So while there are plenty of mini Bluetooth speakers that deliver bigger sound than you might expect, they do have their sonic limitations. For a lot of people it’s a question of finding a speaker that’s not too big or too small — one that travels well but also is capable of producing good sound for its size. David Carnoy/CNET When it launched, Bose made some bold claims about its new SoundLink Flex Bluetooth speaker, particularly its extra bass performance. Available in three color options — black, white smoke and stone blue (pictured) — it’s equipped with Bose’s PositionIQ technology to automatically detect the speaker’s orientation and deliver optimized sound based on whether upright, hanging or flat on its back.
The Flex also floats and Bose says it can survive drops and bumps, with a soft silicone back and powder-coated steel grille that “won’t peel or flake and is resistant to corrosion and UV light.” Aside from its great design, Bose’s SoundLink Micro stood out because it was able to deliver more bass than every Bluetooth speaker in its size class, and it also managed to have limited distortion at higher volumes.
It’s IP67 dust-proof and water-resistant (it can be fully submerged in shallow water for a short time) and has up to eight hours of battery life at moderate volume levels with USB-C charging. Like the Bose, this portable Bluetooth speaker has an integrated strap so you can clip it to your backpack or bike’s handlebars.
But for the fourth-gen Clip 4, JBL has moved to a more oval shape, bulked up the speaker slightly and added USB-C charging.
It’s kind of a poor man’s version of JBL’s well-regarded Xtreme 2 speaker, which currently sells for around $200 though its list price is higher.
Equipped with a handle and weighing a little over 4 pounds, the speaker reminds me of one of those giant flashlights or “floating lanterns” that were in vogue about 30 years ago. Anker says the Motion Boom delivers “huge stereo sound” and yes, it plays pretty loud and has a decent amount of bass with reasonable clarity.
According to JBL, the speaker is equipped with a “racetrack-shaped driver,” with a separate tweeter and dual passive radiators, which improves both clarity and bass performance over the Charge 4. The Charge 5 comes in six color options: black, blue, gray, red, teal and “squad” (which looks like a kind of camo).
There’s an integrated handle for toting the speaker, but the PartyBox 110 is pretty hefty, weighing in at 23 pounds and measuring slightly more than 22 inches tall.
I didn’t test the stereo mode, but I was impressed with the sound of a single PartyBox 110 — it puts out lots of well-defined bass with good overall clarity in the highs and mids — and I suspect that pairing two of these together would be pretty awesome. But it does deliver enough volume to fill a spacious living room with sound and also plays loud enough for a small pool or beach party. This is your best bet if you want a portable speaker that can deliver big, quality sound and operates on battery power.
This portable Bluetooth speaker is both dust- and waterproof with an IP67 certification and is rated for 16 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels (it has USB-C charging while the older XB12 didn’t). David Carnoy/CNET Ultimate Ears Boom Bluetooth speakers come in a few different sizes, but none of them are as big as the all-new Hyberboom.
A supersize wireless speaker that tips the scales at a hefty 13 pounds, the Hyperboom makes the UE Megaboom 3 look unquestionably puny. UE Boom reps told me the Hyperboom was created after the company got feedback from its customers looking for a bigger speaker that could play loud enough and have deep enough bass to power a party.
Besides sounding decent for streaming your favorite music and more, this affordable Bluetooth speaker is also fully waterproof. Like its predecessor, the fully waterproof Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 with Bluetooth connectivity carries a list price of $100, but often sells for less.
This Bluetooth device also has 30% better battery life — lasting up to 13 hours at moderate volume levels, according to Ultimate Ears — and you can link two together to create a stereo sound pairing by pressing a button on each speaker. Sarah Tew/CNET The Tribit MaxSound Plus ($50 with an instant coupon) is about 30% bigger than its sibling XSound Go and costs about $25 more, but it performs substantially better and is one of the best-sounding speakers in its size and price class. It’s also worth noting that the A1 has multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can connect this to your PC and smartphone at the same time and easily switch back and forth between the two if a call comes in on your phone. Additionally, the smart speaker is Alexa-enabled, meaning you can activate Amazon’s voice commands assistant by just saying “Alexa.”
Sarah Tew/CNET Although a little pricey, Bose SoundLink Micro sounds remarkably decent for its tiny size, delivering more bass than other pocketable speakers. It’s a fully waterproof Bluetooth speaker and available in three color options, although the blue version appears to be hard to find.
Best speakers of 2021
While most of the included systems are powered, you’ll also find passive loudspeakers, such as the Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2, that just need to be paired with a great AV receiver. The sound of the XL8F is open and thrilling, but never shrill, and when fed a movie soundtrack these speakers simply zing. David Carnoy/CNET E D I T O R S ’ C H O I C E Budget Bluetooth speakers are seemingly a dime a dozen, but among the countless options there do lie some gems.
The $50 Tribit Stormbox Micro is a compact, portable speaker that offers both waterproofing and excellent bass for its size.
Amazon The Edifier R1280DB offers almost everything you could want in a PC speaker — excellent sound, a range of connections including Bluetooth and a compact footprint — and all for a reasonable $130. Ty Pendlebury/CNET The Vizio Elevate may have one big gimmick at the core of it, that revolving height speaker, but it also offers sound quality to back up the gee-whizzery.
This is a 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos soundbar, with a hefty subwoofer, and its performance is equally thrilling in both movies and music.
The 5 Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers 2021
Portable Bluetooth speakers are the easiest, most affordable way to spread the sound from your phone or tablet across a room, backyard, or beach blanket. With clear vocal reproduction and a decent amount of bass for its size, it offers satisfying sound for a small area, such as across a picnic table or a couple of lounge chairs on a patio. It has an IP67 rating and is one of the most rugged Bluetooth speakers we’ve tested, able to survive a 5-foot drop and a dunking in 1 meter of water—but because it floats, it’ll probably never dive that deep. The JBL Xtreme 3 is a great choice if you want a Bluetooth speaker that sounds bigger and bolder than our top pick yet is still portable enough to take to the beach or the tailgate. This speaker is built for adventure: The IP67 rating means it’s waterproof and dustproof, the strong carrying strap makes it easy to lug along anywhere, and in our testing the Xtreme 3 ran for 17 hours on one charge. If you need something that sounds a little louder and fuller than the UE Wonderboom 2 but is more portable and affordable than the JBL Xtreme 3, the Sony SRS-XB33 finds a nice middle ground.
Best Speaker of 2021 – CNET
While most of the included systems are powered, you can also find passive speakers such as the Elac debut 2.0 B6.2that only need to be paired with a great AV receiver. David Carnoy / CNET Budget bluetooth speakers are seemingly a dozen, but there are some gems among the myriad options.
The $ 50 Tribit Stormbox Micro is a compact, portable speaker that offers both water resistance and great bass for its size. The sound of the XL8F is open and engaging, but never shrill, and when you play a movie soundtrack, these speakers simply rustle.
Amazon The Edifier R1280DB has almost everything you could want in a PC speaker – excellent sound, a range of connections including Bluetooth, and a compact footprint – all for a reasonable $ 130. Ty Pendlebury / CNET The Vizio Elevate may have a big gimmick at its core, this rotatable height speaker, but it also offers a sound quality to underpin the gee chatter.
This is a 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos soundbar with a beefy subwoofer, the performance of which is equally exciting for both movies and music.
The Best Bluetooth Speakers
At one time, if you wanted to listen to music at home, you needed a full stereo system, complete with large speakers and a CD or record player. But if you’re like many consumers, your music now resides on your smartphone, whether it’s songs you’ve purchased and downloaded or through a streaming service like Pandora or Spotify. With so many options, the good news is that you can easily find a speaker that checks all of your boxes at a price that fits your budget.
Top 10 Cnet Car Speakers of 2021
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Cnet Bluetooth Speaker Reviews
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