The 15 best Bluetooth speakers: shopping guide
Technology, especially the smartphone, has been a revolution in how music is heard in the domestic environment and consumer products. The music, in many situations, is already in our streaming service or directly internal memory of the mobile phone, so that the listening system no longer often over fixed sound systems but by headphones, speakers mobile themselves if they deserve grief and increasingly, wireless Bluetooth speakers.
But what wireless speaker should I buy? What are the best as we seek? Engadget already have the shopping guide Bluetooth wireless speakers with tips for hitting and a selection of what we consider today the top 15 models on the market.
Choosing a wireless bluetooth speaker
Price, design and what else we should look at when choosing the best speaker for our needs? We raised some of the features that you should take into account when deciding on one or another Bluetooth speaker.
Philips Sbt75blk
connectivity
Play music wirelessly is comfortable and every day the sound quality is higher. Although there are only WiFi speakers, they have their very limited natural habitat and home offices. However Bluetooth connectivity models cover a wider market. Although the main connectivity is going to look, do not put aside the speaker that we choose have more ways to connect.
The principal would be an input jack, usually 3.5 mm, for if want it or need it, to use as a Bluetooth speaker cable with almost any sound source. The same applies to the USB port models include for direct playback of audio content or even in specific cases, it is the option to play directly from memory cards.
If you are looking to play directly from a USB port, make sure that includes model you want to choose is not used exclusively for updates. In any case, if so, it is good news because you can extend the life of our device to upgrade it with new codecs, for example.
Philips Bt3500w
Other highly appreciated connectivity in a Bluetooth speaker would be the NFC. Many of the current models and integrate mainly to facilitate pairing with smartphones. Simply a rapprochement between the sound source and speaker and ready, without having to search, enter menus, configuration download applications or enter pairing codes.
Bluetooth profile type and a speaker
What we seek is clearly a Bluetooth speaker, but if you look at the different models on the market, find different versions that are associated with certain usage profiles of said base connectivity.
Bluetooth version directly affects the bandwidth, and the market we find models that do not fall as a rule and a specification 3.0, although ideally they were already 4.0 to take advantage of lower consumption, a key speaker wireless. Bluetooth also class (1, 2 or 3) we determine the scope.
If you want a Bluetooth speaker with maximum sound quality, the codec APTX is now the best performing offers
The profile, supported by the speaker our Whichever will determine from the functions thereof to the sound quality can be obtained. While Bluetooth connectivity indicates the wireless connection profiles we determine the functions capable of performing both a source and receiver. Both documents must be compatible with the same profiles to use them.
If we focus exclusively on related directly to the sound, the main Bluetooth profiles are:
A2DP. The most widespread is the main thing that is used to transmit audio connectivity BT.
AVRCP. Profile destined for the remote control of different audio playback functions.
HFP. This profile, as discussed below, it is necessary to use a hands-free speaker and make / receive calls from your smartphone.
HSP. It is most often used to receive audio content in headphones.
The maximum sound quality via Bluetooth can receive input marks the profile and supported codecs, which compress the sound usually not to exceed the maximum bandwidth assigned to that profile.
Quality portable Bluetooth speakers
The most widespread have said that is A2DP which supports a rule SBC codec, although this profile supports MP3 or AAC other as long as both source and speaker support it. SBC leaves us with an audio bitrate of 320 kbps in stereo, more than enough for streaming services.
But if the content we will send our Bluetooth speakers exceeds that quality and we want to keep it with the least possible losses, should we go setting the codec APTX, already available in Bluetooth speakers and high-end equipment. With this codec get CD quality without unduly sacrificing sound and latency it is also improved (although in this case the advantage is more for audio that accompanies the video). Other solutions and enter the audio Hi-Res (as LDAC) that are jumping on some brands.
In our future connectivity bluetooth audio system should be aware of how many devices simultaneously supports linked and equipment which keeps the link. At home we have several smarpthones, tablets or even laptops and desktops from which you want to send audio to a Bluetooth speaker. If you already have paired is more direct start sending audio when you want, no waiting.
Size and strength
In addition to connectivity and use environment, one of the differences between a speaker and one wireless WiFi Bluetooth exclusively usually in size. With a Bluetooth system we usually try to find it a small, portable device that can move from one side to another house and also lead to other sites where we want to listen to music wirelessly.
Bang Olufsen Beolit
Reduce the size and weight of a speaker that often entails benefits also be less by the use of different materials in both the housing and drivers. Finding the balance between these dimensions and quality that we can get will be one of the difficult decisions when it comes to choosing a Bluetooth speaker.
In designing a wireless speaker that usually find details thank as handles or the possibility of carrying cases or that we can take from side to side in a backpack without difficulty or excessive inconvenience.
Another important and highly valued in the field of portable speakers Bluetooth section is resistance to water and dust. If you intend to use the equipment so often outdoors, it is highly recommended to get at least resistant to water splashes and support dust or sand profile, although there are models that can even dip and keep them running.
Ultimate Ears Ue Roll
Technical specifications to consider
Something we must never put aside when choosing a Bluetooth speaker is reviewing its data sheet. There we will find much of the keys that will tell us about the role sound quality. The four main ones:
Power. It is indicated in W, and we must be very careful to keep the peak power manufacturers usually give in order to confuse the consumer. The value that really mark and allow face two models directly is the nominal power or RMS, reflecting the maximum value allowed in optimum playback speaker, and you should definitely compare.
We frequency range indicates the maximum and minimum frequency the speaker is capable of reproducing. I ought to be broad.
Impedance is the resistance of the system opposes the passage of current, and ought to be as small as possible, because it will be a good sign for the overall quality of the team.
Number of channels and size of the drivers in the world of speakers, although the number of channels is no direct signal quality that we get, they do give us more options. Typically in the market we are 2.0 or 2.1 systems. Here comes in the size of the drivers (and if they are passive or active), which are key when it comes for example the subwoofer. In small sizes not much chance to provide good bass reproduction and that is where we can find some important differences.
Although the power will help us know the sound pressure level where we move our speaker, the maximum volume that will get him on the combination of that power with other factors such as impedance, distance to the speaker …
Interior of a speaker
Other details that should compare when choosing a Bluetooth speaker is if they include sound enhancement technologies. A valuable is the DSP or digital signal processing audio and applied to high volumes, can reduce potential distortions we find in powerful models but small in size.
internal battery and handsfree
Most portable Bluetooth speakers offer us the possibility of expanding the places we can use thanks to integrated batteries or use batteries. The autonomy of Bluetooth speakers is very varied, but is a key aspect you should consider whether your priority is to use the speakerphone without relying on a plug, even at home. About 10 hours is a value we should demand that our laptop, and you have to keep in mind that this figure of autonomy is usually indicated for speakerphone use 50% of its maximum volume.
When evaluating the purchase of a speaker with internal battery do not forget the load times and the system using each team. If you load system owner will always have to carry the cable factory, and if you leave us the possibility of charging by USB or microUSB, it will be easier to put recharge the internal battery.
Big JamBox
Some users value especially in the use of a Bluetooth speaker home it allows them to make calls to and receive both, and continue after the automatic interruption with music where we left off. To make sure that the equipment you buy is hands-free, and much better if microphones carry some type of technology to reduce ambient noise.
Best Bluetooth speakers on the market
Once we're clear on what to look out for in choosing a Bluetooth speaker to listen to music wirelessly and comfortably, we selected the fifteen best models on the market according to different criteria, so that as you seek (price, quality, durability, versatility …) can succeed in your choice.