From small personal Grip speakers to carry-along Boombox 4 models to large booming PartyBox 720 speakers on wheels, JBL covers all Bluetooth portable speaker usage cases with its fall lineup. In addition to its array of battery-powered Bluetooth speakers, JBL also unveiled its flagship Bar 1300MK2 soundbar to top off the four soundbar models the company introduced this past June.
Get a Grip
For personal use, JBL has unveiled its compact Grip portable Bluetooth speakers ($99.95) available in six pastel colors: black, white, purple, red, blue, and camo. Grips are due to hit store shelves on September 28.
Designed for all-weather use, the compact 6-inch tall, 2.5-inch-wide tubular Grip is IP68 water and dust protection with drop-proof construction and includes a small rope loop for hooking.
Sound-wise, Grip outputs 16 watts of sound and is enhanced by JBL’s Pro Sound and JBL’s AI Sound Boost to provide deep yet distortion-free bass. Grip also incorporates Auracast technology – just pressing the @ icon on the top of the speaker pairs it with any other nearby JBL Auracast-equipped speakers to create multi-speaker or stereo playback. On the Grip’s side is a user-customizable LED Ambient Light strip.
Grip will play for 12 hours on a single charge, up to 14 with Playtime Boost activated through the JBL Portable App.
Booming Boxes
For more public music playback, JBL introduced its Boombox 4 ($549.95) in black, blue, and “squad” camo, widely available on September 28.
Like the Grip, the Boombox 4 includes JBL’s Pro Sound and AI Sound Boost, Auracast multi-speaker connectivity, and is IP68 weather protection. This new generation of JBL boomboxes get 50% more power output and, weighing in at 13 pounds, is 12% lighter than the Boombox 3.
Aurally, Boombox 4 adds back Bass Boost in either Deep Bass or Punchy Bass modes, a third passive radiator with the two mid-range drivers replacing the subwoofer, a USB-C connection for wired lossless digital audio. Instead of the Grip’s vertical LED strip, the Boombox 4’s JBL logo lights up in white or orange when Bass Boost is activated.
Boombox 4 delivers 28 hours of playback, up to 34 hours with Playtime boost. For the first time, JBL is offering a replaceable battery.
It’s Party Time
Rounding out JBL’s fall 2025 fall Bluetooth speaker lineup is the standup PartyBox 720 ($1,099).
The PartyBox 720 delivers 800 watts of pounding party sound via two 9-inch woofers and two 30mm dome tweeters. To add to its placement convenience, PartyBox 720 also is the largest JBL speaker to run off battery power, able to run for 15 hours plus two more hours from 10 minutes of additional fast charging. Included are two JBL 600 batteries.
Like both the Grip and BoomBox 4, the PartyBox 720 is also equipped with JBL’s Pro Sound and AI Sound Boost, Auracast multi-speaker/stereo connectivity, along with IPX4 splash protection. Two XLR inputs allow the addition of a microphone, guitar, or DJ console.
PartyBox can display starry lights and strobe effects synced to the music’s beat. A pair of wide rear wheels and an integrated handle make for easy portability.
Simple Home Theater Surround Sound
JBL’s fall home flagship speaker intro is its Bar 1300MK2 “personal cinema” soundbar/subwoofer combo ($1,699.95), which rounds out JBL’s spring soundbar introductions. The Bar 1300MK2, which outputs 11.1.4-channel sound with 2470 watts of power, is scheduled to ship in October.
Highlighting the 1300MK2 are twin detachable Bluetooth speakers that act as rear speakers to create a more realistic surround soundscape. Combined with JBL’s MultiBeam 3.0 technology, which sends directional center, right, and left sound beams against a room’s walls, the Bar 1300MK2 and its bundled subwoofer with dual 8-inch drivers can forge a True Dolby ATMOS or DTS:X surround experience without extra surround speakers.
To enhance dialog, JBL’s PureVoice 2.0 uses AI to detect, lift, and separately process voices to make them more intelligible without changing the overall volume or immersive sound. There’s also a Night Listening mode to keep the neighbors and especially snoozing housemates from complaining.
Bar 1300MK’s Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, and Google Cast enable wireless streaming from Amazon Music HD, Spotify Connect, Roon, and Tidal Connect.
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