Any recommendations for a decent portable bluetooth speaker?
I had a bose mini speaker but my daughter swiped it (with my permission) when she went away to college, so I’m looking for a replacement. The Bose are kind of expensive—I’m willing to spend that if that’s the best. I’m looking for a similar quality of sound, but small enough I can throw in my backpack to take too and from work.
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
12 Answers
I bought myself a pair of Monster BT speakers a few years ago. They are a bit bigger than a mini, but have a great sound and a long play time on a charge.
@seawulf575 Thanks. Is it one unit or two units (R,L)? I really want one unit for convenience.
It is two units, but they can connect back to back and latch together to be one big unit. Each speaker is about 10–12” high and about 4–5” across (though they are arched…when put together they make an oval cylinder). I like that they are not just one unit since occasionally I like to separate the speakers to get a broader sound.
I wish the partcular little model I have from Monoprice dot com were still available. Everyone asks where they can get one.
For recommendations I like the NY Times Wirecutter site. They do hands on testing. Here are their current portable bluetooth speaker recommendations:
UE Wonderboom 2
The best portable Bluetooth speaker $92
The Wonderboom 2 has a natural sound and a cool design, and it’s built to survive almost any outdoor adventure.
JBL Xtreme 2
For large rooms and big gatherings $350
The Xtreme 2 easily fills a large room (or a small parking lot) with satisfying sound, and its rugged, waterproof design makes it trunk-friendly.
Tribit XSound Go
Very good sound for under $35
The Tribit XSound Go is the best speaker we’ve heard in its price range, and it’s compact and waterproof to boot.
Costco sells a pair of little speakers, but they are monaural (so no real stereo effect despite being two separate units).
Last Christmas I received a Zosam Bluetooth Speaker. Specs: IPX6 Waterproof Wireless Speaker with 10W HD Stereo Sound, Rich Bass, 10H Playtime, Built-in Mic and AUX/SD Input.
It loud enough to fill my yard when I’m entertaining or puttering around. Good sound, quality. It’ll definitely fit in your backpack, and has a decent play time on a charge. It’s also waterproof. I mistakenly left it out in a rainstorm last spring, and it suffered no ill effects.
I have an Oontz Angle that I love. It was $50 when I bought it a few years ago.
Charge 4 is really good. We love ours.
JBL Charge 4 Portable Bluetooth Speaker Introducing the JBL Charge 4 portable Bluetooth speaker with full-spectrum, powerful sound and a built-in power bank to charge your devices. It features a proprietary developed driver and two JBL bass radiators that intensify sound with strong deep bass. Its high-capacity 7500mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery provides up to 20 hours of playtime.
Color: Black, Blue, Gray, Red, Sand, White
Connectivity: AUX, Bluetooth, NFC, USB, Wi-Fi
Features: Outdoor, Portable, Wireless
This will give me enough to research!
Response moderated (Spam)
Answer this question 
This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.
Composing members:
0
