Get a Bluetooth speaker that lets you listen to your music anywhere
- feb
- 28
Bluetooth speakers are one of the best ways to listen to your favorite tunes, podcasts, and other audio everywhere you go. As long as your iPhone, iPad, or Mac is around, your music can ring out loud and proud. There are a ton of options on the market, but the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 shines above most of the competition by offering exceptional performance in portability, sound quality, and price!
Best Overall: Ultimate Ears Boom 3
Taking the Boom 3 to your next pool party is no problem. It has a high water-resistant rating, allowing it to be submerged in 3 feet of water for 30 minutes. It's also protected against dirt and mud, but you can hand-wash the speaker with warm, soapy water just in case it gets messy. Plus, if you truly want the Boom 3 to live up to its onomatopoeic name, you have the option to set up another one (or up to 150 Boom speakers) to make a stereo pair and really raise the roof!
Pros:
- IP67 water resistance
- PartyUp with up to 150 other Boom speakers
- 15-hour battery life
- Great sound quality
Cons:
- micro-USB charging
Best Overall
Ultimate Ears Boom 3
The whole package!
The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 offers fantastic sound quality, and due to its IP67 water-resistance, it's perfect for the pool or beach.
Best Customizable Sound: Marshall Stanmore II
The Marshall Stanmore II has a vintage looks that I love, making it look like an old tube guitar amp. While it still is small enough to be portable, it isn't particularly rugged and has no water-resistance. So, if you are going to travel with it, do so carefully.
Where the Marshall Stanmore II really shines is in customizability. The knobs on the top of the speaker allow you to adjust the bass and treble to your liking, and the fantastic companion app you can get for your phone has a 5-band equalizer. This allows the Marshall Stanmore II to be used for a wide variety of music and makes it great for people who like their sound a particular way.
Pros:
- Great companion app
- Customizable mix
- Great at loud volumes
Cons:
- Expensive
- No water-resistance
Best Customizable Sound
Marshall Stanmore II
Customize your sound
The bass and treble knobs along with a 5-band equalizer in the companion app, the Marshall Stanmore II lets you shape your sound!
Best Battery Life: Fugoo Tough
When it comes to playing music for as long as you can, the Fugoo Tough delivers a staggering 40-hour battery life so you can keep the party going. On top of it all, the sound quality is very good; however, even at peak volume, it is a bit quieter than other Bluetooth speakers. The Fugoo Tough has six drivers that are spread out across all four sides, giving you clear and well-balanced 360-degree sound. No matter where you place it, you'll be able to hear the music.
Pros:
- 40-hour battery life
- Rugged design
- IP67 water resistance
Cons:
- Quieter than some speakers
Best Battery Life
Fugoo Tough
Keep the party going
With its rugged design, IP67 rating, and 40-hour battery life, the Fugoo Tough excels at keeps the party going.
Best Budget Speaker: Anker SoundCore 2
Anker leads the pack when it comes to inexpensive accessories, and they have four great cheap speakers to choose from. "Cheap" doesn't mean "junk" here; these are well-built products that can withstand your day to day use. The best speaker for most people will be the standard Anker SoundCore 2. This is a compact speaker that offers 24 hours of battery, 12 watts of sound, and surprisingly good bass for the size.
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- IPX5 water resistance
- Long Bluetooth range
Cons:
- Slightly distorted sound at max volume
Best Budget Speaker
Anker SoundCore 2
Don't break the bank
This is the perfect little speaker for anyone who isn't too fussy about sound quality but is fussy about the price.
Best Premium Speaker: Bose SoundLink Revolve+
Bose has always focused on excellent sound quality in its speakers and headphones. Whether you listen to your music directly from your iPhone via AUX input or you send audio wirelessly via Bluetooth, the sound quality of the SoundLink Revolve+ is impeccable. Its convenient carrying handle makes its nearly 2-pound weight a lot easier to manage. Plus, it's built like a tank, so you don't need to baby it when you're carrying it around. To top it off, the Soundlink is compatible with Siri and Google Assistant.
Pros:
- Fantastic sound
- Microphone built-in
- Outstanding bass
Cons:
- Expensive
Best Premium Speaker
Bose SoundLink Revolve+
Money can buy the best
The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ beautiful low-end tones never sound muddy, which makes listening to any music a real treat.
Best Built-in Radio: Sbode Bluetooth Speaker
I know it may seem weird, but some people (including myself) still love listening to the radio. The built-in FM tuner on the Sbode Bluetooth Speaker makes it easy to catch your favorite local station. This inexpensive speaker may only have an 8-hour battery life, but it sounds quite good for the price. Plus, if you have two Sbode Bluetooth speakers, you can pair them together, which not only increases your sound output but also creates a true wireless stereo system.
Pros:
- FM Tuner
- Inexpensive
- Stereo pair with two speakers
Cons:
- 8-hour battery life
Best Built-in Radio
Sbode Bluetooth Speaker
For radio lovers
Not only can you catch your favorite FM stations, but the IPX6 rating means it can handle getting splashed.
Bottom line
While there are a ton of great options for Bluetooth speakers out there, it's tough to match everything the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 has to offer. It's beautiful, but rugged design ensures it not only looks great, but you can use it anywhere thanks to its IP67 rating. Plus, when you want to increase the volume, you can pair up to 150 other Boom speakers and really get the party bumping.
To top it all off, the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is no slouch when it comes to sound quality. It sounds great out of the box, and even at loud volumes remains clear with no muddy bass or tin-like treble tones.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Luke Filipowicz is an iMore staff writer who also frequents the gym and writes a ton about headphones, speakers, and all other things audio-related.
Lory Gil is the Managing Editor of iMore and has used hundreds of accessories for her Apple products. She also plays in a band, so you know she knows what rocks.