The future is cordless. Who had control of the aux cord used to be an ongoing
argument at every house party or in every taxi; but as Bluetooth
wireless speakers become ever more popular – the current question is:
who’s connected to the speaker?
Wireless listening is easy, convenient and now it can sound bloody good. Gone are the days when you need a massive Hi-Fi setup to properly hear the bass – and now you can get everything you need in a portable (and sometimes waterproof) speaker.
NME has tested the best Bluetooth wireless speakers on the
market, and picked our favourite products. Whether you want something
that’ll float in the pool, or need to ensure you get exactly the right
amount of bass – there’s a speaker for you.
Look: 10/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Sound Quality: 10/10
Total: 29/30
Ridiculously loud, an incredible depth of sound and a stylish look, all at a fantastic price – the UE Megaboom is the absolute best Bluetooth speaker on the market.
Buy Now: Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM Bluetooth/Wireless Speaker at Amazon from £170
Look: 6/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Sound Quality: 7/10
Total: 22/30
Super lightweight, super portable – this is a brill budget option, and one you can easily travel with.
Buy Now
Look: Fairly small and robust, but the bright colours tend to wear, and then can look a bit cheaper.
Controls: The basics are easy; but it gets slightly more complicated when you want to skip tracks – as buttons double up (but once you get your head around that – it’s dead easy to use).
Sound quality: For something so small – the JBL Clip packs quite a punch. Yes, the bass could resonate a bit more and at it does struggle when the volume is cranked up – but at the price – you can’t really knock it!
Battery life: 8 hours – impressive for such a small product.
Portability: Incredibly lightweight, and comes with a carabineer so you can clip it onto the outside of your rucksack (if you so choose).
Waterproof? Yes – IPX7, so you can immerse the speaker up to a meter for 30 minutes: but it is a speaker that floats – so you’re going to be hard pressed to drown it and reach that limit!
Connectivity: Dead easy to connect, and no dropouts – even when submerged in water; and there’s also an integrated 3.5mm Audio Cable, for any products you have that may not have Bluetooth.
Best bit: The price and practicality!
Worst bit: It’s a budget product – and whilst it’s a very good budget product – the sound quality doesn’t compare to higher end speakers.
Bottom line: Want to impulse buy a decent speaker and not break the bank? You can’t get wrong with the JBL Clip 2.
Buy Now: JBL Clip 2 Waterproof Ultra Portable at Amazon from £35
THE BEST FOR POOLSIDE LISTENING – UE Wonderboom, from £79.00
Look: 8/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Sound quality: 8/10
Total: 25/30
Another triumph from UE, the Wonderboom is a pocket powerhouse – with booming bass and rich sound.
Buy Now
Look: The simple design means that in “Phantom Black” the speaker look smart and svelte; but if you want to spice things up, try one of the funkier shades like Fireball Red or Subzero Blue.
Controls: As with all UE designs – the volume couldn’t be more obvious, as are on and off; but it gets a bit more complicated when you try to skip and pause songs – meaning you may stick to doing that bit on whatever you’re playing music from.
Sound quality: Incredibly good: the circular size means you get 360 sound, and even when in water the sounds is all right. Because of its crashing bass, it’s particularly good for hip-hop and house (Run the Jewels has never sounded better); but the subtle twangs of Joni Mitchell still sound pretty good.
Battery life: 10 hours from a single charge
Waterproof? IPX7 waterproof – which means you can submerge it in water up to a meter deep for 30 minutes (enough for a shower) – but the speaker floats – so don’t worry about dropping it and it sinking too far away.
Portability: The size of a grapefruit – this is one you can easily pop in your rucksack when you’re heading out to a picnic.
Connectivity: It doesn’t span as far as the 30 meters of connectivity they boast, but no there were no dropout issues once connected.
Best bit: Its practicality – it’s lightweight, great for outside with it’s 360 sound and robust build (we don’t recommend dropping your gadgets – but UE claim this one’s drop proof for 5 meters!) and if you get it dirty – it’s waterproof so you can wash it off: it’s basically the perfect holiday speaker.
Worst bit: If you have a bright shade – the colour can fade after excessive water use.
Bottom Line: This is a bit of a steal, for such a durable and fantastic sounding speaker; if you’re on a budget you can’t go wrong here.
Buy Now: Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM Bluetooth Speaker at Amazon from £79
THE BEST FOR TAKING ON ADVENTURES – BOSE SOUNDLINK MICRO, £99.95
Look: 7/10
Connectivity: 8/10
Sound: 8/10
Total: 23/30
The pocket sized SoundLink Micro is a pint-sized prodigy. We’re not quite sure how something so small produces such a massive sound – but we’re not complaining.
Buy Now
Look: Neat and simple, and small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. If you like your speakers bright go for the orange, if not, the black and navy are incredibly subtle.
Controls: Dead easy and self explanatory.
Sound Quality: The SoundLink Micro is tiny, and on the cheaper end of the market for a portable Bluetooth speaker; but somehow they manage to sound huge, with the amount of sound the tiny gadget gives off being frankly unbelievable. It doesn’t quite have the rich depth of sound some of the other Bose options do, but it does boast a massive bass and crisp sound.
Battery life: 6 hours from one charge.
Waterproof? IPX7 – which is 30 mins submerged at 1 metre; but Bose told us they submerged a speaker for 3 weeks, and it was still working when they took it out! It doesn’t float though – so be careful if you drop it in the sea.
Portability: The most portable speaker we tested – it’s crazy lightweight, with a clip so you can attach it to your rucksack (if you so wished).
Connectivity: Dead easy to connect, and within a close range there are no dropouts. When we tested it over a slightly further distance it began to glitch – so make sure your phone is within a couple of metres for optimum sound.
Best bit: It’s portability – it’s lightweight, waterproof and incredibly robust, so there’s no need to worry about dropping it (within reason).
Worst bit: The connectivity glitches.
Bottom line: If you’re somebody who is out and about a lot and wants to take their speaker with them, this is the ideal option. It’s great for clipping onto your bike or rucksack, and incredibly durable – so perfect for taking on your next adventures.
Buy Now: Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker from £99
THE BEST FOR DESIGN – LIBRATONE TOO, £106.28
Look: 9/10
Connectivity: 8/10
Sound Quality: 8/10
Total: 25/30
Buy Now
Look: The Danish brand has smashed the design – with the funky capsule shape and practical carry hook.
Controls: They’re easy and straightforward. The little Libratone logo is a neat touch-sensitive plate, so you can control the volume, play and pause, and skip tracks at the sweep of a finger.
Sound quality: Strong – but the bass can sound a bit tinny louder volumes; it isn’t quite as good as the UE equivalent, but is a good contender.
Battery life: 12 hours from one charge.
Portability: Very portable – super lightweight and durable.
Waterproof? Only splash proof (IPX4) – so don’t drop it in the pool.
Connectivity: Dead easy to connect
Best Bit: The touch-sensitive panel for controlling the music.
Worst Bit: The bass could be a bit more refined.
Bottom line: Fantastic looking with a strong sound – this is a speaker to get if you want to show it off – because it’ll fit with any elegant aesthetic.
Buy Now: Libratone TOO Wireless Speaker at Amazon from £106
THE BEST FOR TRAVELLING – UE Boom 2, from £116.00
Look: 10/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Sound Quality: 9/10
Total: 28/30
UE have proven themselves the top dogs of wireless speakers. Whereas the Wonderboom is small and vibrant and fun, the Boom 2 is a bit more sophisticated in sound and look: but without sacrificing that killer bass.
Buy Now
Look: Elegantly made, with a host of different colours to pick from.
Controls: The volume, connectivity and on/off are super simple – it’s when you bring in the tap controls it gets a bit complex. You have to download the app to enable them – and then they’re a bit tricky to wrap you head around – but once you have they’re surprisingly nuanced.
Sound quality: Crisper than it’s Wonderboom younger brother, the Boom 2 is the sophisticated older sibling; with massive sound and their trademark bass. The accompanying app offers full control of the audio setting – allowing you to boost the bass and treble if needed – which is a neat touch.
Battery life: 15 hours from one charge.
Portability: Fairly lightweight and durable, this is another one you can chuck in your bag and go
Waterproof? It’s IPX7-equipped – meaning it can be dunked in water (up to a meter deep) for 30 minutes at a time – so there’s no problem if you want o listen in the shower or leave it outside in the rain.
Connectivity: Connects at a press of a button, and no dropouts at all.
Best bit: The sound – UE are the champions at getting a huge sound out of something tiny.
Worst bit: The tap controls can take getting used too (but they do mean you can skip songs you don’t want to listen to – something that lots of their rivals don’t offer!)
Bottom line: Another brilliant option from UE – the Boom 2 is the perfect travelling companion. Lightweight, durable but without sacrificing the sound.
Buy Now: Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 Speaker at Amazon from £116
Wireless listening is easy, convenient and now it can sound bloody good. Gone are the days when you need a massive Hi-Fi setup to properly hear the bass – and now you can get everything you need in a portable (and sometimes waterproof) speaker.
THE ABSOLUTE BEST BLUETOOTH SPEAKER – UE MegaBoom, from £170.00
Look: 10/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Sound Quality: 10/10
Total: 29/30
Ridiculously loud, an incredible depth of sound and a stylish look, all at a fantastic price – the UE Megaboom is the absolute best Bluetooth speaker on the market.
Buy Now: Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM Bluetooth/Wireless Speaker at Amazon from £170
THE BEST ON A BUDGET – JBL CLIP 2, from £35
Look: 6/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Sound Quality: 7/10
Total: 22/30
Super lightweight, super portable – this is a brill budget option, and one you can easily travel with.
Look: Fairly small and robust, but the bright colours tend to wear, and then can look a bit cheaper.
Controls: The basics are easy; but it gets slightly more complicated when you want to skip tracks – as buttons double up (but once you get your head around that – it’s dead easy to use).
Sound quality: For something so small – the JBL Clip packs quite a punch. Yes, the bass could resonate a bit more and at it does struggle when the volume is cranked up – but at the price – you can’t really knock it!
Battery life: 8 hours – impressive for such a small product.
Portability: Incredibly lightweight, and comes with a carabineer so you can clip it onto the outside of your rucksack (if you so choose).
Waterproof? Yes – IPX7, so you can immerse the speaker up to a meter for 30 minutes: but it is a speaker that floats – so you’re going to be hard pressed to drown it and reach that limit!
Connectivity: Dead easy to connect, and no dropouts – even when submerged in water; and there’s also an integrated 3.5mm Audio Cable, for any products you have that may not have Bluetooth.
Best bit: The price and practicality!
Worst bit: It’s a budget product – and whilst it’s a very good budget product – the sound quality doesn’t compare to higher end speakers.
Bottom line: Want to impulse buy a decent speaker and not break the bank? You can’t get wrong with the JBL Clip 2.
Buy Now: JBL Clip 2 Waterproof Ultra Portable at Amazon from £35
THE BEST FOR POOLSIDE LISTENING – UE Wonderboom, from £79.00
Look: 8/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Sound quality: 8/10
Total: 25/30
Buy Now
Look: The simple design means that in “Phantom Black” the speaker look smart and svelte; but if you want to spice things up, try one of the funkier shades like Fireball Red or Subzero Blue.
Controls: As with all UE designs – the volume couldn’t be more obvious, as are on and off; but it gets a bit more complicated when you try to skip and pause songs – meaning you may stick to doing that bit on whatever you’re playing music from.
Sound quality: Incredibly good: the circular size means you get 360 sound, and even when in water the sounds is all right. Because of its crashing bass, it’s particularly good for hip-hop and house (Run the Jewels has never sounded better); but the subtle twangs of Joni Mitchell still sound pretty good.
Battery life: 10 hours from a single charge
Waterproof? IPX7 waterproof – which means you can submerge it in water up to a meter deep for 30 minutes (enough for a shower) – but the speaker floats – so don’t worry about dropping it and it sinking too far away.
Portability: The size of a grapefruit – this is one you can easily pop in your rucksack when you’re heading out to a picnic.
Connectivity: It doesn’t span as far as the 30 meters of connectivity they boast, but no there were no dropout issues once connected.
Best bit: Its practicality – it’s lightweight, great for outside with it’s 360 sound and robust build (we don’t recommend dropping your gadgets – but UE claim this one’s drop proof for 5 meters!) and if you get it dirty – it’s waterproof so you can wash it off: it’s basically the perfect holiday speaker.
Worst bit: If you have a bright shade – the colour can fade after excessive water use.
Bottom Line: This is a bit of a steal, for such a durable and fantastic sounding speaker; if you’re on a budget you can’t go wrong here.
Buy Now: Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM Bluetooth Speaker at Amazon from £79
THE BEST FOR TAKING ON ADVENTURES – BOSE SOUNDLINK MICRO, £99.95
Connectivity: 8/10
Sound: 8/10
Total: 23/30
The pocket sized SoundLink Micro is a pint-sized prodigy. We’re not quite sure how something so small produces such a massive sound – but we’re not complaining.
Buy Now
Look: Neat and simple, and small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. If you like your speakers bright go for the orange, if not, the black and navy are incredibly subtle.
Controls: Dead easy and self explanatory.
Sound Quality: The SoundLink Micro is tiny, and on the cheaper end of the market for a portable Bluetooth speaker; but somehow they manage to sound huge, with the amount of sound the tiny gadget gives off being frankly unbelievable. It doesn’t quite have the rich depth of sound some of the other Bose options do, but it does boast a massive bass and crisp sound.
Battery life: 6 hours from one charge.
Waterproof? IPX7 – which is 30 mins submerged at 1 metre; but Bose told us they submerged a speaker for 3 weeks, and it was still working when they took it out! It doesn’t float though – so be careful if you drop it in the sea.
Portability: The most portable speaker we tested – it’s crazy lightweight, with a clip so you can attach it to your rucksack (if you so wished).
Connectivity: Dead easy to connect, and within a close range there are no dropouts. When we tested it over a slightly further distance it began to glitch – so make sure your phone is within a couple of metres for optimum sound.
Best bit: It’s portability – it’s lightweight, waterproof and incredibly robust, so there’s no need to worry about dropping it (within reason).
Worst bit: The connectivity glitches.
Bottom line: If you’re somebody who is out and about a lot and wants to take their speaker with them, this is the ideal option. It’s great for clipping onto your bike or rucksack, and incredibly durable – so perfect for taking on your next adventures.
Buy Now: Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker from £99
THE BEST FOR DESIGN – LIBRATONE TOO, £106.28
Look: 9/10
Connectivity: 8/10
Sound Quality: 8/10
Total: 25/30
Buy Now
Look: The Danish brand has smashed the design – with the funky capsule shape and practical carry hook.
Controls: They’re easy and straightforward. The little Libratone logo is a neat touch-sensitive plate, so you can control the volume, play and pause, and skip tracks at the sweep of a finger.
Sound quality: Strong – but the bass can sound a bit tinny louder volumes; it isn’t quite as good as the UE equivalent, but is a good contender.
Battery life: 12 hours from one charge.
Portability: Very portable – super lightweight and durable.
Waterproof? Only splash proof (IPX4) – so don’t drop it in the pool.
Connectivity: Dead easy to connect
Best Bit: The touch-sensitive panel for controlling the music.
Worst Bit: The bass could be a bit more refined.
Bottom line: Fantastic looking with a strong sound – this is a speaker to get if you want to show it off – because it’ll fit with any elegant aesthetic.
Buy Now: Libratone TOO Wireless Speaker at Amazon from £106
THE BEST FOR TRAVELLING – UE Boom 2, from £116.00
Look: 10/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Sound Quality: 9/10
Total: 28/30
UE have proven themselves the top dogs of wireless speakers. Whereas the Wonderboom is small and vibrant and fun, the Boom 2 is a bit more sophisticated in sound and look: but without sacrificing that killer bass.
Buy Now
Look: Elegantly made, with a host of different colours to pick from.
Controls: The volume, connectivity and on/off are super simple – it’s when you bring in the tap controls it gets a bit complex. You have to download the app to enable them – and then they’re a bit tricky to wrap you head around – but once you have they’re surprisingly nuanced.
Sound quality: Crisper than it’s Wonderboom younger brother, the Boom 2 is the sophisticated older sibling; with massive sound and their trademark bass. The accompanying app offers full control of the audio setting – allowing you to boost the bass and treble if needed – which is a neat touch.
Battery life: 15 hours from one charge.
Portability: Fairly lightweight and durable, this is another one you can chuck in your bag and go
Waterproof? It’s IPX7-equipped – meaning it can be dunked in water (up to a meter deep) for 30 minutes at a time – so there’s no problem if you want o listen in the shower or leave it outside in the rain.
Connectivity: Connects at a press of a button, and no dropouts at all.
Best bit: The sound – UE are the champions at getting a huge sound out of something tiny.
Worst bit: The tap controls can take getting used too (but they do mean you can skip songs you don’t want to listen to – something that lots of their rivals don’t offer!)
Bottom line: Another brilliant option from UE – the Boom 2 is the perfect travelling companion. Lightweight, durable but without sacrificing the sound.
Buy Now: Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 Speaker at Amazon from £116
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