JBL’s PartyBox Ultimate 2 pushes output to 1500W, while the smaller Pulse 6 adds an illuminated metal handle to its 360-degree light-show.
Both speakers share JBL’s AI Sound Boost processing, which analyses audio in real time to cut distortion at high volume, and both build their designs around synchronised lighting as much as sound.
Image Credit (JBL)
PartyBox Ultimate 2’s 1500W of power is funnelled through dual PEN tweeters with horns, dual 5-inch mid-range drivers and dual 10-inch woofers, with JBL borrowing the horn-loaded tweeters from its Professional systems.
Alongside the hardware, there’s a new volume dial to control the speaker that also doubles up as a touchscreen, which is the first on any PartyBox. The screen can show the current track and light-show alongside quick access to music and other key settings. Larger wheels than before should help with transporting the speaker, and an IPX4 rating protects the speaker from splashes of water and some dirt.
Karaoke and party games run through the same panel, where EasySing AI Vocal Removal strips vocals from songs on the fly. An optical input is provided so owners can route TV audio into karaoke setups.
Beyond the optical input, connectivity extends to DJ and streaming setups, with an XLR line-in, lossless USB-C playback, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE Audio, Auracast, AirPlay, Google Cast and Spotify Connect.
Image Credit JBL)
The Pulse 6 is the latest iteration in JBL’s ‘glowy speaker’ series, with its illuminated handle doubles as a carry grip with 93% recycled metal and a light-show of its own.
Lighting has been part of the line’s design since its 2013 debut, and Carsten Olesen, President of Consumer Audio at Harman, noted that integrated lights in portable speakers have been “increasingly trending” across the market.
Olesen added that JBL wants a more unified sound and lighting experience across its line-up, from the functional Edge Lighting on the Xtreme 5 to the fuller lightshows on PartyBox models and Pulse 6.
New modes extend that lighting beyond parties, as Sunset Mode dims the speaker gradually over a countdown that owners choose in the JBL One app, and a double tap turns it into a warm bedside lamp. Owners can pick from 16 light themes, split between 10 ambient and six party options, and sync both sound and lighting with other Pulse 6 units, compatible PartyBox speakers and the JBL PartyLight Stick.
JBL rates the battery at up to 12 hours per charge, and the speaker also carries an IP68 rating, Bluetooth 6.0, Auracast, stereo pairing and lossless USB-C playback for wired listening.
Both speakers on sale now through JBL’s UK website and selected retailers, at £1399 for the PartyBox Ultimate 2 and £279.99 for the Pulse 6.
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