The Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers
When you want superior sound quality, there are few products that compare to the portable Bluetooth speaker. Bluetooth speakers continue to improve in power, sound fidelity, and mobile features with every progressing generation. By utilizing the short band communication protocol known as Bluetooth, these battery-operated beasts can pump sound at a higher quality than ever thought possible in both remote corners of the woods and the tiled corners of your bathroom shower. If your puny phone speaker just isn't cutting it, we invite you to check out our top Bluetooth wireless speakers.
What to Look For
While you search for the perfect portable Bluetooth speaker, we suggest focusing on three essential qualities: battery life, Bluetooth range, and sound quality. We love JBL’s Flip 5 because it offers all three of those qualities. With its long battery life, wide range, and crisp sound reproduction, the Flip 5 is a crowd favorite for good reason. But it does cost a pretty penny, so budget-conscious shoppers might want to check out Cambridge Soundworks’ OontZ Angle 3. It’s an affordable speaker that packs a punch, and compared to other speakers in its price range, it’s a champion. We found a few other speakers that we loved as well, so keep reading to discover the rest of our favorites.
Cambridge Soundworks OontZ Angle 3
Music to my ears
When you’re ready to crank the party to the next level, the OontZ Angle 3 should be your mobile beat laboratory of choice. This nifty speaker by Cambridge Soundworks delivers high-fidelity sound in a tiny package, utilizing two stereo drivers and a sizeable bass pad. The OontZ is a triangular cylinder with thick rubber feet that won’t distort bass or lose balance. And as far as tech is concerned, the Bluetooth signal is strong enough to extend 100 feet and the battery can easily last all day at medium-high volume. Simply put, the OontZ Angle 3 combines portability, reliability, and affordability into one masterful music machine that will provide endless entertainment.
Pros:
- It’s durable and splashproof, so this is the perfect speaker for poolside tunes and any other water-centered adventures.
- The microphone isn’t a gimmick, it does a good job at picking up the voice clearly. That means you don’t have to switch to your phone if someone calls you.
- Considering the low price, the sound quality is phenomenal.
Cons:
- It’s pretty small, so the maximum volume probably isn’t enough for a rambunctious party.
Doss SoundBox Touch
Bump up the jams
If your tunes lean more towards the bass-heavy spectrum, Doss’s SoundBox Touch will blow you away with the crisp lows produced by this slender speaker. While your average Bluetooth speaker hovers around ten watts in power, the SoundBox has twelve. All that extra juice is used to deliver a fuller, more vibrant sound for nearly 20 hours at half power. The SoundBox can be customized to fit all manner of tastes with options in red, blue, pink, white, or black. The namesake volume and track controls are fitted to the top with a sensitive touch screen for seamless song and volume selection. Best of all, the SoundBox Touch has an all-aluminum body that can brush off a light drizzle like nothing ever happened.
Pros:
- The battery life lasts a long time, so you can go for days of intermittent use without needing to charge it. Once you do have to charge it, it takes just a couple of hours to reach 100%.
- We were surprised by the volume of this fairly compact little speaker, which is even louder when placed on a resonant surface like wood.
Cons:
- The bass response won’t blow your socks off. It’s pretty quiet, though the notes are still clear.
iFox iF012 Bluetooth Shower Speaker
Listen and lather
The iF012 by iFox is a commanding presence in the bathroom for morning traffic reports and hype tracks alike. This sweet shower speaker is a delight to behold and is truly customized for one thing and one thing only: surviving continuous use in damp settings. Don’t have a hook for the carabiner grommet hole? No worries, the enormous suction cup backing is perfect for any shower tile and won’t move an inch if applied correctly. And if you need to take an early morning conference call, the speaker’s brand new Bluetooth 5.0 software and microphone allow for versatile use wherever flat or soaked surfaces appear.
Pros:
- A lot of speakers claim to be waterproof, but this one legitimately is. It even floats, so feel free to take this with you on your next kayaking trip without worrying about losing it to the lake.
- The shock-proof casing can handle waist-height drops onto hard surfaces without a scratch.
- Considering the small compact size, the volume levels may surprise you. It’s definitely loud enough to be heard through the noise of the shower.
Cons:
- Some distortion is noticeable at maximum volume.
JBL Flip 5
Come hell or high water
JBL is world-renowned for its exceptional audio equipment and accessories, and the JBL Flip 5 continues their legacy. The Flip 5 has nearly double the power of similarly sized competitors at 20 watts, yet it still manages to last a long time on a single charge. The result is a distinctly dramatic sound that’s incredibly clear at high volumes without bass or treble distortion. Whatsmore, this speaker’s cylindrical shape delivers almost 180 degrees of sound, leaving nobody at your event left out. Despite the minimal design, the Flip 5 features a powerful battery, stereo pairing, and an anchor point for clipping or threading onto your pack, making it truly a sound to behold.
Pros:
- If you have the money, this premium speaker is definitely worth it. The superb sound quality really does live up to the hype.
- At maximum volume, it’s very loud, so it’s great for get-togethers and small parties.
Cons:
- It’s pretty expensive, though you can’t find a better speaker in this price range.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between Bluetooth and WiFi?
Wifi and Bluetooth are wireless networks that can be used to transfer data, but their methods vary greatly. Bluetooth is a low-power radio frequency used for short-distance data exchange. Wifi, on the other hand, is the wireless messaging service of your router. This radio wave can transfer data more quickly, over multiple devices, and from much farther from the source than Bluetooth. Both technologies were developed near the turn of the millennium, and it wasn’t until the last decade that they became firmly established as tech heavyweights essential in daily life.
How can multiple people operate a Bluetooth speaker?
Bluetooth speakers run off of smart devices and rely on short wave technology to communicate. Unlike wifi that utilizes multiple frequencies, Bluetooth is much more narrow and rarely accepts more than one device. However, Bluetooth speakers almost always have more than one way to communicate. If, for example, the speaker has an auxiliary port or SD slot, you’re in luck. Most Bluetooth speakers have an auto-switch feature when more than one device is connected. So if you connect to a speaker wired and wirelessly, disconnection won’t be necessary for smooth transitions.
About the Author
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With the constantly shifting landscape in the world of technology, GameRevolution seeks to provide gamers and tech-enthusiasts with the information they need to select the right products for their needs. Since 1996, our experts have used their knowledge on all the latest gadgets – everything from headphones to standing desks – to help millions of people navigate specs and answer common questions.