JBL PartyBox Stage 320 Speaker Review

The JBL PartyBox Stage 320 looks pretty similar to many of the other speakers in JBL's PartyBox line, with the same LED ring lights on the drivers and a collapsible handle to more easily transport its wheeled frame. Unlike the JBL PartyBox 310, this version can only be placed vertically. It comes in 'Black' and 'White' variants.

This speaker isn't very portable. While it comes with wheels and a collapsible carrying handle, its heavy and bulky frame means that it's still not a great portable option. While it can technically be carried in one hand, it requires a great deal of strength to do so.

This speaker has a decent build quality. Its frame is made of tough, durable plastic, with a metal grille covering the drivers at the front. A small groove on the top panel can act as a phone holder, though we don't recommend putting anything here as you can easily break your device by applying force in the wrong direction. The speaker is rated IPX4, meaning it's protected against splashes of water, and there are sealable covers for the various inputs to help keep stray substances out. You'll find rubber feet on the bottom to help with stability, as well as built-in wheels that can help you cart it away. Additionally, there's a removable cover on the bottom of the speaker that can be used to mount the speaker to a stand for better projection.

This speaker's control scheme is great, meaning there's not much of a learning curve when it comes to using it. Most of the controls are located on the top panel, with additional controls for input gain found next to their respective inputs on the back panel. All the buttons on the top panel are clicky and easy to press, with secondary functions that correspond well to their primary functions. There's visual feedback from LEDs that indicate when Bluetooth pairing is in progress, as well as visual indicators for volume level, battery life, and Bass Boost status.

• JBL PartyBox Stage 320 speaker
• AC cable (78 in/2 m)
• Quick start guide
• Safety and warranty card
• JBL Battery 400

The JBL PartyBox Stage 320 has a great default frequency response accuracy. With the Bass Boost set to 'Deep' and with the 'JBL Signature EQ,' it produces a balanced sound, with plenty of rumble in the low-end that accentuates the basslines and kicks in electronic music. The mid-range is more balanced than the JBL PartyBox 310, too, resulting in vocals and lead instruments that have plenty of clarity, even in dense mixes. There's a bit of underemphasis in the treble range, though, which can take some of the airiness away from breathy vocals.

This speaker also comes with an 'AI Sound Boost' feature that the manufacturer claims analyzes the incoming audio signal in real-time using an AI algorithm to predict how this will affect the drivers. We subjectively found that this feature improved the tightness of the bass range.

The soundstage performance is decent. This speaker's driver configuration means that it has a pair of stereo tweeters and two mono subwoofers. Given most sound reproduction stems from the large tweeters, it's able to playback stereo content without downmixing to mono. Its directivity isn't the best though, so audio won't sound consistent across every listening angle around the speaker.

The JBL PartyBox Stage 320 has a great dynamics performance. It can get loud enough to fill a larger-sized room with sound, though there is some compression in the bass range as you crank the volume up.

This speaker has an incredible battery performance, especially considering its size. The manufacturer advertises up to 18 hours of playtime, but we were able to achieve over 23 hours during testing. As this speaker features a swappable battery pack, you can even purchase another JBL Battery 400 to double the battery life easily. There's also a power conservation feature that switches the speaker to standby mode after 20 minutes without audio input.

The JBL PartyBox app gives you lots of control over basic and more advanced parameters, as you can see from our app video. You can alter the sound via a graphic EQ and presets, adjust the RGB lights, or change any of the top panel controls without having to be physically near the speaker. You can also initiate True Wireless Stereo Pairing or Party mode with another compatible speaker and adjust the effects on the mic input. There are even some novelty DJ effects (mostly sound effects like airhorns and vinyl scratches) available via the Effect Lab. This PartyBox iteration also allows you to connect to older PartyBox speakers or other AuraCast-compatible JBL speakers.

This speaker has a few different wired inputs available for various uses. There's a standard AUX in/out for connecting or chaining devices via an analog connection. There's also a mic input and a guitar input, each with its own dedicated physical gain controls.

The JBL PartyBox Stage 320 has great Bluetooth connectivity. Support for multi-device pairing is included, so you can pair up to two devices. Latency with both Android and iOS devices falls within good limits, too, so you won't experience much in the way of lag between your audio and video if you use the speaker to soundtrack a movie. Different apps and devices compensate for latency differently, though. That said, there's only support for the SBC codec, with no option to connect via high-resolution codecs like LDAC.