Rated 5 out of
5
by
Meghan from
This PartyBox is unreal!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Wow! From the sights to the sound, I am blown away. The battery life in this massive party box keeps up with demand and is removable. This thing is loud! The bass will rattle my windows without compromising clarity. Even if I have either version of the bass boost turned on I still have high quality sound that’s clear. I love that it connects to the JBL PartyBox app and allows for detailed control of the equalizer. I can fine tune the equalizer to enhance the sound for any situation. I personally think the Party Buttons are a little silly and an unnecessary feature but to each their own. Lastly, it is large so it is heavy and while the wheels are a great feature they are smaller so you just have to be aware of that and whatever surface you’re rolling on. As a 5’ 4” female it is a little bulky to maneuver around. All that said, it is a high quality speaker that is premium in the way it looks and feels.
Date published: 2025-06-23
Rated 5 out of
5
by
KLewt from
Party Big/ Party Long/ Party Loud
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] For some reason, I have always wanted a JBL Partybox. And now that I’ve got one, boy am I impressed.
Some basic instructions were included, but everything was very easy to figure out to get the party started.
To me, JBL’s signature bass thumping sound in this 400 watt Partybox speaker is unmatched. Whether you are playing music or singing karaoke you will be heard, loud and clear. And if you are a busker, there is even a plug in for your guitar.
The front of the speaker puts on an unbelievable light show in a rainbow of colors or a color of your choosing. And you can control it all in the JBL Partybox app.
The top of the Partybox has the Bluetooth connection button and the Bass Boost button. And to top it off, it also has 3 other buttons for sound effects found in the Partybox app.
The battery charges super fast and has at least a 15 hour life, so the party never stops.
The access panel on the back of the 520 Partybox is where you can plug in microphones or a guitar. And one of my favorite features is the usb-c port to charge your phone, iPad, or microphones.
The JBL 520 Partybox is heavy, but has wheels and a telescopic handle to roll it from one place to the next.
I’ve hooked it up to my tv, and am hearing sounds from sporting events I have never heard before.
You want to party loud and all night? The JBL 520 Partybox will do that and more.
Date published: 2025-06-02
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Mikey Mike from
You need this if you party!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This thing is awesome! I was very skeptical of the party box line, but I am a believer now. The 520 is absolutely amazing. It’s not just a speaker system, but a true music experience. JBL sound quality, massive sound, and lights! The entire family jammed out for hours the first night we had it. Outside, the sound carries a very open area clearly. The 520 is fantastic for outdoor parties, pool days, and night parties are that much better due to the lighting effects (kids absolutely love it!). This is now one of my top 5 JBL favorite items ever! If you need big sound, the Party Box 520 is a no brainer.
Date published: 2025-06-01
Rated 5 out of
5
by
nnutman from
Amazing sound, very powerful speaker!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Amazing sound! The box is huge, connect easily to my Google TV with Bluetooth and the quality of watching Basketball or a movie is just wow.
This can easily be your TV sound system, and you can move it around...
The speaker is heavy, but the wheels help to move it, I was able to connect to my Flex TV as well and to my phone.
You can connect a Mic and a guitar as well.
It comes with a battery that you can replace in the future. It was not there on older models.
What i liked about this huge speaker is that it can replace all the speakers I have, specially for TV and Desktop.
There are lights and sounds you can change on the top of the speaker and JBL App (I used the android one) provide you full control of the speaker, include updates.
Enjoy Movies as never before!
Date published: 2025-05-29
Rated 5 out of
5
by
MABP from
More than just a speaker
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] For this review, I’m partnering with two of our university music faculty (you’ll see them in the photos too!) who direct our campus pep band since they are audio experts and will be using this speaker with the band. After some testing, here are some key observations:
Overview: The new JBL PartyBox 520 is a powerful and practical tool for rehearsal, performance, and of course party environments. While most professional groups will want to supplement this with additional speakers (more on that in the next section), this could be used for smaller performance venues and is ideal when you need a speaker for rehearsal (whether for a band track, a dance practice, etc.), especially if you don’t want to have to worry too much about power sources, outlet locations, or are going to be outside or in an unfamiliar setting.
Sound: This speaker delivers 400 watts of clean, balanced audio with excellent clarity across the full range. The bass is deep without overwhelming the mids, and the highs cut through beautifully, which is important when you’re dealing with layered textures in an ensemble. The AI Sound Boost actively analyzes and adjusts in real-time, so it holds its clarity even when things get loud. That’s a big win for outdoor rehearsals or spaces with poor acoustics. The highs especially are really powerful can get a little overwhelming, but it’s easy to use the EQ to adjust them in the app to get the highs exactly where you want them for beautiful sound. The bass is really great up close, but as you get farther away in a larger venue, it starts to fade a little more than we’d like for a professional performance. For professionals and larger venues, it’s important to note that this speaker alone will not replace a full range PA system. In those cases, you’ll probably want to have two of these speakers along with a JBL subwoofer to have a full range sound system performance (and this speaker easily lets you daisy chain a system together to do that!), but this will work beautifully in small intimate venues and places where one speaker is more than enough.
Battery Life: The battery life is a major highlight for this speaker. The specs say you’ll get 15 hours on a full charge and that if you’re in a time crunch, a 10-minute charge will give you 2 more hours of use. We didn’t fully put that to the test, but that’s impressive battery life for such a powerful speaker and makes this incredibly versatile. You can also swap out the battery entirely, which is incredibly useful for all-day events, festivals, parade floats, or extended rehearsals without easy access to power. The power is excellent, and we have no concerns here. However, there is no place on the speaker to store the power cable, but with this battery life you will be treating this more like a cell phone where you charge it then take it in the field and charge it when you’re done. One recommendation that we would make for future iterations of these speakers, though, would be to add a small compartment that can hold the power cord so that it doesn’t get lost. You can see in one of the pictures that we’re compensating by using a velcro strap to attach the power cord to the handle, but a small compartment would be a nice addition.
Weight and mobility: This speaker felt sturdy from the moment it came out of the box, and it was especially nice that there was no assembly. It was ready to go the moment it came out of the package (including the battery being pre-charged). In terms of mobility, it’s heavy-duty but easy to move. It has built-in wheels and a telescopic handle, so I’ve been rolling it between indoor rehearsal spaces and outdoor fields with no issue. The IPX4 splash resistance makes it safe for sideline use during marching rehearsals, or even dance runs outside. The luggage arm is extremely comfortable and similar to rolling around a heavy suitcase. And it pushes down to make a compact package (about the height of a standard desk without the handle extended). Time will tell whether the wheels will hold up to heavy use if the speaker is rolled around outdoors on rough surfaces a lot, but the wheels seem pretty sturdy.
Inputs: Now from a musical standpoint, what really sets the PartyBox 520 apart is its input flexibility. It comes with dual XLR inputs, which means I can plug in a microphone for voice commands during rehearsal, or even a mic and a keyboard for pop-up performances. We set up a bass and keyboard setup as well. You can also plug your mics, keyboard, bass, and other instruments into a mixer, and then plug the mixer into this if you prefer. Additionally, you can use it for track playback in dance and guard rehearsals through the USB-C or Bluetooth 5.4 connection. We even set up a DJ rig and it seamlessly worked with the dual inputs. Plus, with Auracast, you can link multiple PartyBoxes for coverage across a larger field or gym. The inputs also have an additional gain job that you can access with a small screwdriver or key for some extra boost. When both inputs are switched to mic mode, though both inputs function on the singular knob at the top. So keep that in mind that this doesn’t replace a full range mixer on its own.
Lights: The light show is a bonus. You can keep it subtle during rehearsal, but for community events or performances, it adds a great visual element. It syncs to your music and can be customized through the JBL PartyBox app, along with EQ and playback settings. The lights add a cool, unique element that JBL holds as a staple. The light response to the sound frequencies is top notch, especially with DJ setups.
Final thoughts: This is more than just a speaker. The PartyBox 520 is a reliable tool for directors, choreographers, and performers who need portable, professional-grade sound in any environment, and its features are excellent for anyone looking for a speaker that can easily fill a room. It does not replace a full range PA system or a sound board, but for the average musician, Disk Jockey at small events, director, or party thrower, the JBL 520 is everything you need in one easiest to move powerful speakers. And investing in its wireless options with its aura cast can yield some really powerful and effective results.
Date published: 2025-05-28
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Todd17 from
Fantastic Event Speaker
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This speaker is truly impressive! It delivers excellent sound quality at high volumes for outdoor events, while also providing clear dialogue at moderate levels for watching movies or baseball games. Setting it up and charging it after taking it out of the box was very easy.
I have tested the sound at both high and low volumes, with the Bass Boost feature turned on and off. For classic rock, I find that a mid-level Bass Boost works best for me. In larger spaces or outdoors, I believe the full Bass Boost would be quite effective.
The lights are enjoyable and enhance the party atmosphere. The JBL Party Box app allows for precise controls, enabling you to enable, disable, or customize the four lighting systems according to your preferred brightness, colors, and patterns. I can adjust them endlessly without losing any enjoyment.
The DJ/Special Effects features are entertaining for a while, but since I haven't hosted a large party since getting the speaker and I'm not trying to become a DJ, I haven't used them much. However, I’m sure that someone experienced would have a lot of fun with these options.
The battery life was more than adequate for my needs. I played music, movies, audiobooks, podcasts, and radio shows for most of three days, and the battery level was still at 50% (though I kept the volume moderate, I did use all the lighting effects). The USB-C port is easily accessible and charged my phone effectively, though not as quickly as the OnePlus OEM charger. When connected, my phone indicated that it was "charging," but there were no indications of "turbo mode" or "charging slowly."
Overall, this is a wonderful addition to my media setup—I can't wait to load it into the back of my truck for a camping trip. I want to do this before all my friends ask to borrow it for their own enjoyment.
Date published: 2025-05-28
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Harley boy from
New 520 party box !! Smashing it!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This is real nice party box. It has a real clear sound and good base. The lights are nice and entertaining. I like that it can be linked back to other TWS units. This is not my first party box. I have a 310 in my garage and have used it for years. This new 520 has better sound quality and the volume has way more push. I use it out by the pool and it is perfect. The fact it is splash resistant is just what I needed. The AI sound is a nice addition so you aren’t adjusting it all the time. It is a heavier unit but the bigger wheels make it easy to move.
Date published: 2025-05-27
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Miguelito 350 from
… The Perfect Speaker to have a Party anywhere …
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] JBL PARTYBOX 520
I got this Speaker ( Partybox 520 ) a few days ago
and ooh my God , I am beyond impressed how good and
how loud this is . It has great sound and as deep Bass as to be
expected being a JBL Product.
We used it at a Barbecue yesterday and everyone there loved it .
They were Amazed how good it sounds and how cool and practical
the Partybox i . Also very easy to use as all the buttons and features
are pretty straight forward.
- Design.. the Partybox 520 looks pretty cool , the suitcase idea is
very ingenious. The telescopic handle and the wheels make pretty
easy to move and maneuver.
- Sound .. as JBL Product it sounds amazing , just in a much
larger scale this time. You can become a DJ and entertain your
family and friends.
- Control Panel.. all the buttons on top and on the back are easy to use.
You can Turn ON and OFF the lights just by pressing the button
on the top panel.
I found that with the JBL Partybox App you can turn the
speaker off if you desire.
- Size.. in my opinion is comparable to a large suitcase,
it is sturdy and weighs around 50 lbs.
Overall I think is another great product from JBL.
Date published: 2025-05-25
Rated 5 out of
5
by
nismos14 from
Wow! Massive portable party speaker!!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Let me start with the few negatives (there’s not many of them, honestly!)
1: The styrofoam packaging inside the outer corrugated carton is pretty weak. All of it was damaged when I was opening up the box. A sturdy pressed paper triple thick formed like the speaker would probably be a better choice.
2: It is a bit challenging to take out of the box due to the sheer size. The instructions are to flip the box over after opening the top. This is not the easiest thing to do by yourself. Definitely suggest having a second set of hands to help with this.
3: At the time of this review the speaker is not yet available in the Partybox app so not able to control eq and any other functions from your phone/in the app.
4: The speaker is pricey! I might have a tough time justifying buying it at regular price even though it seems to be worth it. I am typically looking for deals to for anyone else this speaker will do it all and may be well worth the price.
Now for the good!
1: This thing is ENORMOUS! You won’t need to pair two smaller speakers together anymore to get adequate sound in medium / large area.
2: The different variety of inputs are more the adequate as you can use them to connect mutiple mics which I think is a strong suit for this speaker.
3: Tons of lighting options! Nuff said :)
4: Big battery!! Huge battery that suggest very long play time which the ability charge quickly and also to play while plugged in.
5: Tons of bass! The multiple bass options are not just more bass and even more bass. One provides punchy bass one provides deep bass. Very good to play around with both and get the bass to your liking.
6: Strong wheels and handle, take this thing anywhere!
7: maybe considered bad to some but this speaker is absolutely enormous, and fairly heavy after removing the packaging I’d estimate it close to 58 pounds. Keep that in mind.
8: It maintains the JBL signature sound that those of us who are familiar with JBL love and expect.
Overall I am very pleased with this speaker. My comparison includes the 1st gen Partybox Encore, Partybox Encore Essential and a multitude of battery powered speakers and karaoke speakers that I have made myself.
Date published: 2025-05-22
