The PartyBox UItimate and PartyBox 1000 are two of the largest and loudest in JBL’s expansive PartyBox range. They both represent the pinnacle of party speakers with vibrant lighting and deep bass, but while they share many similarities – they are two very different speakers that serve different purposes. In this article, we’ll look at how they compare in build, volume, sound quality, and more. By the time you’re done reading this, you’ll have a clear understanding of which speaker is for you.
Key Takeaways:
- The PartyBox Ultimate is better for indoor use.
- The PartyBox 1000’s compression driver makes it great for outdoor coverage.
- Only the PartyBox Ultimate has a companion app.
- Both speakers require AC power due to their large size and power consumption.
Winner
While the JBL PartyBox 1000 has its place, the Ultimate’s deeper bass, modern connection options, more efficient Bluetooth and better soundstage make it the winner.
JBL PartyBox Ultimate vs Partybox 1000
| Model | PartyBox Ultimate | PartyBox 1000 |
| Release Date: | 2023 | 2019 |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 | IPX4 |
| Output Power | 1100W | 1100W |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Bluetooth Profiles | A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.5 | A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.6 |
| Battery Life | AC Only | AC Only |
| Charging Time | N/A | N/A |
| Frequency Response | 30Hz-20KHz | 30Hz-20kHz |
| Woofers | 2x 9″ Woofers | 1 x12” Subwoofer |
| Midrange | 2x 4.5″ Midrange Drivers | 2x 7″ Midrange Drivers |
| Tweeters | 2x 2.75″ Tweeters | 1x Compression Driver |
| Wheels | Yes | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Multispeaker Pairing | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Party Mode) |
| Weight | 87.1 lbs | 76.5 lbs |
| Dimensions | 17.9 x 17.3 x 41.3″ | 15.6 x 15.3 x 43.3″ |
| App Support | JBL One | Not Supported |
| Price: | Check Price | Check Price |
Design, Build, & Durability
Summary: Both speakers are extremely large and not very portable, but their large design allows them to produce significantly more volume than other party speakers on the market. The lighting effects are outstanding on both speakers, but also very different. While not fragile, the outer shell plastic can be prone to some scratches when handled rough.
Durability & Waterproofing
Winner: Tied
Neither speaker has a particular durable nature, and the plastics used, while thick are the same types of material found on other PartyBox models. When we tested them, we found this plastic was prone to scratches and paint marks. However, this is avoidable and is similar to that found on most indoor-centric speakers.
Although these speakers don’t have much waterproofing, an IPX4 rating will protect them from accidental splashes and ensure they aren’t damaged when carried a short distance in light rain.
Portability
Winner: PartyBox 1000
The PartyBox Ultimate and PartyBox 1000 are large, heavy speakers that both require AC power and lack batteries. This makes them the least portable in the PartyBox range, and is the most significant trade off that needs to be made with speakers of this size.
Between them, the PartyBox 1000 is slightly more portable as it weighs 76.5 lbs compared to the Ultimate’s even heftier 87.1 lbs design. The Ultimate has a wider build measuring 41.3″ tall, while the PartyBox 1000 has a slimmer, but longer design that measures 43.3″.
Although both speakers are large and heavy, they each have a built-in handle and wheels to make transportation more simple. The wheels are a bit better on the PartyBox Ultimate, being wider and giving the speaker more stability.
Given their hefty weight, these speakers work best for storefronts, studios or situations where they aren’t going to constantly be moved back and forth between locations.
Lighting Effects
Winner: Tied
Both speakers have outstanding lighting effects which are possibly the best on the market. However, they are quite different. The PartyBox 1000 is the only JBL PartyBox to have lighting effects across the full front of the speaker, which is dynamic and creates lively visuals like colorful flames moving across the face.
The Ultimate’s lighting is less expansive on the front of the speaker but still wraps around the drivers in a similar way to the PartyBox Stage 320. It also has light accents along the sides, top and bottom. The base of the speaker is where the real magic happens though. There’s a strong LED that casts light on the ground under the speaker which radiates across to the sides, bringing a strong pulse of light that illuminates the floor around the speaker.
There’s no clear winner here and it’s ultimately going to depend on the type of lighting effects you prefer.
Controls, Connectivity & App Support
Summary: Both speakers have more controls, features and ports than other PartyBox models. The most unique aspect of the Ultimate is its Wi-Fi support, which lets owners control the speaker from anywhere within the Wi-Fi range. The Ultimate can also more effectively be used as a home speaker. It also has app support, which isn’t offered by the PartyBox 1000. The PartyBox 1000, is instead more directly targeted towards professional parties and even includes a DJ pad.
Inputs & Outputs
Winner: PartyBox 1000
Both speakers share similar connection ports but the PartyBox 1000 has the advantage of also supporting RCA input and output, which isn’t available on the Ultimate. However, the Ultimate has a little more flexibility when it comes to its 6.25mm ports. The first port is for microphones and the second can toggle between mic or guitar. On the PartyBox 1000 there are only two 6.25mm ports, one for a microphone and the other for a guitar.
Controls
Winner: PartyBox 1000
The PartyBox 1000’s controls are some of the most comprehensive out there and even include a DJ pad, but it lacks some of the finer adjustments offered by the PartyBox Ultimate. The Ultimate gives more control to the microphone input, allowing for the adjustment of microphone volume, treble, bass, and echo. The PartyBox 1000, on the other hand, is limited to echo control.
Because the PartyBox 1000 has so many controls, it can take longer to get used to, with several manual references likely to be required. The Ultimate on the other hand, is more intuitive and easier to use.
Despite the ease of use benefit the Ultimate has, the PartyBox 1000 still just edges it out with its comprehensive controls.
Wireless Connectivity
Winner: PartyBox Ultimate
Wireless connectivity refers to the ways you can connect to the speaker. The PartyBox 1000 supports Bluetooth connections using Bluetooth 4.2, which at this point is a bit outdated. Despite being limited to older Bluetooth codecs and not having LE Audio support, it can hold connections for a long distance and has impressively low latency.
The PartyBox Ultimate, on the other hand, features Bluetooth 5.3 – one of the latest releases that supports LE Audio. It too has impressive latency performance and outstanding range. But what sets this speaker apart from the PartyBox 1000 and most other large Bluetooth speakers, is its Wi-Fi connectivity.
This means you can connect the Ultimate to your home (or business) Wi-Fi network and get reduced latency, higher-quality sound, and integration with the rest of your Wi-Fi network. There’s also a massive benefit to the speaker on your Wi-Fi network, as it allows the speaker to be controlled from anywhere in the house, as long as it’s within the Wi-Fi range.
Multi-Speaker Pairing
Winner: Tied
Both speakers can be paired with another of the same model in a true wireless stereo connection for improved immersion and separation of sound. They can also be paired with multiple speakers in traditional mono-sound, meaning each speaker isn’t separated into independent channels as they are in TWS.
They both use different technology for their multi-speaker pairing, the PartyBox 1000 uses the now discontinued ‘Party Mode’, a propriety JBL connection method. The Ultimate on the other hand was the first speaker from JBL to support Auracast pairing, which is a global Bluetooth standard and in my opinion, the future of multi-speaker pairing, at least for the next 3 to 5 years.
App Support
Winner: Partybox Ultimate
The PartyBox Ultimate is the clear winner in this one-horse race. Inexplicably, the PartyBox 1000 doesn’t have app support. The Ultimate, on the other hand, uses the JBL One app. You may be curious why it doesn’t make use of the JBL PartyBox app, and the main reason is the Ultimate’s Wi-Fi compatibility which makes it more of a home-centric speaker and better aligned to the One app.
Audio Performance
Summary: Both speakers sound great and have their own place. The PartyBox 1000 has a narrower sound with a compression driver that makes it project sound well outdoors. The PartyBox Ultimate has better soundstage due to its dual tweeter design. The PartyBox Ultimate has a much deeper bass while the PartyBox 1000 sounds a bit brighter.
Frequency Response
Winner: PartyBox Ultimate
While both speakers have the same frequency response range (30Hz – 20kHz), they are two substantially different sounding speakers. This makes sense when we consider what each speaker is designed for, the PartyBox 1000 is for DJs, professional events etc, while the PartyBox Ultimate is more of a home speaker.
The PartyBox 1000 has a punchy, strong bass that shakes windows but it’s not particularly deep, at least not when compared to the PartyBox Ultimate, which has an astonishingly deep and powerful bass. Both speakers can be used for high-demanding parties and large social gatherings.
The midrange response is also excellent on both speakers, bringing balance and clarity. The PartyBox 1000’s mids are especially flat and accurate, while the Ultimate has a little more emphasis in the mids which can also make it sound clearer when certain vocal ranges are in play.
The PartyBox 1000 is a slightly brighter sounding speaker, with high frequencies having less low bass to compete with and having some elevation towards the treble to bring out those higher frequency accents.
Objectively both speakers sound fantastic and choosing one over the other is going to come down to a matter of preference. In my opinion, the PartyBox Ultimate has a slight lead because of the deep and powerful bass, the likes of which the PartyBox 1000 cannot compete with.
Soundstage & Dynamics
Winner: PartyBox Ultimate
The PartyBox 1000’s soundstage performance is mediocre, owed in part to its driver design which uses a single compression driver for high frequencies. These compression drivers diver from regular tweeters and instead of focusing on broad sound dispersion, a compression driver is made to project sound further distances.
The Ultimate has better soundstage and instead of using a single compression driver, it has two 2.75″ tweeters set at the top of the speaker on either side. This allows it to disperse sound more evenly across a broader area.
When it comes to dynamics, they’re both able to retain excellent clarity at high volume levels, with minimal compression. I do find that the PartyBox 1000 exhibits a little more compression artifacts at full volume, owed in part to its brighter sound also making that compression more audible.
Volume
Winner: PartyBox Ultimate
While both speakers get extremely loud and can fill even large rooms with quality sound, the PartyBox Ultimate is slightly louder than the PartyBox 1000. In real world use, it’s unlikely that you’ll be pushing these speakers to their limits.
Battery
Summary: Neither the PartyBox Ultimate or PartyBox 1000 have a built-in battery. The only way to power them is by using an AC power source. While this limits its outdoor use a bit, it is an inherent challenge to effectively drive such powerful speakers with built-in batteries.
Price & Value
Price and value is an important topic when it comes to these two power houses, the reality is that neither speaker comes cheap. The PartyBox 1000 retails for around $1000 with the PartyBox Ultimate retailing for around $1700.
Although they are expensive, they are still within range of similar speakers. Although there aren’t a lot of options on the market that can compete with either of these speakers, the new Sony Ult Tower 10 is the closest competitor and comes with its own unique strengths, such as its 360-degree sound which gives better soundstage than either of these speakers. The Sony Ult Tower 10 is also now available on Amazon.
Conclusion
Overall, both these speakers are powerful, extremely loud and feature-packed party speakers that can cover large areas indoors or outdoors. The PartyBox 1000, with its compression driver, is slightly better suited to outdoor parties while the PartyBox Ultimate, with its Wi-Fi support,t is better suited for indoor use. Although they require a fairly significant financial investment, the quality justifies the price.
