JBL’s PartyBox Ultimate costs a packet but makes a racket
Supersized and super wow - JBL's chief party speaker will fill a massive space
JBL has also updated its popular party Bluetooth speaker lineup with a new flagship $1700/£1300 model – JBL PartyBox Ultimate. Yes, it’s rather costly but there’s a reason for that.
As well as the in-time light show you might expect from a party box speaker, the Ultimate completely supersizes the PartyBox power, with dual 9in subwoofers bringing powerful bass in addition to dual tweeters and dual high-sensitivity mid-range drivers. What’s more, it has Dolby Atmos support on board, too.
Incredibly, the PartyBox Ultimate is able to fill a huge space the size of two basketball courts – that’s serious audio power. Indeed, it’s 40 percent louder than JBL’s existing PartyBox 1000 which is quite something.
Despite its heft, PartyBox Ultimate is designed to be moved as with other similar speakers. There’s a handle and wheels in addition to IPX4 splashproofing so it won’t have a problem if it gets rained on. There’s even a cable compartment to stash the power cord when the speaker isn’t in use.
The speaker also supports Wi-Fi 6 (note that the Atmos support requires music over Wi-Fi) as well as Bluetooth so you can stream the music of your choice and the JBL One app also enables you to control the lighting and EQ settings. You can even stereo pair a couple of them if you need to (and, more crucially, can afford to).
Control on the PartyBox Ultimate itself is via the JBL PartyPad on the top of the device, which enables full control without having to reach for your phone. It also means you can create sound effects with three simple fingertip actions – tap, hold, and slide.
It’s available to buy right now, in the US, UK and Europe.
Dan Grabham
Editor-in-Chief 
