The Altec Rockbox XL has been the latest sensation in the world of music. With its upgraded Bluetooth, modern design, and poly-carbonate magnet body, it offers a price to performance ratio never seen before. But how do the extravagant-looking specs convert into real performance? Moreover, is it any better than previously released speakers specifically the most successful JBL Boombox? Although they fall in different price ranges, the JBL Boombox now being more than a generation-old speaker is often seen paired in the same category as Rockbox Xl. So which speaker performs technically better. Or more important, which speaker is better for you. Stick around with us for few more minutes and we will find answers to all these questions in no time.
| Prodcut Image | Prodcut Name | Prodcut Price | Prime Availability | Purchase Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | JBL Boombox - Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | Altec Lansing ROCKBOX XL Wireless Bluetooth Speaker | PrimeEligible | Buy Now |
Table of Contents
JBL Boombox – Overview
- Wireless Bluetooth streaming
- 24 hours of playtime
- IPX7 waterproof
- JBL Connect+
- High-capacity battery
- Connector type: 3.5 millimeter stereo
- Power Source Type: Battery Powered
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Altec Rockbox XL – Overview
- Get the party started: Our Bluetooth party speaker uses front-facing woofers to deliver thumping beats, crystal clear audio, and deep bass so you can feel the bass surge through your body making it the perfect choice for any indoor or outdoor party and event
- Light your music up: Our wireless outdoor Bluetooth speakers are designed with LED Lights that offer 5 LED Light Modes that beat to the tune of your music; the portable Bluetooth speaker allows you to choose from multi-color slow fade, beat to music, solid blue, slow fade, and off
- Floating and waterproof: Whether you’re partying at home or in the outdoors, our Bluetooth mini speaker has you covered; it’s IP67 waterproof, snowproof, dirtproof, and even floats on water as well as being durable and sturdy making it perfect for even the rowdiest parties
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Detailed Comparison
1.Pricing
At first, comparing the prices of both the speakers would not seem like fair competition. The JBL Boombox is nearly priced around at $250-$300 in all the major outlines whereas the Altec Rockbox XL is fixed at $150, no matter online or offline stores. But the Boombox is often on sale, now being a generation-old model, and can be grabbed at as low as $200 on certain festivities. The launch of Boombox 3 is also rumored to be around the corner which may further push the price of the original Boombox lower. So yeah, no doubt the Atlec Rockbox XL is a preferred speaker on a tight budget, but if you could wait and get Boombox at a discount price, it would be a much better deal.
2.Design
Both the JBL Boombox and Altec Rockbox XL are very differently built from each other but are well-designed speakers on their own. The Rockbox XL focuses more on look and compatibility whereas the JBL Boombox has been designed keeping road trips and beach-side barbeques in mind. Both the speakers a slight handle at the top to carry the speaker around. The handle in the Boombox 2 has a better design with a more firm grip whereas you may need to carry the Altec Rockbox XL on your shoulders after a while as your hands may start hurting. The speakers are almost equally weighted and the same in dimension and you should not have any trouble carrying them with you.
Other than that, the body and the material seem almost the same. The polycarbonate guarding works pretty well and the speakers are able to handle occasional falls every now and then. Both of them have IPX7 standards which make them safe to use near pools, beaches, and roadside. The 5-LED lightning system in the Altec gives it a unique look and kids and teenagers may love it more than the dull look of Boombox.
With the amount of pool and beach parties being organized these days, It’s essential to have your Bluetooth speaker be IPX7 rated and waterproof. Visit our analysis of the best water-proof Boombox of 2023 for more insights.
So stating finally, Boombox is the ideal speaker you should consider if you are on regular visits, whereas the Atlec Lansing Rockbox XL is also not bad if you are partying at home or your backyard and your kids and friends may love the multi-LED set-up more.
3.Battery Life
On spec-sheet, both JBL Boombox and Altec Lansing Rockbox XL are equipped with a 20,000 mAh standard Li-ion battery, but on actual usage, the results differ vastly. While the JBL Boombox was able to last an entire day of playback on power-saver mode, the Atlec Rockox XL ended its tenure about 4 hours before that. On maximum, load their battery may further get halved to 12 hours and 10 hours respectively. Hence, the Boombox has much better battery management compared to Altec Rockbox XL.
The LED set-up on the Rockbox also hits the battery hard and with everything turned on to the maximum, the speaker lasts anywhere from 4-6 hours which is not very impressive for any latest released speaker. Likewise, you would need to charge the boombox for around six and a half hours to fill the package from zero. The same can be achieved in the Atlec Rockbox XL in a time frame of around 4 hours.
Hence, for long trips, JBL Boombox is without any doubt your must to have a speaker. The LEDs on the Altec Rockbox XL look fancy but they take a heavy toll on the speaker’s overall battery life. But make sure to charge your Boombox overlight before any long trip as filling the power takes a while.
4.Sound Quality
Moving on to the most important feature of any speaker that matters, let’s compare the sound quality of both the speaker in detail. The speaker system of the Altec Lansing Rockbox XL has been completely modified from its predecessors in the last generation. The Rockbox XL is powered by a dual woofer and tweeter set on the back, whereas two passive radiators set up on the side, emits from the front. This enables the Altec Rickbx XL to produce crystal clear, finely-tuned music suitably enough for singing, competitions, and high parties. On the loudness side, the Atlec Rockbox XL does disappoint a bit. You can fill a complete room at maximum volume but the loudness still seems low for the size of the speaker. Nonetheless, as long as you are only partying at the home, that should no be much of a concern to you.
On the opposite side, the JBL Boombox has 4×20 watt speakers blasting from the front whereas the tweeters and the radiators are on the sides emitting from the back. The speaker is monstrously loud and capable of filling an entire college hall or auditorium. The sound quality likewise at maximum value deteriorates a bit. but who cares, when you are shaking from the music all around.
The Boombox hence therefore a much better sound system without any doubt, justifying its higher price unless you are looking to fine-tune your voice for some competition or preparing to deliver speeches.
For the complete range of best-sounding speakers of 2023, visit our review of the best-sounding speaker to be equipped with all the knowledge
5.Connectivity
There is two major difference between the connectivity options available in both speakers, one wired and one wireless. The Alec Rockbox XL are among the first speakers to have new-generation smart TVs support thanks to its wifi connectivity. The connection is strong and much more wider and stable than any Bluetooth option before. Second, the Boombox has a USB-A port in addition to charging that you can use to directly connect any pen-drive or micro-SD card for playback.
Besides that, the Rockbox is equipped with Bluetooth 5.2 compared to the 4.1 version of the Boombox. But you are unlikely to notice any major difference. So, both the speakers have their advantage and disadvantage in the connectivity arena likewise.
Bluetooth speakers are the most popular and prevalent speakers in the market thanks to their range and ease of connectivity. For the complete range of top-quality Bluetooth speakers available in 2023, have a look at our review of the best Bluetooth Boombox to buy in 2023.
Also, both speakers support multi-connection playback that is you can connect multiple speakers of the same generation to play in sync as one large studio. For your convenience, the link to both the apps, Connect+ for JBL and Just Listen for Altec are given below:
Just Listen: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sakar.am
Connect+: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.harman.ble.jbllink
Conclusion
With this, we have come to the end of our comparison of JBL Boombox and Altec Rockbox XL. The Boombox is without any doubt the better speaker out of the lot. It is much louder, easier to carry, and has better battery life. Moreover, the USB-A port makes your life much easier by eliminating the requirement for any other device for playback. If you could grab the Boombox during festivities, it would be a steal deal.
The Rockbox XL, on the other hand, has its perks, it’s cheaper, loaded with the latest technology, attractive multi-LED system, wifi connectivity, and more crystal clear sound quality. If you are low on budget and looking for a home speaker for your TV or family-sized parties, you could go no wrong with the Altec Rockbox XL.
So concluding, your ideal speaker would always depend upon your needs and preferences. Bookmark us and also visit our review of Sony XB43 vs JBL Boombox and JBL Boombox Vs JBL Xtreme 2.