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Best Bluetooth Speaker of the Year: JBL, Beats, Bose, UE Boom, Jawbone, more

Best-Bluetooth-speakers-2015(TL;DR: Winner, best size, best sound, runner-up best apps, best budget, best $300)

It has been a solid year and a half since our last Big “Best Portable Bluetooth speaker” competition, though we’ve done tons of updates to it in the months since.

A lot of our favorites are still around while others have been updated and new players have emerged. And what about our previous champ: the Ultimate Ears Boom? Spoiler alert: a new winner has emerged. Read on to find out who takes our Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker award…

The portable Bluetooth speaker market was created by a combination of factors. A2DP Bluetooth 2.1 allowed stereo speakers to be driven wirelessly through smartphones and computers. Phones with the ability to play lots of music over Bluetooth — like the iPhone — started to become ubiquitous. Lithium batteries became light enough and have an energy density high enough to give those speakers and radios hours of playing time. Things started coming together in 2010.

The first true portable Bluetooth speaker in the ‘modern sense’ was the Jawbone Jambox, which was a hit ignited by this amazing Sandwich video in 2010. Sure, many Bluetooth speakers existed previously, but no one really put it all together like Jawbone did.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgC3zjNH1oU]

The video spelled out the variety of uses a portable Bluetooth speaker could have — still very relevant today. Partying, gaming, enjoying portable movie sound, placing conference calls and entertaining dinner parties are all still very relevant.

The high end ~$300+ range

The speakers in this realm include the Bose Soundlink III, Big Jambox, Beats Pill XLMarshall StanmoreHarman Kardon Aura, Cambridge Audio Minx and Bowers and Wilkins T7. I’ve been lucky enough to demo all of these great speakers.

As far as portability, three in this category can fit into a small bag: the Bose Soundlink III, Big Jambox and Beats Pill XL. The others are movable, of course, but nothing you would take on a daily basis. Moving them around the house might make sense but they aren’t on-the-go portable. If you are looking for high end sound, I can easily recommend any of the three above, but I have inside knowledge on a new product that will be launched at CES that will blow these away.

Frankly, some of the lower-priced models below will sound 95% as good but cost about half as much and have some other great features. If I had to choose one at this price/form factor right now, say for a big shopping holiday coming up, I’d go with the Beats Pill XL ($270). With Apple’s purchase of Beats, this is the flag-bearer iPod Hi-Fi speaker and with charge indicator, handle, 15 hours of battery, the ability to charge USB devices and sleek design, it is a great all around speaker. But again, I’d encourage most people to pick a mid-range device (keep reading) and save some money and space.

Beats-Pill-XL

Bargain, ultraportable Bluetooth speakers under $50

Moving to the other extreme, this is the most treacherous area of Bluetooth speakers — one where tons of cheap Chinese brands lurk hoping to ensnare the bargain hunter with lower quality acoustics and substandard batteries and features. I spent a few months earlier in the year going through some of the more popular ones which I rated here. Note that the same Chinese speaker will be sold under different brand names from week to week.  There are some standouts that I can recommend for under $50, however:

The OontZ Angle by Cambridge Soundworks (below) is a no-brainer, with its great sound and 10- hour battery, all for $33 shipped.

oontZ-angle-iphone

The JBL Micro is another solid, dependable good-looking Bluetooth speaker you can find under $45. You can daisy chain these if you want (I never do) and they only have 5 hours of battery. But I really like the wearable design, the superb sound for its small size, and the AUX out for headphones or home speakers. Compare with the Boombot Rex or $24 Divoom Bean (comparisons here).

jbl-micro

Other highly rated low cost examples can be found from Anker (which is also a speakerphone) and the $23 Aukey.

Also, we frequently rate the most recent bargain Bluetooth speakers at 9to5Toys so keep an eye out for good deals there.

Midrange Bluetooth Sweetspot ($50-$200)

Most portable Bluetooth speaker shoppers should wind up here, and with prices starting way below $100 and reaching up to $200, there is something for a variety of budgets. Last year I gave Logitech/Ultimate Ears Boom and Mini Boom the nod as the best all around Bluetooth speakers and my feeling for most people is that they will still be extremely happy with either product. UE combines Micro-USB charging, the ability to be used as a speakerphone, great designs (although I’m not always nuts about the colors) and great iOS and Android app. And it provides nearly the best sound in this price range. Expect a best-in-class 15 hours of battery life from the Boom as well. Smart shoppers should be able to find the Mini Boom for $70 and regular boom for $179. But before you buy, there are other options to consider…

If you are looking for the smallest sized speaker that still sounds great, take a look at the Beats Pill 2 which can be found for as little as $180. It is quite pocketable and has sound that is heads and shoulders above the low-end models mentioned above. It will even charge your phone with a USB-out. But for $180, I’d easily take the UE Boom, for sound alone.

BEATS_by_Dre_Pill

For a little more cash, I’m still going to take the Bose SoundLink Mini. I called it the best sounding portable bluetooth speaker ever in my long read review and I still stick by that. Of course Bose is highly polarizing with its sound profile but across the board, people who’ve heard the Mini have been blown away.

But Bose has its downsides as well. First of all, it is almost impossible to find it for less than its $199 list price. It also charges via a proprietary AC adapter rather than micro-USB standard, which makes it a hassle to charge on the go – which is made more painful by its shorter, 6 hour battery life. Finally, it doesn’t do speakerphone calling, which hampers its accessibility. Plus, it requires a manual turn on every time it wakes from sleep.  But Ohhh that sound.

bose-soundlink-mini_01

Bose recently released the $129 “Color” version of its Soundlink family. Although I haven’t spent much time with these Micro-USB charged speakers, at $70 cheaper, I have been very impressed with their sound. I’m not a fan of the look — which I find akin to a change purse — but given some more time with it, the Soundlink Color could be a top pick.

Bose-soundlink-color

The Winner! JBL Charge 2

My 2014 Bluetooth Speaker of the Year is also the most improved: The JBL Charge 2 is better in almost every way than the Charge it replaced, and that was a damned good Bluetooth speaker when I reviewed it last year.

Why do I think the Charge 2 is the best? It does just about everything very well and it costs significantly less than its competitors. (Base: $150 but sometimes as low as $120.) It charges via Micro-USB and works great as a speakerphone, so it already compares well to the UE Boom and its similar cupholder-friendly cylinder form. The Charge has a crazy long 12-hour battery life via 6000 mAh battery, but it also has a USB power out for charging your phone or tablet — something the Boom lacks. It is also a very attractive device and comes in 5 colors.

But the sound is more impressive than its cheaper price, better appearance and phone-charging capability. The bass response has been improved from 150 to 75 Hz, and the power output has also increased from 2 x 5 to 2 x 7.5 watts. The big thing in sound here is that the Charge 2 actually has two bass speakers that point outwards and give you real live stereo separation (the original Charge only appears to have 2 outward facing monitors). It sounds great whether you use it on a desktop, outside at the beach, in a rental car, a kitchen or at the office.

Like really great.

I’m not going to say the sound is better than the Bose Soundlink Mini here, but it is close and I’d take the sound over UE Boom. It also doesn’t match the sound of the high end $300+ speakers mentioned above. But it is close enough that I’m willing to overlook this minor shortfall as a tradeoff for portability, lower price and additional features.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=060rNo3MSOs

There is one problem, however, which I wasn’t able to replicate. Some forums members and Amazon reviewers report that at lower volume, listening to voice-heavy sound, there is bass interference. I can only imagine this was an early manufacturing defect because I haven’t been able to replicate it with my recent review unit — and most other reviews don’t mention it. If you get a bad unit, return it for a better one.

One last fun feature: the Charge 2 has a social button, which allows 3 people to hook in to the Bluetooth simultaneously. I didn’t try this because my music is the best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHLlB1xuUmY

Just like UE did last year, JBL Charge 2 has taken a product category that the Jambox invented. And it has outdone the pioneer. I still like Jamboxes but their price/sound ratio is too high.

That’s our wrap up. I hope this review of the Bluetooth speaker field helps you make an informed choice when picking out that next Bluetooth speaker as a gift or personal gadget. For me, Bluetooth speakers are the #1 personal iPhone accessory and comparisons like this have become something of a hobby/obsession.

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Comments

  1. Lasse Olsen - 9 years ago

    Take a look at the Super-M by Nude Audio, just received it from their Kickstarter campaign, and it is great! For 99$ you get a much better sound than a lot of the high-end bluetooth speakers.

    • Seth Weintraub - 9 years ago

      Overall I try to avoid kickstarters. Inventory is small, products go through revisions and sometimes (but not always!) there are reliability and consistency issues. When they go big, I’m all over it though

  2. Mark Doucette - 9 years ago

    I would also throw in the Braven 855. It will even charge your phone while playing!

    • Seth Weintraub - 9 years ago

      I like Bravens overall but the build quality on the last one I tried seemed a little suspect (might have gotten an early/prototype model :()

  3. Rodney Frey - 9 years ago

    I encountered the low volume distortion with the Charge 2. Awesome speaker otherwise. Maybe it was old inventory, I’m very curious to know if they’ve fixed it.

    • Seth Weintraub - 9 years ago

      return it for a new one. They definitely fixed that issue on mine.

      • Bryan Thompson - 9 years ago

        Recently purchased a Charge 2 and haven’t had this low volume distortion problem so far.

  4. Jurgis Ŝalna - 9 years ago

    The answer is neither.
    Just get second hand bookshelf speakers.
    There shouldn’t be any tolerance for inferior sound.

    • Nick Donnelly - 9 years ago

      Yeah cause that’s a practical portable solution that doesn’t need an amp.

      Wait – I mean the opposite of what I just said.

      What you mean is – spend $100,000 on hifi equipment instead because; why tolerate inferior sound?

  5. airmanchairman - 9 years ago

    Line 6 Amplifi 75 and 150 Bluetooth Speakers / Guitar (& Synth) amplifiers, with Bluetooth streaming of your mobile sound libraries as well as a companion iOS/Android app that enables you to download guitar tones, amp and cabinet models from the ‘Web. A truly revolutionary addition to the usual Bluetooth Speaker line-up that’s also winning awards for innovation.

  6. Lee (@leemahi) - 9 years ago

    Oh no! I bought the wrong speaker. I picked up the UE Boom last week. The bass sucks, but the audio is crisp and loud.

    • Seth Weintraub - 9 years ago

      Nonsense! The UE Boom is an amazing Bluetooth speaker. I just thought that the Charge 2 was better I na few more ways. One thing that I forgot to mention was that the UE Boom it is Water resistant so there’s that!

      • Lee (@leemahi) - 9 years ago

        Thanks Seth. I like my speaker, but I need to listen to another UE Boom to make sure mine isn’t defective. I like Bluetooth speakers so much I’ll probably the charge 2 as well.

  7. Nick Donnelly - 9 years ago

    What is the light blue case thing for the JBL Charge 2? Is it a case? I read the charge 2 didn’t come with a case?

  8. Roger Stafford - 9 years ago

    I have never been the biggest fan of Bose products, but the SoundLink Mini is definitely a fantastic little speaker. Very impressive sound comes out of the thing for sure. For me, the most impressive is how well it can produce a full sound at a very low volume. If you have it turned down low, you can still hear everything represented nicely.

  9. beuk23 - 9 years ago

    I’ve got the iLoud. $240,- and far better then the Bose Soundlink 3 .. too bad you are not reviewing this one.
    Everybody who hears the iLoud buys one!!.. This machine is awesome!!..

  10. Mike Evans (@macfilos) - 9 years ago

    You criticise the Bose Soundlink Mini for not having a USB charging option, implying that you must always travel with the charging base. This is not so. The Soundlink also has a USB mini socket and can be charged without the dock. I have been delighted with mine. It sounds great at home, even in a reasonably large room, and is ideal for travelling.

    • Seth Weintraub - 9 years ago

      incorrect! IT DOES have a microUSB port but that is only for Firmware updates. Believe me I tried. Glad they went MicroUSB for the Color ones.

  11. Cheers for the roundup, high interest category for me too : ) did you check the Sony SRSX3 / 5 / 7 range, looking to move up from my (loved) mini boom.

  12. thomazen - 9 years ago

    Hi Zeth. I was wondering about that new upcoming bluetooth device launched from CES is BenQ treVolo, aptX, Electrostatic bluetooth speaker? $299.00. If not, pleace tell, need to know. Also, what u think of this one? Sincerely, Thomas.

  13. Cody McCloy - 9 years ago

    Do any, other than the Boom, let you use a second for true steered sound?

    • Cody McCloy - 9 years ago

      *STEREO sound.

      • rgie26 - 9 years ago

        I recommend you the JBL Flip 3. I own two and the sound is so crystal clear with an ample amount of bass similar with the jbl charge 2 seems like the shrinked version of it. Louder than the charge 2 with 16 watts of power. You would never regret having the flip 3 believe me. I forgot to mention that it is splashproof also.

  14. reallythoughpod - 9 years ago

    Been considering the Nixon Blaster…any thoughts on how it compares to the above-mentioned speakers?

  15. Bryan Thompson - 9 years ago

    I have a Bose Soundlink III and recently purchased A JBL Charge 2. Both have great bass. I feel the JBL has better highs and overall clarity but only marginally. Both are great blue tooth speakers.

  16. november7286 - 9 years ago

    What is your opinion on the Klipsch kmc 1. http://www.klipsch.com/kmc-1-wireless-music-system. Amazon had a good sale where I was able to get one for about 150. I don’t have access to the full range to compare so I was looking for your thoughts on it.

  17. Johnny Narcissus - 9 years ago

    Anything to watch out for when picking a speaker that will also be heavily used for watching films on my laptop?

  18. David Meyers - 9 years ago

    Do you have a similar post regarding WiFi speakers? My iPhone has WiFias does my computer, so I’d like a solution with what I gather is better sound quality and greater range that is possible with WiFi over Bluetooth.

  19. Gail Strom - 9 years ago

    Great thanks. I like the JBL….do you know if you can connect multiple JBL speakers at once like the Boom? Great feature for parties.

    • rgie26 - 9 years ago

      Newer models of JBL bluetooth speakers are capable of wirelessly connecting each individual speakers for a huge soundstage. Jbl extreme and my jbl flip 3 are the ones capable of.

  20. Do you have any plans to update this article for the UE Megaboom that you linked to now that is has been released? I’d like to hear your thoughts comparing the Megaboom to the other speakers in its price range.

  21. Ayushman Chatterjee - 9 years ago

    Hey Seth! Hope you are doing well. This is one of the most extensive comparison reviews I have come across regarding portable bluetooth speakers. I really liked JBL charge 2 but was a bit reluctant about buying one because I came across similar kind of reviews which talked about distortion in low volumes. One such review mentioned a particular song i.e. Silent Shout from The Knife using which one might try to replicate the distortion issue.

    Also, is there something like the treble on the Charge was better and the sound louder and crisper as compared to its successor? Please let me know if get time to test these out. Great work by the way!

  22. Antonio Nuñez - 9 years ago

    I just got the charge 2 and i feel disapointed it has a lot of distortion @ high volume deep bass what can I do?

  23. rossblackbeard7 - 9 years ago

    Hello! This review is excellent and i think i have a good grasp of the best bluetooth speakers, however i am torn between the JBL Charge 2 and the UE mini boom. The Charge 2 i can get for $150 and the UE mini boom i can get for $99. Wbat should i do??

    • Seth Weintraub - 9 years ago

      You can lose here. The Charge 2 is louder but Mini Boom has an App and will save you $50. Both are solid.

  24. anu1998 - 9 years ago

    I’m confused whether to buy denon dsd 500 or jbl onbeat xtreme or bose sounddock 10 or bose soundtouch 30..?! Pls help.!…

  25. I’m The Biggest procrasernator in the world. I’m Somewhat of an audiophile, that’s why nothing impressed me more than the Beats PillXL, It’s amazing for a portable speaker! The bose soundlink mini souds very good aswell.

  26. Ankit Govila - 9 years ago

    How Is JBL Charge 2 0 Guys, Planning To Buy It
    Please Give Your reviews

  27. Nathaniel Ramsbottom - 9 years ago

    I am torn between the UE Boom and the Charge 2…hopefully you can help me out! Your review was amazing…one of the best i’ve read. Anyways, I love music. Sound quality is very important to me. My music selections can go from The Grateful Dead one second to some heavy bass trap music the next. But at the same time, I am always on the go. The speaker will be mainly used at the beach, in a car, on a boat, hiking, and anywhere else outdoors. Also indoors as well like in the bathroom and for watching movies on my laptop. So knowing this, I ask you, what do you think the better speaker would be in your opinion?

    • myelectronicshadow - 9 years ago

      Probably the UE Boom since it’s more likely to last for a long time given the environments you plan on using it in. Also, sound-wise, it does the job, even if some might say a bit worse than Charge 2. Thing is, you should definitely keep dust and water resistance in mind along with sound quality given your lifestyle. Charge 2 would probably still be ok but you’d have to exercise more caution with it and it will also need a carrying/protective case. Hope this helped:D

  28. luiscast10 - 9 years ago

    Which one is better beats pill xl or Braven brv- HD

  29. This is really effective best blutooth speakers list forever.You can find out any kind of wireless speaker reviews here http://bestportablebluetoothspeaker.com/

  30. annabela - 9 years ago

    Amazing! I have been looking for a new portable speaker. Thanks for sharing.

  31. Mary-Celeste Lewis Ricks - 9 years ago

    Friend of ours has the Bose “change purse”, but we have the Charge 2. The sound is incredible. We weren’t able to use our big home speaker set because of a terrible auxiliary connection (gotta get that looked at…), and we used the Charge 2 for a karaoke party, and it was still loud enough to merit complaints (but we have nice neighbors, so no one said anything.) Anyway, JBL may not have the cache that the Bose brand has, but I think their product is every bit as good, if not better!

  32. Omar Athar - 9 years ago

    I ordered a JBL charge 2 from amazon but ends up when I connect through bluetooth or auxilary I get a crackling noise. Ends up my firmware is 1.3.8, I upgraded to 1.4.1 and confirmed it was successfully updated but still getting a crackling noise from bluetooth. I should probably replace my charge 2 or is this a normal problem?

  33. Sam Walker - 8 years ago

    Anyone tried the VAVA Voom? It’s on sale on Amazon for $129, charges your phone, works as a blue-tooth speakerphone at the same time, and offers 10 hours. My only down side is that the battery is built in, and there for wouldn’t be easy to change out in the future, but most of these aren’t.

  34. D.j. Meddi Meddi II - 8 years ago

    Which has the best bass,but I can still fit in my bookbag?

  35. Andy Wondars - 8 years ago

    No matter what speakershe you have . Something like Bongiovi DPS will ensure you have the best sound always in real time.. no need to adjust treble and bass

Author

Avatar for Seth Weintraub Seth Weintraub

Publisher and Editorial Director of the 9to5/Electrek sites.


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