An in-depth comparison between two of the world’s loudest portable outdoor speakers
We put the Turtlebox and Soundboks Go in a head-to-head to see which speaker is the better buy, and who they’re best for. In summary, the Soundboks Go is the loudest of the two, with a deep, thumpy bass and a long-lasting battery, while the Turtlebox is a lot lighter and easier to carry, making it better suited for camping and other outdoor activities.
Key Takeaways
- For a rugged outdoor speaker you can take anywhere, the Turtlebox is great.
- The Soundboks Go’s more balanced sound makes it a better choice for indoors.
- Both speakers are durable, but only the Turtlebox is fully water-resistant.
- If playtime is important to you, go for the Soundboks Go, lasting twice as long as the Turtlebox.
Soundboks Go
Portable, but powerful – the Soundboks Go is ideal for the all-around listner who wants a speaker they can use outdoors and indoors. It can fill a room with sound, accompanied by a deep, thumpy bass.
Turtlebox
Lightweight and easy to carry – the Turtlebox is for for the outdoor enthusiast who won’t be using it much indoors. What it lacks in bass, and balance it makes up for with its extremely rugged build.
Soundboks Go Vs Turtlebox Specs
| Model | Soundboks Go | Turtlebox Gen 3 |
| Water Resistance | IP67 | IP67 |
| Output Power | 288W | 85W |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.4 |
| Battery Life | Up to 40 Hours | Up to 25 Hours |
| Charging Time | 2 Hours | 3 to 4 Hours |
| Woofers | 1x 10″ Woofer | 1x 6×9 Woofer |
| Tweeters | 1x 1″ Tweeter | 1x 1″ Tweeter |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Speaker Pairing | Yes (5 Speakers) | Yes (Infinite) |
| Weight | 20 lbs | 10 lbs |
| Dimensions | 18 x 12 x 10″ | 12 x 8.75 x 7″ |
| App Support | Yes (Soundboks) | No |
| Volume | 121 dB | 120 dB |
| Price | Check Price | Check Price |
Design & Size
- The Turtlebox is a smaller, lighter speaker with plenty of color options.
- The Soundboks Go is only available in black and is larger to allow a larger woofer.
Despite sharing a similar lunchbox-style design, these speakers are quite different. The Soundboks Go weighs double that of the Turtlebox, at 20 lbs, and is more challenging to carry from point A to point B.
While the Soundboks Go can be carried short distances with relative ease, there is an optional carry strap that can be purchased from Soundboks that makes the process easier.
A key feature of the Turtlebox is its broad color options, which give it a personalized touch. In contrast, the Soundboks Go is only available in black.
Durability
- Only the Turtlebox offers full water resistance.
- Both speakers are rugged, but the Turtlebox takes it to another level.
Water resistance ratings tell us how much water a speaker can be exposed to. The Turtlebox has an IP67 rating, which means it can withstand prolonged moisture exposure, even handling limited submergence well.
The Soundboks Go, on the other hand, doesn’t come with a standard IPX rating. Instead, it has some water protection of its internal components, which is a bit different and shouldn’t be seen in the same way as a normal IPX rating.
So, while you can use the Turtlebox 2 outdoors in any weather, one still needs to be careful with the Soundboks Go, since its shell can let water in, and if left, can cause damage over time to non-electrical components within the speaker.
At the same time, Soundboks marketed this speaker with splashes of water and outdoor scenery – so ultimately the questions becomes – are you feeling brave?
In terms of general durability, both speakers are made from high-quality materials and can take a knock, but I’d only trust throwing the Turtlebox around.
Controls
- With track controls on the speaker, the Turtlebox has better controls.
When it comes to using these speakers, both are pretty straightforward. Neither are particularly feature-heavy and lack LED lights effects, karaoke modes, and other party-based features.
Since the Turtlebox was recently upgraded to the 3rd generation, it aligns closer with the Soundboks Go than its predecessor, with buttons dedicated to TWS and Party Mode pairing now included, for those wanting to connect more than one speaker together.
A significant drawback to the Soundboks Go is the lack of playback controls. You can adjust the volume with a really cool-looking volume dial, and establish multispeaker pairings, but there’s no button to skip tracks – so you’ll want to keep your phone nearby.
In contrast, the Turtlebox has buttons for volume, track skipping in both directions, as well as pairing.
Wired Connections (Inputs and Outputs)
- The Turtlebox has 2x 3.5mm aux inputs and a USB-C output.
- The Soundbox Go has a single 3.5mm aux input.
Despite being a smaller speaker, the Turtlebox has more wired connection options than the Soundboks Go. It’s got two 3.5mm aux inputs, one for microphones and the other for playback. I found this feature useful, as I could plug my guitar into the mic input and use the speaker as an amplifier. Great for campsite songs.
It also features a USB-C output to charge your phone and a charging point input.
The Soundbox Go isn’t as comprehensive, with a single 3.5mm aux input. Which, by today’s standards, still is nice to see, with aux having been removed from a large portion of new speaker releases.
Wireless Connectivity & Wireless Pairing
- Both speakers can be paired in stereo or group pairings.
- The Turtlebox has newer Bluetooth (5.4 vs 5.0).
The Soundboks Go is an older release than the Turtlebox Gen 3, so you’re not going to get the latest in Bluetooth, with the speaker still supporting Bluetooth 5.0.
The Turtlebox uses Bluetooth 5.4, which is a bit more efficient than 5.0, with some security benefits. However, for most people, this difference isn’t going to be noticeable, as the Turtlebox doesn’t support the LE Audio capabilities that come with 5.4.
If you’re looking to pair more than one speaker together in true wireless stereo or a larger group pairing, both speakers support this. The Turtlebox does it better, offering infinite Party Mode connections with other Turtlebox speakers, including the Grande and Ranger, too.
The Soundboks Go can be paired in a group with up to 5 speakers, using the TeamUp feature, which also allows one to connect it to the larger Soundboks release.
Mobile App
- No app for the Turtlebox.
- The Soundboks app gives additional control over the Go, including 6-band EQ.
The Soundboks Go has a companion app on both iOS and Android that lets you initiate wireless pairings, perform firmware upgrades, and more. A significant benefit this brings over the Turtlebox is that it provides a 6-band custom EQ for sound adjustments.
The Turtlebox, by contrast, has no mobile app support.
Sound Quality
- The Turtlebox sound profile is all about the outdoors.
- The Soundboks Go is more balanced and better suited for use indoors.
Before getting my hands on these speakers, I had seen mixed discussions online regarding their audio performance and tonal qualities.
Having listened to them both side by side, there are a few key points that are important for anyone considering these speakers to be aware of.
The Turtlebox is Tuned For The Outdoors
The Turtlebox has a very specific tuning, designed for the outdoors. This tuning gives it a thumpy bass and elevated highs that can retain treble detail in open air. However, because it only has a 6×9″ woofer, the bass isn’t particularly deep compared to the Soundboks Go.
This outdoor-centric tuning is great outside, but when the Turtlebox is played in an enclosed space, it can sound a little harsh, especially towards the highs.
The Soundboks Go’s Sound Is More Natural and Versatile
Since the Soundboks Go has a large 10″ woofer, it’s able to produce fuller bass that extends deeper. It’s got a more natural sound, which allows it to sound pretty damn good outdoors, while sounding a lot better in a closed area than the Turtlebox.
Since the Soundboks app has a custom EQ, some fine-tuning can improve and adjust its sound profile depending on where you’re listening.
Battery Life
- At full volume, the Soundboks Go lasts around twice as long as the Turtlebox.
- The Soundboks Go takes less time than the Turtlebox to fully charge.
I’ll start by saying that both speakers carry impressive, energy-efficient batteries.
The Soundboks Go is rated to last up to 40 hours, while the Turtlebox is advertised at up to 25 hours of playtime. Both are significantly longer-lasting than other speakers on the market, which tend to sit somewhere between 10 and 20 hours.
After testing them, I can confirm that the playtime estimates assume a low volume. At 50% volume, I got closer to 20 hours from the Soundboks Go and 12 hours from the Turtlebox.
At full volume, the Soundboks Go lasts close to 10 hours while the Turtlebox gets close to 5 hours.
The Soundboks Go is definitely the better choice for battery performance, and the battery can even be replaced at just $150, a replacement process that is also incredibly easy.
So, which speaker is best for me?
The Turtlebox Gen 2 and Soundboks Go outrank each other in different areas, and which speaker is better suited for you greatly depends on how and where you plan to use the Bluetooth speaker.
Party hosts & entertainers, get the Soundboks Go
The Soundboks Go is louder than the Turtlebox, and its sound signature can be crafted to suit your environment/surroundings, and music taste. The battery life of the Soundboks Go is also significantly stronger than the Turtlebox, and the option of switchable battery packs means you can get loads of playtime from the speaker. The Soundboks Go can also be paired with an original Soundboks Bluetooth speaker for a more immersive party experience.
Outdoor enthusiasts get the Turtlebox
The Turtlebox is better suited for outdoor environments, with an IP67 weather-resistance rating making it suitable for beach-goers, hunters, and campers in the woods, sand, snow, or dust. The rugged design of the Turtlebox also means it can take a bit of a beating, and the hooks on either side of the speaker allow it to be easily strapped down to a truck, snowmobile, four-wheeler, or boat. The Turtlebox is also considerably lighter and smaller than the Soundboks Go.
Music lovers, get the Soundboks Go
While the sound quality of both speakers is nothing short of excellent, the Soundboks Go’s tweakable sound signature adds greater versatility for all music tastes, where you can fine-tune the speaker’s frequency response to suit your listening material or surroundings, both indoor and outside.
Alternative Choices
The Soundboks Go is a pretty expensive speaker, and if you’re looking for an indoor alternative with a lower price tag, the JBL PartyBox Club 120 is a great choice. It’s a bit bigger and heavier, but sounds great indoors and comes with a lot more features.
If the Turtlebox sounds like your vibe but is a bit out of your budget, consider the EcoXGear Defender. It’s heavily inspired by the Turtlebox, but in my opinion, it’s the better sounding speaker of the two. It’s not quite as durable, but is a great alternative.
What about the price? Soundboks GO $999 vs the Turtle $399. Add this in and it’s a no brainer. Two for less than 1!
The Soundboks Go retails for $699, but its still a significant difference in cost. Its a lot louder, but its also not as waterproof as the Turtlebox. But in 2025, I think the ecoXgear Defender is also a real worthy competitor in this space.