Cosmetically speaking, the 11.2-ounce (318g) SoundCore 2 has a straightforward, low-frills design that’s highlighted by a soft-to-the-touch rubberized finish and nice, big buttons on top for power, volume control, pause/playback and Bluetooth connectivity. A rubber gasket covers the USB charging port and auxiliary input, which allows you to connect non-Bluetooth devices. It plays bigger than its size would indicate but you’re still aware it’s a small speaker when listening to it — the sound just doesn’t comes across as all that rich or expansive.
To be clear, this is par for the course for these little speakers, which tend to be strongest in midrange and have a harder time resolving complicated tracks that involve more instruments.
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. For under $50, this tiny powerhouse delivers loud, well-balanced sound within an IPX7-rated design that can survive water, dust and snow. 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.
Marshall Stanmore II Voice A classy Alexa speaker with great sound Specifications Size and Weight: 7.7 by 13.8 by 7.3 inches, 10.7 pounds Battery Life (Rated): None Water Resistance: No Voice Controls: Yes TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Amazon View at Best Buy Prime View at Amazon 40 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Great looks + Brilliant big sound + Easy to set up Reasons to avoid – Chunky and heavy – No battery option The Marshall Stanmore II Voice packs some fun features in a nostalgic design that emulates the brand’s classic amp look.
Tribit StormBox Micro The best Bluetooth speaker that’s both cheap and waterproof Specifications Size and Weight: 3.9 x 3.9 x 1.4-inch, 8 ounces Battery Life (Rated): 8 hours Water Resistance: Yes (IP67) Voice Controls: No TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Walmart Prime View at Amazon Prime View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Small and lightweight + Good bass for a small speaker + Water resistant Reasons to avoid – No app – Limited battery life 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.
Anker Soundcore Review
The Soundcore is a small black rectangle made of soft plastic all the way around, save for the front of the speaker which is covered in a grille. The grille has the Anker name on it in white and is one of two places where you’ll find branding on this speaker, the other on the back. I’m not a big fan of a company sticking their name on every inch of their products but Anker does it in a simple way that doesn’t take away from the overall aesthetic of the speaker.
The buttons up top blend into the smooth plastic and decent but could use some extra click.
That said, it is slightly off center because of the driver placement on the inside of the grille and even though that might not be a big deal for most people it irked me every time I looked at it. It’s clear that Anker wanted to keep a low key design that wouldn’t draw too much attention if you have it on your desk or a table. Once you get to the fringes of about 40 feet it does begin to stutter and skip if there are walls, but if there aren’t any then the connection holds strong. On the side of the speaker is also an AUX input for anyone who uses a source device that isn’t Bluetooth compatible.
The deep bass kicks in ‘Trouble’ by TV on the Radio were displayed nicely and it doesn’t feel like you’re missing out on any of the song. The percussion elements in ‘River’ by Leon Bridges were slightly piercing but, like a lot of speakers, lowering the volume one or to clicks basically solves this issue.
Anker SoundCore 2 review: A good, cheap wireless speaker
Cosmetically speaking, the 11.2-ounce (318g) SoundCore 2 has a straightforward, low-frills design that’s highlighted by a soft-to-the-touch rubberized finish and nice, big buttons on top for power, volume control, pause/playback and Bluetooth connectivity. A rubber gasket covers the USB charging port and auxiliary input, which allows you to connect non-Bluetooth devices. It plays bigger than its size would indicate but you’re still aware it’s a small speaker when listening to it — the sound just doesn’t comes across as all that rich or expansive.
To be clear, this is par for the course for these little speakers, which tend to be strongest in midrange and have a harder time resolving complicated tracks that involve more instruments.
Anker Soundcore Motion Plus review: This bulked-up $100 Bluetooth speaker sounds excellent
The speaker uses Bluetooth 5.0 and has USB-C charging, with the port and a 3.5mm audio input hidden under a rubber gasket that keeps moisture from entering. I’m away from the office and don’t have quite as many speakers on hand for comparison purposes, but the Motion Plus sounds substantially better than the old UE Boom 2, JBL Flip 5 and Sony’s new SRS-XB23, all of which currently or originally retailed for $100. A lot of these mini Bluetooth speakers can impress you with how loud they can play for their small size, but they still seem constrained; they have their limitations. But it’s a good compromise if you’re looking for something more affordable that’s a clear level up soundwise from popular mini Bluetooth speakers from Ultimate Ears, JBL, Sony and all the generic sub-$60 models on Amazon (the Motion Plus easily bested the Earfun Go and Tribit Stormbox, both of which are good values at $50).
Anker Soundcore Review
The Soundcore is a small black rectangle made of soft plastic all the way around, save for the front of the speaker which is covered in a grille. The grille has the Anker name on it in white and is one of two places where you’ll find branding on this speaker, the other on the back. I’m not a big fan of a company sticking their name on every inch of their products but Anker does it in a simple way that doesn’t take away from the overall aesthetic of the speaker.
The buttons up top blend into the smooth plastic and decent but could use some extra click.
That said, it is slightly off center because of the driver placement on the inside of the grille and even though that might not be a big deal for most people it irked me every time I looked at it. It’s clear that Anker wanted to keep a low key design that wouldn’t draw too much attention if you have it on your desk or a table.
Once you get to the fringes of about 40 feet it does begin to stutter and skip if there are walls, but if there aren’t any then the connection holds strong. On the side of the speaker is also an AUX input for anyone who uses a source device that isn’t Bluetooth compatible.
The deep bass kicks in ‘Trouble’ by TV on the Radio were displayed nicely and it doesn’t feel like you’re missing out on any of the song.
The percussion elements in ‘River’ by Leon Bridges were slightly piercing but, like a lot of speakers, lowering the volume one or to clicks basically solves this issue.
Anker Soundcore 2 Review
Unlike the previous model, it supports True Wireless Stereo (TWS), so you can pair two Upgraded Soundcore 2 speakers together to create a stereo pair.
Anker SoundCore 2 review
The Anker SoundCore 2 offers a ton of features for the price like water resistance, great battery life and a rugged body. The Anker SoundCore 2 offers a ton of features for the price like water resistance, great battery life and a rugged body. Take, for example, the Anker SoundCore 2, an affordable, durable Bluetooth speaker that proves you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get robust-sounding audio. For around $50 (£46, about AU$63), the SoundCore 2 gives you a staggering 24 hours of battery life, a ruggedized and water resistant body, and much better sound than your phone’s speaker. Anker won’t win any accolades for the SoundCore 2’s design; it’s a generic-looking black bar with power, playback, pairing and volume controls on the top. The body of the Anker SoundCore 2 is coated in a grippy matte black rubber, which is nice to the touch but quickly shows fingerprints. In terms of size, the Anker SoundCore 2 measures in at 165mm x 54mm x 45mm, which makes it small enough to toss into a bag without fear of it breaking and not too large that it takes up a ton of space. The speaker sounds plenty loud listening in a quiet room but once it has to compete with ambient noises, you’ll quickly find the SoundCore 2’s volume limit.
Anker SoundCore 2 review
The SoundCore 2 is curvy around the edges, reminding us of a swish pencil case, and is available in blue and red as well as the black of our review sample. There’s a built-in mic for talking to Siri, Google Assistant or for making hands-free calls, plus a 20m Bluetooth range. Once run-in (yes, that’s worth doing even at this end of the audio scale), this little curvy cuboid is initially quite fun – there’s plenty going on through the midrange and it’s well-balanced. Lethal Bizzle’s Fester Skank doesn’t come across as thin or insubstantial through the midrange as we tap our feet along quite happily. However, despite the apparently bass-enhancing BassUp technology, the two-way design (each driver is powered by 6W of amplification) doesn’t offer much in the way of bass depth. Dynamics are also an issue; Lethal’s bolshy tone is present, but the detail required to fully deliver his emotional skittishness isn’t quite there.
There’s a diminished space between notes – an absence of the kind of layers that would allow our ears to celebrate nuances between vocals and instruments.
Anker Soundcore Review
Speakers have been around for quite a long time and, in some very crude creations were actually portable. That is a new invention created by Jaap Haartson, an engineer at Ericsson in Denmark. Assisted by Tord Wingren and Sven Mattisson, they effectively became the inventors of Bluetooth. However, it may surprise you to know that in terms of speed of data transfer, Bluetooth is still a distant second to the old infrared technology.
In fact, Dresden engineer, Frank Deicke, has recently developed an infra-red system with a transfer rate of 1 Gbps. Anker is a Chinese company that was established in 2011 by Steven Yang, who had been a software engineer at Google. Today it is based in Shenzhen, Guangdong, and is a world brand leader in technologies related to battery charges for phones and other devices. In this short period of time, they have become a respected manufacturer and have offices all over the world. These are to provide great sound with a strong build quality at a competitive price.
It is made from plastic with a soft rubber-coated material covering on all sides except the front. At twelve ounces, it is lightweight, but it’s got a rugged feel to it, helped by the rubber coating. It might be unfair to remark on that as Anker makes no claims about water-resistant qualities.
It is fitted with a micro-USB port for battery charging and a 3,5mm socket for headphones. Anker knows all about building batteries and chargers, being one of the world’s leading lights. Inside providing the sound are two 3 watt speakers with a bass port. On the top of the unit are the control buttons and on the front, an LED light. Personally, we prefer that to speakers that are trying to make contact with aliens by having flashing lights. Controls do not extend to operating music selections on the device you happen to be using.
Considering this speaker is very much a budget range, product connectivity is very good. Connections are easy, and it pairs up quickly and keeps a strong signal up to the limits of its range. You can use it with iPhone, and Android phones and tablets and most other Bluetooth enabled devices. On the side of the speaker is an Aux input for users not using Bluetooth. When discussing the sound performance of this speaker, we must keep in mind the price point. If you maintain a realistic approach to the quality of the sound, you won’t be disappointed.
We have already mentioned the bass port and the dual drivers installed with a tuned DSP. Harmonic distortion is low, which gives a decent level of clarity. The bass port does help to give a clear deep sound. As we said, don’t expect a three-figure costing speaker, and you won’t be disappointed.
Cons The lack of waterproofing makes the JBL Flip a tempting alternative. The lack of waterproofing makes the JBL Flip a tempting alternative. We think not, and the Anker Soundcore is certainly one of the best speakers on the market if you are on a tight budget.
Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Anker Soundcore 24-Hour Playtime Bluetooth Speaker with 10W Limited Output, Stereo Sound, Rich Bass, 66 ft Bluetooth Range, Built-in Mic. Portable Wireless Speaker for iP
I bought this device 4 weeks back and have been using it and testing it on a consistent basis. Pros – Amazing sound clarity, Very good mids and highs, Superb Battery Life, Very Loud When these speakers are placed near a wall and you are listening to them from upto 2-3 feet, you can hear some bass. Now taking the price point into consideration, I think Anker has really done an amazing job with the bass.
I believe it is not possible to provide amazing bass at this price point, and the Anker Soundcore gets out the best it can for 25 bucks. The mids sound really good and the treble might give other twice or triply priced speakers a run for its money.
I actually bought these speakers to listen to videos and audiobooks (and some occasional music), and its just so damn perfect for this. I absolutely love listening to the mid-range voices coming from the speaker.
If you have a small budget and are looking to get Bluetooth speakers, please stop reading all reviews, do yourself a favor, and just get one of these, you surely won’t regret.
It is loud and if you were to not look at this and just listen to it, you would surely feel as if the sound was coming from speakers that are much larger.
Haven’t tried to drop it active or put it into water, but the Anker Sound core seems like it could take a lot of abuse if needed. One of the reviewers here was mentioning that they dropped the speaker from a height of 8 feet onto a tile floor but it still worked fine.
Even when I place the speakers in the corner of the room and take my phone to the other end (with multiple walls in between), I have faced no connectivity issues. I did some research on amazon and other places online and found out the actual range varies between 40 and 70 feet, with a clear line of sight. I am not mad enough to test it in reality, but in my experience, I have had to charge it only once in the past four weeks. Just one little thing, the speakers are slightly prone to finger prints.
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing package which punches way above it’s weight at $25 bucks! I bought this device 4 weeks back and have been using it and testing it on a consistent basis.
Pros – Amazing sound clarity, Very good mids and highs, Superb Battery Life, Very Loud When these speakers are placed near a wall and you are listening to them from upto 2-3 feet, you can hear some bass. Now taking the price point into consideration, I think Anker has really done an amazing job with the bass. I believe it is not possible to provide amazing bass at this price point, and the Anker Soundcore gets out the best it can for 25 bucks. The mids sound really good and the treble might give other twice or triply priced speakers a run for its money. I actually bought these speakers to listen to videos and audiobooks (and some occasional music), and its just so damn perfect for this.
I absolutely love listening to the mid-range voices coming from the speaker. If you have a small budget and are looking to get Bluetooth speakers, please stop reading all reviews, do yourself a favor, and just get one of these, you surely won’t regret. It is loud and if you were to not look at this and just listen to it, you would surely feel as if the sound was coming from speakers that are much larger. Haven’t tried to drop it active or put it into water, but the Anker Sound core seems like it could take a lot of abuse if needed.
One of the reviewers here was mentioning that they dropped the speaker from a height of 8 feet onto a tile floor but it still worked fine. Even when I place the speakers in the corner of the room and take my phone to the other end (with multiple walls in between), I have faced no connectivity issues.
I did some research on amazon and other places online and found out the actual range varies between 40 and 70 feet, with a clear line of sight. I am not mad enough to test it in reality, but in my experience, I have had to charge it only once in the past four weeks. Just one little thing, the speakers are slightly prone to finger prints.
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