Experience JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus: Strong sound quality, AI vocal separation, two microphones, removable battery

JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus was born to focus on the mobile experience with two wireless microphones integrated with AI Vocal Removal button, removable battery and sound quality enough to stir up all the fun. After the past few years, I see that the need to buy Bluetooth speakers has changed quite a lot. Previously, you only needed a speaker to play music, but now many people want more than that: take it camping, have a picnic, hold a small party on weekends, or simply gather with friends and sing karaoke right at home without having to prepare too much equipment.

That's also the reason why JBL's PartyBox line has more and more options. If the large PartyBox models are aimed at crowded parties with strong capacity and majestic LED lighting systems, then the PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus goes in a different direction. This speaker is still powerful enough to stir the air, but prioritizes portability, has a shoulder strap and comes with two wireless microphones so users can take it anywhere. In the current PartyBox ecosystem, I find On-The-Go 2 series to be in a quite interesting position. It's more portable than the larger PartyBox models, but also more versatile than the Encore 2 thanks to its design for a lot of travel. After a quick period of experience, these are the things I am most impressed with.

Design – More compact, more balanced and truly "On-The-Go"

The first thing I noticed when holding On-The-Go 2 Plus or On-The-Go 2 is that JBL has changed quite a lot in appearance. If the first generation was horizontal and a bit bulky, the new version is more square, balanced and modern. The new design makes the speaker look more compact while still retaining the signature "PartyBox" quality.

The weight is also reduced to about 6.36 kg, significantly lighter than the first generation On-The-Go. When traveling, the optimized weight of each item will make carrying more comfortable.

One point that I still really like about the On-The-Go 2 series is the shoulder strap. This is a detail that Encore 2 does not have. Just put it on your shoulder and you can carry the speaker quite comfortably, instead of always having to carry it by hand. The strap still has a built-in bottle opener - a small detail but true to the spirit of a speaker born for outdoor parties.

The control button system on the top of the speaker is also more streamlined. Basic buttons such as power, Bluetooth, Bass Boost, music playback or Echo adjustment are all within reach, while deeper settings can be done through the JBL PartyBox application on the phone.

IPX4 water resistance standard also brings more peace of mind when used outdoors. It's not a speaker to submerge in water, but it's perfectly adequate to withstand light rain or splashes of water when placed near a swimming pool.

Features – Upgrades are all aimed at practical experiences

What I like most about On-The-Go 2 Plus and On-The-Go 2 is not the capacity or the LED system, but the very practical changes during use.

First, two wireless microphones are included right in the box. If the original On-The-Go only had one microphone, now you just need to open the box and you can immediately duet with friends without having to buy additional accessories. This is a small upgrade but makes a huge difference every time you gather.

Switching to a removable battery is also a valuable plus. Usage time is up to about 15 hours, enough for most picnics during the day, but if you need longer, just replace the backup battery instead of having to wait for it to charge like before. For those who often take speakers camping or organize outdoor events, I consider this to be the most valuable upgrade compared to the previous generation.

JBL also upgraded the connection to Bluetooth 5.4, making pairing faster, more stable and reducing latency when watching videos or singing karaoke from the phone. Besides, the speaker also supports Auracast to connect multiple compatible JBL speakers in the same system if you want to expand the sound space.

Regarding control, the light system also visually informs usage status details without the need for additional lights, as I saw when adjusting the microphone volume, the LED light will display a circle for the user to recognize.

Experience sound quality – Still JBL quality but more complete

Right from the first EDM or Pop songs, it is easy to see that the bass of On-The-Go 2 series still maintains the JBL style: strong, powerful and quite solid. The bass goes down relatively deep but doesn't drag too much, so the electronic drum parts still remain neat.

When Bass Boost Deep mode is turned on, the amount of bass increases significantly but is still well controlled, without creating a buzzing feeling or overwhelming the rest of the music. For parties that need to stir up and create loud resonance, Punchy mode will create a stronger bass effect, especially when the speaker is placed on a flat surface. However, the music source also needs to have a lot of detail and high bitrate to avoid sound being broken at extremely low frequency ranges or frequencies that are too high for the speaker membrane's tolerance. The mid range is the point I rate higher than expected. Vocals are brought up quite clearly, not pushed back like many party-oriented speaker models. Acoustic songs or ballads still maintain a moderate thickness so that the listener feels comfortable.

This is also an advantage when singing karaoke because the voice does not sink into the background music. In addition, if a large speaker model is turned on at a low or medium volume, the sound will still sound thick and detailed. Treble is the part I see clearly improved compared to the first generation On-The-Go. Thanks to the new tweeter system, cymbals, electric guitars and high-frequency sounds are brighter but not dazzling, even at high volume.

With 100 W RMS, On-The-Go 2 is enough to fill a large living room or outdoor area for a group of 10–20 people. What I like is that the speaker still retains detail at high volume levels, instead of simply playing loudly. Compared to Encore 2, I find that On-The-Go 2 series creates a more "airy" feeling when brought into open space. Meanwhile, Encore 2 promotes its strengths in fixed indoor spaces.

Easy-to-control karaoke feature, AI vocal separation option on the Plus version

This can be considered the reason why On-The-Go 2 Plus creates convincing power for users. The two wireless microphones work stably, connect quickly and capture voices quite sensitively. Just connect your phone, open YouTube and you can sing right away without needing any additional equipment. Having two microphones available also makes the experience much more fun during gatherings. This is a point I appreciate because users do not have to invest more from the beginning like some other speaker models.

Interference between the speaker and the mic only occurs at extremely low distances, about less than 30 cm. The mic on/off button also responds quickly to one touch, so the usage experience is also comfortable. Besides, the integrated USB-C port can quickly charge flexibly in many situations.

One point I find quite interesting on the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus is the AI ​​Vocal Remover feature, which allows separating and reducing the singer's voice on almost any song in real time. When activated, the AI ​​Vocal Removal feature will have a notification LED light. Now you adjust the level and look at the LED light displayed in front of the speaker in a circle to feel the level of vocal separation on any track.

On the included EasySing microphone, just press the AI ​​Vocal Remover button to quickly select three vocal reduction levels of 25%, 50% or 100%.

If you want to make more detailed adjustments, the JBL One app allows adjusting the reduction level from 0% to 100%.

In addition to AI Vocal Remover, both On-The-Go 2 Plus and On-The-Go 2 are equipped with Pitch Shifter, allowing you to increase or decrease the pitch of any song right on the app. This is a feature that I consider quite useful because it makes it easier for users to sing without having to find the right karaoke version with the right tone.

In my opinion, this is a pretty good development direction for JBL. Previously, when I had the opportunity to experience the JBL BandBox Solo, I was impressed with Stem AI technology when it was able to separate vocals and instruments in real time to practice or sing along. Therefore, JBL bringing this technology to PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus is, in my opinion, a reasonable step. Instead of wasting time finding beats or karaoke versions on YouTube, users just need to open their favorite song, reduce the vocal part and start singing right away. If in the future JBL continues to popularize AI Vocal Remover to more PartyBox models, this will be a very valuable feature, especially for those who regularly use speakers to sing karaoke with family and friends.

Conclude

Through quick experience, I see that the JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 is not the most powerful PartyBox or the most lighting effects from JBL, but it is one of the most balanced models between sound quality, karaoke and portability. Compared to the first generation On-The-Go, upgrades in design, weight, removable battery, new Bluetooth and especially the inclusion of two wireless microphones make this version much more attractive.

If you are wondering between On-The-Go 2 and Encore 2, I will choose quite simply: Encore 2 is suitable if you need a speaker to be placed permanently in the house or garden, while On-The-Go 2 is a more reasonable choice when you often bring the speaker to travel, camping, picnics or parties that require mobility. It's that flexibility that makes me think On-The-Go 2 is the speaker model that has the most "pick up and go" spirit in the current PartyBox line. Those interested in the product can see more here. Thank you JBL for accompanying me on this article.