Well, if you've always been curious about what JBL PartyBoost is, this is the right place to find out! Here we'll tell you all you need to know about PartyBoost, what it can do, which speakers it can be found in, and much more.
What JBL PartyBoost can do
You can use multiple compatible speakers from JBL with JBL PartyBoost to play the same music on the speakers. This makes a single speaker, in combination with many others, a large speaker.
By using two speakers of the same series, it is possible to form a stereo pair from the two speakers. If there are more speakers, the device automatically switches to PartyBoost mode, where all speakers play the same sound.
This function can be used with compatible speakers by pressing the PartyBoost button on the device at the same time. Moreover, the connection between the speakers can be adjusted via the newly renamed JBL Portable app.
JBL's 3rd standard
PartyBoost isn't JBL's first way to let multiple Bluetooth speakers play the same music, though. It is the third attempt, however, this is not good news.
PartyBoost’s two previous versions are called JBL Connect and JBL Connect + (Plus). You can find out more about them in our article. Despite their similar names, the two versions of JBL Connect were not compatible with each other. But what has already caused excitement with the introduction of JBL Connect +, unfortunately, continues again now.
While JBL PartyBoost doesn't offer any significant feature upgrades, it is not compatible with devices that use JBL Connect or Connect+.
In other words, speakers that have JBL PartyBoost built-in cannot be used with their previous versions. For example, this includes the JBL Charge 4 and 5, the JBL Xtreme 2 and 3, and the JBL Flip 4 and 5.
The speakers that support PartyBoost
Nine JBL portable speakers have PartyBoost built in. The full list:
- JBL Flip 5
- JBL Flip 6
- JBL Charge 5
- JBL Pulse 4
- JBL Pulse 5
- JBL Boombox 2
- JBL Boombox 3
- JBL Xtreme 3
- JBL Xtreme 4 — the only JBL speaker that supports both PartyBoost and the newer Auracast standard
Smaller JBL portables such as the Clip 4 and Go 3 do not appear on the PartyBoost compatibility list, so they can’t join a PartyBoost group.
JBL’s own compatibility chart below dates from 2021, so it covers the Connect and Connect+ generations and predates most of the PartyBoost models listed above — read it as history, not as a current list.
Has PartyBoost been replaced? Auracast on newer JBL speakers
Has PartyBoost been replaced? Auracast on newer JBL speakers
Yes — PartyBoost is no longer JBL’s current standard. JBL portables released since 2024, including the Flip 7, Charge 6, Clip 5, and Go 4, use Auracast, an audio-sharing feature of the Bluetooth LE Audio standard, instead of PartyBoost.
The pattern from the Connect-to-Connect+ and Connect+-to-PartyBoost transitions repeats here: Auracast is not backward compatible with PartyBoost. A Flip 7 cannot join a group with a Flip 6, and a Charge 6 cannot join a group with a Charge 5. The one exception is the JBL Xtreme 4, which supports both standards and can pair into either camp. If you’re deciding whether to stay on PartyBoost speakers or move to the new generation, see our AuraCast vs PartyBoost comparison.
Conclusion
JBL PartyBoost is JBL's third multi-speaker standard for its portable Bluetooth speakers. Two speakers of the same series can form a stereo pair, and up to 100 compatible speakers can play the same music in PartyBoost mode, with pairing started from the PartyBoost button or managed through the JBL Portable app. It is not backward compatible with the earlier JBL Connect and Connect+ standards — and it has since been succeeded itself: JBL portables released from 2024 on (Flip 7, Charge 6, Clip 5, Go 4) use Auracast and cannot join a PartyBoost group, with the Xtreme 4 as the only model that bridges both.