New JBL PartyBox adds much-requested feature for ultimate sound quality upgrade

(Image credit: JBL)

published 30 August 2023

There are speakers and then there are speakers. JBL is going all-in with its latest, the PartyBox Ultimate, which is a massive lights-and-audio extravaganza designed to deliver, you guessed it, the ultimate party speaker experience.

The PartyBox Ultimate is described as "bigger, better, bolder," as there's no other model in JBL's range as loud, as large, or as highly-specified. Indeed, the PartyBox Ultimate is the first of its kind to include Wi-Fi and, when using that connectivity, can play Dolby Atmos three-dimensional audio tracks.

This much-requested Wi-Fi feature is what PartyBox fans have been waiting for, as it opens the door to better-quality audio formats, whether outputting from your own DJ source, or using the likes of Apple Music, Tidal, or Amazon Music (all of which support Dolby Atmos recordings).

While the PartyBox range isn't going to enter most people's best wireless speakers shopping list by default, JBL's range has a devoted following and significant Google keyword rank based on worldwide interest. The PartyBox 1000 was the previous top-tier model, which the new PartyBox Ultimate succeeds – and it's even louder thanks to 1100 watts of output.

Just how loud are we talking? JBL claims the Ultimate is sufficient enough to entertain a space as large as two basketball courts, thanks to dual tweeters, dual mid-range drivers, and dual 9-inch subwoofers ensuring that bass is never going to pass you by – even at the loudest volumes.

The PartyBox Ultimate is just as content outside as it is indoors, thanks to IPX4 splash-resistance, while its integrated lights feature new effects, such as starry night, in addition to strobes and light trails. And with JBL's PartyPad DJ effects, this mega-speaker has everything you need for a house party that goes off.

But you'll need a wallet as fat as your chonky beats and bass, as the JBL PartyBox Ultimate will be priced at £1299.99/€1499.99 when it goes on sale from tomorrow, 31 August.

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Mike is T3's Tech Editor. He's been writing about consumer technology for 15 years and his beat covers phones – of which he's seen hundreds of handsets over the years – laptops, gaming, TV & audio, and more. There's little consumer tech he's not had a hand at trying, and with extensive commissioning and editing experience, he knows the industry inside out. As the former Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint for 10 years where he furthered his knowledge and expertise, whilst writing about literally thousands of products, he's also provided work for publications such as Wired, The Guardian, Metro, and more.