Thump GO

If you’d like it to be portable (small and able to run on a battery) Mackie thump go is a good option. It’s what I have and is plenty loud for a small house party. You could get more bass with one of the 10,12,15 inch models but those can’t run on battery and are less portable. If you really want bass you’d need a dedicated sub. But that will take you way over the 500$ budget and probably not needed for house parties.

The Mackie thump go is a single model. It can run on a battery without being plugged in and has an 8 inch driver. For about the same price you can get a non battery powered 12 inch which may be a better option just a matter of preference. I kind of wish I had a bit more bass so if ur unsure I’d go for a 12 inch from Mackie or alto. Not the best brands but fine for house parties.

I have a mackie thump as well And am not mad at it. You’re probably able to get away with just 1 speaker for this house party

As a few other people in here mentioned also. The Thump-Go is a solid option too and has a pairing feature for 2 speakers( for bluetooth ) and the Bose S1 is basically identical to a certain degree to the Everse-8

I have a Mackie Thump GO for exactly that scenario and it hasn’t failed me yet

Bump for the Thump Go’s. I was super skeptical at first, and the only reason I picked these speakers up was because I had a pop-up request for battery powered speakers. I had booked a wedding where the ceremony area suddenly wasn’t going to have power. They didn’t want to rent a generator because they were worried about noise ruining the ceremony. So I did some quick research, and the Mackie Thump Go’s seemed to check all the boxes. They were the only battery-powered speakers I could afford at the time, and I could get them fast — so I grabbed them. I’ve been using them strictly for cocktail hours and ceremonies because of their versatility and portability. They sound really good for what they are and what they’re designed to do. As long as you’re realistic about your use case and have realistic expectations, they’re fantastic. They haven’t failed me yet. Would I use them for a reception? No. I wouldn’t use them for dancing or the main part of the night where the DJ is driving the room — absolutely not. But for a ceremony with up to around 100 people? More than capable. Cocktail hour with a similar crowd? They handle it beautifully. They’re genuinely great speakers, and I can’t recommend them enough for those specific roles. I’m eventually going to try out the Thump Go subs to see how they pair. For $1,200 for the two subs, it’s worth a shot — and if they work anything like the tops, they’ll be great.

Jbl party box may work but another option is buy a speaker on Amazon and have it shipped to an Amazon pickup location near where you are going. Then ship it home when you are done. 5" studio monitor will fit in carryon bag. Mackie thump go is a good speaker for karaoke, it has Bluetooth and two mic inputs, but I wouldn't want to lug it thru the airport, but would be a good candidate for buying on Amazon and shipping it to your destination.