Karaoke at home: choosing a JBL karaoke speaker

A good karaoke speaker makes everyone want a turn at the mic. Before you choose, think about two things: how you'll get the mics, and how big the room and the crowd will be.

Mics included or mic inputs?

Some speakers come with microphones in the box. Others have inputs so you can plug in your own.

Mics in the box. The JBL PartyBox Encore 2 Plus comes with 2 wireless microphones and holders, and so does the JBL PartyBox Encore 2 Plus V2. The JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 includes a wireless digital mic with echo. The JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus is made for karaoke too, with a mic input and EasySing vocal removal; check its product page for what's in the box.

Mic inputs. The JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2 has 1 mic input and a guitar input, but no mics in the box. The bigger JBL PartyBox 130 and JBL PartyBox 330 each have 2 mic inputs.

Wireless mics or your own?

Wireless mics are the easy option: no cables to trip over, and you can pass them around the room. They run on their own batteries, so charge them before the party starts.

Plugging in your own mic makes sense if you already have one you like, or if you want a wired mic that never needs charging. Just keep the cable in mind when the room is full.

Room size and crowd

For a family session in the sala, an Encore-size speaker is a good fit. The Encore 2 Plus gives you 100 W and weighs 6.4 kg, so it's easy to move from room to room.

For a bigger crowd or a party in the garden, look at the PartyBox 130 (200 W) or the PartyBox 330 (280 W). Neither comes with mics, so plan to bring your own. The 330 weighs 17.1 kg, and its wheels help a lot.

Our picks

The Karaoke Night set

If you'd rather not think about it at all, the Karaoke Night set is the PartyBox Encore 2 Plus V2 with its wireless microphones, put together for a sing-along. You'll find it on the Encore 2 Plus V2 page.

Vocal effects vary by model

Karaoke features differ from speaker to speaker. The Encore 2 Plus has EasySing AI vocal removal, reverb and feedback suppression. The On-The-Go 2 Plus has EasySing vocal removal, and the JBL PartyBox Encore 2 V2 has karaoke controls.

Before you decide, put your favourites side by side: compare the Encore 2 Plus and the On-The-Go 2 Plus, or see how the Encore 2 Plus and the Encore Essential 2 differ.