Best Performance
Soundboks 4
| Soundboks 4 | Soundboks Go |
| Battery 8.2 | Battery 8.8 |
| Durability 7.5 | Durability 7.5 |
| Sound Quality 8.2 | Sound Quality 7.8 |
| Ease of Use 8.5 | Ease of Use 8.5 |
| Portability 7.3 | Portability 8.2 |
| Connectivity 8.3 | Connectivity 7 |
Most Versatile
Soundboks Go
The Soundboks Go Is A Lot More Versatile Than The Soundboks 4 But Isn’t As Loud
The Soundboks 4 and Soundboks Go are similar in their approach, with both speakers being designed for loud and clear sound, with a sound signature that’s particularly well suited to the outdoors. The Soundboks 4 is a great speaker for events and can cover a large area with rich, detailed sound. The Soundboks Go, on the other hand, isn’t quite as loud or as large as the Soundboks 4, and is better suited
There’s no easy winner here, as both speakers have something to offer and the best choice ultimately will depend on how you plan to use it. With that said, objectively, the Soundboks 4 has more to offer, despite its more burdensome weight.
Key Takeaways
- The Soundboks 4’s higher volume output makes it better for party environments and demanding situations.
- The Soundboks Go is lighter and significantly more compact, which makes it a great pick-up-and-go option.
- Although both are made for outdoor use, the lack of IP protection leaves them a bit vulnerable to excessive contact with water.
- Features and controls are nearly identical between both speakers.
| Model | Soundboks 4 | Soundboks Go |
| Water Resistance | Coated internal components | Coated internal components |
| Output Power | 216W | 144W |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Battery Life | Up to 40 Hours | Up to 40 Hours |
| Charging Time | 3.5 Hours | 2 Hours |
| Frequency Response | 40 Hz – 20 kHz | 40 Hz – 20 kHz |
| Woofers | 2 × 10” woofers | 2 × 10” woofer |
| Tweeters | 1 × 1” tweeter | 1x 1″ tweeter |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Speaker Pairing | Up to 5 speakers | Up to 5 speakers |
| Weight | 35.5 lbs | 20.3 lbs |
| Dimensions | 25.6 × 17 × 13″ | 18.1 × 12.4 × 10.5″ |
| App Support | Yes (SOUNDBOKS) | Yes (SOUNDBOKS) |
| Price: | Check Price | Check Price |
Design, Build, & Durability
These two speakers have significantly different form factors. The Soundboks 4 is a relatively large speaker that’s made to produce massive amounts of volume in a portable style. The Soundboks Go on the other hand is more tailored towards portability, weighing around 40% less and having a built-in carry handle. Otherwise, the durability of both speakers is comparable.
Durability
Winner: Tied
These speakers are both durable, with strong grille designs that can take a knock. The grille on the Soundboks 4 is metal, while the Soundboks Go has a thick plastic grille with wider spaces. The Soundboks 4’s corner protection pieces also prevent it from getting scratched when placed on surfaces. These speakers can be tossed into the back of a pickup without too much fuss.
Portability
Winner: Soundboks Go
Above: Soundboks Go (Left) next to the Soundboks 3 which also accurately represents the size difference between the Soundboks 4 and the Go.
There are significant differences in how portable the Soundboks 4 and Soundboks Go are. The Soundboks 4 is a much larger and heavier speaker which while still relatively easy to transport, is a burden to carry over long distances. In contrast, the Soundboks Go is lighter and has a built-in carry handle which makes it much easier to carry over longer distances.
I’ve found that one of the most noticeable benefits of the Soundboks Go is that I can toss it into the back seat of my sedan quite easily, a task that’s much more of a challenge with the larger Soundboks 4.
Weather Resistance
Winner: Tied
Neither speaker has official waterproofing or an associated IP/IPX rating, meaning water can enter the shells and can potentially cause some damage over time, causing issues like rust. However, they do have some basic protection, such as the electrical components inside the speaker being coated to prevent damage when they are exposed to water. So while you may see IP65 on the marketing material, this only refers to the level of protection these electrical components have.
Controls, Connectivity & App Support
Both speakers share similar controls and the same app features, however, connectivity differs between them with the Soundboks 4 having a 3.5mm aux output and 2x XLR inputs, which the Soundboks Go lacks.
Inputs & Outputs
Winner: Soundboks 4
Above: Illustration of the ports featured on the Soundboks 3 and Soundboks 4
The Soundboks 4 has more comprehensive connection options than the Soundboks Go. It has two XLR inputs, while the Soundboks Go doesn’t have any XLR options. They both have a standard 3.5mm aux input, which is a nice feature to have nowadays where many models have dropped support. Another difference, however, is that the Soundboks 4 also has a 3.5mm auxiliary output while the Soundboks Go does not.
Controls
Winner: Tied
Controls are nearly identical across both speakers, with only minor differences. Both speakers have a power button, but the Soundboks Go has this button built into the volume control, while the Soundboks 4 has it next to the volume wheel. They both have on-speaker multispeaker pairing buttons which I love, they make it quick and simple to pair more than one Soundboks speaker together. This is especially useful given how all Soundboks models can be paired with each other.
Bluetooth
Winner: Tied
Bluetooth 5.0 is used on both speakers, and I found it performs really well. The built-in Bluetooth receivers do an effective job of holding a steady connection, even at a distance. Pairing is also easy and I didn’t encounter any issues when establishing connections.
A really cool feature is the low-latency results one gets from these speakers, it’s low enough to watch video with minimal issues on both Apple and Android phones.
App Support
Winner: Tied
These speakers are both supported by the SOUNDBOKS mobile app, available on both Apple and Android devices and the features afforded to them are the same for both models. Within the app, there are graphic and preset EQs, multispeaker pairing, and a feature that reduces latency between paired speakers.
Audio Performance
Both speakers have clear vocals and detailed sound, but the Soundboks 4 has a deeper bass extension and more balanced sound. In contrast, the Soundboks Go has a punchy bass that isn’t as deep as its big brother. Its tuning is also different, with a clear focus on outdoor sound, where the treble is raised to promote production nuance in the open air.
Frequency Response
Winner: Soundboks 4
The Soundboks 4 has deeper bass, due to its dual 10″ woofer configuration, compared to the single 10″ woofer on the Soundboks Go. But its midrange and treble are also a bit better balanced, which makes vocals sound clearer in most mixes.
The Soundboks Go’s lows are more punchy, with elevated middle and upper bass as well, while the Soundboks 4’s bass is more balanced in these upper bass frequencies.
The Soundboks Go’s tuning is distinctly for the outdoors, with a strong dip in the upper midrange and strong elevation in the treble. This elevated treble helps the Soundboks Go to cut through the wind and open air.
Overall, the Soundboks 4’s deeper bass extension and more balanced midrange make it sound better to me than the Soundboks Go.
Soundstage & Dynamics
Winner: Tied
Given that both speakers are mono and don’t offer stereo sound unless paired with another, the soundstage is relatively weak on them. This is unsurprising, and relatively common for this style of speaker. Stereo sound is more often found in home speakers.
In terms of dynamic range, both speakers perform well. Speakers with low dynamic range will usually lose detail as their volume is increased, and many fall short right off the bat. That’s not the case here with both the Soundboks 4 and Soundboks Go sounding detailed, across all volume levels. I found I could easily identify subtle elements in the mix that add to the experience.
The dynamic range on the Soundboks 4 has improved dramatically since the release of its predecessor, which didn’t have as much to offer as the Soundboks Go in this area.
Volume
Winner: Soundboks 4
Both speakers are loud, but the Soundboks 4 is the louder of the two. It’s advertised to produce 126dB, making it the loudest portable Bluetooth speaker on the market. Its dual 10″ woofer and single 1″ tweeter are powered by 216W, making it very efficient for the power it produces. When we ran a decibel test on it, we got a 111.2 dB average using pink noise, which while short of 126dB, is still louder than any other Bluetooth speaker we’ve tested.
But the Soundboks Go is no slouch in its power either, it has 144W output and is advertised to reach up to 121 dB. In our tests, we got 107.6 dB at one meter, which is still as powerful as some of JBL’s large PartyBox models.
Both speakers can easily fill a room with sound and have enough power to carry audio well outdoors too. The Soundboks 4 is the one to go for if you’re looking to host a party, while the Soundboks Go is ideal for smaller gatherings of up to 20 people.
Multi-Speaker Pairing
Winner: Tied
The Soundboks 4 and Soundboks Go both have the same multispeaker pairing capabilities. They can be paired together in stereo with any other Sounboks model, or be paired with up to four additional Soundboks models in a general multispeaker group pairing.
This feature makes it easy to set up several Soundboks speakers to create comprehensive coverage that can cover a large area. This whole process is made seamless, with intuitive on-speaker pairing buttons and mobile app pairing options
Battery Performance
Winner: Soundboks Go
A stand-out feature of both these speakers is the incredible battery performance that’s afforded by their 7.8Ah LiFePO4 batteries. These high-quality lithium batteries provide up to 40 hours of playtime at lower volume levels, while also giving substantial playtime at high volume.
At max volume, the Soundboks 4 will last around 6 hours, or 8 hours at 90-95% volume, and takes around 3.5 hours to fully charge. The Soundboks Go, on the other hand, lasts closer to 10 hours near peak volume and charges in just 2 hours.
Price & Value
These are both premium speakers with hefty price tags, the Soundboks Go retails for $699 while the larger Soundboks 4 sits at $999. At this price point, there are a lot of alternatives on the market, but few do it like Soundboks, especially if volume and bass are your main focus.
The JBL PartyBox 520 is being released soon and is worth considering as a loud portable party speaker, but it isn’t going to get as loud as the Soundboks 4.
For alternative on-the-go options to the Soundboks Go, the ecoXgear Defender or Turtlebox are two similar style speakers, at lower price points. Having tested them all, I’d suggest the ecoXgear Defender because of its EQ, while the Turtlebox is limited to its factory sound. But if you’re chasing deep bass, the Soundboks Go outperforms all its competitors.
Conclusion
Overall, the Soundboks 4 and Soundboks Go are both awesome speakers, capable of producing loads of volume and being easy to use. The Soundboks 4 is the better speaker though, as having the additional woofer adds a lot of deep bass and volume, and while the Soundboks Go is a great buy on its own, I can’t help but feel like it’s priced slightly too high for what it is, especially given that similar competitors like the Turtlebox (see our review) and ecoXgear Defender can reach similar volume levels at half the price.
Winner
Soundboks 4
The Soundboks 4 is a larger speaker than the Soundboks Go, and while both speakers perform well, the Soundboks 4’s deeper bass extension and additional volume make it the better pick for most situations.
