The Best Bluetooth Speakers, According To Rigorous Testing
When you want to listen to your favorite music on the go, you can skip pesky cords and cables–that’s where the best Bluetooth speakers shine. Not only are they portable and user-friendly, these devices also feature waterproofing and speaker pairing to upgrade your next pool party. After rigorously testing the best Bluetooth speakers for more than two months, I picked the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) as the top choice for its powerful and clear performance.
The best Bluetooth speaker you can get right now is the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) … [+]
All the speakers I tested for this guide are battery-powered, portable and either water resistant or waterproof. Each also pairs wirelessly with your Bluetooth devices to stream music, podcasts and more. I also spoke with audio experts, including Monolord drummer and Studio Bersek producer Esben Willems, and Avi Greengart, President of Techsponential, to gain insight about Bluetooth speakers. From my budget-friendly choice, the Tribit StormBox Micro 2, to the fun, retro Edifier MP230, I found there are plenty of great devices across all needs and budgets.
Many of these speakers are also featured in our best portable speaker, best waterproof Bluetooth speaker and one of best outdoor speakers round-ups, too. But for the best Bluetooth speaker, here are my top picks after two months of rigorous testing.
Best for:
- Enjoying well-rounded performance
- If you forget to charge your devices frequently
Skip if:
- You don’t want to drop a lot on a Bluetooth Speaker
- You use Amazon Alexa as your main smart assistant
The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) is an attractive speaker made of brushed aluminum, with a round shape that easily fits into my purse and other bags. The IP67 rating is an added bonus—I can strap it to my kayak or take it to the pool without worry. Despite its small, sturdy profile, it manages to pack both a tweeter and woofer for surprising bass and excellent clarity. LED lights provide further assistance, serving as indicators for your speakerphone, voice assistant and low battery.
The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) has a mesh, titanium build that’s sleek and stylish.
While its overall audio profile sounds detailed, one of the first things I noticed about the second-generation Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 is its bass. Oftentimes, you can get the sound profile you want, but the bass will still sound weak, as it can be difficult to pack a subwoofer into a smaller device. To test, I strapped this speaker to my golf cart and drove around the neighborhood. Even at top volume, its performance–and in particular, the bass–remained loud, powerful and clear when playing music. When my mom called, her voice was clear and free of distortion. She also noticed a marked improvement in the sound quality of my voice from other speakers I tested; I attribute this to three well-placed omnidirectional microphones.
There are easy touch controls on the speaker’s edges, but you can also use the Amazon Alexa voice … [+]
If you own two speakers, you can pair them together for stereo sound. The intuitive controls make operation easy, and I could use Microsoft Swift Pair or Google Fast Pair for a quick and easy setup. Amazon Alexa comes built-in as well, though I had some trouble setting it up. In addition to downloading the Bang & Olufsen app, I needed to add the Amazon Alexa app to enjoy full functionality. This speaker is a little pricier–without a sale, it’s $300–but its performance makes it well worth the investment. To learn more about the speaker, read the full Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) review.
Best for:
- Getting well-rounded sound without spending three figures
- If you want a speaker that doubles as a portable charger
Skip if:
- You like to plug in your speaker and listen
- You mind minor distortion at high volumes
The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 packs a lot into a tiny package. Firstly, its small design can fit in the palm of your hand and features IP67 waterproofing, and it can clip onto my kayak or or backpack for camping. The speaker itself uses Bluetooth 5.3 technology to transmit the audio, and during my testing, I experienced no audio cutouts. It can also stay connected up to an impressive 120 feet from my iPhone 14 Pro Max, and like the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen), I could pair two StormBox Micro 2s to enhance my audio.
The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 has a mesh design and limited buttons for on-device controls.
This pocket-friendly speaker fills those smaller spaces with excellent sound. But when put up against larger spaces where I needed a high volume, I experienced minor distortion. It’s not enough to make me stop using it, but it’s noticeable.
For such a small, budget-friendly speaker, it boasts an integrated woofer that’s combined with a 48mm driver, passive radiators and exclusive XBASS technology that delivered my much-needed extra bass.
The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 is small enough to fit in the palm of my hand.
RunStretch Technology️ gave me all-day playback on a rechargeable battery. During testing, it provided me up 12 hours of playtime on a single charge, though it can be slightly less depending on what settings and volume I used. I also liked that it can double as a power bank for other devices, using SmartID Technology️ and incorporating a water-resistant USB-C charging port.
Best for:
- Taking literally anywhere thanks to its weather-resistant finish
- Enjoying your music without having to worry about a recharge
Skip if:
- You don’t want to deal with clumsy controls
- You don’t want a limited maximum volume
The Treblab HD77 is a great choice for those who don’t want to worry about battery life, and it features a full 360-degree audio, to boot. You can use it solo, or you can tap the TWS mode to pair multiple devices at once. When I used a pair together, the stereo speakers played off one another in sync without distortion or muddling. I had some pairing issues, as neither wanted to register on my iPhone, but once I got it sorted, the results felt worthwhile. The 360-degree design ensured a wide soundstage despite its relatively compact size. It doesn’t pack much in the way of bass–it pales in comparison to the Brane X–but there is enough boom to make the point.
A built-in microphone provides clear communication that allows for smooth, easy conversations–no misunderstandings here. Even when I tested speaking at lower volumes, the microphone picked up on my whispering without any trouble.
You can position the Treblab HD77 vertically or horizontally for immersive listening.
Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity was another plus and meant I could pair with my favorite devices for greater convenience. Also convenient is the battery; it lasts up to 20 hours, so I didn’t need to charge as frequently. It has one of the longest-lasting batteries in a Bluetooth speaker, with ambient LED lighting as the cherry on top.
This wireless speaker is designed for the outdoors, boasting a dustproof, shockproof and impact-resistant design. With this, I found it stood up to my active lifestyle, accompanying me on weekend hikes seamlessly. It’s waterproof, too, with an IPX6 rating that made it perfect for those weekends on my boat. While the sound is not loud enough to travel far, it was great for those slower weekday cruises down the Intercoastal.
Best for:
- Taking to the beach, thanks to a waterproof and dustproof rating
- Bass control with the option for ULT boost
- Enjoying a wider soundstage
Skip if:
- You need to charge other devices
- You don’t want to use the ULT boost feature
If there’s one feature that makes the Sony ULT Field 1 such a powerhouse, it’s Sony’s “secret” weapon, the ULT bass boost. When I pressed this button, it provided a booming sound that gave my music a much-needed extra punch. So, how does it do this? The