JLab Go Party Review

Design

• Cylindrical party-ready form
• Sturdy build quality
• Practical loop handle

The cylindrical JLab Go Party is wrapped in a durable fabric mesh that feels surprisingly premium for the price point, while the RGB lighting ring around the top is capable of cycling through multiple colours and patterns synced with your music.

Build quality feels solid, with rubberised end caps and a control panel featuring power, skip forward, skip back, and Bluetooth pairing. The star of the show is a protruding multi-function dial for volume, play/pause, and its LabSync feature.

An integrated, rubberised loop handle at the top isn’t adaptable in any way, but it’s useful nonetheless, and its aqua blue finish matches the JLab branding emblazoned vertically towards the base.

Passive radiators are placed at either end, although only the one at the base is visible, with the other concealed under the control panel. The solitary USB-C port gets a rubberised cover to protect it from the elements.

At 660g with reusable water bottle proportions, it’s lighter than the competing JBL Flip 7, although with three times the output, the latter will cost you considerably more.

The all-black finish keeps things understated when the lights are off, though some additional colour options would have been welcome to match the party aesthetic.

Features

• LabSync multi-speaker connectivity
• IP56 waterproof protection
• RGB lighting with app control

LabSync technology allows you to connect up to 100 JLab Go Party speakers simultaneously for synchronised sound and lighting effects across multiple rooms or outdoor spaces.

This is genuinely impressive at this price point and puts JLab ahead of many competitors who offer no multi-speaker functionality. 

The Go Party features an IP56 waterproof rating, protecting against splashes, spills, and light rain, making it suitable for poolside parties, beach trips, and outdoor adventures, while not being fully submersible like some rivals.

Its RGB lighting is surprisingly sophisticated, with multiple preset patterns and the ability to sync with your music’s beat. Through the JLab app, you can customise colours, adjust brightness, or turn the lights off entirely to preserve battery life.

The app also lets you choose from three 10-band EQ presets — JLab Signature, Balance, and Bass Boost — or create a custom sound profile. I especially appreciate the option to mute the overly dramatic voice prompts… but they will come in handy later. 

Hit the My JLab tab, and you’re able to access a range of ambient sounds from birdsong to waves. Not entirely unwelcome in fairness. There’s also a burn-in tool if you’re connecting a pair of JLab headphones. 

Battery saving settings are a nice addition, as is the recap sheet to remind you of the on-device controls. Overall, the app is functional rather than fancy, but clean, simple and easy to navigate. 

Yes, it can be used as a speakerphone, and it picked up voice assistant prompts (even from Siri). No, it can’t be used as a power bank.

Connectivity

• Quick Bluetooth pairing
• App is simple but buggy
• LabSync great when it works

The Go Party connects quickly via Bluetooth 5.3, establishing stable connections with minimal fuss. The JLab app adds useful functionality, though it’s not as polished or feature-rich as offerings from Sony or JBL.

Once you get it working, LabSync connectivity is impressive. We tested with the smaller JLab Pop Party, and the synchronisation was tight, with minimal latency issues, but setup takes patience to master.

After playing around with on-device versus in-app controls, we found the latter easier to navigate, but it’s better to begin from a standing start. What do you mean by this? Well, start by switching both speakers off.

From there, switch both on and make sure they’re connected to your source’s Bluetooth. In the app, switch on voice prompts. This is key; otherwise, you have no idea if either speaker is doing what you’ve asked of it.

From there, go into the LabSync settings for either speaker and set one to ‘cast’ and the other to ‘receive’. The app, however, can be buggy, and I was repeatedly told “Connect Timeout” when trying to enter each speaker’s controls.  

In fairness, this was only on the iOS app, and JLab’s official response is that accessing the app on iOS while in LabSync mode is not possible. This is due to Apple’s protocols for how apps communicate with products (Bluetooth Low Energy).

Since LabSync is through the same Bluetooth Low Energy connection, the two cannot coexist. To change lights, EQs, etc., this can all be done via the product controls, and the change will apply to all connected speakers while in LabSync.

Its ability to connect up to 100 speakers is obviously overkill for most users, but even connecting 2-3 units creates a genuinely immersive soundscape for larger gatherings, so maybe start with stereo pairing and go from there.

JLab’s RGB lighting modes are fun without being overwhelming. The “sync to music” mode works reasonably well, though it occasionally misreads quieter passages. Static colour modes feel more reliable and still provide a party atmosphere of sorts.

Battery life

• 16-hour battery life
• 8 hours with RGB lighting
• 3-hour charging time

Moderately powerful sound, RGB lighting, and 16-hour playtime in a compact, waterproof design. The Go Party delivers on its battery life promises, easily providing a full day of listening at moderate volumes.

Battery management is handled well, with clear indicators in the app showing remaining charge. With RGB lighting disabled, I consistently achieved 16 hours of playback at 50% volume. With the lights enabled, this dropped to around 8 hours.

Charging takes approximately 3 hours via USB-C, which is reasonable though not class-leading.

Auto-off functionality helps preserve battery when not in use, and the app provides clear battery level indicators so you’re never caught off guard.

Sound Quality

• Dual 2-inch full-range drivers
• Dual 2-inch passive woofers
• 10-watt output

Powered by dual 2-inch full-range drivers and dual 2-inch passive woofers, the Go Party’s 10-watt output delivers enough volume to fill a medium-sized room or outdoor space.

Its sound signature is unapologetically party-tuned: bass-forward, energetic, and built to cut through ambient noise.

Out of the box, the “JLab Signature” EQ preset hits hard in the low end, making electronic, hip-hop, and pop tracks sound punchy and fun, though mids can get a little buried.

Switching to “Balance” pulls vocals and acoustic instruments forward for better clarity, while “Bass Boost” doubles down on the low-end thump.

In truth, everything sounds pretty underwhelming and overtly metallic until you switch it to “Bass Boost”, which does a decent job of balancing the bottom end with clear and vibrant vocals.

Thanks to its passive radiators, the mono soundstage feels wider than expected, pushing audio in all directions, but distortion does overtly begin to creep in as you dial up the volume. 

There’s no danger of the JLab Go Party troubling, say a JBL Flip 7, but if £75 is the difference between a pool party at your local lido or a bucket flight to Sicily for one by the Ionian Sea, I’m choosing the latter every time.

Should you buy it?