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Global News
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
12 Bluetooth speakers that'll get your summer party started
The Curator independently decides what topics and products we feature. When you purchase an item through our links, we may earn a commission. Promotions and products are subject to availability and retailer terms. Tired of listening to distorted audio through the tiny, tinny speaker on your phone? Then it's probably time to invest in a portable Bluetooth speaker. We've rounded up a dozen favourites, from JBL's wee, padlock-shaped Clip 5—perfect for clipping to purses—to Bose's feature-packed SoundLink Max, which boasts beautiful sound and maximum durability. Whether you're looking for a multi-speaker music system for your next outdoor party or just something for listening to podcasts, you'll find it in our curated list. Best affordable Tribit StormBox 2 Working on a budget? It'll be hard to beat the StormBox 2. For just 90 bucks you get 34W of power, up to 24 hours of playtime per charge, IPX7 waterproofing, and a range of up to 50m for Bluetooth connectivity. Plus, the free Tribit app lets you tinker with your tunes, applying six equalization presets designed for a variety of listening milieus. $89.99 on Amazon Story continues below advertisement Best aesthetic Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 We think this small, simple puck—available in six hues and sporting a built-in leather tote cord— is the prettiest portable speaker around. It looks great anywhere, from living rooms to hot tubs. And it's waterproof, so no worries if it falls in! Bang & Olufsen's legendary engineering is evident via the 13cm driver that delivers warm bass and a clear high range. And you can enjoy your music for an incredible 42 hours per charge at low volume. $358.75 on Amazon Best for parties Soundcore Boom 2 It's a bit industrial in design, but the Boom 2 is actually a wild party machine. It pumps out powerful bass (up to 80W), and has a built-in passive radiator to deliver colourful light shows. It can also be synced with more than 100 additional speakers to ensure the music reaches every nook and cranny of your jamboree. Plus, it floats! $179.99 on Amazon Story continues below advertisement Best compact JBL Flip 7 Compact and cute, JBL's latest Flip is available in nine colours, from a pretty coral pink to combat camouflage. It delivers clear, non-tinny highs and robust lows, using AI to analyze your music and apply equalization in real time to prevent distortion. And Auracast lets you connect with other nearby JBL speakers to level up your soirée. $169.98 on Amazon (was $189.98) $169.99 at Best Buy Canada Best portable JBL Clip 5 If portability is your primary shopping criteria, JBL's Clip 5 should be at the top of your list. It's not much bigger than a phone. And its clever padlock-style design—available in 16 colour schemes—lets you clip it to just about anything, from handlebars to purses. The small size means just 12 hours of battery life at normal volume, but the Playtime Boost button adjusts settings to give you an extra three hours. $99.98 on Amazon $99.99 at Best Buy Canada Story continues below advertisement Best design Beats Pill Apple's portable speaker (which also works with Android devices) is sleek, simple, and sounds great. The pill-shaped shell—available in red, black, and champagne gold—looks great in any setting, and sports just four cleverly configured buttons that make it easy to control playback, adjust volume, take calls, and activate your voice assistant. Plus, the Beats By Dre sound pedigree is evident in every falsetto note and throbbing drumbeat $149.99 on Amazon $149.99 at Staples Canada You may also like: Solar String Lights – $49.99 Rattan Patio Furniture Set – $252.99 Story continues below advertisement Ninja FrostVault 45qt Wheeled Cooler – $399.99 Best durable Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 Ultimate Ears says this IP67-rated is 'virtually indestructible.' We're pretty sure we could come up with a few ways to break it, but why would we want to? The Megaboom 4's cylindrical design means it pumps out 360 degrees of sound, reaching everyone in the room. And the patented Magic Button makes playing from almost any source—from Spotify to Apple Music—a snap. $279.99 on Amazon Best stereo experience Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4 The niftiest thing about this affordable little speaker is that if you buy two you can pair them and get a true stereo experience. It's waterproof, shockproof, and has an EQ mode that cranks things up for outdoor listening. Cooler still, it also has a voice enhancement setting that makes it ideal for podcasts. $119.99 on Amazon (was $139.99) Story continues below advertisement Best bass Brane X The Brane X is all about that bass. It's the first portable speaker in its class to feature a true subwoofer, and the difference it makes is exponential. You get ten times the sub-bass of other portable speakers, meaning you'll actually feel (and not just hear) each pounding beat. The tradeoff? It's a bit of a beast. Chunky, heavy, and not waterproof. I guess bass aficionados can't have everything. $698.99 at Staples Canada Best EQ Sonos Roam 2 Sonos is known for high-tech features and high quality audio, and the American spreaker maker brings both to this small but powerful sound machine. It constantly measures how soundwaves reflect off nearby surfaces and alters the EQ accordingly to ensure an ideal listening experience. Plus, it's integrated with Amazon's Alexa, meaning you can control both the speaker and other smart home devices with your voice. $171 on Amazon (was $229) $171.99 at Best Buy Canada Story continues below advertisement Best for camping Sony ULT Field 1 No portable speaker list would be complete without an entry from Sony, a true pioneer in portable music. The ULT Field 1 sits in the affordable wireless speaker pile, with features like a detachable tether, IP67-rated durability, and a bass boost button. The forest green model is a good pick for campers and hikers. $109.99 on Amazon (was $119.99) $179.99 at Staples Canada Best splurge Bose SoundLink Max Up for a splurge? Then you can stop reading now and just order the Bose SoundLink Max. It checks all the boxes. Rich, pulsing bass. Long battery life. An AUX jack so you can connect turntables and MP3 players. The ability to act as a charger for other devices. And it's waterproof, dustproof, and shock resistant, to boot. It's pretty much the pinnacle of portable speakers. $459 on Amazon (was $549) $459.99 at Staples Canada Story continues below advertisement You may also like: Long Box Planter – $179.99 Outdoor Side Tables – $54.99 Patio Umbrella – $479.00
NBC News
04-06-2025
- Business
- NBC News
Deal of the Day: JBL's Clip 5 speaker is back at its lowest price ever
Ask anyone on team NBC Select about portable Bluetooth speakers and they're going to talk about the JBL Clip 5. It's one of the best and one of our favorites, thanks to its portability and unique design. It's 38% off right now, and only three cents shy of its lowest price ever. Deal of the day: JBL Clip 5 The JBL Clip 5 stands apart from other Bluetooth speakers because it has a built-in carabiner. That means you can easily attach it to almost anything — we've clipped it onto backpack straps, belt loops, shower curtain rods, kitchen cabinet handles, the list goes on. The Clip 5 has IP67 dust and waterproofing, meaning you can take it to the beach or the pool party without babying it. It can connect to multiple devices at once, and gets up to 12 hours of battery life. You can learn more in our JBL Clip 5 review. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter. Why trust NBC Select? I'm a reporter at NBC Select who covers technology and fitness including recent stories on smartwatches, headphones, cameras and more. For this piece, I checked JBL Clip 5 prices and price history across multiple retailers to find the best deal. Catch up on NBC Select's in-depth coverage of tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
NBC News
13-02-2025
- NBC News
These 6 staff-favorite Bluetooth speakers are compact and portable
There's something fun and nostalgic about a good portable Bluetooth speaker, whether you take it on a camping trip or blast music at a party. Earbuds and headphones are great for private listening, but playing songs out loud from a speaker feels inherently social. Plus it's a lot louder and bassier than cranking up the volume on your smartphone. We've used Bluetooth speakers for years and have tried some great models and some forgettable ones. Below are some of our favorites, along with expert-advice on what to look for when shopping. How we picked the best portable Bluetooth speakers To pick the best portable Bluetooth speakers, we spoke with audio experts about what to look for when shopping for a new model. Combining their advice with our experience, we kept the following in mind: Connectivity: Portable Bluetooth speakers should be relatively lightweight and easy to use. Every model we chose connects wirelessly and recharges via an included USB cable, so you can charge anywhere you go. Water resistance: We favored models with ample dust and water protection in the form of a high IP rating. A high IP rationing means you can take your speaker everywhere without worry: the pool, the beach, wherever. Battery life: Every device we included has at least 12 hours of battery life for all-day listening. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up The best portable Bluetooth speakers in 2025 Our top picks are largely staff-favorite from brands like JBL, Marshall and Ultimate Ears. We list important specs like weight and battery life below each recommendation. Best overall: JBL Clip 5 Almost everyone on our team has used, gifted or owned a JBL Clip. The latest Clip 5 is slightly larger than the previous Clip 4, but gets much louder and has stronger bass, says NBC Select editorial projects manager Rebecca Rodriguez. The Clip 5 has a built-in carabiner you can use to attach the speaker to anything you want — backpack straps, belt loops, bike handlebars, shower curtain rods, cabinet handles, the list goes on. The Clip 5's carabiner is a little taller than previous versions, making it easier to clip to more things. The Clip 5 can be synced together with the JBL Xtreme 4 and JBL Go 4 to play audio at the same time using JBL's Auracast feature. You can also sync audio using older JBL speakers by using the brand's PartyBoost feature. Best budget: Anker Soundcore 2 NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio likes this small speaker because it's lightweight and has great sound. Her music is always loud and clear, even at outdoor picnics and parties with lots of other noise. Like most of our other picks, it is water resistant and has physical buttons on top so you can control your music without needing to use your phone. Unlike our other favorites, it does not have a dust-resistance rating — if you are a big beach-goer, consider another speaker on our list. NBC Select commerce editor Jordan Bowman uses his JBL Extreme as an outdoor speaker for big parties and BBQs — it has an incredibly loud and bombastic sound profile that is fun and energetic. It is larger and heavier than our other top picks at over four pounds — more for sitting on a table or stoop than attaching to a bicycle. (It does come with a carrying strap, which attaches to the metal loops on the speaker, though.) It also acts as a power bank — you can plug in your iPhone or other small electronics through the built-in USB-C port and charge them without stopping the music. If you have other JBL speakers with the Auracast or PartyBoost feature, you can sync them together for room-filling sound — Bowman pairs his older JBL Xtreme 3 with the JBL Charge 5 for spacious stereo sound. Audiophiles might appreciate the balanced sound profile and retro design, which is reminiscent of old Marshall speakers. It is slightly bass-forward, but retains clean and crisp audio at low and high volumes, says Bowman. The rubberized casing helps protect it from dings and scratches, and the buttons on top make it easy to control your music without pulling out your phone. Another standout is battery life: up to 32 hours of playtime on a single charge, much longer than similar-sized competitors. If you need a speaker for the pool, the beach, the boat or the lake, this is one of the best options because it floats in water — all our other recommendations sink. I've used Wonderboom speakers for years, and love how loud and compact this latest version is. While the built-in fabric loop isn't as useful as the carabiner on the JBL Clip 5, it is handy in a pinch, and you can always combine it with a separate carabiner to clip onto more things. This wireless Bluetooth speaker from Sonos pushes the limits of what we would consider 'portable,' but comes with a unique set of features fit for home and outdoor use. It weighs 6.61 pounds, making it the heaviest speaker on our list — it's not as well-suited to hikes, bike rides, or shower curtain rods as some of our other picks. That weight likely helps contribute to the up to 24 hours of playtime, more than most smaller competitors. It is a smart speaker that connects with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay. You can pair the Move 2 with other Sonos speakers in your home to create a broader sound system. Plus you can use the Sonos line-in adapter (sold separately) to connect it to other audio sources like turntables, making it more flexible than our other top picks. Battery life: up to 24 hours | IP rating: IP56 | Weigh t: 6.61 lbs. | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, up to 2 devices How to shop for a portable Bluetooth speaker Bluetooth speakers come in various shapes and sizes. When shopping for a new model, our experts recommend thinking about the following questions: Where will you take your speaker? A perfect backyard speaker will look very different from the one you take on your next big hike. Regardless of where you'll take your speaker, a strong IP rating can help protect it from the elements and make it less likely to break down. The longer you can use your speaker before having to replace it, the better — both for the environment and your wallet, says André Fredriksson, a global training manager at Marshall. What kind of sound do you like? Music is personal, some people like a balanced, accurate mix while others like to pump up the bass. If you are attached to a particular kind of sound, try out a Bluetooth speaker in person before you buy it, or buy one from a retailer with a generous return policy, just in case it doesn't fit your vibe. Remember that the acoustics of your environment, the placement of your speaker and whether you can pair it with other speakers all affect your listening experience, says Saied Swalee, an audio engineer at Fluance. Meet our experts At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest. André Fredriksson is the global training manager for Marshall, an audio brand with a long history of musician and music industry partnership. Saied Swalee is an audio engineer at Fluance, a Canada-based home audio brand. Why trust NBC Select? I am a reporter at NBC Select who covers technology and fitness including recent stories on fitness trackers, TV brands and workout headphones. For this piece, I combined my own experience using portable Bluetooth speakers with that of NBC Select staffers to select the best ones. I also spoke with audio experts to better understand the technical details of sound and acoustics.
