For most people, the Soundcore Rave 3S is the karaoke speaker to buy. It ships with two wireless microphones and an AI vocal remover that turns ordinary songs into backing tracks, and SoundGuys called it the best bang for your buck among party speakers. If you want lyrics on a built-in screen with no TV involved, get the Ikarao Shell S2. If you sing for real audiences, the Bose S1 Pro+ is the grown-up choice.
The other three picks solve narrower problems: a light JBL for small parties, a bigger JBL with two wired mic inputs for duets, and a waterproof Sony for singing by the pool. None of those three includes a microphone, which is the most common surprise for karaoke buyers.
ArmorSound did not test these speakers in person. Each pick is based on manufacturer specs plus lab measurements or reviews from RTINGS, SoundGuys, Tom's Guide and Mighty Gadget, credited as we go.
Soundcore Rave 3S is the karaoke speaker most people should buy
It pairs two wireless mics with real-time AI vocal removal, and SoundGuys rated it the best value among party speakers. Choose the Ikarao Shell S2 for on-screen lyrics or the Bose S1 Pro+ for live gigs.
- Home karaoke nights with friends
- Families who want lyrics on a screen
- Singers who perform for audiences
- You only want background music
- You need a full PA for a large event
Shopping for speakers? Start with these brands
Each button opens the brand's own store or its official Amazon storefront, so you can check current prices and the return window.
Anker audio
soundcore
Headphones, earbuds and speakers from Anker's soundcore
- Anker's audio brand: Bluetooth headphones, true wireless earbuds and speakers
- ArmorSound has reviewed the Liberty 4 NC, Space Q45 and AeroFit 2
- Opens soundcore's official Amazon store
Desk and home speakers
Edifier
Upgrade your desk or living room with Edifier speakers
- Speakers and headphones for home, desktop and portable listening
- Line-up includes the M90, MR5 and S1000 MKII
- Sold direct from Edifier's US store
Our picks at a glance
Best overallSoundcore Rave 3S
Best for: Home karaoke nights with two singers
- Mics included
- 2 wireless
- Output
- 200W
- Battery
- 12 hours (claimed)
- Weight
- 23.1 lb (10.48 kg)
- Rating
- IPX4
- Two wireless mics in the box
- AI vocal removal works on most songs, per SoundGuys
- Extra 6.35 mm mic/guitar input
- App EQ and four reverb types
- No wheels and few handles
- Heavy at 23.1 lb
Watch for: Vocal removal can leave faint backing vocals on some tracks, SoundGuys found.
Check price on soundcore's Amazon store →
Best with a lyrics screenIkarao Shell S2
Best for: Families who want lyrics without a TV
- Screen
- 8-inch Android touchscreen
- Mics included
- 2 wireless, dock-charging
- Output
- 140W peak (12W x 2 RMS)
- Battery
- About 8 hours
- Weight
- 3.3 kg (7.3 lb)
- Built-in lyrics screen with karaoke apps
- Six-month KaraFun subscription included
- HDMI to put lyrics on a TV
- Light enough to carry room to room
- Small text on the 8-inch screen
- Modest bass and power
- No MP3+G support at review time
Watch for: The 140W figure is peak power; Mighty Gadget lists 12W x 2 RMS, so it suits small rooms.
Check price on Amazon →
Best compactJBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2
Best for: Small parties with one singer
- Mics included
- None
- Inputs
- One shared 1/4-inch mic/guitar
- Battery
- 15 hrs claimed; 10+ hrs measured (RTINGS)
- Weight
- 13.7 lb
- Rating
- IPX4
- Light enough to carry one-handed, per RTINGS
- Balanced sound with deep bass
- Mic bass, treble and echo in the app
- Only one wired mic at a time
- No microphone included
Watch for: The single input is shared between mic and guitar, so duets need a wireless mic kit.
Check price on Amazon →
Best for wired duetsJBL PartyBox Club 120
Best for: Duets on wired mics
- Mics included
- None
- Inputs
- Dual mic and guitar
- Output
- 160W
- Battery
- 12 hours, swappable pack
- Weight
- 24.4 lb
- Two wired mic/guitar inputs
- Swappable battery pack
- Impressively loud, per RTINGS
- Bulky to carry
- High Bluetooth latency with Android, per RTINGS
Watch for: JBL’s US store lists it sold out and JBL announced the PartyBox 130 as its successor in May 2026, so buy the Club 120 only at a clear discount. No mics ship in the box.
Check price on Amazon →
Best for outdoor karaokeSony ULT Field 7
Best for: Pool parties and beach singalongs
- Mics included
- None
- Karaoke tools
- Echo and key control
- Battery
- Up to 30 hours (claimed)
- Rating
- IP67
- Weight
- About 14 lb (Tom's Guide)
- IP67 dust and water protection
- Echo and key control on the speaker
- Multipoint Bluetooth with LDAC
- One mic/guitar input
- Bass compresses near max volume, per RTINGS
Watch for: RTINGS recorded just over 10 hours of continuous playback, far below the 30-hour claim.
Check price on Amazon →
Best for live performersBose S1 Pro+
Best for: Singers who perform for real audiences
- Mixer
- 3 channels, 2 for mic/instrument
- Battery
- Up to 11 hours
- Weight
- 14.4 lb (6.5 kg)
- Wireless mics
- Optional Bose transmitters
- Reverb and ToneMatch on both mic channels
- Four positions with Auto EQ
- XLR line out and USB-C streaming mode
- No mics or lights included
- Wireless transmitters cost extra
Watch for: Bose rates its wireless transmitters at up to 4 hours, far less than the speaker's 11-hour battery.
Check price on Amazon →How do the best karaoke speakers compare?
| Speaker | Best for | Mics included | Wired mic/instrument inputs | Claimed battery | Water rating | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundcore Rave 3S | Best overall | 2 wireless | One 6.35 mm mic/guitar | 12 hours | IPX4 | 23.1 lb |
| Ikarao Shell S2 | Lyrics on a built-in screen | 2 wireless | Wired mic and guitar inputs | About 8 hours | Not listed | 7.3 lb (3.3 kg) |
| JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2 | Compact parties | None | One shared 1/4-inch | Up to 15 hours | IPX4 | 13.7 lb |
| JBL PartyBox Club 120 | Duets on wired mics | None | Dual mic and guitar | Up to 12 hours | IPX4 | 24.4 lb |
| Sony ULT Field 7 | Pool and beach singing | None | One 1/4-inch mic/guitar | Up to 30 hours | IP67 | About 14 lb |
| Bose S1 Pro+ | Live performers | None | Two mic/instrument channels | Up to 11 hours | Not listed | 14.4 lb |
Why is the Soundcore Rave 3S the best karaoke speaker overall?
The Rave 3S gets the top spot because it is the only pick that combines a full-size party speaker, two wireless mics in the box and real-time vocal removal. Soundcore lists 200 watts through a 6.5-inch woofer and three 2.5-inch full-range drivers, a 12-hour battery and an IPX4 splash rating.
The vocal remover is the feature that changes karaoke night. Soundcore says it strips the original vocals from songs played from any app, and SoundGuys found it removes most or all of the lead vocal, with faint backing vocals sometimes left behind. You can set how much of the original singer stays in the mix, which helps if you need a guide for timing.
SoundGuys also liked the app's graphic EQ and four reverb types, plus a rear 1/4-inch input with its own gain control for a guitar or a wired mic. Its complaints were practical: no wheels and too few handles for a 23.1-pound speaker. It launched at $349, according to SoundGuys.
Skip it if: you need to carry it far, or you want lyrics on a screen without a phone or TV. Our Soundcore Rave 3S review goes deeper.
Is the Ikarao Shell S2 the best karaoke machine with a lyrics screen?
The Shell S2 is a karaoke machine in the traditional sense: speaker, screen and microphones in one box. Ikarao lists an 8-inch touchscreen, two self-charging wireless mics, 140 watts of peak power from two 2.7-inch drivers, about 8 hours of battery, and a six-month KaraFun subscription.
Mighty Gadget's review describes the screen as an Android tablet with YouTube, Spotify and KaraFun preinstalled, dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.4. The mics dock in slots on top that also charge them, and its reviewer got 7 to 8 hours from the speaker depending on screen use. An HDMI port puts lyrics on a TV, which works around the main weakness Mighty Gadget found: text on the 8-inch screen is small from across a room.
Keep the power expectations realistic. Mighty Gadget lists 12 watts x 2 RMS behind that 140-watt peak figure, and its reviewer found the bass good for casual listening but short of larger systems. It weighs 3.3 kg, roughly a third of the Rave 3S, so it is easy to carry between rooms.
Skip it if: you want a party speaker for dancing as much as singing, or you rely on MP3+G karaoke files, which Mighty Gadget said were not supported at review time.
Is the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2 the best compact karaoke speaker?
This is the pick for people who want a party speaker first and karaoke second. RTINGS measured a balanced default sound that reaches deep into the low bass, and just over 10 hours of battery with the light ring on. At 13.7 pounds, RTINGS says you can carry it with one hand.
For singing, there is one 1/4-inch input on the back with a switch for mic or guitar, plus gain and volume knobs. RTINGS notes the JBL PartyBox app adds bass, treble and echo controls for the mic. No microphone comes in the box, and the single jack means one wired singer at a time.
Skip it if: duets are the point. Read our full JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2 review for battery, Auracast and latency details.
Is the JBL PartyBox Club 120 the best speaker for duets on wired mics?
JBL lists dual mic and guitar inputs on the Club 120, so two people can sing on wired mics without a mixer. It is also the louder JBL: 160 watts, a 12-hour battery claim and a swappable battery pack, which RTINGS points out lets you extend playtime with a spare.
RTINGS rates it very good outdoors, calling it impressively loud with a bass-heavy sound that suits dance music and karaoke alike. The trade-offs are weight and lag. It weighs 24.4 pounds, RTINGS found it cumbersome to carry even with handles, and Bluetooth latency with Android devices was high, which matters if you sing along to video.
It picks up where the PartyBox 110 left off, according to RTINGS. JBL's US store no longer lists the 110; our older JBL PartyBox 110 review is still useful if you find one discounted. For the Club 120 itself, see our JBL PartyBox Club 120 review.
Skip it if: you want mics included. Budget for two wired or wireless mics on top of the speaker.
Is the Sony ULT Field 7 the best speaker for pool and beach karaoke?
The ULT Field 7 is the toughest pick here. RTINGS lists an IP67 rating against dust and water and an advertised 30 hours of battery. Its battery test recorded just over 10 hours of continuous playback, a long way short of the claim.
Karaoke tools live in a rear compartment. Tom's Guide describes Echo and Key Control buttons, a gain knob, a guitar/mic selector and a 1/4-inch input, plus a USB-A port for charging devices. There is one input, so it shares the same one-singer limit as the smaller JBL.
RTINGS found the sound slightly warm and balanced through the mids, with extra bass on tap from the ULT button, but bass-range compression near maximum volume. Tom's Guide puts the weight at about 14 pounds and notes it launched at $499. Our Sony ULT Field 7 review has the full breakdown.
Skip it if: you need two mic inputs or a microphone in the box.
Is the Bose S1 Pro+ the best karaoke speaker for live performers?
The S1 Pro+ is a small PA system rather than a party speaker. Bose Professional describes a 3-channel mixer: two full-featured channels for voice or instruments, each with reverb and ToneMatch presets, and a third for Bluetooth, a 1/4-inch TRS source or a 3.5 mm device. Auto EQ adjusts the sound for each of its four positions, so it can work as a floor monitor or a tilted-back PA.
Bose rates the battery at up to 11 hours and the speaker at 14.4 pounds. Optional Bose wireless transmitters turn a wired mic or guitar into a wireless one, and Bose says they run up to 4 hours and store and charge in the speaker itself. An XLR line out sends the mix to a second S1 Pro+ or a console, and a USB-C Live Stream mode makes it an audio interface for streaming.
Skip it if: you want lights, included mics or vocal removal. Our Bose S1 Pro+ review covers it in detail.
What happened to the older karaoke picks?
This list used to have ten entries. The JBL PartyBox 110 has been replaced by the Club 120 above. Sony's older X-Series SRS-XP700 and SRS-XV500 make way for the newer ULT Field 7, which carries the karaoke controls into Sony's current ULT line.
We also left out the JYX, RHM K222, Moukey MTS10-2, Pyle 800W and ION Pathfinder 320 machines. This update prioritized models with lab measurements or reviews from established outlets, and those five did not have enough independent testing to recommend over the six picks above.
How do I choose a karaoke speaker?
- Count your singers. One jack means one wired mic. For duets, buy a speaker with two inputs (Club 120, S1 Pro+) or two included wireless mics (Rave 3S, Shell S2).
- Decide where lyrics will show. Only the Ikarao has a screen. Every other pick needs a phone, tablet or TV for lyrics.
- Check what is in the box. Four of these six ship without a microphone. For the 1/4-inch jacks on the JBL, Sony and Bose picks, a wired dynamic mic is the cheapest add-on; the Fifine Karaoke Dynamic Microphone is one budget option, but confirm the cable ends in a 1/4-inch plug.
- Look for vocal tools. Echo and key control (Sony) or reverb (Soundcore, Bose) flatter amateur voices. Vocal removal (Soundcore) saves you from hunting for karaoke versions of songs.
- Be honest about weight. The Rave 3S and Club 120 are both around 23 to 24 pounds. If the speaker moves every weekend, the 13.7-pound JBL or the 7.3-pound Ikarao is easier to live with.
- Mind the lag. If you sing along to music videos over Bluetooth, latency can push the music out of sync with the screen. Our Bluetooth latency guide explains the fixes.
If you are still choosing between a dedicated karaoke machine and a party speaker with a mic input, our karaoke speakers vs party speakers explainer walks through the difference.
What do owners report about these karaoke speakers?
Spec sheets and lab reviews only go so far. Here is what owners say after living with it, drawn from Reddit discussions collected by RedditRecs.
- Encore Essential 2: stereo pairs shine. An owner running two Encore 2 speakers in stereo says stereo mode is well worth it. (r/JBL)
- Encore Essential 2: good bass, not boomy. Another owner notes a pair of Encores can cost about the same as one Boombox on sale, and calls the bass good rather than boomy. (r/Bluetooth_Speakers)
Owner reports on the dedicated karaoke machines in this guide are scarce, so the picks above rest on published reviews and specs.
Partner brands for speakers at a glance
| Brand | What they make | Where you buy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| soundcore Anker audio | Anker's audio brand: Bluetooth headphones, true wireless earbuds and speakers | Official Amazon store | Shop soundcore → |
| Edifier Desk and home speakers | Speakers and headphones for home, desktop and portable listening | Brand's own store | Check price → |
Frequently asked questions
Do karaoke speakers come with microphones?
Some do. Among our picks, the Soundcore Rave 3S and the Ikarao Shell S2 each include two wireless mics. The JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2, JBL PartyBox Club 120, Sony ULT Field 7 and Bose S1 Pro+ ship without one, so you need to add a wired mic with a 1/4-inch plug or a compatible wireless kit.
Can a speaker remove the vocals from any song?
The Soundcore Rave 3S can do it in real time. Soundcore says its AI vocal removal works on songs from any app, and SoundGuys found it removed most or all of the lead vocal, sometimes leaving faint backing vocals. You can also dial in how much of the original singer remains. Other picks rely on karaoke versions of songs or apps like KaraFun.
How do I show karaoke lyrics on a TV?
The Ikarao Shell S2 has an HDMI port that, according to Mighty Gadget, displays lyrics on a TV and is detected automatically when connected. With the other picks, play a karaoke video from a phone, laptop or streaming stick on the TV, and send the audio to the speaker. Wired audio avoids most Bluetooth sync problems.
Can I use a regular Bluetooth speaker for karaoke?
Only if it has a microphone input or ships with paired mics. Most portable Bluetooth speakers have neither, so your voice has nowhere to go. The speakers on this list all have at least one mic input, and the Sony ULT Field 7 and JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2 add echo controls for the mic through their buttons or app.
Is a party speaker or a PA system better for karaoke?
For home parties, a party speaker with mic inputs is simpler and cheaper, and it doubles as a music speaker. A PA like the Bose S1 Pro+ makes sense when you perform for an audience, need separate mixer channels or want to add a second speaker through a line output. It trades away lights and vocal removal for better control.
Sources
- Soundcore: Rave 3S product page and specs
- SoundGuys: Soundcore Rave 3S review
- Ikarao: Shell S2 product page
- Mighty Gadget: Ikarao Shell S2 review
- RTINGS: JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2 review
- JBL: PartyBox Club 120 specs
- RTINGS: JBL PartyBox Club 120 review
- RTINGS: Sony ULT Field 7 review
- Tom's Guide: Sony ULT Field 7 review
- Bose Professional: S1 Pro+ product page and FAQ
How long do karaoke speakers last on battery, and how heavy are they?
Battery life and weight decide how long a speaker plays and how easily it moves. Here are the figures the page gives.
- Soundcore lists 200 watts and a 12-hour battery for the Rave 3S, so it can run a long party unplugged. (soundcore.com)
- Mighty Gadget's reviewer got 7 to 8 hours from the Ikarao Shell S2, so heavy screen use shortens the night. (mightygadget.com)
- RTINGS recorded just over 10 hours from the Sony ULT Field 7, far short of the claimed 30 hours. (rtings.com)
- The JBL PartyBox Club 120 weighs 24.4 pounds, and RTINGS found it cumbersome to carry even with handles. (rtings.com)
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