JBL Partybox On-The-Go review: Big sound, loads of fun

If you’re trying to entertain a crowd then you need more than just your average portable Bluetooth speaker. That’s where JBL’s Partybox range of speakers comes in, offering big sound, and a genuine entertainment offering. Their latest is the JBL Partybox On-The-Go.

Joining a big family of Partybox speakers, the On-The-Go is suited to those who are – as the name suggests, on the go. So if you’re bringing the entertainment to the park, a mates place or the beach – this is the one for you.

Mainly because it comes with a shoulder carry strap I guess! Which is padded thank goodness because this thing weighs over 7.5kg!

IPX4 splashproof it can sit poolside, and the sound will fill your backyard – no dout!

Power wise it sits below the Partybox 100, which has a 160W output, the JBL Partybox On-The-Go pushes 100W but boy it doesn’t show as being down on power when out of the box.

Pair with your phone and you’ve got instant access to your sound.

The in-speaker light show follows the music just for a nice party feel, but with the touch of a button you can flick through different light shows, or turn that off.

There’s JBL Bass Boost which really delivers the sound most would want for a party, but in my 1:1 listening I found I didn’t need for it at all.

But that’s all just burying the lede here folks. The REAL party trick here is the inclusion of two wireless microphones in the box.

Not an optional pay more accessory, these are in the box, with batteries ready for you to get singing.

Because you have control over the level of the microphone input, you don’t need Karaoke music to enjoy them either. Sing along with your favourite songs, the real singer drowns out how bad you are.

Or, pull down the music and pump up the microphone so we can hear you.

The entertainer in me enjoyed some late night sing-a-longs here folks, of course there was no one to witness that, so the performance was outstanding – just trust me.

I love what a JBL Partybox can bring to an event, and while the Partybox 100 is a cracker speaker, I’d pick the on-the-go any day of the week just because of those microphones.

There’s a 6 hour battery life when running off the grid, and around back is a USB input for your saved music, or a 3.5mm input for those going old-school.

Also, on the top is a slot to keep your tablet or phone for music control.

Launched at $579, You’ll find them at or around that price at Harvey Norman and JB HiFi while at the time of writing The Good Guys had the best price at $499.