Weddings can be a test of your sanity and bank account, but as product testers, they are also the time to mature speaker testing. This year, I married my wife in a family home, the most beautiful and memorable backdrop for our wedding. However, this also means we do not have the privilege of the venue that contains facilities – in other words, we have to bring everything into ourselves. I was panicked a day, and it took about two months to go, and I remembered that we needed a speaker to attend the ceremony.
Like any experienced owner (and product testers), we have some Bluetooth speakers around the house, but these devices usually support 10 to 20 parties, not 150 people. Plus, we needed a party speaker with wireless microphone compatibility to take us from the ceremony to the cocktail hour. This is how I stumbled upon the new JBL Partybox 520.
The 520 is the brand’s latest and most expensive party speaker, but is still wireless and portable. From our bachelor party to our outdoor wedding, the JBL Partybox 520 kept the atmosphere all weekend.
The sound is crisp and vigorous – indoor or outdoor
The JBL Partybox 520 makes a great sound in the back room of the bar or against the backdrop of my mother-in-law’s garden.
Credits: Samantha Mangino/Mashable
Regardless of where we are stationed at the JBL Party Box 520, the sound is heard in a clear, comprehensive voice. When in the room behind the low ceiling of the bar at our bachelor party, we could turn up the volume and fill the space without a small amount or blowout. But when we don’t have sound from the interior space, the speakers still deliver a smooth sound.
The sound is beautiful when we use it in the outdoor garden. It works just as well on older tracks God only knows By Beach Boys and Modern Pop Love you for a long time Maggie Rogers. Even among the 150 people chatting and mixing during the cocktail party, the speakers were still loud enough to hear the musical tracks in the afternoon.
It has adjustable treble, bass and echoes that can be used by enthusiasts to find specific sounds and provide bass boosts for any bass enthusiast. Not to mention, you can pair multiple 520 speakers with the Auracast for larger activities.
It runs wirelessly for hours at a time – and it’s waterproof
Through outdoor weddings, we knew we needed a good balance of wireless speakers so we didn’t have to lay a power cord and someone might trip, which is still big enough to fill the space without blowing out a sound. The Partybox 520 checked all of these boxes and literally it’s the largest Bluetooth speaker I’ve interacted with.
When fully charged, it runs for up to 15 hours. While we don’t need the speaker to last so long, it’s really reassuring that the speaker won’t kick it out of the show.
Another factor when gathering outdoors? rain. The JBL Partybox 520 has the waterproof rating of IPX4, which is specified as splash proof. Essentially, this means it’s not about dealing with a full downpour, but a shallow sprinkle may handle it.
In a true New England way, our beautiful sunny day turned into a light rain shower in just ten minutes, so we don’t have to feel stressed about the water due to the IPX score.
Using a wireless microphone, it becomes the ultimate karaoke machine
Unfortunately, if you want to use MICs with JBL Partybox 520, you will need to buy them separately.
Credits: Samantha Mangino/Mashable
When looking for wireless wedding speakers, we have a wildcard need to be able to plug in the ritual and karaoke to use a wireless microphone during rituals and karaoke. Fortunately, JBL has the ability to handle it with their PartyBox MICs, which seamlessly connect to the brand’s party box speakers. Unfortunately, you have to buy the microphone separately.
At the rear of the JBL Partybox 520 is the auxiliary input of the receiver. It’s very easy to use the microphone with the party box when you just plug in the receiver and turn on the microphone. The speakers and microphone work together to bring different sounds without any annoying feedback. During our ceremony, the crowd could hear our presiding perfectly. No one yelled.
The best part is that you can even use multiple microphones at once. This was perfect for our joint bachelors, we wanted to do karaoke there, but the bar didn’t have a setup. The JBL Partbox 520 is the perfect answer because it is able to play music and play microphones simultaneously while allowing solo and duo. During karaoke time, the microphone and speakers do have occasional sharp feedback, which is something to note when using both at close range.
My wife and I were on the duet “Silver Spring” at JBL Partybox 520. A questionable option before our wedding.
Credits: Samantha Mangino/Mashable
Added lights and sound effects to make it a real party
All JBL Partybox 520 controls are located above the speakers.
Credits: Samantha Mangino/Mashable
In addition to the microphone, the Partybox 520 has two excellent features to pump. It comes with a built-in lighting monitor that syncs with the music you play and some lighting effects. If you don’t like the light very much or find it distracts the activity, you can also turn off the light feature.
For those looking to get into the DJ spirit, the JBL Partybox 520 has three built-in sound effects. Are they particularly useful? No. Is it fun they are pressing when you have a good time and stupidity? Oh, yes.
Even with wheels, it’s a heavy elevator
The wife is the scale.
Credits: Samantha Mangino/Mashable
When you think of Bluetooth speakers, you might think of an ultraportable device that you can move around the house or even throw it into a bag for your next party. While the Partybox 520 is a wireless Bluetooth speaker, that’s not the case. The speaker is a big boy. It’s 30 inches tall, it’s big and stands alone. But larger than its physical size, it weighs extremely 64.8 pounds.
Fortunately, it does come with wheels on the handle, which is a bit like a suitcase. It moves easily on smooth surfaces; however, it tends to stick when pushed onto grass or rough terrain, and you do feel its weight.
Also, if you try to get it from the location, it is a big lift that may not be feasible for the average person.
Price makes it an investment
Another hurdle to the Partybox 520 is its price. The price is $879.95, which is a considerable investment. If you’re just looking for large Bluetooth speakers, I think there are more affordable options. But if you’re looking for a party speaker that essentially serves as a sound system, that’s a huge investment.
Is the JBL Partybox 520 worth it?
Is the JBL Partybox 520 worth it? Depends on what you are looking for.
Credits: Samantha Mangino/Mashable
If you want to seriously invest in the sound system of parties, the JBL Partybox 520 is a great investment and the best party speaker I have tested so far. It has a dazzling light show that can sync with music and its ability to use a microphone. Not to mention, it has a really great sound from adjustable bass, trebles and Echo.
But if you don’t need anything heavy duty, a cheaper, more portable option like the JBL Partybox 320 is similar in size to the 520 but weighs only 36 pounds instead of 64 pounds.
