JBL PartyBox 320 vs JBL PartyBox 520: Specs Compared

The PartyBox 520 Is A More Powerful, Bassier Speaker But Costs Significantly More Than The 320

Until the announcement of the JBL PartyBox 520, if one wanted a bass-heavy party speaker from JBL, they’d need to go with the PartyBox 710. But the problem is that it doesn’t have a built-in battery, limiting how portable it is. The PartyBox Stage 320 isn’t exactly shy on bass, but it doesn’t have that potent punch that the PartyBox 710 does. Does the PartyBox 520 fill the gap, providing a bass-heavy party speaker with a battery? Here’s how these two speakers compare.

JBL PartyBox 320 vs JBL PartyBox 520 Specs

Model	PartyBox Stage 320	PartyBox 520
Water Resistance	IPX4	IPX4
Output Power	240W	400W
Bluetooth Version	5.4	5.4
Battery Life	Up to 18 Hours	Up to 15 Hours
Charging Time	3 Hours	3 Hours
Frequency Response	40 Hz – 20 kHz	40 Hz – 20 kHz
Woofers	2 × 6.5” woofers	2 × 7.5” woofer
Tweeters	2 × 1” tweeters	2 × 1” tweeters
TWS	Yes	Yes
Multi-Speaker Pairing	Yes (Auracast)	Yes (Auracast)
Weight	36.37 lbs	56.2 lbs
Dimensions	13.19 x 26.34 x 15.16″	16.34” x 30.28” x 14.53”
App Support	Yes (PartyBox)	Yes (PartyBox)
Price:	Check Price	Coming Soon

Table of Contents

• Design, Build & Durability
• Controls, Connectivity & App Support
• Sound Quality & Volume
• Battery
• Price & Value
• Conclusion
• Frequently Asked Questions

Differences In Design, Build, & Durability Between The PartyBox 320 And PartyBox 520

• The PartyBox 520 is a heavier and larger speaker than the PartyBox 320.
• Durability is similar on both models, both also having IPX4 water-resistance.
• The lighting effects are a bit more prominent on the new PartyBox 520.

** The JBL PartyBox 120 and 320 were both updated months after release with a new white color variant. Early marketing for the PartyBox 520 suggests it will only initially be released in black.

Durability

Winner: Tie

These speakers have pretty much the same durability. They’re made from the same high-quality, durable plastics and feature the same grille design. They both feature IPX4 water-resistance, which offers some basic protection against splashes, but aren’t particularly waterproof and aren’t suitable for use in the rain.

Portability

Winner: PartyBox 320

JBL PartyBox 320 & JBL PartyBox 520 Wheels

The PartyBox 520 is a bit larger than the PartyBox Stage 320, standing just over 30″ tall, while the PartyBox 320 stands at 26.34″. It’s also wider than the Stage 320, with a width of 16.34″ compared to just 13.3″.

Even with just a few inches separating the dimensions of these two speakers, the weight difference is significant. The PartyBox 320 is already quite a heavy speaker, weighing 36.37 lbs, but the PartyBox 520 weighs a staggering 56.2 lbs, making it a bit more challenging to transport.

Moving these speakers around one location is easy, regardless of their weight, since they both have broad, stable wheels and a telescopic carry handle built in. However, having to load these speakers up into a car can be tricky, giving the PartyBox 320 a slight edge in portability.

Lighting Effects

Winner: PartyBox 520

Lighting effects are often overlooked, but they add a lot of atmosphere to the party environment. And the PartyBox 520 appears to have slightly better lighting than the PartyBox 320.

Both speakers have three main lighting areas, which include bar lights along the top and bottom, and starry lights that add a touch of flair around the face of the speaker. The main lighting area that wraps around the drivers in a figure 8 shape also appears broader on the PartyBox 520.

These lights can be adjusted directly using the on-speaker control or by using JBL’s PartyBox app.

The JBL PartyBox 320 and 520 Have Nearly Identical Controls and Ports

• The rear USB-A charging port has been updated to a USB-C output.
• The PartyBox 320 uses 6.35mm mic inputs, while the 520 supports XLR.
• Both speakers use the JBL PartyBox app.

Inputs & Outputs

Winner: PartyBox 520

The most significant difference to the ports between the PartyBox 320 and 520 is that the 320 has 2x 6.35mm inputs for microphones and instruments, while the PartyBox 520 uses XLR connections instead.

The PartyBox 520 has dropped the USB-A port in favor of a more modern USB-C output, which can be used to charge devices like phones, tablets, or even smaller Bluetooth speakers.

Controls

Winner: Tied

Controls appear identical between the PartyBox 320 and PartyBox 520. There are three main areas of controls, all of which are easily accessible via the top of the speaker:

TWS & Group Pairing

Winner: Tie

Both speakers support TWS (True Wireless Stereo) pairing and general group pairing, and both use the newer Auracast multi-speaker pairing technology. Pairing can be done using the speaker itself or through the JBL PartyBox app.

App Support

Winner: Tie

JBL uses a single app for its PartyBox series. The “PartyBox” app is available on Android and iOS and gives the user versatile control over the speaker. It includes features like light adjustments, karaoke effects, and EQ adjustments. Neither speaker has an advantage over the other, getting the same features from the app.

JBL PartyBox 320 Vs JBL PartyBox 520: Which Sounds Better?

• The PartyBox 520 has significantly more power output (400W vs 240W).
• There is unlikely to be a significant difference in soundstage.
• The PartyBox 520 has a deeper, heavier bass because of its larger woofers.

There isn’t an easy way to gauge frequency response from specifications, which is why we perform thorough testing methods when analyzing sound quality for our speaker reviews.

However, we can make some educated guesses on how the 520 will sound, based on JBL’s recent engineering trends. In 2024, they gave a strong preference towards balanced sound, and I suspect that the PartyBox 520 will follow this trend.

Frequency Response

Since its woofers are an inch larger than the PartyBox 320’s, we should expect the PartyBox 520 to have deeper, more powerful bass. However, it will likely fall short of the PartyBox 710 in its raw bass abilities. The tweeters are the same on both speakers, using 1″ dome tweeters, so it’s unlikely there will be significant differences in the treble, but we may see some tuning changes that differentiate the two speakers.

Soundstage & Dynamics

Soundstage and dynamics are likely to be similar between the two speakers. There isn’t much separating them in how the drivers are laid out, and with both speakers being mono with two vertically stacked woofers, there isn’t likely to be a big change in soundstage.

Dynamic range is something JBL has been focusing on for recent releases, and the 520 should have the same detailed dynamic range that the 320 does, if not better.

Volume

Winner: JBL PartyBox 520

We don’t need to test this speaker to know it will be louder than the PartyBox 320. Exactly how much louder, we’ll have to determine with testing, but based on the specifications, it’s likely to reach levels somewhere between the PartyBox 320 and the PartyBox 710, so probably around 104.5 dB.

This louder sound is facilitated by significantly more power coming from the internal amplifier (400W vs 240W on the PartyBox 320) and its larger woofers.

How Does The Battery Differ Between The PartyBox 320 and PartyBox 520?

• The JBL PartyBox 320 has 3 hours more playtime than the PartyBox 520.
• The PartyBox 520 is JBL’s largest battery-powered Bluetooth speaker.

Winner: PartyBox 320

The PartyBox 320 has a bit more playtime than the PartyBox 520, lasting up to 18 hours per charge, while the 520 manages 15 hours, which is still quite impressive when we think about how much power output it has, and the fact that it’s powering two large 7.5″ woofers.

Like the PartyBox 320, the 520 adopts a replaceable battery design that lets the user quickly swap it out for a fresh battery pack, keeping the party going all night.

The exact playtime, however, will need to be seen and can prove different from the manufacturer’s estimates, which are often calculated using a low volume level and without lighting or bass boost enabled.

Both speakers take around 3 hours to charge.

Price & Value

Winner: PartyBox 320

At a retail price of $799, the PartyBox 520 is an expensive speaker. In fact, you could even buy two PartyBox 320s when they’re on sale for that price (Prices range from $399 to $499). However, it does align closely with the JBL PartyBox 710, which, given its less common presence on retail sites, may be getting discontinued.

Will the 520 be able to offer that much more than the PartyBox 320, despite being so similar in many ways? Time will tell, but for now, the PartyBox 520 seems like a solid choice for those who want a new generation release similar to the PartyBox 710.

Conclusion

Overall, the PartyBox 320 and PartyBox 520 are two similar speakers. They have the same controls, nearly identical inputs/outputs, and use the same Bluetooth and pairing technologies. However, the PartyBox 520’s ace card is its powerful 7.5″ woofers and 400W output, which make it a more powerful and bass-heavy speaker than the PartyBox 320.

Frequently Asked Questions About The JBL PartyBox 320 and JBL PartyBox 520