The JBL Boombox 3 is a large, portable Bluetooth speaker with a handle on top for carrying, but it’s a bit heavy. The speaker comes in two colors: black or camo. The Boombox 3 has an IP67 water and dust resistance rating, which means it can withstand being submerged in one meter of water for 30 minutes. That means you can take the speaker to the beach or the park without any problems, and you can even wash it if it gets dirty.
If you’re looking for a party speaker, the JBL Boombox 3 is the way to go. The latest generation of this portable outdoor speaker delivers powerful bass and spacious sound with impressive volume.
The Boombox 3 looks like a giant JBL Charge 5 with a handle on top. The handle is handy for its portable design, but you won’t want to carry it on a hike.
It’s built to take a beating, with a sturdy handle and hard plastic covers. A rigid mesh covers its two tweeters, two midrange drivers, and a subwoofer. With an IP67 durability rating, you won’t have to worry about a sudden storm or dropping it in the pool.
On the back, you’ll find covered ports for connecting the power cord and a 3.5mm aux input. There’s also a USB port that you can use to power your other portable devices.
The Boombox 3 has illuminated power and Bluetooth buttons on the top, as well as less obvious controls for volume, track skipping, and PartyBoost for connecting to other JBL speakers.
The JBL Portable app adds a few additional controls, including a three-band EQ, though it lacks preset sound modes. You can also use the app to monitor battery life and turn off feedback tones, as well as enable PartyBoost.
The Boombox 3 paired quickly with my phone via Bluetooth and always reconnected without issue when I turned the speaker on. The speaker maintained a strong connection from over 100 feet away outdoors, as well as over 50 feet indoors, with multiple walls between the Boombox 3 and my phone.