JBL PartyBox 320 vs 710: What Are The Differences?

If you’re in the market for a powerful party speaker, the new JBL Stage 320 and older PartyBox 710 are both worth considering. However, they are quite different in their design with the PartyBox 320 being smaller, lighter, and having a rechargeable battery. The PartyBox 710 on the other hand, doesn’t have a battery at all and needs an AC input to power it. So is the lack of versatility worth the added bass and volume? Here’s everything you need to know about how these two speakers compare.

JBL PartyBox Club 320 vs Partybox 710 Specs

Model	PartyBox 320	PartyBox 710
Water Resistance	IPX4	IPX4
Output Power	240W	800W
Bluetooth Version	5.4	5.1
Bluetooth Profiles	A2DP 1.4, AVRCP 1.6	A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.6
Battery Life	Up to 18 Hours	AC Only
Charging Time	3 Hours	N/A
Frequency Response	40 Hz – 20 kHz	35Hz – 20kHz
Woofers	Dual 6.5″	Dual 8″
Tweeters	Dual 1″	Dual 2.75″
Wheels	Yes	Yes
TWS	Yes	Yes
Multispeaker Pairing	Yes (Auracast)	Yes (Party Mode)
Weight	41.7 lbs	68.34 lbs
Dimensions	26.34 x 13.19 x 15.16″	41.26 x 19.88 x 18.39″
App Support	JBL PartyBox	JBL PartyBox
Price:	Check Price	Check Price

Durability

Winner: Tied

Both speakers are made from high-quality, thick plastics and come with an IPX4 water-resistance rating. So while neither is suited for heavy rain, they can handle occasional sprays and splashes without risking damage. Although the grille is slightly different, it doesn’t have too much impact on how much pressure it can withstand, with both speakers being somewhat susceptible to grille dents when dropped or misplaced during transit.

Although the plastic doesn’t crack easily, they both tend to scratch quite easily if accidentally knocked over, especially onto a rough surface. Care should also be taken when transporting the speakers, as they can easily pick up paint marks when rubbed against painted metals.

Neither speaker is particularly more durable than the other.

Portability

Winner: PartyBox 320

The PartyBox 320 has several advantages over the 710 when it comes to portability. Although both speakers have built-in wheels, the 320 is significantly lighter at 41.7 lbs compared to the 710’s hefty 68.34 lb build. The 710 is also a lot larger than the 320, standing at 41.26″ compared to the 320’s more manageable 26.34″ height. In addition to the 320 being easier to move in and out of vehicles or between rooms, the 710 doesn’t have a battery and needs to be plugged into an AC outlet for its power.

The wheels are both fairly wide, providing stable movement even on rough surfaces like asphalt. Due to its smaller size, the 320 has a built-in telescopic handle for transport, while the 710’s handle is built into the top of the speaker.

Lighting Effects

Winner: PartyBox 710

The PartyBox 710 has slightly better lighting effects, owing in part to its large size facilitating more light coverage. However, the PartyBox 320 doesn’t fall far behind, being much closer to the 710 than its predecessor. Both speakers have a large light ring that extends around the drivers, with bars that light the sides of the 710 and the top and bottom of the 320. The effects and colors of the lights can also be changed on both the 320 and the 710 when using the JBL PartyBox app.

Inputs & Outputs

Winner: Tied

The inputs and outputs are nearly identical on both speakers, with dual 6.25mm microphone inputs, auxiliary input, along with USB output. This lets them be used effectively for karaoke, or when a guitar is plugged in they can act as an amplifier. Additional aux in and out are also included for wired multispeaker pairing, called “Daisy chaining”.

Controls

Winner: PartyBox 320

The PartyBox 320 has moved away from the control layout on the 310 and now closer matches that found on the 710, with dials for volume and playback controls along with lighting and play buttons centered in the dial.

A benefit the 320 has over the 710 is that it has an Auracast button on the top, meaning you don’t need to use the JBL PartyBox app to create a multispeaker pairing. Otherwise, both models have bass boost and Bluetooth pairing controls on the top of the speaker too.

Both speakers also have 3 DJ preset buttons that can be used to play soundbites. While somewhat novel in their design, they can add to the party experience when used sparingly.

Since the PartyBox 710 and 320 are both reliable karaoke speakers, having microphone adjustment dials is a great feature. The PartyBox 320 has the same treble, bass, and echo adjustments as the 710, but with the advantage of also having a microphone volume adjustment which is a significant benefit.

Bluetooth

Winner: PartyBox 320

With the PartyBox 710 being an older speaker, its Bluetooth isn’t as recent as that found on the 320. However in practical use, there isn’t much difference in the performance, both speakers support the same codecs (SBC, AAC) and have pretty much the same latency, which is low enough to use these speakers for video too.

Multi-Speaker Pairing

Winner: Tied

While both the PartyBox 320 and 710 support multispeaker pairing, they use different technology to do so. The PartyBox 710 uses JBL’s proprietary Party mode technology allowing the 710 to be paired to the PartyBox 310 and PartyBox 110 in general multispeaker pairing or with another 710 in a stereo pairing.

The PartyBox Stage 320 uses Auracast for its multispeaker pairing and can be connected to another PartyBox 320, the PartyBox 120, or the larger PartyBox Ultimate in a general party pairing. It also supports a TWS pairing with another PartyBox 320.

App Support

Winner: Tied

Both Partyboxes are supported by the JBL PartyBox app and it’s within this app that you get a lot of the customization aspects. Lighting, multispeaker pairing, and EQ adjustments. The PartyBox app is comprehensive and reliable.

Frequency Response

Winner: Tied

The most noticeable difference between these two speakers in how they sound is the amount of bass produced by the 710. The 710 is powered by two large 8″ woofers which allow it to produce deep, powerful lows. While the 320’s bass is still powerful and deep, more so than that of the earlier 310, it doesn’t have the same impact as the 710.

The PartyBox 320 puts more focus on the clarity of the vocals and higher frequencies, which makes it sound better than the 710 for vocal-centric music genres, as the 710s bass can sometimes be overpowering. However, for parties where bass-dominant genres like EDM and Hip-Hop are being played exclusively, the PartyBox 710 is a clear winner.

Overall, neither is inherently better than the other and both do a great job at performing two separate tasks – clarity and balance with the 320 or deep, powerful bass with the 710.

Soundstage & Dynamics

Winner: PartyBox 320

Both speakers have impressive soundstage, owed in part to the placement of the tweeters that give them additional separation. This makes subtle details more audible in the left and right channels and makes panning of these frequencies easy to hear.

The dynamics are excellent on both speakers, being able to reach high volume levels with minimal loss of sound quality. However, because the PartyBox 320 is inherently a more detailed-sounding speaker, its high-quality dynamic range is a bit more noticeable than with the 710.

Volume

Winner: PartyBox 710

The 710 is a significantly louder speaker than the PartyBox 320, which is unsurprising given its hefty 800W power output and dual 8″ woofers. Both speakers will work fine for relatively large parties, but the 710 can fill a larger room than the 320, making it better suited for gatherings of between 30 and 50 people. The 320 produces around 105 dB and is better suited for gatherings of 25 to 35 people.

To get a good idea of the volume the 320 has, I recommend watching this YouTube video that shows the volume level across a range of up to 250 meters.

Playtime & Charging Time

Winner: PartyBox 320

The most distinct difference between these two speakers lies in their power source. The PartyBox 320 has a replaceable and rechargeable battery with 18 hours of playtime while the PartyBox 710 doesn’t have a built-in battery and requires an AC power source. This makes it better suited to indoor use, or areas where an extension cable can be run. The 710’s larger size and AC power requirement make it less versatile and give the 320 a distinct edge for those who want a portable speaker.

Price & Value

The PartyBox 320 is a more affordable speaker retailing for $599 while the larger PartyBox 710 has a retail selling price of $799. However, the 710 has recently been on sale for as low as $599. From a sheer value perspective, if you’re able to find the 710 on sale – it’s hard to not recommend it over the 320, just because of its bigger sound and more powerful bass. However, that’s only if you don’t need a speaker with a battery.

Conclusion

Although the JBL PartyBox 320 and 710 are two similar speakers, they still cater to different people. The 320 is the best choice for portability, with a much lighter weight and battery. Its sound leans more towards a balanced, detailed, and vocal-centric sound that makes it versatile across a lot of genres.

The PartyBox 710 is louder, with a lot more bass, making it a better choice for more demanding parties where it’s mostly going to be bass-heavy genres being played, like EDM. The biggest sacrifice you’ll be making with the 710 is just the lack of battery, meaning it always needs to be plugged in.

Which one is best? That depends entirely on how you plan to use it, but with the information covered in this article, I’m sure you have an idea that is right for you.

Frequently Asked Questions