best battery-powered speakers

2021/05/21

The Anker Soundcore Rave Neo is a cheaper, larger alternative to the Sony SRS-XB33. We considered the Libratone One Click as a potential top pick because it played pretty loud and has a beautiful design, but it sounded a little too trebly to us. For such a small speaker, the Anker Soundcore Mini 3 is packed with features, but in our tests it tended to vibrate on a table when it played deep bass notes, and the Tribit StormBox Micro played 2.9 decibels louder. The Jam Hang Around is a beautifully designed, affordable waterproof speaker with a cool integrated charging cord, but its sound distorted too often for our taste. Also, its only IPX2 rated, so its rated to survive dripping water but not a splash. The Treblab FX100 didnt play loud enough for its size; at maximum volume, it fell 3 decibels short of the level we used to test the smallest speakers. 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. The JBL Clip 4 had a somewhat buzzy and sizzly sound in our tests; we preferred the fuller sound and more versatile shape of the Tribit StormBox Micro 2. We found that its warm, well-balanced audio performance is far more powerful than you might expect from a speaker of this size, and while we felt that trebles can sound a little harsh at higher volumes, you're getting plenty of clarity and detail. We also recognize that this may not paint a complete picture of a products supply chain and life cycle impact. If we had more picks, this model might be one. The packaging of the SRS-XB33 is recyclable, but the product is not. Although the Libratone Too sounded notably clear and natural and boasted an attractive design, we didnt think it played loud enough for the price. The Ultimate Ears Hyperboom is a speaker anyone could use, from the parent who wants to fill their backyard with music for a pool party to the audio aficionado who wants a portable speaker whose sound quality comes close to that of a decent stereo system. Since we've tested all the key models in every shape, size and specification, we're here to help you do so, whether you're looking for a room-shaking block rocker (you can also check our best party speaker buying guide for these) or a portable for podcasts. The play/pause button on top lets you pause and restart playback, as well as skip to the next track.

We received a few new models just as our latest update was set to publish, including the JBL Encore Essential and Flip 6, and the Marshall Emberton II and Willen. The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 is as euphonious as Ariana Grande but as tough as Lara Croft. If you want to save money then Urbanista, Tribit, and Anker offer brilliant speakers that wont break the bank. Ive probably conducted more brand-concealed tests of audio products than any other journalist, and Ive tested somewhere around 400 wireless speakers to date. It's a shame it doesn't have a port to charge your phone, like larger JBL speakers do, but that's not a big deal. That said, its battery life doesn't last nearly as long as that of the Sony, it doesn't come with additional party features, and doesn't offer as much value for its price. It offers fantastic voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in and can easily understand you in noisy settings and when you're far away from the speaker. If it had a little more expressiveness to its low-end reproduction, or a little more discipline to its overall sound when you listen at significant volumes, it would be approaching no-brainer status. Note that our results may not agree with the manufacturers stated battery life, likely because their testing methodologywhich they almost never publishvaries from ours. We liked the full sound and compact design of the House of Marley No Bounds, but deep bass made it rattle across whatever it was sitting on. The Scosche BoomBottle MM was a little light on the bass but otherwise sounded good, and its a decent buy if you like its rugged design. The Kicker Bullfrog BF400 has a great design for outdoor use, but even though it sounded good at lower volume, it distorted too much for us at high volume. Its small enough to slip into a laptop bag or any suitcase, and its IPX7-rated, which means its sufficiently waterproof to survive a half-hour swim in 1 meter of water. Our recommendations aboveare what we think are currently the best portable Bluetooth speakers most people can buy, according to their needs. Tribit recently upgraded the XSound Go with USB-C charging and stereo pairing.

Finally, though the Wonderboom 2 is light and compact, its not slim. It plays almost twice as loud as the JBL Xtreme 3, so its ideal for pool parties and tailgating.

You also have control over its sound profile thanks to the graphic EQ and presets in its companion app, meaning you can adjust its sound to your liking. If you're looking for a small speaker that offers you more control over its sound profile, the Anker Soundcore Flare 2 comes with a graphic EQ and presets to customize its sound. The Sony SRS-XB33 is the speaker to get when you need a bit more speaker than the Wonderboom 2 but dont need the party-level volume of the Xtreme 3. We asked whether the products firmware can be updated by the consumer; updatable firmware also extends a products life because it can allow bugs to be fixed or new features to be added. Its cylindrical design, measuring about 3 inches in diameter and 4 inches high, takes up more space in a suitcase than some slimmer designs and prevents it from fitting comfortably in a laptop bag. We asked how long the products battery is projected to last and if its replaceablebecause in these speakers the battery is usually the first component to fail, so having one that lasts longer or is replaceable means replacing the product less often. That splash of color makes the Soundcore Flare 2 an excellent choice if you're looking for a party speaker that's easy to chuck in a bag though we should note that it's not as compact as the UE Wonderboom 2 (see further down).

At 14.3 inches high and 16.6 pounds, its impractical for airline travel, but its compact and light enough that most people can carry it easily. And because most people use portable Bluetooth speakers for music, podcasts, and internet radionot for movies, TV, or gamingthe reduced latency of codecs such as aptX Low Latency offers few benefits in this case. If you want something larger and more powerful than the UE Wonderboom 2 for about the same price, the JLab Crasher XL is a good choice. Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. The Sonos Roam is our pick for the best Bluetooth speaker on the planet, with a powerful sound, rugged design, excellent connectivity features, and smart home control. The Wonderboom 2 is about the size and weight of a large apple, so its easy to carry around. It's well-built with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning it's certified to be fully dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. 2022 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company, For bigger, fuller sound in a midsize package, Who should buy a portable Bluetooth speaker, Sustainability and environmental impact of portable Bluetooth speakers, The Best Multiroom Wireless Speaker System, What You Really Need to Know About Bluetooth Audio, ZZ Tops very loudly mastered tune Chartreuse (video), best surround-sound speakers for most people, Bitty Boomerss Star Wars: The Mandalorian The Child, Wirecutters 100 Most Popular Picks in March 2022, First Look: The New Sonos Roam Speaker Is Versatile but Pricey.

The Xtreme 3which replaces its predecessor, the Xtreme 2, as our upgrade pickis the best-sounding portable Bluetooth speaker weve tested, as our panelists praised it for its clear sound on voices, guitars, and pianos (though its bass tended to get a little quiet at maximum volume). Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. The UE Wonderboom 2 is a fantastic rugged and waterproof speaker youll actually want to take with you everywhere. It has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, which certifies it to be fully dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. Check out the JBL Charge 5. The Wonderboom 2 lacks a speakerphone function. The Sonos multiroom music platform offers the best-sounding speakers, supports the widest variety of streaming services, and is easy to set up and use. The Hyperboom also incorporates an Adaptive EQ feature, which is said to adapt the speakers sound automatically to the acoustics of the surroundings. Music is exciting, punchy and energetic, yet it achieves this without overloading the bass, or pushing the treble so far that it loses realism. Contributions from There's a carrying strap to attach the speaker to your backpack or hang it from a hook. The Doss SoundBox Touch is a former pick for the best budget Bluetooth speaker, but the Tribit XSound Go delivers comparable sound in a smaller chassis. Not only did it keep working, but it barely even showed a scuff mark. There are bass and treble adjustments in its companion app that you can use to tweak its sound to your liking. But if youve got the money, its hard to fault the Sonos Move when it comes to getting high-quality sound in or out of the home. We liked it overall, and it does play a couple notches louder than the UE Wonderboom 2, but it sounded a bit bright and trebly for our taste. The Blackfire BBM9113 by Klein Tools has a cool, super-rugged design with a mounting strap and a magnet that allows it to attach easily to many surfaces. Falling between the UE Wonderboom 2 and the Sony SRS-XB33 in price and performance, the JBL Flip 5 came very close to being a top pick. It also works as a smart speaker, with built-in support for both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and it serves as a Bluetooth interface for a Sonos systemso you can stream content from a Bluetooth source to the Roam, and that content can stream to your Sonos S2 system. This battery-powered Bluetooth speaker comes with a built-in handle you can use to carry it from room to room. The Tribit XSound Go is the best speaker weve heard in its price range, and its compact and waterproof to boot. And of course, the app lets you access numerous lighting schemes for the units built-in strobe and multicolor LED lights, which you can enjoy or banish. We put the Sonos Move through its paces with a menagerie of songs, musical styles, and in a variety of different locations.

It is less expensive than the Hyperboom, but it doesnt sound quite as smooth and even through the whole audio range. In terms of features the JBL Charge 5 is relatively basic compared to something like theJBL Pulse 4 which provides a customizable lightshow for users but for this fifth generation JBL has incrementally improved sound quality and volume while still offering all-day battery life. Also, while it doesn't get loud enough to fill a large area, it's still loud enough to use in small rooms like your bedroom. 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. ihome speaker mini thebeastreviews Although the JBL Boombox 2 sounded good and played very loud, the JBL PartyBox 110 and UE Hyperboom both played louder and sounded a little smoother and more natural with voices. Probably the biggest difference in the sound of the new model is that it plays a little louder92.8 dB at 1 meter, versus 90.8 dB from the Xtreme 2. With an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating, its also built to take punishment, and it has multicolor lights and strobes, as well as a speakerphone function. It lacks a speakerphone function, but most people are unlikely to demand a speakerphone feature in a speaker this large. The measured maximum volume was 82.2 dBnot enough to get a party going, but enough for light listening in a typical living room. This feature-packed portable party speaker offers a boomy sound profile that can produce a deep and punchy bass with its 'MEGA BASS' feature enabled. It also has a speakerphone function (which the Wonderboom 2 lacks) and app-controlled multicolored LED lighting (which you can turn off). Portable Bluetooth speakers have a rechargeable battery and are frequently waterproof or splashproof, so you can easily move them around the house or take them to a park or the beach. I compared the speakers not only with each other but also with some of our previous picks. This stereo speaker can get louder with less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volume levels. We prefer the more compact designs of the JBL Xtreme 3 and Sony SRS-XB43, but if you like the boombox format, the RockBox XL is a good buy. If you want a boombox-style party speaker, we think the Sony SRS-XB500 is a better choice. Sonys SRS-XB23 is pretty good, but for the same price we have found other speakers with more volume, deeper bass, and a smoother sound. The iLive ISBW108B is inexpensive but sounded shrill and grating in our tests. Some Bluetooth-only speakers provide a button that activates your smartphones voice-command technology (such as Google Assistant), but because you can access those features straight from your phone, this isnt a big advantage. The same goes for the OontZ Angle 3 Ultra. The SRS-XB33 is packed with features, although some are of questionable utility. The best mid-range portable Bluetooth speaker we've tested is the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Our panelists said the Nyne Boost sounded tinny and needed more bass. But it doesnt have enough bass for our taste. While it sports a play/pause button on the top, it lacks track-skip buttons, which would come in handy if you wanted to use the XSound Go in the shower. The manufacturer advertises that it can float in water too.

You can pair it to multiple other speakers when you want to create a stereo pair or when you want to amplify its sound across larger spaces. The manufacturer even advertises that it can float in water, making it great if you like listening to music by the pool or singing along to your favorite songs in the shower. Its about the same size as the Tribit XSound Go and plays only 1 decibel louder. A campsite-friendly speaker with integrated LED flashlights, the Doss Traveler played clear and loud, but our panelists liked the Tribit XSound Go better. The best portable speaker for bass is the Sony SRS-XG500. The Bose Portable Home Speaker was one of the first portable smart speakers we tested,offering the smarts ofGoogle Assistantand Alexa alongside Bluetooth connectivity. I speak to her from the same place in my living room, starting with my mouth 2 feet from the speaker; then I note how she sounds to me, and she tells me how my voice sounds. The best Bluetooth speakers are incredibly convenient and very versatile. Bluetooth is available in every current smartphone and tablet, as well as in most laptop computers, so you dont need additional equipment. If you would like to see more products, here's the list of all our Bluetooth speaker reviews sorted by their outdoor performance. Apple fanatic? If you dont like the sound with Adaptive EQ, the app has a five-band equalizer plus Bass Jump, Game/Cinema, and Podcast modes. Although the UE Wonderboom 2 looks nearly identical to the original, Ultimate Ears packed in a slew of upgrades that make the Wonderboom 2 even better, including increased battery life (up 30% compared to the original), better bass response, and the new Outdoor Boost feature that helps the speaker get even louder than before.

A good portable Bluetooth speaker can bring your favorite music with you wherever you go. The Sony SRS-XP500 looks and works much like the JBL PartyBox 110 and costs about the same, but we thought the PartyBox 110 sounded a little smoother on vocals. The Zamkol ZK106 didnt sound as clear and full as the smaller, less expensive Tribit XSound Go. Thats also 7.2 dB more than the output of the Wonderboom 2, or about the difference between speaking in a normal voice and raising your voice so others can hear you in a conversation with a half-dozen people. While we weren't as impressed with the UE Boom 3 as we were with its predecessor the UE Boom 2, this is still one of the best Bluetooth speakers money can buy in 2022. With any Bluetooth speaker, battery life, sound quality, and connectivity are features you dont want to overlook. Its one of the picks in our guide to the best Alexa speakers.

From Bluetooth speakers to patio furniture to gas and charcoal grills, heres what we think you need for backyard entertaining and cooking. The SRS-XB33 measures 9.5 by 3.1 by 3.3 inches and weighs 2.4 poundstoo big to fit easily into a suitcase but small enough to toss into a beach bag. The Marshall Kilburn II tended to clamp down the volume abruptly when it hit a deep bass note, and voices had a sort of canned quality. Physical controls remain the same with slightly raised buttons on top of the speaker. Both of them own a few Bluetooth speakers and have heard many more in my home, where I use such speakers to demo jazz tunes for musicians in my jam sessions. Becky Scarrott These 100 useful things were the most-purchased Wirecutter picks in March 2022. If you prefer having more control over your speaker's sound, the Anker Soundcore 3 comes with a graphic EQ and EQ presets to tweak its sound to your liking. It has outstanding directivity, resulting in a wide and spacious-sounding soundstage. The Bose SoundLink Micro sounds surprisingly full for its size, but for its price it doesnt play all that loud. It's worth pointing out that some of the models in this list can also double up as computer speakers if you want to have a cleaner PC setup, too. Bose has a great reputation for building good-looking speakers, and this model is no exception: gorgeous minimalist design meets weather-ready robustness, with a light build and handle that lends itself to listening on the go. What's always clear is that the Sonos Move manages what few other Bluetooth speakers can tight and punchy bass, shimmering highs and a vocals that cut through it all with direct clarity. The Raycon Everyday Speaker has a cute, ultra-portable design with a pretty smooth sound in its Balanced mode, but it lacks bass and doesnt play very loud for the price. It easily survived dunks under the water and quickly shed any water that got behind the speaker grilles. Despite being party-centric (read: packing tons of bass), we found it also delivers a very well-balanced soundscape. Restructured article to better align with user needs and expectations. The puck- or even burger-shaped speaker looks sophisticated, while its IP67 water and dust resistance rating means it's more robust than it looks, making it suitable for use outdoors and it can take a dunking. For such a small speaker, the Marshall Emberton sounded wonderfully clear and full at moderate volume, but its expensive for its size, and the sound thinned out a lot at full volume. Smart speakers add a bit of complexity and a bit of expense, though, and as a result most of the devices in this guide don't have them: they are simply designed to play your music. Also, the Hyperboom has a dedicated charger, which youll have to remember to bring if you take the speaker along on your vacation for more than a day or two. It also has strong, pumping bass, which I like. I also thought the Xtreme 3 had the clearest highs in its class, which helped it avoid the sibilance (or hissing quality) that most portable Bluetooth speakers have. Try out the best AirPlay speakers. put them under the same test bench, When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. We factor in the price (cheaper speakers win over pricier ones if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no speakers that are difficult to findor almostout of stock everywhere). Through the app, you can connect the unit to any number of additional Hyperbooms, as well as any speakers from the Ultimate Ears Boom and Megaboom lines. Here you never get the feeling that you are playing bass to make a party at the expense of other elements in the music, and almost no matter what you put on music, you get a pleasant experience. The Tribit MaxSound Plus is a good-sounding, affordable speaker that falls between the UE Wonderboom 2 and the Tribit XSound Go in price and performance. At its original $300 price, the elegantly designed V-Moda Remix was very pricey for the sound quality it offers, but its now selling for less than $100, which makes it a pretty good buy. Added the Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20 as the 'Best Portable Speaker For Bass' and the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 as the 'Best Portable Waterproof Speaker'. We found the sound performance to be solid, too, with a bold, assertive, and punchy sound. Of course, all these flashy features would be pointless if the Sonos Roam didnt sound great but were happy to report that, despite its small stature, the Roam delivers a powerful sonic performance, with remarkably prominent bass, even if it does lack the rhythmic accuracy you'd expect from an audiophile speaker.