Best Bluetooth Speakers for 2024
By Elisabeth Christ
Updated May 2024
In the ever-evolving world of portable audio, Bluetooth speakers have become indispensable for music lovers on the go. Whether you're planning a beach day, a mountain hike, or just need quality sound in your home office, there's a speaker out there that fits your needs.
This article explores five of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market: Sonos Roam, JBL Charge 5, Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro 2, Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3, and Soundcore Motion 300. Each offers unique features and performance levels, catering to different preferences and budgets. Let's dive into what makes each of these models stand out in the crowded space of portable sound.
Best Overall: Sonos Roam
✓ IP67 rating water resistance
✓ Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa compatible
✓ Up to 10 hours of battery life
✓ Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity support
Best for Outdoor Listening Session: JBL Charge 5
✓ Rich, dynamic, and clear sound quality with decent bass
✓ Up to 20-hour battery life
✓ IP67 rating water resistance
✓ PartyBoost button for pairing with other JBL PartyBoost-enabled speakers
Budget-minded Minimalists: Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro 2
✓ IP67 rating water resistance
✓ 4700 mAh battery capacity with up to 12 hours of battery life
✓ 48 mm NdFeB mono driver
✓ Bluetooth 5.3 support with multi-point functionality
Best for Active-Lifestyle Listeners: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
✓ IP67 rating water resistance and drop-proof built
✓ Wireless range of up to 131 feet
✓ 360-degree sound delivery
✓ 40 mm active drivers with two passive radiators
Best for Value: Soundcore Motion 300
✓ IPX7 waterproof rating
✓ Eight-band equalizer with adjustable EQs for different orientations
✓ Built-in speakerphone
✓ BassUp technology and up to 13 hours of battery life
#1 Best Overall: Sonos Roam
Sonos Roam
The Sonos Roam offers a compelling blend of portability and powerful sound, wrapped in a sleek, durable design. Weighing just 0.42 kg (0.93 lbs) and measuring 6.61 x 2.32 x 2.44 inches in dimensions, the Roam is designed for easy transport without sacrificing audio quality. It features a custom-designed racetrack mid-woofer and a tweeter, which together deliver a sound profile that is surprisingly robust for its size.
The speaker supports a frequency response from 60Hz to 20kHz, ensuring a broad range of audible frequencies. Additionally, the Roam boasts an IP67 rating, making it fully dustproof and waterproof, suitable for all types of outdoor environments. Battery life is decent, offering up to 10 hours of playback on a single charge, and it supports Qi wireless charging for added convenience.
Sonos Roam
On the technical side, the Sonos Roam integrates seamlessly with existing Sonos systems via WiFi, supporting both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks, which enhances its utility as part of a larger home sound system. It also features Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, ensuring stable and efficient wireless connections with a variety of devices.
The inclusion of Automatic Trueplay tuning technology is a notable feature, allowing the speaker to intelligently adjust its output based on the acoustic environment. This tech ensures optimal sound quality whether indoors or outdoors. However, it's important to note that while the Roam offers a rich set of features and solid performance, its sound can feel somewhat contained when compared to larger speakers, and the bass, while clear, may not satisfy those seeking a more powerful low-end punch.
Sonos Roam
Best Overall
✓ IP67 rating water resistance
✓ Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa compatible
✓ Up to 10 hours of battery life
✓ Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity support
#2 Best for Outdoor Listening Session: JBL Charge 5
JBL Charge 5
The JBL Charge 5 is a notable contender in the portable Bluetooth speaker market, boasting a robust design and enhanced features that cater to audiophiles and casual listeners alike. With dimensions of 8.7 x 3.76 x 3.67 inches and weighing approximately 0.96 kg (2.11 lbs), the Charge 5 maintains a compact and travel-friendly form factor. It features a racetrack-shaped driver, delivering a 30W output for the woofer and 10W for the tweeter, which together produce a balanced and powerful sound signature.
The frequency response ranges from 65Hz to 20kHz, ensuring a broad spectrum of audible frequencies. Additionally, the speaker is equipped with JBL PartyBoost, allowing users to connect multiple JBL PartyBoost-compatible speakers to enhance the audio experience. The IP67 rating for dust and water resistance makes it a durable option for outdoor environments, though it's worth noting that the rugged design does not compromise on aesthetics.
JBL Charge 5
On the technical side, the JBL Charge 5 supports Bluetooth 5.1, providing a stable and efficient wireless connection with a range of up to approximately 30 feet. The battery life is impressive, offering up to 20 hours of playtime on a single charge, and it can also serve as a power bank to charge other devices via the USB-C port. This dual functionality makes it particularly appealing for extended outdoor use.
However, the Charge 5 does not feature a 3.5mm audio jack, which might be a drawback for users with non-Bluetooth devices. The charging time of about 4 hours from empty to full is reasonable, considering the battery capacity and output efficiency. While the JBL Charge 5 delivers on many fronts, it is priced on the higher end of the spectrum, which might be a consideration for potential buyers weighing their options in a competitive market.
JBL Charge 5
Best for Outdoor Listening Session
✓ Rich, dynamic, and clear sound quality with decent bass
✓ Up to 20-hour battery life
✓ IP67 rating water resistance
✓ PartyBoost button for pairing with other JBL PartyBoost-enabled speakers
#3 Best for Budget-minded Minimalists: Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro 2
Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro 2
The Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro 2 speaker, a compact yet robust device, stands out in the crowded market of portable Bluetooth speakers. Weighing approximately 11.1 oz (314.7 g) and measuring just about 3.93 x 3.93 x 1.69 inches, this speaker maintains a low profile while promising high performance. It boasts an upgraded Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, ensuring a more stable and quicker pairing process compared to its predecessor.
The speaker's battery life is impressive, offering up to 12 hours of playtime on a single charge, thanks to its 4700mAh battery. This is particularly notable when considering the device's ability to double as a power bank, a feature that adds a layer of practicality for on-the-go users. The IP67 rating for dust and water resistance makes it a reliable option for outdoor enthusiasts, providing protection against elements.
Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro 2
On the technical side, the Stormbox Micro 2 supports a range of audio codecs including SBC and AAC, ensuring compatibility and optimized sound quality across various devices. The speaker's output is commendable, with a 48 mm NdFeB mono driver that delivers a balanced sound profile. Despite its compact size, the speaker manages to produce a sound that feels full and rich, with a surprising amount of bass.
However, it's worth noting that at higher volumes, there can be a slight distortion, particularly in densely layered tracks. The device also features a built-in microphone, facilitating clear calls and access to voice assistants, which enhances its utility. While the Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro 2 does not revolutionize the portable speaker industry, it offers a solid performance and useful features that make it a reliable choice for everyday use.
Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro 2
Budget-minded Minimalists
✓ IP67 rating water resistance
✓ 4700 mAh battery capacity with up to 12 hours of battery life
✓ 48 mm NdFeB mono driver
✓ Bluetooth 5.3 support with multi-point functionality
#4 Best for Active-Lifestyle Listeners: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 is a notable contender in the portable Bluetooth speaker market, boasting a robust design and commendable sound quality. This model, a successor to the well-received Wonderboom 2, maintains its predecessor's compact, spherical form factor, measuring just over 4.1 x 3.8 inches, and weighing approximately 420 grams. It offers a 360-degree sound experience, which is quite impressive given its size. The speaker is powered by two 40mm active drivers and two 46.1mm x 65.2mm passive radiators, enhancing its ability to deliver a balanced audio output with decent bass response.
The frequency range of 75 Hz – 20 kHz is adequate for casual listening, though audiophiles might find it lacking in the lows and highs. The Wonderboom 3 supports Bluetooth 5.2, ensuring a stable connection up to 40 meters, which is a slight improvement over the previous model.
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
In terms of durability and functionality, the Wonderboom 3 is designed to be rugged. It boasts an IP67 rating, making it dustproof and waterproof, and it can be submerged in water up to one meter for 30 minutes without sustaining damage. This makes it an ideal choice for outdoor activities. The battery life is advertised at 14 hours, which is sufficient for a day’s outing but hasn’t improved from the Wonderboom 2, potentially a missed opportunity for significant enhancement.
The charging time of approximately 2.6 hours from zero to full is reasonable, though the continued use of a micro-USB port rather than USB-C might be seen as a step behind current trends. Overall, the Wonderboom 3 holds its ground as a reliable, if not revolutionary, update to Ultimate Ears' lineup, offering consistent performance in a durable, portable package.
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
Best for Active-Lifestyle Listeners
✓ IP67 rating water resistance and drop-proof built
✓ Wireless range of up to 131 feet
✓ 360-degree sound delivery
✓ 40 mm active drivers with two passive radiators
#5 Best for Value: Soundcore Motion 300
Soundcore Motion 300
The Soundcore Motion 300 speaker, a recent offering from Anker's audio brand, presents itself as a robust option for those in search of portable sound solutions. Weighing in at approximately 780 grams and measuring 1.97 x 2.36 x 2.76 inches, the device is compact yet promises a powerful audio output with its dual full-range drivers.
The speaker supports Bluetooth 5.3 which, ensuring a stable connection up to a range of 18 meters and enabling LDAC, SBC, and MPEG2 AAC LC codecs, which is quite commendable for its class. Additionally, it boasts an IPX7 rating, making it waterproof and suitable for outdoor use, a feature that stands out in its price bracket. The battery life is another highlight, offering up to 13 hours of playtime on a single charge, though this can vary based on volume levels and content complexity.
Soundcore Motion 300
On the technical side, the Soundcore Motion 300 utilizes BassUp technology, which is designed to enhance the low-end frequencies dynamically, depending on the audio being played. This can be particularly appealing to those who favor genres that benefit from a bass boost, such as electronic or hip-hop. However, it's worth noting that while the bass enhancement is significant, it does not overly distort the clarity at higher volumes, a common issue in many portable speakers.
The frequency response range from 60Hz to 20kHz is adequate for most types of music, though audiophiles might find the lower end of this spectrum slightly limiting. The speaker also supports stereo pairing, allowing two Motion 300 units to connect for a more immersive audio experience. Despite these features, the sound profile is generally balanced, with clear mids and highs, though it doesn't particularly excel in any one area, maintaining a neutral stance in sound quality.
Soundcore Motion 300
Best for Value
✓ IPX7 waterproof rating
✓ Eight-band equalizer with adjustable EQs for different orientations
✓ Built-in speakerphone
✓ BassUp technology and up to 13 hours of battery life
Compare Bluetooth Speakers
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right Bluetooth speaker depends largely on your specific needs and lifestyle. If you're someone who values portability and durability for active outdoor use, the JBL Charge 5 or the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 might be your best bet. For those looking for a speaker that integrates well with home devices and offers top-notch sound quality, the Sonos Roam could be the perfect match. Consider what features are most important to you—battery life, sound quality, size, and price—to make the best choice for your auditory pleasure.
If you like to read more on Bluetooth speakers, check out our other relevant guides here:
Sonos Move vs Ultimate Ears Hyperboom
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
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