it can get really loud — as evident by the 400W power it provides. I set it up in my backyard and I pumped the volume up quite high, but it could still go higher. I stopped at a spot where it was surely moving through the neighborhood, and that was without the bass turned up. Still, even as you get louder and louder, fine details are still apparent without any distortion.

The second thing that you’ll notice is all the ways you can customize your own experience. It features myriad inputs and connectivity options, allowing you to connect a microphone and guitar simultaneously (or two microphones). There is also an aux-in port and USB-C input, allowing you to connect any other devices or audio sources. The easiest way to connect is Bluetooth, but it’s important you have other, more reliable and faithful options at hand as well. With the JBL app, you can also connect easily to other PartyBox speakers, if, for some reason, you need the music to be louder or span a wider scope.

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It was certainly fun connecting to a projector to watch a movie outside, while when used inside, I needed to make sure the volume was fairly low.

The rechargeable, removable battery is also quite convenient. Not only does it get a decent charge fairly quickly, a fully-juiced battery purports to run up to 15 hours. You can also replace the battery should it ever die out, or acquire a backup to ensure parties last well into the night.

One fun feature is the bevy of lighting and sound effects you can set up. Various colors, patterns, and combinations are at your disposal, which are entertainment during the day but a lot more compelling at night. There are also audio drops you can activate while listening to music, including a horn and record scratch, as well as some amusing calls to action.

What I didn’t like about the JBL PartyBox520

Perhaps too big and powerful

The main, very apparent drawback is the size. Despite a strong, robust handle and sizable wheels so that you can roll the speaker around like a suitcase, it is still absurdly heavy and cumbersome at 56 pounds. Rolling still requires some care, mainly because a telescopic handle was not included (presumably because it couldn’t support the weight), so moving on the wheels calls for some dexterity and balance. Lifting is also difficult; the weight, combined with the tall height and lack of any other grips or handles means transporting this speaker in a car or carrying it across uneven surfaces will take a lot of energy and care.

Even rolling it around my house and taking it down some steps in the backyard left me with pause. Setting it up next to my PartyBox 320 — a speaker I not too long again thought to be quite big and powerful — the 520 seemed to tower above.

One minor note is that the back panel covering the inputs is fairly flimsy. It’s easiest to see how it might wear down pretty quickly with repeated use, thereby making your inputs vulnerable to dust or water in the future. There are ways to get around that, but it does seem like it should be more reliable.

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Should you buy the JBL PartyBox520?

Think about the money and the size before purchase

If you have some specific needs for this speaker, namely a desire to throw parties or to perform with a mic and guitar, then the versatility and customizable, along with impressive sound, make the PartyBox 520 an investment to consider. The price point and weight are key aspects that are worth giving pause, and I think there are plenty of individuals who may be better served with a different, more easy-to-maneuver PartyBox model. Still, if you want to go big, then go big with the Party Box 520.

Maximum output power

~ 50 / 60 Hz

Connectivity

Bluetooth

JBL’s massive Bluetooth speaker offers booming sound, numerous inputs, and myriad effects designed to start and sustain any party.

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