With its Bass Boost feature set to ‘1’, it has a boomy sound profile to help you feel the thump and punch in your music. It has an impressive dynamics performance that can make it very loud and great for parties, although there are slight compression artifacts at max volume.
Treble Speakers
The SoundLink Flex Bluetooth speaker is engineered to deliver clear, deep sound that’s powerful enough to fill a room and loud enough for outdoor adventures. Whether hanging from a backpack or lying flat by the pool, the speaker’s PositionIQ technology optimizes the sound for natural audio.
The Best Bluetooth and Wireless Speakers for 2021
Big, small, portable, expensive, cheap, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi…the sheer amount of choice can seem overwhelming. Bluetooth is a point-to-point wireless system, pairing a transmitter (your phone or computer) with a receiver (your speaker) to play music. It’s very direct and easy to set up, and can stream pretty high-quality music thanks to technological advancements that have greatly improved audio fidelity over what it was a few years ago.
It can also integrate into your home network, so you can easily play audio from any device connected to your Wi-Fi without pairing anything.
It’s worth noting that the new Sonos Move supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming, so compatibility isn’t an issue at all. They let you easily stream from your iPhone or iPad at better quality than Bluetooth, but if you’re an Android user, you won’t find much utility in it.
Like Chromecast, setting up multi-room Echo audio is performed through the same app as your voice assistant and smart home devices, only it’s all Alexa instead of Google. These usually aren’t as complex or robust as Wi-Fi multi-room systems, but they’re a simple option that can provide an alternative to using your home network to stream music.
Larger speakers generally offer fuller sound and richer bass, but they can be more expensive and are often not portable. These speakers are obviously not portable at all, but if you want a centerpiece sound system for your living room or office they’re likely your best choice.
For a speaker to be portable, it needs to both be small and light enough to easily carry around, and be equipped with a battery so it can run without being plugged in. Since Wi-Fi speakers rely on a separate network to enable multi-speaker and multi-room audio playback, they’re rarely portable.
Look for speakers with IPX ratings and guarantees of water and shock resistance if you want to carry them around to the beach, the lake, the slopes, or the sewers. Our guide to IP ratings explains what those numbers mean, so you can know whether your speaker can handle getting dunked in the pool, or if it simply will stay intact in a light drizzle. Big bass isn’t for everyone, but unless your speaker is downright tiny, it should be able to reproduce low frequencies accurately without distorting at high volumes.
Clarity is more important than sheer power, and a balanced, clean sound should be your goal when shopping for a speaker. They also generally support third-party skills that let you do anything from order pizza to play trivia games. The most prominent first-party voice assistant speakers like the Amazon Echo and the Google Home don’t have batteries.
Don’t be afraid to look for similar speakers to the ones on this list, either; a number of the options included here have solid predecessors that you can now find for much less since they’ve been replaced.
The best Bluetooth speakers in 2021
The few noteworthy ones prove to be worth the investment and offer sound quality on par with the best headphones, long battery life, and a practical design that is either portable friendly or sits handsomely on your coffee table. With the holidays on the horizon, expect to see some great Black Friday deals announced over the coming weeks, and across every major audio category.
If the budget allows, then consider dropping $399 on the Sonos Move, the brand’s first portable speaker with both WiFi and Bluetooth, and lots of features to boot. UE Megaboom 3 The best Bluetooth speaker overall Specifications Size and Weight: 8.9 x 3.4 x 3.4 inches, 2 pounds Battery Life (Rated): 20 hours Water Resistance: Yes Maximum Sound Level: 90db Voice Controls: No TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Dell View at Walmart 23 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Big bass and full vocals + Good battery life + Can pair with older Megaboom and Boom models for stereo sound Reasons to avoid – Big and heavy for a portable – No speakerphone
Thanks to its excellent sound quality, long battery life and travel-ready ruggedness, the UE Megaboom 3 is the best Bluetooth speaker you can buy right now. This big, bold portable speaker pumps out rich 360-degree sound complete with crisp highs and satisfying low-end, and maxes out at 100 decibels of noise. The Megaboom 3 is on the bigger side compared to other portable speakers, and unlike many of its competitors, it doesn’t have Alexa or Google Assistant support, or any other smart features. Anker Soundcore 2 The best Bluetooth speaker under $50 Specifications Size and Weight: 6.5 x 2.1 x 1.77 inches, 12.6 ounces Battery Life (Rated): 24 hours Water Resistance: Yes Voice Controls: No TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart 67 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Great battery life + Waterproof Reasons to avoid – Not ideal for larger rooms
The speaker lasts a whopping 24 hours, thanks to Anker’s best-in-class battery technology, and the Soundcore 2’s dual neodymium drivers ensure you’ll get powerful sound in any setting. The Soundcore’s compact, 6.5 x 2.1 x 1.77-inch design makes this speaker perfect for tossing into your bag for a quick road trip, and it comes in vibrant blue and red color schemes in addition to the standard slick black. Sonos Roam The best Bluetooth speaker with Wi-Fi smarts Specifications Size and Weight: 6.6 x 2.4 x 2.4 inches, 15 ounces Battery Life (Rated): 10 hours Water Resistance: Yes (IP67 rated) Voice Controls: Yes (Alexa and Google Assistant) TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Crutchfield View at Walmart Prime View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Lightweight + Extensive connectivity + Auto TruePlay sound tuning Reasons to avoid – No Bluetooth multipoint – Middling battery life It’s much more portable and more affordable than the Move, though, and its Auto TruePlay feature automatically adjusts the sound to suit its surroundings, whether you’re listening in a noisy, urban park or a quaint, airy campground.
This tiny speaker delivers huge sound within a small 4-inch cylinder, complete with throbbing bass, balanced midtones and crisp vocals. It can survive being dunked in 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes and is dust-resistant, making it perfect for your next trip to the pool, beach or park. Other key features include an impressive 13-hour battery life and the ability to pair two Wonderbooms together for immersive stereo sound. The UE Hyperboom is the best Bluetooth speaker for large gatherings, thanks to its massive size and big, booming audio output. Pair that with seamless Bluetooth connectivity and plenty of volume, and you have the ultimate speaker for filling a big area with great sound. LG XBoom Go PL7 The best Bluetooth speaker for sheer style Specifications Size and Weight: 9.7 x 3.9 x 3.9 inches, 3.2 pounds Battery Life (Rated): 24 hours Water Resistance: IPX5 Voice Controls: No TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at BHPhoto Prime View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Crisp treble and defined bass + Good battery life + LED lights add to the fun Reasons to avoid – No integrated voice assistant – Few sound adjustments available
Every Bluetooth speaker on this list delivers great sound and functionality, but only the LG XBoom Go PL7 does it while boasting awesome LED lights. The XBoom’s appropriately booming sound holds its own against the best Bluetooth speakers in this price range, delivering balanced bass and satisfying treble.
Sonos Move The best high-end Bluetooth speaker for outdoors Specifications Size and Weight: 9.4 x 6.3 x 5 inches, 6.6 pounds Battery Life (Rated): 10 hours Water Resistance: Yes (IP56 rated for splashes) Voice Controls: Yes (Alexa and Google Assistant) TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Crutchfield Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart 689 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Superb audio quality + Built-in Automatic TruePlay technology + Easy Wi-Fi-to-Bluetooth connection conversion Reasons to avoid – Pricey – No smart features in Bluetooth mode
Alexa and Google Assistant support allow you to do anything from check the weather to control your smart home, and the Move’s Auto TruePlay automatically tunes the speaker’s audio output for wherever you’re listening, whether you’re having a rooftop party or rocking out in your bedroom.
V-Moda Remix The best Bluetooth speaker for bass heads Specifications Size and Weight: 8.1 x 2.5 x 2.5 inches, 1.9 pounds Battery Life (Rated): 10 hours Water Resistance: No Voice Controls: No TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart View at Musician’s Friend 139 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Loud, balanced audio with booming bass + Stunning design + Lots of customization options + Daisy-chain multiple speakers Reasons to avoid – A bit expensive – No multi-room solution The base model looks slick in aluminum or vegan leather, while, people with bottomless budgets and a penchant for style can opt for steel or platinum finishes (the later of which will run you well over $300,000).
Most importantly, the Remix sounds great, offering plenty of bass as well as a built-in headphone amp for enhancing the audio of your favorite set of cans. The Remix’s 10-hour battery life certainly makes this speaker worthy of longer jam sessions, and its trusty microphone allows for crisp call quality whether you’re set up inside your house or out. JBL Link 20 JBL’s best Bluetooth speaker with Google Assistant Specifications Size and Weight: 8.3 x 3.7 inches, 33.5 ounces Battery Life (Rated): 10 hours Water Resistance: Yes Voice Controls: Yes TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Musician’s Friend View at Musician’s Friend View at Walmart 216 Walmart customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + +owered by Google Assistant + Portable and rugged + Well-balanced overall sound Reasons to avoid – Can’t make calls – Expensive
That means you can ask the speaker for standard stuff like dinner suggestions or traffic info, or have it control any of best Google Home compatible devices.
Let’s not forget that the Link 20 is an actual speaker system, and it delivers premium balanced sound with an emphasis on bass. The speaker has a plastic strap that makes it easy to attach to a backpack or bike, an IP67 water-resistant rating, so it’s fully protected against dust and dirt as well as submersion in water. While a number of wired speakers like the Amazon Echo provide excellent Bluetooth listening, you can’t bring them outside your kitchen or living room. These smart features will not work beyond your home’s Wi-Fi, so opt for a non-smart Bluetooth speaker for the beach or other outdoorsy locales.
The Best Home Bluetooth Speaker
Using a Bluetooth tabletop speaker is the simplest way to get satisfying sound in the home, and we think Klipsch’s The One II is the best all-around choice. It has a full, clear, robust sound that made it the favorite of our panelists in a blind listening test, and its operation couldn’t be simpler.
Bluetooth pairing is simple, and the One II, with nothing but an on/off switch, a volume control, and an input selector, is one of the simplest audio systems you can buy. The Marshall Woburn II is the muscle car of Bluetooth speakers, with dual woofers that produce powerful bass and a sound that’s robust enough to get a dozen people dancing.
The Best Bluetooth Speakers For Any Budget in 2021
Then it’s down to prioritising extras like waterproofing and dustproofing, stereo pairing, aux in (old-school but helpful), plus more new-fangled features in the category such as Alexa voice controls and USB for charging devices. If a smart assistant is your main focus then you could opt for an Amazon Echo or Google Nest speaker, but these are typically limited in their portability. Fewer speakers, but still quite a lot, are also built to withstand being thrown in a bag or, in more extreme cases, take a bash on a hard surface as you plonk it down ready for some outdoor listening. The benefits are obvious, allowing your favourite tracks to play from multiple speakers for a more immersive sound – rather than a single fixed point. Our top pick is the Ruark R1 Mk4 (£229) – offering DAB and FM options in a stylish, living room-friendly design. So, if you see a device referred to as a wireless speaker then you’ll often find a lack of Bluetooth support but it’s always worth double checking.
Our top budget pick, the Tribit StormBox Micro (£32), offers stellar sound and gets remarkably loud with just 9W.
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