Party speakers with built-in karaoke functions have been around a couple of years. The incorporation of AI systems, though, have really turned them into powerful karaoke machines. The JBL PartyBox On-the-Go 2, for instance, won’t just mute the vocals on any song you want to sing along to, it can even use AI to keep your voice on pitch and make you sound good even on the most challenging songs.
That’s right, AI can now help you become a better karaoke singer by correcting your pitch on the fly and adjusting the backing track to match the key you’re able to sing in. No more straining to hit notes that you’re just not equipped to hit. This thing can automatically adjust the song to suit your actual singing voice.
The JBL PartyBox On-the-Go 2 is a boombox-style party speaker, so it’s on the bigger side of portable speaker designs. It measures 19.7 x 10.2 x 8.7 inches (width x height x depth), so it’s portable enough to carry in hand like the boomboxes of old, all while being able to fit in larger drivers for bigger, louder party sounds. Like other party speakers, it comes with multi-color LEDs that can glow in different light patterns and strobe effects to create a true party atmosphere, all while coming with a splashproof build (IPX4) so you can take it outside without much worries.
Inside, it houses two 0.75-inch silk dome tweeters and a 5.25-inch woofer, producing a sound that, the outfit claims, delivers crystal clear highs and a deep, punchy bass. It has a maximum power output of 4.8W, so it should be decently loud, all while coming with support for stereo pairing (you can use it as a single channel in a dual speaker setup) and bass boost for an even more pronounced low-end sound.
The JBL PartyBox On-the-Go 2 comes with one EasySing wireless microphone, which you can store in a clasp that mounts at the back of the speaker. It’s not quite as sleek as other designs where the mic stashes on a built-in compartment, but it gets the job done. Similar to other newer party speakers, it has a karaoke mode that can automatically mute the vocals on any music you play on the speaker, allowing you to easily turn any song into a karaoke track. Even better, the speaker can adjust the track to any key you want to sing in, making it easier to perform songs that would otherwise be too challenging for your voice to manage. It also adds a pitch-corrected echo to your singing, making it easier to stay in tune throughout the whole track.
The device is equipped with a rechargeable battery in the back that’s rated for 15 hours of playtime between charges. Even better, it’s swappable, so you can keep the party going by just putting in a fresh cell if you have one ready, while a fast charging feature lets you get 80 minutes of playtime by plugging in for just 10 minutes. Other features include a carry handle, an adjustable shoulder strap, Auracast support, and physical inputs (AUX in and USB-C).
The JBL PartyBox On-the-Go 2 is available now.
