JLab Epic Party review: A portable Bluetooth speaker that lives up to its name
The JLab Epic Party aims to be the life of the party, combining RGB lighting, a variety of connection options, and “360-degree sound” in one portable speaker. It looks ready to kick things off before you even hit play, but does it bring more than just flashy lights and big promises? Let’s crank up some tunes and find out in this JLab Epic Party speaker review.
How has this article been updated?
This article was published on August 16th, 2025, and this is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.
What I like about the JLab Epic Party
The Epic Party only weighs around 11 lbs, so it’s easy to transport.
The JLab Epic Party speaker makes a strong first impression with its unique cylindrical design and glowing RGB ring light. Fortunately, the hardware backs it up. Four 2.5-inch full-range drivers are evenly spaced around the speaker, delivering up to 100W of omnidirectional audio for true 360-degree coverage, which works well in party settings. A 5.25-inch downward-firing subwoofer adds serious rumble, while a 5-inch passive radiator pushes the bass even deeper. The Epic Party lives up to its name, with full sound and plenty of party-ready extras.
Its sturdy handle feels good in the hand, it’s IPX6 for protection against water, and at just over 11 lbs, it’s easy to move the Epic Party from place to place. Set it on a hard, flat surface like wood, tile, or concrete for the best bass response, where that downward-firing subwoofer can reflect those low frequencies.
The Epic Party also offers decent connection options. It uses Bluetooth 5.3 with support for both the SBC and AAC codecs, but more importantly, it provides a wired 3.5mm connection and a 1/4″ input for a microphone or guitar. Additionally, there’s a USB-C charge port for topping up your device when you’re in a pinch. Solid features all around.
There’s also a ton of features to take advantage of in the JLab app, so I highly recommend downloading it. The big one for me is the 10-band custom EQ, which lets you really fine-tune the sound of this speaker. That said, I found the provided EQ presets to be solid options overall, which isn’t always the case with party speakers. The JLab Signature is a great starting point, but the Bass Boost setting really kicks things up a notch, without being too overpowering.
Another great feature in the app is the ability to program the party lights to turn off when your battery hits a certain percentage. As fun as party lights are, they can drain the battery quickly, so it’s nice to see JLab looking out for you there. The Epic Party is also LabSync ready so that you can pair it with JLabs’ other party speakers like the Pop Party for a bigger mono setup, or another Epic Party for stereo performance.
When it comes to sound quality, the Epic Party pushes up to 100W of power. Paired with its four-driver layout, it gets nice and loud and distributes music quite well throughout the room. For the best effect, I recommend you place it near the center of your gathering, ensuring your guests will hear the tunes from every angle. The amount of usable volume is also impressive, with almost no noticeable distortion even at higher levels.
The Epic Party brings the bass in a compact package.
On electronic tracks like Todd Terje’s “Delorean Dynamite,” the kick drum delivers a strong, steady low-end pulse that’s perfect for dance party vibes while still leaving space for the detail and clarity of swirling synth layers. Even the clean, percussive guitars that enter at 3:25 cut through without getting lost.
Rock staples like “Enter Sandman” also shine through the Epic Party. During the intro, Lars’ floor toms hit with a satisfying smack, and their reverberated tones are easy to pick out. While the guitars don’t sit completely at the front of the mix, James’ vocals come through loud, clear, and commanding, and Kirk’s guitar slices through with ease during the solo, carrying the energy right to the end. I find the JLab signature EQ works well across genres, but you always have the option to dive into that 10-band custom EQ if the presets aren’t quite doing it for you.
What I don’t like about the JLab Epic Party
The Epic Party does not offer protection against dust.
There’s not much to dislike about the JLab Epic Party. Its only real limitation is the lack of dust resistance. While the IPX6 rating protects against rain and splashes, it isn’t rated for sand or fine dust. Take some extra care if you plan to bring it to the beach or use it in dusty environments. That said, this isn’t unusual for party speakers. Even more expensive models like the JBL PartyBox Stage 320 only offer IPX4 water resistance, so the Epic Party already has an edge there.
Should you buy the JLab Epic Party?
The carrying handle is comfortable in the hand.
If you want a portable party speaker that looks cool, sounds big, and delivers real omnidirectional audio with a light show to match, the JLab Epic Party delivers. It’s easy to carry, impressively loud for its size, and loaded with smart features like a 10-band EQ, customizable RGB lighting, not to mention a variety of input options to handle whatever your party throws at you.
While the lack of dust resistance makes it less suited for every environment, it nails the core party speaker experience without stretching your budget. Pair two for stereo, and you’ve got a setup that can easily outperform larger, more expensive speakers. If that sounds like your scene, the Epic Party lives up to its name.
When it comes to alternatives, the Panasonic BMAX5 () and BMAX10 () party speakers are also worth a look. While they don’t offer true omnidirectional sound like the Epic Party, both are lightweight, portable, and designed for similar use cases. They include comparable connection options, such as 3.5mm and 1/4-inch inputs, and feature customizable party lights to match the vibe. If you’re looking for something in the same price and size range, these Panasonic speakers could be solid alternatives, especially if you don’t need 360-degree audio.
JLab Epic Party review: FAQs
