The best Bluetooth speakers 2021: the top portable speakers for any budget

Date:
Thu, 24 Jun 2021 12:13:55 +0000

Description:
Looking for the best Bluetooth speaker money can buy? Here are the top portable speakers on the market right now.

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The best Bluetooth speakers of 2021 are must-have devices for any music
lover, thanks to their portable, durable designs and fantastic audio performances. Its not hard to see why theyve become the go-to sound solution for music fans looking to take their tunes wherever they go.

Whether youre heading out to your backyard, relaxing at home, or heading down to the beach, the best Bluetooth speakers are an essential purchase and if you are headed down to the beach, be sure to check out our guide to the best waterproof speakers , too.

Nowadays, many of the best Bluetooth speakers also come with voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. This means that some of these wireless speakers can double up as smart speakers , which you can use to control your smart home devices , ask questions, and play your music using your voice alone.

In fact, our latest addition to this list and our new pick for the very best portable speaker you can buy in 2021 is the Sonos Roam , which can seamlessly switch from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth, integrate into a Sonos system, and comes with both Alexa and Google Assistant onboard.

If that all sounds a bit daunting, there are plenty of pair-and-play devices out there too for many, the best Bluetooth speaker offers a simple setup above all else.

Theres a huge range of portable speakers out there to pick from, which means you might not know where to start. Luckily for you, weve done the research
and the testing, which means were in a prime position to select the very best Bluetooth speakers you can buy in 2021. Our top picks The best Bluetooth speakers you can buy (Image credit: Sonos) 1. Sonos Roam

The best Bluetooth speaker you can buy Weight: 0.95 pounds (0.43 kg) |
Battery life: 10 hours | Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5 | Drivers: One tweeter, one mid-woofer | NFC: Yes | Aux-in: No | USB charging: Yes (USB-C) Powerful audio performance Easily portable design Fairly pricey Bass can be overwhelming

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. A bass-heavy audio performance makes it ideal for use outdoors, while a clever Automatic Switching feature means it's easily used indoors,
too though audiophiles may dislike the overwhelming low frequencies and rhythmic handling.

Following in the footsteps of theSonos Move, the Sonos Roam comes with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, which means it can work as aportable speakeras well as part of your wider multi-room Sonos system and withGoogle Assistantand Alexa onboard, it doubles up asmart speakertoo.

In spite of its (relatively) low price youre getting a lot for your money here. Its slick design means the Sonos Roam wont look out of place in your home, while a rugged, waterproof and dustproof build and a decent battery
life make it ideal for listening to music outdoors.

Read more: Sonos Roam review (Image credit: Sonos) 2. Sonos Move

A close second Weight: 6.61 pounds (3kg) | Battery life: 10 hours | Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n, 2.4 GHz, and 5GHz) and Bluetooth 4.2 | Drivers: One down-firing tweeter, one mid-woofer, two Class-D digital amplifiers | NFC: No | Aux-in: No | USB charging: Yes (USB-C, and comes with charging dock) Integrates with a home Sonos speaker network On-the-go tunes Not as feature-rich when using Bluetooth Cant be used as rear cinema speakers

Heres the thing about the Sonos Move its so good, you might want to consider it not only as your on-the-go party station, but also as your main
in-the-home wireless speaker too.

With two quality drivers, a solid app that unlocks playback from hundreds of wireless sources, multi-room capabilities and smart audio-tuning tech which tweaks the output based on the speaker's immediate surroundings, the Sonos Move is engineered well beyond your average Bluetooth speaker. It's a versatile speaker, one that stands solidly alongside the built-for-home Sonos speakers that the company made its name on.

Its not perfect its heavy as a byproduct of its incredible sound, its expensive due to its rich feature set, and it sadly cant be used as rear channels for a home cinema set-up. But if youve got the money, its hard to fault the Sonos Move when it comes to hunting down the very best Bluetooth speaker in the world.

Read the full review: Sonos Move review (Image credit: Ultimate Ears) 3. UE Boom 3

The former best Bluetooth speaker is still great for travelling with Weight: 1.2 pounds | Battery life: 15 hours | Wireless range: 30+ feet | Frequency response: 90Hz-20kHz | Drivers: Two 1.75" drivers and two 1.75" x 3" passive radiators | NFC: Yes | Aux-in: No | USB charging: Yes IP67 waterproof/dust-proof Powerful sound Rugged design Audio could be clearer

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 2021. This is a speaker that can get loud and not distort at higher volumes; be light enough to carry on a camping trip but remain durable enough to tumble in a bag unprotected.

It's both water and dust-proof, and now has a one-touch mix button that lets you pull up your favorite playlists without ever picking up your phone.

There are certainly more detailed portable speakers out there, but at a price that's relatively affordable to all, the UE Boom 3 hits all the right notes for the third year in a row.

Ultimate Ears now lets you customize your UE Boom 3 , so you have even more options when it comes to color and pattern combinations.

Read the full review: UE Boom 3 review (Image credit: JBL) 4. JBL Flip 5

A fun, no frills portable speaker Weight: 1.2 pounds | Battery life: 12 hours | Wireless range: N/A | Frequency response: 65Hz - 20kHz | Drivers: 40mm | NFC: No | Bluetooth version: 4.2 | Aux-in: No | USB charging: No Engaging, entertaining sound Easy to use No 3.5mm input No mic for hands-free calls

The JBL Flip 5 is proof that the best Bluetooth speakers aren't always the ones with the most impressive specs.

JBLs Flip 5 is a simple soul with Bluetooth-only playback and modest
features, but if you desire a rugged, great-sounding portable speaker and can sacrifice voice control or hands-free call functionality, you wont be disappointed.

Thanks to its neat design and IPX7 rating it's suitable for use outside as well as in, making it an idealoutdoor speaker, too and it's not too pricey
at $119.95 / 119.99 / AU$149.95.

Coming in a range of cool colors including an eye-catching camo print there's now a limited Eco Edition that's made from 90% recycled plastic,
while the portable speakers entire packaging is biodegradable.

Read the full review: JBL Flip 5 review

[Update: Don't miss our JBL Boombox 2 review we were mightily impressed by this portable speaker's IPX7 waterproof rating, long battery life, and distortion-free sound.] (Image credit: Bose) 5. Bose Home Portable Speaker

A great Sonos Move alternative Weight: 2.4 pounds | Battery life: 12 hours | Wireless range: N/A | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: N/A | NFC: No | Bluetooth version: 4.2 | Aux-in: No | USB charging: Yes Great design Well-balanced sound Expensive Lacking in bass

The portable smart speaker market is booming, with the Bose Portable Home Speakeroffering the smarts of Google Assistant and Alexa alongside Bluetooth connectivity, the market is already growing fast.

The Bose Portable Home Speaker isnt the brands first outdoor-friendly
speaker, and it shows: gorgeous minimalist design meets weather-ready robustness, with a light build and handle that lends itself to listening on the go.

It doesnt quite meet the sonic dexterity of the Sonos Move, or the value for money of the UE Boom 3 and JBL Charge 4 but if you love that Bose sound and build quality, this is the speaker for you.

Read the full review: Bose Portable Home Speaker review (Image credit: Soundcore) 6. Anker Soundcore Flare

The best budget Bluetooth speaker Weight: 1.1 pounds | Battery life: 12 hours | Wireless range: 20m / 66ft | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: 2 x 1.75" Full Range + 2 x Passive Radiator | NFC: No | Aux-in: Yes | Bluetooth
version: 4.2 | Weatherproofing: Yes-IPX7 | Charges devices over USB: No Impressive sound for the size Excellent mobile app Waterproof Harsh at max volume

Anker has a history of making excellent budget wireless speakers. While we werent entirely impressed with the Anker SoundCore 2 s sound, we couldnt be too mad since the speaker was so affordable.

So what happens if you can stretch your budget? For around $20 more you get the Anker Soundcore Flare, an excellent waterproof Bluetooth speaker that can stand toe-to-toe with the competition.

The Soundcore Flare is an amazing value in the sub-$100 wireless speaker segment. Competitors like the UE Wonderboom (listed above) give the Flare a run for its money in terms of build quality but we give the Flare the slight edge with sound quality. We recommend the Flare for anyone looking for a wireless speaker that can do it all without breaking the bank.

Read the full review: Anker Soundcore Flare review (Image credit: Ultimate Ears) 7. UE Wonderboom 2

The best outdoor speaker gets a refresh Weight: 0.93 pounds | Dimensions: 104 x 95.3mm (H x D) | Battery life: Up to 13 hours | Wireless range: 100 ft (33 m) | Frequency response: 75 Hz 20 kHz | Drivers: two 40 mm active drivers
and two 46.1mm x 65.2mm passive radiators | NFC: No | Bluetooth version: N/A
| Aux-in: No | USB charging: No Great sound for its size IP67 dustproof/waterproof rating 30% better battery life Restrictive soundstage

The original UE Wonderboom has been at the top of our best waterproof speaker list since its debut and for good reason: its rugged, plays louder than its diminutive sound suggests, and could be paired to other UE Wonderboom
speakers to amplify sound.

And 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, like the 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.

The UE Wonderboom 2 is a fantastic rugged and waterproof speaker youll actually want to take with. Its small size doesnt mean small sound, however, as the speaker gets extremely loud and sounds great. While it cant match the bass response of larger speakers like the UE Boom 3 or the Bose SoundLink Revolve , the improved bass adds warmth and intensity to music that the original was lacking.

All said, for $100 / 90 / AU$129, the UE Wonderboom 2 is still one of the
best waterproof speakers you can buy - and our recommended option for those looking to bring their speaker to the beach or pool.

Read the full review: UE Wonderboom 2 review (Image credit: JBL ) 8. JBL Charge 5

The best mid-range speaker Weight: 2.11 pounds | Dimensions: 8.7 x 3.76 x
3.67 (W x D x H) | Battery life: Up to 20 hours | Wireless range: 30 ft (10
m) | Frequency response: 65Hz20kHz | Drivers: N/A | NFC: No | Bluetooth version: 5.1 | Aux-in: No | USB charging: Yes Balanced sound quality Gets extremely loud Long battery life Long charge time No more aux jack

Looking for a portable speaker that can charge your phone while it's blasting music? Check out the new JBL Charge 5 that launched in 2021 and is available now around the world for $179 / 159 / AU$229.

In terms of features the JBL Charge 5 is relatively basic compared to something like the JBL 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.

Physical controls remain the same with slightly raised buttons on top of the speaker. There are buttons to control playback, volume, power, Bluetooth pairing, and Party Boost that turns the volume up to 11.

Around the back, the JBL Charge 5 has a waterproof USB-C charging port as
well as a flap hiding the USB-A port that can be used to charge up your smartphone. The Charge 5 drops support for the 3.5mm aux jack from the JBL Charge 4 , which is a bummer for some who have legacy devices they want to hook up.

Overall, the JBL Charge 5 sounds like a bigger speaker than it is. It dishes out an impressive amount of bass for its size without sacrificing on the mids or highs.

Read the full review: JBL Charge 5 review (Image credit: Ultimate Ears) 9.
UE Hyperboom

Powerful sound for parties both big and small Weight: 13 pounds | Battery life: 24 hours | Wireless range: Approx. 150 ft | Frequency response: 45 - 20,000Hz | Drivers: N/A | NFC: Yes | Aux-in: N/A | USB charging: No Excellent sound Smart dual connection function Stylish design Fairly heavy

Ultimate Ears Hyperboom is a powerful party speaker that will ensure the
party atmosphere, both indoors and outdoors. Its Ultimate Ears' largest speaker to date, but still keeps the company's stylish and discreet design, and adds two Bluetooth radios so you can switch seamlessly between two
phones.

Despite being party-centric (read: packing tons of bass), it also delivers a very well-balanced soundscape. 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.

In terms of features, the Ultimate Ears app allows you to connect the Hyperboom to other UE speakers and use them together, you can switch audio source and adjust volume, and you can select four different playlists in Amazon Music, Deezer or Spotify that can be started by holding down the Play button in three seconds.

For parties small and large, it's a great pick.

Read the full review: UE Hyperboom review (Image credit: Sony) 10. Sony SRS-XB23

A powerful canister of sound for all your outdoor adventures Weight: 1.3 pounds | Battery life: Up to 12 hours | Wireless range: 30 feet | Frequency response: 20 - 20,000 Hz | Drivers: X-Balanced Speaker, dual passive
radiators | NFC: Yes | Aux-in: Yes | USB charging: No Good sound quality IP67 rating (waterproof) Stereo pairing and Party Mode Lower peak volume

The entry-level Sony SRS-XB23 is a rock-solid $99 (around 80 / AU$150) portable outdoor speaker that features an IP67 rating and a 12-hour battery life.

In terms of performance, it can get pretty loud without a massive amount of distortion and the passive radiators help the bass to sound clearer than it has on any of Sonys previous models. That's because the XB23 uses Bluetooth 5 and supports three major codecs SBC, AAC and LDAC, the latter of which youll find on newer Android devices and sounds absolutely great.

Outdoor adventurers will love the ruggedness of the speaker while us kick-back-and-relax folks will enjoy how snugly it fits into a lawn chair's cup holder.

Read the full review: Sony SRS-XB23 review

Looking for something a little bigger? Check out our Sony SRS-XB33 review , where we put the more powerful Bluetooth speaker to the test. (Image credit: Bang & Olufsen) 11. B&O Beosound A1 (2nd gen)

A Bluetooth speaker with Alexa Weight: : 1.2 pounds | Battery life: : 18
hours | Wireless range: : 30m (100ft) | Frequency response: : 55 - 20,000 Hz
| Drivers: N/A | NFC: No | Aux-in: No | USB charging: USB-C Crisp sound quality Lightweight design Flawed Alexa support Buttons are tricky to find

Visually near imperceptible from the original A1, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) is an appealing and highly portable Bluetooth speaker that comes with (admittedly flawed) Alexa support.

Ultimately, we were impressed with the B&O Beosound A1. A marked improvement over its predecessor, there's better battery life, and waterproofing,
although we're not so sure how much we'd like to take it outside the home.

With a consistently crisp sound and a chic design, the Beosound A1 is still a fine example of why Bang & Olufsen's good reputation precedes it.

Read more: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) (Image credit: TechRadar)
12. Urbanista Brisbane

Scandi design meets decent sound Weight: 1.5 pounds | Battery life: 10 hours
| Wireless range: 30m (100ft) | Frequency response: 80-20,000Hz | Drivers: 2
x 52mm | NFC: No | Aux-in: No | USB charging: No Great audio performance Second speaker pairing Could be more rugged Unremarkable looking

The Urbanista Brisbane might not look exciting, but beneath its unassuming package lies a powerful Bluetooth speaker. Loud and rich-sounding, it's a well-priced addition to anyone's home, with a good battery life and the
option to pair it with another Brisbane for true stereo sound.

For the price, the Urbanista Brisbane is ultimately a bit of a bargain.
You'll find better sound quality out there, but it'll cost you a lot more.
All in all, this mid-range speaker could be a great choice for anyone who wants the freedom of wireless listening without sacrificing volume levels.

Read the full review: Urbanista Brisbane review (Image credit: 1MORE) 13. 1MORE Portable BT Speaker

A luxurious Bluetooth speaker for the office and the home Weight: 268g | Battery life: 12 hours | Wireless range: N/A | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: N/A | NFC: No | Aux-in: Yes | USB charging: Yes Great sound quality for the size Impressive bass response at low volume Limited IPX4 rating Average battery life

The 1MORE Portable BT Speaker sounds great for the price. It has an
impressive amount of bass at low volumes but drops off at higher volumes.

This Bluetooth speaker is good for traveling professionals who want better sound quality, a speakerphone, and some water resistance, but those who want
a more rugged speaker should look elsewhere the IPX4 rating won't really cut it if you're expecting your speaker to get wet.

Read more: 1MORE Portable BT Speaker review Best Bluetooth speakers at a glance Sonos Roam Sonos Move UE Boom 3 JBL Flip 5 Bose Home Portable Speaker Anker Soundcore Flare UE Wonderboom 2 JBL Charge 5 UE Hyperboom Sony SRS-XB23 Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd gen) Urbanista Brisbane 1MORE Portable BT Speaker Choosing your Bluetooth speaker How to pick out the best Bluetooth speaker Which speaker type is best for you?

There are lots of speaker styles to choose from that's why we've put
together lots of guides on the best speakers you can buy in 2021.

Looking for some hi-res audiophile speakers to go with your record player ? Check out the best stereo speakers . Bored of your TV's lackluster audio? Try one of our best soundbars or Dolby Atmos speakers on for size.

If you need a speaker you can take everywhere, make sure you look at the best waterproof speakers .

For total control of your smart home, invest in one of the best smart
speakers , which come with Google Assistant , Amazon Alexa, or Siri built-in.

Apple fanatic? Try out the best AirPlay speakers .

There are so many new Bluetooth speakers on the market these days that it can be tricky to figure out which one you need. However, there are plenty of specific features to look out for, even if it does feel like the choice is endless.

The first thing to consider is where you want to use your new Bluetooth speaker. Some portable speakers are built with durability in mind, and will feature rubberized builds to prevent damage from drops and lightweight
designs to make them easy to carry around.

To ramp up that durability, many Bluetooth speakers come with waterproof and dustproof designs look for an IPX4 rating or higher if you want to take your portable speaker outdoors.

Of course, you can absolutely use your new Bluetooth speaker solely inside your home and that means you can choose from a wider range of designs that will look great with your decor.

You should also consider how youre going to use your new portable speaker. If you're a party person, you might want the ability to connect two speakers together or a speaker with multipoint pairing that allows multiple devices to connect at a time.

With any Bluetooth speaker, battery life, sound quality, and connectivity are features you dont want to overlook. Sure, some concessions can be made for budget models, but weve done our best to take these in the utmost consideration when creating the list above. Bluetooth speaker deals



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/audio/portable-audio/10-best-portable-speakers- 1069079/


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