This morning Sony launched its latest round of wireless Bluetooth speakers and a new set of headphones under the new ULT re-brand. After enjoying a demo of the product line, I have to share what Sony has in store to make your summer outings and parties way more fun. 

From the block party powering ULT Tower 10 to the backyard bash enhancing Ult Field 7, Sony’s lineup of portable Bluetooth speakers feature thunderous distortion-free bass, and the ability to get your Karaoke on wherever you and your friends choose to be, that’s where the party is.

If you're more focused on a personal audio experience the ULT Field 1 is a hyper portable, in-hand speaker that comes in many colors to suit your style while delivering that excellent Sony audio experience we’ve all come to enjoy.

Lastly, Sony launched the Ult Wear Bluetooth Headphone which delivers powerful bass, and amazing noise canceling, in a super lightweight design that will have you wearing them all day without worry.

I’m in the process of reviewing the ULT Field 7, Field 1 and the ULT Wear headphones and so far I’ve been beyond impressed by the audiophile level of sound quality delivered, and when I hit the ULT button, I'm granted the dance club quality audio I have always loved. Sony’s ULT lineup has my audio preference all covered. 

Let’s have a closer look at the Sony ULT lineup.

ULT Tower 10

Forget the ordinary speaker, the ULT TOWER 10 throws the ultimate party. It pumps out massive bass that fills every corner of the room thanks to ULT POWER SOUND and its 360° design.

Feeling picky? Choose between two bass modes for extra punch or ultimate depth. The ULT TOWER 10 is smarter than your average speaker – it automatically adjusts the sound based on your environment, ensuring crystal-clear music even in noisy spaces.

Let loose and light up the night with its 360° Party Light. This speaker synchronizes vibrant lighting effects with the music, creating a festival-like atmosphere that will have you dancing all night long. Unleash your inner rock star with the included wireless microphone. Fine-tune your performance with echo and key controls, or plug in a second mic for a duet.

The ULT TOWER 10 isn't just for parties, it also elevates your entertainment experience. Use it as a guitar amp to jam out or turn on the TV Sound Booster for enhanced audio while watching movies and shows. And if you want to create a truly epic sound and light show, connect up to 100 compatible speakers through Party Connect. With the ULT TOWER 10, any space can become a party palace.

ULT TOWER 10 will be available beginning Spring 2024 for a suggested retail price of $1,199 from Sony, Amazon, Best Buy,

ULT Field 7

The ULT FIELD 7 is your ultimate party companion, bringing big sound and big fun anywhere you go. Its powerful bass, thanks to ULT POWER SOUND, fills any space and you can choose between two bass modes for extra punch or deep lows. Plus, no matter where the party takes you, the ULT FIELD 7 is built to last.

Quick-charging capabilities, dust-proof and rust-proof construction, and a long battery life with up to 30 hours of playtime mean the music never has to stop. Even if the party moves outdoors. It'll even keep singing in the rain thanks to a IP67 water-resistant rating.

The ULT FIELD 7 is also designed for portability. Convenient carry handles make it easy to move around, and it works perfectly positioned horizontally or vertically. Party features like karaoke and guitar input let you take center stage, with echo and key controls for fine-tuning your performance. Ambient lighting creates the perfect party vibe, synchronizing with the music and easily controlled via the Sony Music Center and Fiestable app.

Want to create an even bigger party atmosphere? Link up to 100 compatible speakers through Party Connect for a massive synchronized sound and light show that will keep the celebration going all night long. I will add, I just received my review unit, and the bass performance and clarity are fantastic! My neighbors hate me, but the dance party must go on! 

ULT FIELD 7 is available beginning Spring 2024 for a suggested retail price of $499 from Sony, Amazon, Best Buy, and other Sony authorized dealers.

ULT Field 1

The ULT FIELD 1 is your pocket-sized party starter, bringing big bass with you anywhere you go. This compact speaker packs a punch with ULT POWER SOUND, letting you customize the audio for enhanced low-end frequencies.

Plus, it's built to withstand your adventures — featuring a long battery life (up to 12 hours) and water resistance alongside a dust-proof, rust-proof, and shockproof construction. Whether you're scaling mountains or relaxing at the beach, the music never has to stop.

The ULT FIELD 1 is all about convenience. A versatile multi-way strap makes it easy to carry, and it can be positioned horizontally or vertically for optimal space use. It also boasts user-friendly features like a built-in microphone for hands-free calling with echo cancellation for clear conversations. With a variety of colors (black, off-white, forest gray, and orange) to choose from, you can find the perfect match for your style.

ULT FIELD 1 will be available from Spring 2024 for a suggested retail price of $129 from Sony, Amazon, Best Buy, and other Sony authorized dealers.

ULT Wear Wireless Headphone

I'm currently reviewing these ULT Wear Wireless Headphones and I have to say, right out of the box, they sound amazing! The Noise Canceling is next level and rivals units that cost double. These all-new ULT WEAR headphones provide immersive audio that brings the electrifying energy of a live concert or club straight to your ears, thanks to a knockout combination of exceptional bass and improved noise cancellation.

If you feel the need to personalize your sound experience, the ULT WEAR has you covered. With 360 Reality Audio, you'll be transported right into the center of the music, while adjustable EQs let you fine-tune the sound signature to your preferences. Not to mention, premium noise cancellation technology ensures crystal-clear audio by blocking out unwanted background noise, letting you focus solely on the music you love.

ULT WEAR doesn't stop at just incredible sound. They're engineered for both power and comfort and are super lightweight. Under the hood, you'll find Sony's Integrated Processor V1, the same powerhouse that drives their award-winning 1000X series headphones. This processor is paired with drivers specifically designed for the ULT POWER SOUND series. Together, they intelligently block out distractions while producing high-fidelity audio that stays true to the original recording.

Sony's headphones prioritize comfort for extended listening sessions with moldable cushions featuring a unique thermo-forming process for a snug, wrinkle-free fit. The foldable design and included carrying case make them perfect for portability, while captive sensor technology and Bluetooth connectivity with up to two devices ensure seamless everyday use. Whether you're seeking powerful sound, personalized audio, or top-notch comfort, the ULT WEAR headphones are the ultimate on-the-go listening companion.

ULT WEAR will be available in black, forest gray, and off-white from Spring 2024 for a suggested retail price of $199.99 at Sony, Amazon, Best Buy, and other Sony authorized dealers.

I discovered the Soundcore Boom 2 at the Anker booth during CES 2024, and after reviewing the original Anker Soundcore Motion Boom back in 2022 (which became my main driver), my excitement could not be contained. Now that the Boom 2 is in my hands, Anker has gone the distance and crafted an enormous improvement over the original.

With a thinner and lighter design, LEDs lighting up in tandem with music, and a louder, clearer sound, the Boom 2 slightly raises the price to $129 to deliver a significantly improved speaker system. Long-lasting 24 hour battery life, up to 80 watt output, and a seamless connectivity experience make the Boom 2 one of the best Bluetooth speakers out there. But is it right for the price? 

Anker Soundcore Boom 2 price and configuration

The Anker Soundcore Boom 2 features up to an 80 watt output (standard being 60W). It features a 50W subwoofer and two 15W tweeters, a frequency response between 45Hz and 20Khz, a IPX7 waterproof rating and Bluetooth 5.3. It’s available in Phantom Black, Adventure Green, or Explorer Blue on Soundcore’s website for $129.99. 

Anker Soundcore Boom 2 design

With a redesign that makes the original Motion Boom seem ancient, the Boom 2’s addition of LED lights within nooks at the left and right that flare up in tandem with sound is pretty gnarly. While our model is black, it can be ordered in Adventure Green or Explorer Blue, both of which make it the slightest tint of those respective colors.

Otherwise, it has a large handle on the top with indents on the lower bit, and while the original’s handle was rounded, the Boom 2’s grip starts from one end to another with a sharp curve to greatly increase carrying space. It also has a rubber seal where the two ports rest. From left to right, it has buttons for power, Bluetooth, lowering volume, playing/pausing, increasing volume, PartyCast 2.0, and BassUp 2.0. PartyCast 2.0 lets the user connect up to over 100 speakers to emit the same audio at the same time, assuming the device also has PartyCast 2.0. BassUp 2.0 is a simple bass booster good for those who want more punchiness in their audio.

Coming in at 3.7 pounds and 11.7 x 7.3 x 4 inches, it’s far lighter and smaller than the Motion Boom (13.62 x 5.8 x 7.9 inches, 4.4 pounds). Comparing the two side by side, it’s amazing how much easier the Boom 2 is to lift, but it definitely looks larger at first glance. Only once I place them right next to each other and look at them sideways can I see how much thicker the original Boom is.

Anker Soundcore Boom 2 ports and battery life

Soundcore hasn’t changed things much in the port department, still sticking to a USB Type-C for charging the device itself and a USB Type-A to charge external devices. The speaker requires Bluetooth and there’s no audio jack, so if you prefer playing your music wired, you’re out of luck.

Anker Soundcore Boom 2 connectivity and app

Connecting the Boom 2 is as simple as pressing the Bluetooth button, going to your device, and adding a new Bluetooth device. On both my Google Pixel 6 and desktop PC, it was recognized instantly and allowed for a seamless connection. I also opened up the Soundcore app and was quickly prompted to update the device’s firmware, which only took a few moments.

The Soundcore app features settings to modify volume, pause/play, activate BassUp 2.0, changing LED light patterns, and go in-depth modifying the sound equalizer. The presets available are Soundcore Signature, Treble Boost, Voice, and Balanced. Otherwise, you can go in-depth through the custom section and have seemingly any number of personal highs and lows.

Anker Soundcore Boom 2 music

As someone who has been using the Anker Soundcore Motion Boom for more than two years now, upgrading to the Boom 2 is an enormous difference. I listen to music and play games at only half of its maximum volume because it’s plenty loud. Even turning on the speakers and hearing its activation jingle is way louder than it has any right to be, to the point where it’s somewhat overwhelming. However, its unbelievable volume isn’t at the expense of quality.

I started listening to my latest obsession, “O Children” by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and while I’m comfortable listening to it at half volume, I wanted to experiment with the trade-off between clarity and loudness. I gradually boosted it to maximum, and although I’m someone who notoriously loves listening to things as loud as possible, I began to feel the walls of my office vibrate.

I couldn’t help but bang my head in excitement as the song reached its final stretch, blending Cave’s lower voice against feminine high notes as the melancholic lyrics, explosive drums, guitar and piano took my emotions to the next level. Would I ever listen to music at this volume in my home? Absolutely not, but considering this is a speaker meant to be taken on-the-go, that loudness could come in handy at big parties.

I then jumped to a song with harsh percussion, “Idioteque” by Radiohead, to see how well the speakers handle it. Unsurprisingly, its growth in intensity and the loud, potentially grating electronic noise that has been difficult to listen to on some other audio devices is handled with perfect clarity. Each element is balanced to make it both impactful and audible.

In a similar vein, I moved to “Force Projection” by P.T. Adamczyk, an intense electronic track with plenty of powerful percussion and punchy synths to gauge how hard I’d want to bang my head to the music at higher volumes. The answer is “quite a bit,” as the impact of the buzzy opening and repeated melody had my whole body moving. The Boom 2 also had me hear details that were once barely audible before, like the lower atmospheric hum towards the end of the song.

Anker Soundcore Boom 2 games and media

I launched Elden Ring, and before even jumping into the game, the opening piano key and explosive orchestra set a tone I knew would maintain throughout the rest of the test. I got on my character and was thrust into the middle of Limgrave, the occasional sound of strings against a powerful wind jostling tree branches and leaves was exceptionally clear and peaceful. Every step of my character’s steel boots and slash of their sword against the occasional birds chirping and wolves howling was stunning to listen to.

I watched an episode of The Good Place, and while the show isn’t especially known for outstanding sound design, I could enjoy its upbeat soundtrack and quick jokes without the noise becoming overbearing and giving me a headache. It’s especially easy for comedies to get grating on loud speaker systems, but the Boom 2 had no issue with its clear, easy sound as I laughed along.

Anker Soundcore Boom 2 battery life

Anker advertises 24 hours of battery life for the Boom 2, which is the same as the first Motion Boom. I’ve used the original for years and can confirm that its battery life is incredibly long, rarely needing a charge unless I used it over long periods. My experience with the Boom 2 is similar, as I received it a few weeks ago and only had to charge it once. I wasn’t using it constantly throughout that time, but it lasted a long while before dying. 

Bottom line

The Anker Soundcore Boom 2 soars above and beyond expectations, maintaining what the original Motion Boom did best while taking clarity and loudness to a new level. Its thinner, lighter exterior shell and wider handle make it more convenient to carry, while its LED nooks at the left and right can light up the vibes when listening to music or gaming.

While its 24 hour battery life makes it great for taking on-the-go, I use it as an inexpensive speaker solution when gaming at my desktop, listening to music at home, or knee-deep in a TV show. Its only real flaw comes in its startup jingle, which is overpoweringly loud. 

Otherwise, the Boom 2 is a perfect Bluetooth speaker.

We've been on the hunt for some of the best computer speakers for years now. Although we initially prepared this list for you years ago, we have just reviewed it and verified that these are still the top speakers in 2025.

Whether you want to pair them with one of the best laptops or connect them to your tablet, you'll find that they'll give you a superb audio experience. We know — we've tested them ourselves.

The Q Acoustics 3020i, which we were so impressed by, continues to be among the best speakers for any PC or laptop. Their sound quality is superb, and although they come with a price tag to match, you'll appreciate the audio experience once you plug them in.

If you'd rather keep the expenses at bay, the Fluance Ai61 is still a fantastic pair of speakers. While hardly cheap, they balance value with outstanding sound quality, and they'll pair nicely with your turntable, TV, or laptop via Bluetooth 5.

Are you ready to level up your audio experience? Let us walk you through some of the best computer speakers. You'll be an audiophile by the end of this article.

Check out our top picks for the best computer speakers, based on hours of testing and research. Need something for private listening? Then make sure to also look at our roundup of the best noise-cancelling headphones, which includes everything from over-ear luxury cans to truly wireless buds.

What are the best computer speakers?

The Q Acoustics 3020i currently sits at No. 1 on our best computer speakers list. Improvements in design and audio quality (e.g., extended bass response) showcase the overall detailing and effort that was put into these speakers. They’ are tiny but powerful stand-mounted monitors made to satisfy audiophiles who want strong sound in a refined package.

In second place on our best computer speakers list is the Audioengine HD3. These Bluetooth bookshelf speakers match the precise sound found on most wired computer speakers. Bass is tight and the midrange is emphasized for vocals to shine. Connectivity is spot-on too, so you won’t ever have to worry about dropout when streaming music. It’s also one of the better-looking models out there with a retro-inspired design that’s donned in a wooden veneer and mesh magnetic grille.

For bargain hunters, there is the Creative Pebble V3, which packs loud sound into a compact design that is perfect for small desks and most media formats (music, video games, movies). If money is no object, then the KEF LSX is an amazing sound system that doubles as computer speakers and delivers top-notch audio performance and tons of features. The Edifier R1280DB is another relatively affordable option with numerous connection options that balances smooth-sounding mids and highs superbly.

The best computer speakers you can buy today

Our top pick for the best computer speakers is the Q Acoustics 3020i for its impeccable sound reproduction and gorgeous design. The frequency spectrum is well represented, with bass leading the sonic brigade; kick snares, and drums sound thunderous.

You’ll enjoy amazing separation as well, pinpointing instruments, while also picking up on the subtle nuances in orchestral recordings. Build quality is another hallmark of the 3020i, from the curved unibody frame to the multiple sexy finishes (Graphite Grey, English Walnut, Carbon Black or Arctic White) the speakers come in.

These aren’t speakers you’ll want to keep tucked in deep cabinets, as they look more exquisite sitting next to an Apple Mac Pro or Microsoft Surface Studio. You can even place them on stands, should you want to get more creative with speaker placement and enjoy stereo sound at ear level.

Audioengine’s reputation for building premium speakers with accurate sound is flawless. The HD3 is proof of this, producing stellar audio that makes music and movies sound pristine.

Wired speakers are known for offering a better audio experience, but these Bluetooth-only speakers exceed expectations. Mids are articulate and highs are compelling, giving vocals plenty of clarity and detail.

Wireless range is stable as well, with little to no dropout occurring. What’s more surprising is how well sound carries over to the headphone jack, as listening with over-ear cans maintains the HD3’s rich performance. Having a built-in DAC and amp also increases the HD3’s value.

Our only complaint is that Audioengine took it easy on the low end. You’ll still get to some nice oomph out of the drivers when listening to bass-dominating tracks, but don’t expect to blow a hole through your college dorm roof.

Our favorite tiny computer speakers have been upgraded with louder sound, more input options, and a new mode that doubles the audio intensity. The latter works great for music, movies, video games, and podcasts.

Those with distinctive hearing may also notice how well the Pebble V3’s clear dialog audio processing performs when compared to what comes out of your MacBook’s built-in speakers; dialogue-heavy scenes in movies and games sound amazing. We do advise not to blast the speakers at max volume, as it can produce some crackling and minor distortion when jamming out to tunes.

Wireless playback is superb with Bluetooth 5.0 providing steady connectivity across all devices (e.g. laptops, desktops, smartphones). Then you have the super-compact design, which is perfect for small work environments or to pack with you on the road. For $40, it’s a no-brainer that you can also pass on to someone else once you’re ready to look at bigger, more powerful options.

The Fives speaker system looks like something you would find in your great-grandfather’s study, but the only thing retro about these speakers is the design. Despite no subwoofer, these monitors blast powerful, balanced sound to create an immersive listening experience when enjoying music, movies, sports, and video games.

The details in craftsmanship are remarkable as exhibited by the aluminum dials sitting atop the right channel to allow for seamless switching between the numerous connections. There is even an output to connect to turntables; we recommend checking out our best USB turntables roundup to find some worthy pairings.

All that firepower does come at the cost of size. As you can see by the dimensions, The Fives isn’t exactly a pair of computer speakers that rest steadily on any tiny desk, so you’ll definitely want to clear out some space before these arrive on your doorstep.

An award winner in multiple categories, the KEF LSX is included on our best computer speakers list for numerous reasons. For one, just look at how gorgeous and well-constructed it is, highlighted by the color-matched fabric on each side and the high-gloss finish.

Unique details like the Uni-Q driver array, which consists of a 19mm aluminum dome tweeter sitting in the center of a 10cm bass cone, are complementary to the LSX’s appearance as well.

Sound is rich with an impactful low end that favors bass-heavy genres, though you can customize this in the EQ settings via Control app. Being able to stream music wirelessly through Bluetooth and AirPlay 2, while also supporting Spotify Connect and Tidal, adds to its value.

It does seem impractical that you need two apps – the aforementioned Control and Stream – to personalize sound and play music from streaming platforms. In addition, Stream tends to experience serious lag when playing Tidal tracks.

Edifier knows all about making some of the best computer speakers, and the R1280DB is a fine addition to the brand’s long line of heritage receivers. Their penchant for build quality is certainly on display, with the speakers featuring a wood grain finish, vinyl wrap, and magnetic shields for protection from surrounding items.

They’ll feel right at home on any bookshelf, while also blending nicely on any entertainment center. More enticing than the design is the sound quality, which is ideal for multiple media formats (e.g. music, movies, and games), thanks to its superb mids and highs. Bluetooth connection is another bonus, letting you pair the speakers with multiple computing devices.

You’ll just want to be mindful of listening at high volumes since that can create distortion. The low end won’t blow you away either, so bass lovers looking to shake their game room with explosions may want to look at other models on this list.

The small-but-mighty A2+ is considered one of the best computer speakers for those who appreciate detailed audio and can afford to pay for it, if they can find it. That’s right, at nearly seven years old, the A2+ remains a hot commodity among PC owners who want top of the line sound.

You'll hear crisp treble and balanced midrange and bass — no subwoofer needed, though there's a subwoofer output if you want to add one. Best of all, the A2+ fills the room with sound, and they can get really loud. You can connect in a variety of ways, including RCA stereo, 3.5 mm minijack and USB (you can also get a version with Bluetooth for $50 more).

The solidly built units come in satin black, glossy white or glossy red to match your aesthetics. You’re going to want to find the right volume level and stick with it because Audioengine made the inconvenient decision to place the volume control on the back, which becomes annoying to access every time.

Another popular, well-received pair of Klipsch computer speakers, the R-41PM presents fantastic sound and connectivity in a sleek package. Powerful bass, clean mids, and resonant highs demonstrate the unit’s great frequency range.

An included sub-out line makes it seamless to add a subwoofer, should you want to boost low frequencies, which isn’t necessary for small settings, but is available nonetheless. The numerous inputs let you connect these babies to everything from your desktop to television, even to a turntable.

There’s also the option to go wireless and pair the speakers with your mobile device. Craftsmanship is excellent too, made up of exposed fasteners, low-profile magnetic grilles, and a scratch-resistant, textured wood grain vinyl finish for a polished appearance.

Sadly, Bluetooth isn’t executed well and doesn’t allow you to automatically re-pair the R-41PM with recently connected devices. Don’t blast these speakers too loudly either, because it can lead to harsh sound.

Bigger in size, bigger in sound, the Ai61 is basically a more advanced version of the popular Ai41. You really can’t go wrong with either model, but the Ai61 garners more attention because of its increase in driver size, wattage, and low-end frequency. It also comes with a USB Type-C input, which is ideal for computer use.

These speakers produce loud, powerful bass and impressive stereo separation to hear instruments and vocals distinctly through the left and right channels. The plethora of inputs – Bluetooth, analog, and digital – are nicely appointed for audiophiles who want to get more out of the speakers by pairing to high-end sound systems. And even with the extra specs, the Ai61 remains lightweight.

The price difference between the Ai41 and Ai61 is only $50, which seems like a bargain when factoring in the bonuses. However, $300 isn’t what most would consider relatively affordable.

Razer is a brand that has become synonymous with PC gaming, as best exhibited by their award-winning gaming laptops. It didn’t take long for them to release a line of gaming computer speakers, and if you want top-tier performance, then the Nommo Pro might be the gaming set-up for you.

These speakers boast a loud, wide soundstage that delivers an immersive listening experience perfect for gaming; you’ll be more aware of sneak attacks during Call of Duty: Warzone multiplayer matches and hear players' voices clearly over heavy gunfire.

The Razer Synapse app makes it easy to personalize the speakers, be it the EQ or RGB lightning pattern. Also, the dial control makes volume adjustment and switching between audio sources a breeze.

The subwoofer does help the speakers produce a pleasant rumble, though it can also make the bass too punchy when blasting sound at high volume. Also, the high price tag doesn’t make the Nommo Pro financially accessible to all PC gamers.

Our favorite sustainable audio brand has made their way into the computer speaker market, offering up an attractive set of sound blasters composed of solid bamboo and HoM’s trademark REWIND Fabric made from recycled materials.

You can expect crisp, detailed audio to come out of this dual-speaker system, along with 20 hours of playtime from the right speaker, which can be used wirelessly around the house or on the go. The Get Together Duo even has RCA outputs and an aux input for wired playback; we recommend pairing it with some of the market’s best noise-cancelling headphones or USB turntables.

Bass heads who want deep, boomy sound might want to look elsewhere, as this speaker system places heavy emphasis on midrange. It would have also been great if HoM added lossless Bluetooth codecs and AAC support, but neither of these omissions is a dealbreaker.

Airpulse designed these desktop speakers with versatility in mind. Multiple inputs allow you to pair them with any other compatible audio source. Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX connectivity means hi-res streaming with minimal latency.

Powerful drivers and a subwoofer output for bass expansion guarantee loud, boom-filled sound. Listeners have the option to tweak sound via the volume, bass, and treble dials. A sleek, clean design with unique touches like a horn-loaded ribbon tweeter completes the A80’s look.

A beautiful design doesn’t always translate to an appealing sound. The A80’s frequencies fail to complement one another. For instance, the highs don’t merge well with mids, and bass can be overly aggressive at times. The bundled remote control doesn’t function well either.

How to choose the best computer speakers for you

You’ll want to prioritize audio performance, connection type, extra features, and pricing when seeking out the best computer speakers.

Ask yourself what suits your setup best: wired or wireless. The former is known for guaranteeing better sound, yet requires dealing with more cables and ports, which can be overbearing for small setups. If you’re not looking to be tethered to your machine, then know that there are plenty of wireless models available that come with stereo or surround sound technology. Speaking of sound, also look for computer speakers that deliver clean vocals, deep bass, and rich treble, and with volume levels that aren’t too loud or distort sound.

Something else to keep in mind is codecs. SBC (Sub Band Codec) is the most common and is a great option for streaming music on popular services like Spotify. You can look into newer and more advanced codecs like AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), Qualcomm aptX, and Sony LDAC as well; each one processes information quickly and delivers superior audio output.

In terms of features, the most common tend to be bass and treble controls, allowing you to personalize sound to your liking. Multiple inputs are important too, especially if you’re looking to connect the speakers to other devices like smartphones or tablets. Make sure the speakers have an auxiliary input jack, USB slots, and extra ports for more versatility.

Top-tier performance usually comes at a premium, but not all of the best computer speakers carry a steep MSRP. Yes, the more expensive models will likely have more powerful sound and components underneath the hood, along with a more upscale appearance. That’s not to say you won’t get some great performance out of a less expensive pair. Look at reviews – both expert and consumer – then figure out what models offer everything you want for the most reasonable price.

How we test the best computer speakers

Similar to how we test all audio products, our reviewers evaluate several factors, including audio, battery life, design, and value. We also compare each model to similar ones in terms of features, pricing, and setup.

Computer speakers are tested over the course of a week for 2 hours at a time. During this process, we analyze Bluetooth performance, ease of use, and, most importantly, sound quality. Reviewers listen to numerous predetermined tracks across a variety of music genres: classical, EDM, hip-hop, jazz, rock, and R&B. Movies, podcasts, and video games are taken into serious consideration, too. Overall, we evaluate clarity, fullness, and volume.

With more streaming services offering high-resolution audio, we advise reading this audio codec FAQ to learn more about FLAC files, MP3s and everything in between. The streaming service you choose could enhance sound quality.

After testing is completed, we rate each model based on our five-point system (1 = worst, 5 = best). Any product that is exemplary is awarded a Laptop Magazine Editor’s Choice badge.

• Here are the best gaming laptops available right now
• Our picks for the best business laptops
• Take a look at the best tablets for the money based on our testing

Are you looking for premium gaming speakers? Stop searching — the Razer Nommo V2 Pro is probably what you want. Well… maybe— stubs toe on the massive subwoofer.

The Razer Nommo V2 Pro comes with two great speakers and a bassy subwoofer that is loud enough to blast through your entire home. A nice plus is that it has Bluetooth 5.3 and THX Spatial Audio. However, it costs $450 — not to mention that the stands don’t move and Razer Synapse is a terrible app (even if it does offer neat features).

But if you are able to get over the financial hurdle that is its $450 price, then the Razer Nommo V2 Pro are some of the best computer speakers on the market.

Razer Nommo V2 Pro price and configurations

I reviewed the Razer Nommo V2 Pro, which is one of three variations of the Nommo V2 namesake. The one I’m using costs $450 and comes with two Full-Range 2.1 speakers and a wireless subwoofer.

For $300, you can get the Razer Nommo V2, which comes with the two speakers and a wired subwoofer. Or you can get the Razer Nommo V2 X for $150, which comes with just the two Full-Range 2.0 speakers.

This speaker system comes with a one-year limited warranty.

Razer Nommo V2 Pro design

I typically hate gaming hardware dressed in black because it’s a common and boring color, but Razer makes black look premium. The speakers look like these round cannons about to fire tunes into your face at a moment's notice. Ever seen The Italian Job? That scene where the speakers blow that woman’s clothes off? Yeah, that.

On the side of the speakers, there’s a blacked out Razer logo, and on the back there’s a round bulb for the RGB lights. The stand that it uses is flat and wide, so it’s going to take up a bit of space on your desk — I had to place mine behind my monitor to get them to fit. The speakers come in at 5.1 x 7.2 x 7.1 inches each. Unfortunately, the stands aren’t adjustable.

Then we have the subwoofer, which is this huge black box — seriously, I get straight up 2001: A Space Odyssey vibes from this thing. It’s huge and I hope there’s enough space under your desk for it. The bass belting beast stands tall at 10.4 x 11.8 x 10.4 inches.

Finally we have the Razer Wireless Control Pod Ready — yes, it’s really called that. It’s a large dial that acts as the bridge between your speaker system and your PC. It can also mute and adjust the volume. It’s sleek and features a glossy circular top with ridges on the side. There are little feet at the bottom to prevent it from moving when you turn the dial.

Razer Nommo V2 Pro setup

Setting the Razer Nommo V2 Pro up isn’t supposed to be that bad — but it was a helluva journey for me because I needed to find SPACE.

So first things first is to plug in all the wires. One speaker acts as a bridge between the other speaker and your PC, with connections for USB Type-C to USB Type-A (for PC) and a MIDI port (speaker). The subwoofer connects wirelessly, so you just have to plug that into a power outlet. The speakers also need to be powered by an outlet, so keep in mind that you need two available outlets for this system.

Once all of your wires are connected, bring out the aforementioned dial, slot in the included AAA batteries, and press the power button. Then your whole system should come to life pretty quickly — if you’re having issues, there’s a Bluetooth pair button in between the battery slots (you have to remove the cover — I know, dumb).

Razer Nommo V2 Pro gaming performance

The Razer Nommo V2 Pro speaker system comes with two speakers with 3-inch drivers and one subwoofer with a down-firing 5.5-inch driver. These speakers blew me away.

As a storm sorcerer in Diablo IV, my lightning attacks made me do a double take to check if it was thundering outside. The subwoofer is thick and bassy — but not offensively so. And the speakers delivered those sharp electric spikes from my Arc Lash attack. The THX Spatial Audio also freaked me out, because I could hear a dog whimpering just in the left-most speaker, and it sounded like one of my fur-babies snuck into my office.

Taking a dip back into Warzone 2, the explosions popping off in the background were thunderous and literally shook my feet. Jumping into a parking garage, I started blasting with my assault rifle, where each bullet was impactful and terrifying. Everytime I open my parachute, there's a thick bass accompanying it — maybe a bit much, but you can always turn down the subwoofer.

I watched some Genshin Impact cutscenes, and the dialogue was clear, but not as crisp as I wanted it to be. The subwoofer elevated the percussion while the speakers focused more on the other effects — I had to change the EQ settings to Movie to get it to prioritize the dialogue. Turning off THX Spatial Audio also helped the speakers focus on the dialogue.

Razer Nommo V2 Pro music performance

You don’t have to just game on these speakers — the Razer Nommo V2 Pro does a lot for your music.

I listened to SKYLAR’s “Hair Tie,” and the vocals were breathy and bright while the percussion accented it with rich bassy beats. The bass guitar gets left behind a bit, because the subwoofer focuses on the percussion, but the piano and other instruments were distinguishable.

In “pity party” by Stand Atlantic featuring Royal & The Serpent, the opening guitar and bass guitar were battling for the spotlight — the subwoofer occasionally overshadows the sound that the bass is coming from and replaces it with just BASS. But when the chorus takes over, the intensity of the vocals and other instruments made me feel like I was in a mosh pit.

I was feeling nostalgic, so I listened to “Blood Upon the Snow” by Hozier and Bear McCreary, which opens softly. I was immediately impressed by how the vocals took front and center stage. Even when the orchestra kicked in, they balanced well with the melodic tune. The subwoofer wasn’t popping off either — which is good, because there wasn’t a lot of bass in the latter half of the track. The speakers gave me goosebumps when Hozier screamed his heart out at the end.

Razer Nommo V2 Pro software

Almost every peripheral I own is by Razer, but god damn it I hate the Razer Synapse app. It’s laggy, buggy, takes up way too much power, crashes often, doesn’t open sometimes, and occasionally I have to restart my whole PC to get it to work. But apart from the technical nightmare that it is, the utilities it provides for the Razer Nommo V2 Pro are good.

First things first — you get a free license for THX Spatial Audio (normally you’d have to pay $20), which is a nice highlight feature. That’s in the Sound tab, of which there are four. 

The Sound tab also features the volume settings, subwoofer level, game profiles, and some miscellaneous input settings. There’s the EQ tab, which offers presets for Default, Game, Movie, Music, and Custom. Then there’s the Lighting tab, which lets you customize the RGB effects via Chroma Studio. And lastly there’s the Power tab — this lets you save some power by letting your speakers enter standby mode after a determined number of minutes.

You can also connect the Razer Nommo V2 Pro to any Bluetooth-enabled device.

Bottom line

The Razer Nommo V2 Pro is a lovely addition to my Razer ecosystem — the bass bumpin’ audio mixed with the THX Spatial Audio puts me ahead of the competition, but I still have to suffer with the Razer Synapse app.

If you’d rather not deal with the Synapse app, check out some more affordable alternatives on our best computer speakers page. Looking to spend under $100? See our best computer speakers under $100.

Can you afford the $450 Razer Nommo V2 Pro? Yes? Okay, then buy it. Stop asking me.

Whether it’s the 9-to-5’er Spotifying music at their desk all day or the e-sports competitor refining their gaming skills at home, everyone deserves satisfying audio from their workstation setups. Sure, not everyone has the funds to pair their desktop or laptop with high-end computer speakers, but there are models that can deliver terrific sound for under $100.

Options are bountiful, but quality isn’t, which is why you’re here — to see what cheap computer speakers are worth the investment. Industry staples like Creative and Klipsch have great models that accommodate any setup, while popular brands like Razer sell inexpensive hardware that can boost the sound on your PC or game console. You’ll also find solid entries from Logitech, Mackie, and other well-known audio manufacturers.

Take a closer look at our prime picks for the best computer speakers under $100, based on hours of testing and research. And if your budget allows for something extra, consider adding a pair of the best cheap noise-cancelling headphones to your Amazon cart for private listening.

What are the Best computer speakers under $100?

No. 1 on our list of the best computer speakers under $100 is the Creative Pebble V3. These tiny oval-shaped speakers are the perfect blend of quality sound and versatile functionality in a compact size. Expect full-sounding vocals, crisp mids, and some thump out of the low end. Having various port adaptors and Bluetooth support is incredibly generous for $39 computer speakers. 

Creeping into second place is the Mackie CR3-X. These entry-level studio monitors grant you loud, high-quality sound and flexible input options, including AUX, headphone, and RCA ports. Mackie also lets you assign the left and right channel to either speaker. If you want something similar, but wireless, there is a Bluetooth version available for $20 more. 

Third place goes to the PreSonus Eris E3.5. Bookshelf speakers with a clean look and cleaner sound output, you’ll enjoy great performance, thanks to special hardware that’s absent from most computers speakers priced under $100. Many reviewers find the Eris E3.5 ideal for content creation and video mixing.

Check out the full breakdowns for these top choices, along with our other rankings of the best computer speakers under $100.

The best computer speakers under $100 you can buy today

This might look like a basic set of desktop speakers, but the Pebble V3 is an awesome upgrade with louder sound and more input options than the previous version. It has a simple plug-and-play setup, as well as Bluetooth 5.0 for seamless wireless connectivity. The built-in gain switch amplifies audio, which is perfect for music and video games, though you’ll want to refrain from blasting music at high volume due to crackling sound. Creative’s Clear Dialog audio processing gives you rich and clear vocal output when watching movies and TV shows. And what’s not to love about the compact and chic design that looks cool no matter where you place the speakers?

At $40, the Pebble V3 is a bargain that appeals to all consumers seeking reliable, high-performance speakers for an incredibly low price.

Mackie has developed a solid reputation for selling affordable computer speakers with strong audio performance. The CR3-X is a super-affordable model that gets the job done, backed by noteworthy sound and studio-friendly connections. Reproduction is on point, creating immersive audio that you’ll find beneficial when watching movies. Expect to hear subtle nuances in music recordings as well. Being able to switch to the left or right channel for mono listening is also a nice option.

As sleek as the speakers look, along with striking details like the green accents and illuminating volume knob on the front, the build quality isn’t anything to rave about. In addition, sub-bass can be hit or miss, depending on the volume level and song selection, though it isn’t off-putting.

Casual consumers have likely never heard of PreSonus, but the Eris E3.5 is a great introduction for those looking to explore a new brand with reputable audio performance. These bookshelf speakers feature a 1-inch Kevlar tweeter and 3.5-inch Kevlar woofer, a combination that creates loud, wide sound not normally experienced on speakers this small. Lows sound tight, vocals are crisp, and the high-end reproduction is outstanding for hearing instruments accurately. The acoustic tuning knobs in the rear let you personalize sound, while the numerous inputs make these speakers ideal for engineers, producers, and other content creators. 

Bass levels are decent, but nothing that will blow you away. Also, the speakers are built mostly from plastic, giving them less of a premium feel.

Razer’s gaming speakers come in different versions, though we’re most fond of the entry-level Nommo based on its overall performance and price. The design is sleek as hell, falling somewhere between a Dyson hairdryer and an ultramodern podium microphone. However, the beauty is in the details, and we tip our hat to Razer for its minimalistic approach; the black and gunmetal grey colorway with subtle branding allows the speakers to blend into any stationary desktop or office setup. The cylindrical shape also factors into the sound quality, allowing air into the bass ports for a more pronounced presence, and reducing distortion. Audio is faithful to gameplay and makes sonic details more immersive, from dialogue to explosions to footsteps.

The sad part is Razer reserved some of its more upscale features for the pricier models in the series. This includes the LED indicators, USB connection, and Chroma software compatibility.

Logitech sells a wide range of computer speakers, though the Z333 could arguably be their best deal to date. Two satellites and a subwoofer work together to produce robust, clean sound that can be enjoyed at high volumes, without any distortion. Bass is deep and nicely balanced, and mids come through clearly. Unique features like the control pod allow for seamless operation. The matte black plastic also gives the Z333 a chic appearance. 

These are not ideal speakers for critical listening. In other words, don’t expect to hear striking highs or the most subtle nuances in complex recordings. Another concern is the short cables, which can be concerning for those with a wide desktop setup.

Monoprice isn’t a prestige legacy audio brand, but it is a respectable company that sells quality audio products, from headphones to speakers. The DT-3BT is essentially a wireless version of their popular computer speakers. That means you can expect some of the same performance perks as the standard model, including crisp midrange and highs, and serviceable inputs to expand your audio setup. Bluetooth inclusion now opens the door to stream music wirelessly, and the results are surprisingly good. These are also durable speakers that will last a long time and sit comfortably on most bookshelves. 

Don’t expect a premium, fancy design, nor the greatest bass response for the price. Instead, appreciate the acceptable performance these budget speakers deliver.

Soundbars aren’t the most ideal option for computer speakers since they tend to occupy a lot of counter space. However, there are some that are designed to slide right underneath your desktop screen, like the Creative Stage. It’s a compact design that leaves plenty of room to operate freely in your current setup. Even better is that it can even hook up to other devices like your TV or Xbox Series X. Small details like the onboard screen make it simple to keep track of what input you’re using. 

You’ll get some quality sound that can fill a living room, and pairing the Stage with the optional subwoofer amplifies the results. Creative gives you a remote to adjust treble and bass settings as well. Be mindful of volume because the higher you raise it, the more distortion comes out, especially on bass-heavy tracks.

Unless you’re looking to transform your PC setup into the ultimate theater or gaming experience, then owning a set of inexpensive, entry-level speakers is really all you need. The Monoprice DT-3 fills that void superbly, producing neutral sound with an emphasis on midrange to enjoy exceptional vocal clarity. These speakers aren’t massively huge in sound or design, so that makes them suitable for standard rooms like a home office or study. Bluetooth is missing, but you can still connect them to several devices, including your computer (e.g., desktop, laptop), TV or turntable via RCA inputs. There is also a headphone jack for private listening.

With less-powerful drivers than its competitors, the DT-3 does take a hit in bass and treble. It’s adequate for mixing, but those with fine-tuned hearing will find the low end limited and inaccurate when blasting boom-heavy records.

Edifier sells many low-priced computer speakers. However, the $29 R19U is an irresistible deal. Audio performance isn’t going to wow audiophiles, but this older, well-engineered 2.0 speaker system can still deliver full frequency response and crisp vocals. Build quality is much better than one would expect for the price. Its setup is simplistic, and USB support allows owners to connect the R19U with desktops, laptops, and even mobile devices. 

Bass response is controlled well, though it lacks punch. In addition, using the headphone jack hinders audio quality, muddying up the low and midrange.

Creative speakers are famous for getting the most performance out of such tiny designs. The T60 is no exception. This dual-speaker system comes with a wide, balanced soundstage that separates mids and highs well to enjoy the vocals and details in recordings. You can connect a pair of headphones to it by holding down the surround button for two seconds, which switches the audio input to your cans of choice. SmartComms software brings advanced features into the mix such as voice detection to automatically mute/unmute yourself and NoiseClean-out to remove unwanted noises from the background in real-time.

Despite the lack of a subwoofer, bass remains impactful, giving music and movies livelier soundscapes. Something else you’ll want to be mindful of is the volume level, which can get really loud at mid-volume; 60 watts of peak power in such a tiny design will do that.

How to choose the best computer speakers under $100 for you

Wired or wireless is the first question you should ask. Most of the best computer speakers under $100 come with multiple inputs, including a 3.5mm stereo mini-jack, optical, RCA, and USB, just to name a few. Obviously, the more, the merrier, but just make sure essentials like an AUX or RCA port come part of the package. Some models also have Bluetooth for wireless connectivity with desktops, laptops, and mobile devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, MP3 players). 

Sound quality is another must. Essentially, you want speakers that sound better than what comes out of your current PC monitor. Look for options capable of producing full, detailed audio. Large drivers can ramp up the sonics as well. Furthermore, compare 2.0 and 2.1 stereo systems. The former is designed to play audio from both channels, whereas the latter adds a subwoofer to the stereo channels.

Your setup will play a vital role in how you consume sound. Look at the different designs out there and see which fits your space best. Bookshelf speakers are popular and come in different sizes, resting handsomely at each corner of a table or bookshelf. Soundbars are popular and conveniently sit underneath a screen. Then come full-on speaker systems with satellites and subwoofers, which can be spread out across a room.

Special features are often limited on sub-$100 computer speakers, but some do offer a fair amount. Keep an eye out for ones that have dials (e.g., sound adjustment, volume), built-in EQ settings, a headphone port or control pod.

How we test the best computer speakers under $100

As with all audio products, our reviewers evaluate key factors such as audio, design, connectivity, and value.  We also compare each model to similar ones in terms of features, pricing, and setup.

Computer speakers are tested over the course of a week for 2 hours at a time. During this process, we analyze input/output performance, ease of use, and, most importantly, sound quality. Reviewers listen to numerous predetermined tracks across a variety of music genres: classical, EDM, hip-hop, jazz, rock, and R&B. Movies, podcasts, and video games are taken into serious consideration too.

With more streaming services offering high-resolution audio, we advise reading this audio codec FAQ to learn more about FLAC files, MP3s, and everything in between. The streaming service you choose could enhance sound quality.

Once testing is completed, we rate each model based on our five-point system (1 = worst, 5 = best). Any product that is exemplary is awarded a Laptop Magazine Editor’s Choice badge.

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The Ruark MR1 Mk2 speakers have been around for a while, but I’m willing to say they are some of the best desk speakers I’ve ever used.

No pomp or circumstance. No ludicrous, eye-catching spec list. Just a pair of speakers with a refined, premium design, impeccable sound quality, and a versatile range of connectivity options, but all this does come at a cost.

So come with me, dear reader, as I explain to you why these could be the best desktop speakers worth your hard-earned money.

Ruark MR1 Mk 2 price and availability

Let’s rip off the first plaster, shall we? The Ruark MR1 Mk2s are available in two finishes (walnut and grey) for £349 (roughly $425), which is a pretty steep asking price. Of course, when it comes to value for money, this is more than your standard speaker system.

If you want to use these while you’re out and about, you will need to buy an additional battery, named the Backpack 3, which sets you back an additional £69.

Bad news, America. These aren’t available with any international shipping options (for now).

Ruark MR1 Mk2 design

Refined, luxurious, and restrained are three words I’d use to describe these speakers. They really are quite the lookers — a case of walnut with a fabric cover and the logo subtly emblazoned on a piece of metal on the front.

But they are designed to fade into the background of your desk setup, which, to be honest, I’m all for in my gadget design. The rich brown walnut blends in well with my mahogany Flexispot E7 desk, and their size (6.7 inch x 5.1 inch x 5.3 inches) means they don’t take up too much space.

Too many desk speakers try to stand out with a garish design, so it’s a breath of fresh air to see such a timeless look.

Ruark MR1 Mk2 connectivity and controls

Connectivity is a real strength of the MR1 Mk2s, as they feature a 3.5mm aux jack, optical audio out, and Bluetooth 4.0. This opens up a world of possibilities for different use cases. 

For me, they became the quintessential desk speakers, working between my PS5, M1 MacBook Pro, and Asus TUF Gaming F15 via the Ugreen 13-in-1 docking station, while the Bluetooth meant I could connect my phone and switch on the fly. But with optical audio, you could use these with your TV (complete with a subwoofer jack to beef up the bass), or even certain turntables.

Controls are sorted with a super simple dial control on top of the main speaker, which makes volume control a cinch. To switch between inputs, you just need to press the wheel. Or if you are far away from the speakers, there’s a remote with those same controls.

It’s all nice on paper, but my only hold-ups are that you’re only getting Bluetooth 4.0, which guarantees a strong connection at close distances, but it breaks up easily through walls. Bluetooth 5.0 and up would offer a superior connection and the ability to connect multiple devices at once.

And speaking of Bluetooth, controlling wirelessly paired devices is not possible through the remote, so any track changes need to be done on the device itself.

Ruark MR1 Mk2 music

Let’s get technical. Each of the Ruark MR1 Mk2 speakers packs a custom 20mm silk dome tweeter and a 75mm polypropylene cone neodymium woofer, with a 20W Class A-B amplifier. The tweeters and woofers are positioned within the enclosure and tuned for low distortion, and the speakers are built for lossless audio support.

What all of this means, in regular speak, is a fantastic sound quality that’s full of warmth and detail without a hint of distortion. I tried to put the MR1 Mk2s through their paces with the most complex and expressive songs I knew across so many genres, and they rendered each one flawlessly.

“2009” by Mac Miller is a good place to start — a beautiful tune that packs countless fine details that many speakers can’t handle. The reverb of the piano and the small breaks in Mac’s voice are emphasized and given plenty of life, while the sharp stings of 808 bass are felt without impacting on the other levels. 

But the biggest test of all is “A Day in the Life” by The Beatles. In particular, the discordant orchestral uprising in the middle, which on most speakers sounds like a flat mess, as they try to stuff 100 instruments through a construction designed mostly for modern, popular music.

The Ruarks emerged victorious against it all, providing a vast sound stage for you to identify each instrument clearly. The explosive bass gives each composition a sense of real drama, while never impacting the clarity of soaring highs and driving mids.

Plus, spoken word content like audiobooks and podcasts are thoroughly well balanced, providing an impeccable warmth to every voice that helped me spend hours listening to my favorite shows for an entire evening without turning on a single screen. 

Ruark MR1 Mk2 films and games

Here’s where it gets good. Normally you see speakers excel at just one thing — usually making songs sound incredible at the expense of game performance. But these are equally great at both.

Web-slinging in Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered has a fantastic detailed quality to it and combat provides a satisfyingly bassy thump with every punch, while giving the finer details such as the conversations between New York citizens and the rustling of leaves its own space to express.

When it comes to film, my ultimate go-to test for sound quality is A Quiet Place. I get there are so many other options with a vastly expanded score and a ton of fascinating foley SFX. However, not only is this one of the best horror films of the last decade, it also relies on the tiniest of sound details to build its atmosphere, which a lot of speaker systems simply miss.

Fortunately, the Ruarks picked up every single one and presented them in an immersive way, from the texture of the ground under each footstep to the gentle breeze gracing the characters as they speak in sign language. And when the action does pick up, they more than capably handle the bigger moments of gunshots and screams without a hint of crackling distortion.

Bottom line

While it’s fair to say the Ruark MR1 Mk2 speakers are expensive, and there are some missing features such as Bluetooth 5.0 and more color finishes to complement whatever tones you have on your desk, the quality and versatility alone make these an incredible option.

The premium finish and refined aesthetic pairs with a magnificent sound expression that fills any room, and getting going with them is easy thanks to the simple controls and connectivity options.

So, if you are in the market for a pair of desktop speakers with audiophile quality that will last you a long time, the choice is clear. Get these.

When the Monoprice Soundstage 3 arrived, I didn’t know what to make of it. It has a retro square black speaker look that took me back to the days of my brother making mix tapes with his DJ equipment. It might look bulky and boxy compared to some of its competitors on our best Bluetooth speakers page, however, even if you aren’t a fan of the retro looks (as I am) its performance is where it really shines.

If you're throwing a party in your apartment or dorm, you’re going to be hard-pressed to find a Bluetooth speaker in this price range with the thumpiness and overall sound quality of the Soundstage. The all-black Monoprice Soundstage delivers clear, bombastic bass, solid mid-tones, and excellent highs; what more can you ask for in the kind of speaker that will annoy your petulant neighbor? 

Let’s take dive and enjoy a booming bass-inspired dance and talk about the Monoprice Soundstage 3.

Monoprice Soundstage 3 design

Monoprice is not the most well-known or flashiest brand, which is clear when you peek at the Soundstage 3. It looks like a retro black speaker box from the 80s or 90s that someone may have stuck into their trunk to create that booming system their parents hated. If you ask me, it's a great-looking speaker and has some accents that take it up a notch, like its leather handle and well-designed control buttons at the top of the unit. 

The Soundstage is a big betty Bluetooth speaker weighing nearly 11 pounds, with dimensions of 13.6 x 6.9 x 7.3-inches. Thanks to its comfortable leather handle, you don’t notice the weight too much if you choose to lug it around or strap it to your bike like this guy that frequently terrorizes my street at 1 am. However, the Soundstage 3 is obviously not a speaker you want to carry around all the time and is meant to be used around the home or in the backyard. 

Before you go leaving it outside, you should also know this is not a true outdoor speaker as it lacks any IP rating for water resistance, so make sure folks keep their drinks at bay. Intriguingly Monoprice also warns against leaving it in direct sunlight. If you were also alive in the 80s then I will spare you asking, no Monoprice didn’t say anything about feeding it after midnight, so I don’t believe there’s any risk of it becoming a gremlin.

You will notice immediately that its drivers are exposed to the elements, so be mindful of this at all times. I am not saying it’s not sturdy, as it did easily survive an accidental three-foot drop with no damage done but it’s not an all-terrain, weatherproof speaker. 

The built-in amp that powers the Soundstage 3 will deliver up to 50watts of room-filling audio. Via its woofer and dual tweeters. I wish they were hidden behind protective grills, but that would detract from the overall look and appeal of the Soundstage 3. I will add that thanks to its tight dimensions it is a great-looking Bluetooth speaker to prop up on a shelf and use whenever the mood strikes you.

Setup and ports

The Soundstage 3 comes with an abundance of controls and ports to work with. On the rear, we find analog RCA stereo inputs, a Toslink digital audio port, a 3.5mm Aux-In jack, a Sub woofer-out connector, and a USB-A port to charge your phone or other devices like a tablet. We also find the main power switch on the rear.

With all these ports, the Soundstage lends itself to being connected to televisions, record players, and almost any other devices you have. The ability to connect a subwoofer to it makes it a nice addition to a home stereo setup. 

On the top of the Soundstage 3 is a row of control buttons that are very straightforward. The power button acts more like a wake-up button as the main switch is on the back, and the power button allows you to go from standby to on with a push. There is a pairing button, which lets you initiate Bluetooth pairing. You will also find a volume buttons and  a source button at the top, the latter allows you to cycle through your audio sources and choose one. 

Range on the Soundstage is limited to 32 feet due to the use of  Bluetooth 4.2, which is what it is, but again since this speaker is meant more for indoor use that shouldn’t be too large of an issue. The Soundstage also cannot connect to two separate audio sources via Bluetooth, if you try one will be knocked off.

Monoprice Soundstage 3 audio quality

The obvious thing about the Soundstage 3 is it was designed to keep the crowd moving and not meant to impress audiophiles with audio perfection. Let’s face it, what is perfect for you isn’t always perfect for someone else. I prefer a speaker that pumps out bountiful amounts of bass with just enough mid-tones and sweet highs, which the Soundstage 3 does very well. 

The woofer uses 30 watts of the 50-watt output, with the tweeters using 10 a piece. Surprisingly that fills up a room with thumping audio to kick off any party. I will add that no matter how much I raised the volume, there was never any distortion, which can happen with speakers this size. The Soundstage 3 Portable produces excellent, bright highs, solid mid-range, and thumping bass that makes listening enjoyable for all. You can go from System of Down’s “Toxicity” to Bruno Mars and Silksonic, and despite their differences, both genres of music are produced impressively at all volumes.

Like I mentioned above, to my neighbor's chagrin, I blasted Bruno Mars and Silksonic's “Smokin Out the Window” and got my groove on as Bruno sang about “paying her rent and being alone,” wondering how she did that to him. When the drums kicked in the Soundstage 3 reproduced them with an excellent thump as Bruno’s falsetto was smoothly reproduced. 

Since I had already awoken my neighbor, I went full-on System of a Down with “Toxicity” and its gear-grinding guitars and power vocals. However, I wasn’t done so I added Megan Thee Stallion to my music choices and blasted the hit song “Her” as Meg admitted she is pretty as that word I can’t write. The House Music bassline thumped loudly and cleanly through our entire apartment and I got up and danced, giggling, knowing I woke my neighbor up. 

The Soundstage 3 Portable is truly perfect for your house party, even if it’s just you partying by yourself.

Software

Sadly, there is no EQ app or other application to manipulate or control the audio performance. Not that one is needed and you can download one of many EQ apps for either your Android phone or iPhone to make adjustments to the audio output. Some may harp on this, but it’s not a major issue in the grand scheme of things.

Battery Life

The Soundstage 3’s battery life is rated at ten hours at 50% volume and that is a very accurate rating from my experience. I don’t ever listen to music at 50%, so my results were closer to seven and a half hours, but that maps out about right for ten hours if you are a little lighter on the volume. Also, since it is really not a travel speaker and is meant more for indoor use, you can just plug it in and let it go all night. 

The 8,800mAh battery can also be used to charge your phone or tablet by plugging it directly into the USB-A port in the back of the speaker. Now that will affect battery life but, it is not a bad backup to have if you’re enjoying music in your backyard. This is a convenient extra, especially when, like myself, you don’t have a backyard outlet to plug devices in.

Bottom Line

The Soundstage 3 Portable is literally a blast of a Bluetooth speaker that easily takes the party from one room to another and even out to the backyard. It is a great choice for when you have friends and family over for a party and will provide hours of music to dance to and celebrate. 

However, it is not meant for extreme outdoor adventures as it lacks the ruggedness and water resistance you want in a true outdoor speaker, this is not a Bluetooth speaker you keep poolside or take to the beach. Overall thanks to its excellent audio performance, and attractive retro look, it makes for an excellent option if you’re in the market for a loud, bass-thumping Bluetooth speaker for your home or office. However, if you’re looking for a more travel-friendly option with good audio performance the Anker Soundcore Motion Boom, might be a better fit for you.

Finding the best Bluetooth speaker is an important decision for audiophiles and music lovers alike. But if you’re truly obsessed with getting your hands on the highest quality sound system out there, consider looking at some of the best computer speakers.

Bluetooth speakers are great for quick connections to phones, laptops, computers and TVs. They can be used in a number of ways, with some possessing the ability to accept voice commands or share control between a number of connected devices. Great Bluetooth speakers can also be used in coordination with the best cheap gaming laptops, as laptop speakers are often underwhelming. Without further ado, if you’re looking for a combination of crisp audio, portability, and substantial bass, here are the best Bluetooth speakers.

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What is the best bluetooth speaker? 

Determining which Bluetooth speaker to purchase depends on what you’re looking for. If you need an all-around great balance between affordability and quality, the Anker Soundcore Motion Boom is a good pick. It’s crisp, loud and at around $109.99, it won’t break the bank for premium sound. If that price is too high for you, the Anker Soundcore is around $22. Don’t expect powerful or immersive audio with this choice, but it will provide decent sonics for the price. And thanks to its small and lightweight design, it’s great for travelling.

On the other side of this spectrum, the JBL Xtreme 3 is a good choice for those who are willing to spend lots of money in the pursuit of excellent quality. At $349.99, the JBL Xtreme 3's sound is epic, bassy and loud. Our reviewer claimed these Bluetooth speakers will “pack a hell of a punch while gaming and jamming out to music.” But if you need a Bluetooth speaker with a microphone for voice-commands, the Bose SoundLink Color II is a good pick. It won’t satisfy bassheads but for $129, you’ll get your hands on a solid at-home sound system. 

The Anker Soundcore Motion Boom Bluetooth speaker has been my go-to for immersion when playing games on my PS5 or getting sucked into the atmosphere of a great film. This sound system’s incredible power is highlighted when using its ability to sync up with the same model and play sound from both speakers at once. When one is placed at each side of my TV, it makes for an engaging aural experience. Given its $110 price tag, purchasing two of these can get customers a solid makeshift surround sound system for a little over $200. And even without a second one, the audio is still loud, bassy and crisp.

The Soundcore Motion Boom does have flaws though, as the speakers will peak at an ear-piercing level if the audio is too loud. Additionally, I had difficulties charging one speaker the first time I used it, which resulted in it not working. However, considering its inexpensive cost and great performance, the Motion Boom is a great pick for a Bluetooth speaker.

See our full Anker Soundcore Motion Boom review. 

The JBL Xtreme 3 is a wireless Bluetooth speaker that produces epic audio, and it lasts 15 hours on a charge, doubles as a power bank, and is waterproof and dustproof. Sounds amazing, right? Well, hold your wallets, because this beast is a whopping $349, so it’s not exactly an affordable option. Plus, there aren’t any EQ options, so you’re stuck with the sound you get.

If you’re willing to spend the money, the JBL Xtreme 3 is an all-in-one package that can follow you wherever you go. The JBL Xtreme 3 can also pair with another speaker of its own kind, but this is probably unrealistic since that would cost a total of $700. Our reviewer claimed these Bluetooth speakers will “pack a hell of a punch while gaming and jamming out to music.” It’s the most affordable option, but if you have the money, it’s certainly the most premium choice on this list.

See our full JBL Xtreme 3 review. 

The Soundstage 3 Portable is literally a blast of a Bluetooth speaker that easily takes the party from one room to another and even out to the backyard. It is a great choice for when you have friends and family over for a party and will provide hours of music to dance to and celebrate. 

However, it is not meant for extreme outdoor adventures as it lacks the ruggedness and water resistance you want in a true outdoor speaker, this is not a Bluetooth speaker you keep poolside or take to the beach. Overall thanks to its excellent audio performance, and attractive retro look, it makes for an excellent option if you’re in the market for a loud, bass-thumping Bluetooth speaker for your home or office.

See our full Monoprice Soundstage 3 review.

The Anker Soundcore Bluetooth Speaker isn’t a premium choice, but it’s inexpensive. If you’re on a tight budget and just need to hear crisp sound the Soundcore is a good option. It's also lightweight and small, which allowed me to easily fit in underneath my monitor or toss it in my backpack when traveling to a friend’s house

This was the first Bluetooth speaker I ever purchased, and I continued to use it for a couple of years. However, once I got my hands on the Soundcore Motion Boom, the difference in audio quality was staggering. The Soundcore’s $22 price tag is appealing, but you need to understand the limitations of what you’re buying. This sound system isn’t very powerful, but it sounds pleasant enough to get the job done. We only recommend the Soundcore if you don't want to pay for the more expensive alternatives.

The Bose SoundLink Color II is a good choice for those who need an at-home Bluetooth speaker. This is thanks to its built-in microphone that allows it to take voice prompts. It’s also compatible with both Siri and Google, making it a useful device for those who prefer a more hands-off experience. Additionally, with Bose SimpleSync, you can pair the speaker with any other sound system in the Bose Smart Home Family.

The SoundLink Color II’s eight hours of battery life is significantly less than anything else on this list. Since it’s an at-home Bluetooth speaker, this might not be a big deal if you keep it plugged in or in a spot close to an outlet for easy charging. It also comes in plenty of colors, including black, aqua blue, citron, coral red and polar white.

How to choose the best Bluetooth speaker 

Picking the best Bluetooth speaker depends on your budget. If you’re willing to spend lots of money, you can get the JBL Xtreme 3 and expect excellent audio quality… for a steep price of $349.99. This won’t be feasible for most, so a more affordable alternative is the Anker Soundcore Motion Boom. It’s a great sound system with loud and crisp audio for a significantly lower price of $109.99. By purchasing two of these, you could also land yourself a decent surround sound system and still pay less than what a single JBL Xtreme 3 would cost.

If even that’s too expensive, we recommend the Anker Soundcore. You can’t expect bassy or loud audio at $22, but the sonics are crisp and decently satisfying considering the price. The Bose Soundlink Color II serves a different purpose entirely, as it has a microphone that allows it to take voice commands. If you need an at-home speaker that’s compatible with Siri or Google, this is a good pick.

Logitech introduced a one-of-a-kind docking station that not only cleans up your work-from-home setup but acts as a noise-canceling speaker that aims to make video conferencing and meetings easier to take control of.

The all-in-one Logi Dock is a hybrid docking station that packs unique meeting controls and a speakerphone, along with seven different ports that can charge up to five peripherals and supports two monitors. Better yet, it all connects by using one cable connection on your laptop — and it charges it, too. 

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Priced at $399 and expected to be available this winter, the Logi Dock features six noise-canceling microphones to drown out any disturbing background noise when on a call, custom 55mm neodymium audio drivers, and multiple buttons to control meetings on Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet.

This includes a one-touch button to simply join any upcoming meetings thanks to the Logi Dock's calendar integration feature, mute and volume buttons to control your audio, and video button to switch your camera on or off.

The docking station's speakerphone isn't just for convenient conference calling, as Logitech also claims it delivers stereophonic audio and a "powerful bass line." The speaker sports passive radiators for enhanced bass, meaning users can jam to their favourite tunes while using it. 

As for what ports the Logi Dock offers, it features two USB-A 3.0, three USB-C 3.1 Gen1, one upstream USB-C port to plug your laptop into, an HDMI and DisplayPort output, a Kensington lock, along with the Bluetooth pairing button for good measure.

The speakerphone can also be paired with Logitech's Zone Wireless headset and Zone True Wireless earbuds, too.

The Logi Dock docking station will be available in both graphite and white options later this year, and we can't wait to test it out. While we wait, check out the best docking stations available right now, with some even including Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. Plus, speaking of hybrid docks, check out our Kensington StudioDock iPad docking station review.

Investing in an Anker Soundcore Motion Boom might seem fruitless considering the events of the past two years. After all, why would you need an outdoor speaker if you never go outside? However, this powerful sound system has been my go-to for immersion when playing games on my PS5 or getting sucked into the haunting atmosphere of a film like The Green Knight.

This is especially true when using the Soundcore Motion Boom’s ability to sync up with the same model and play sound from multiple speakers at once. When one is placed at each side of my TV, it makes for an engaging aural experience. 

Given its $110 price tag, purchasing two of these can get customers a solid makeshift surround sound system for a little over $200. And even without a second one, the audio is still loud, bassy and crisp.

Anker Soundcore Motion Boom price and configuration options 

The Soundcore Motion Boom is currently retailing for $109. This may seem pricey, but when compared to the $349 JBL Xtreme 3, it’s by far the more affordable alternative. The speaker only comes in one color and configuration, but we recommend investing in dual speakers to get the most out of your listening experience. Sound is still good with just one, but things greatly improve when two sound systems are connected. 

Anker Soundcore Motion Boom design 

The Soundcore Motion Boom boasts a black exterior with curved edges. The front of the speaker is where the drivers are located, while the back has a compartment with two ports covered by a rubber seal. The bottom of the speakers feature two protruding rubber ovals to keep the cylinder steady when placed on the ground. The Soundcore Motion Boom is almost small enough to fit snugly beneath my monitor, but I found it difficult to place on my desk due to the thick handle protruding from the top, which takes up a third of the speaker’s height. And on top of the handle sits a rubber Soundcore logo that’s pleasant to touch.

The Soundcore Motion Boom also received an IPX7 waterproof rating. This means it can survive underwater for up to 30 minutes as long as it isn’t submerged more than a meter. Additionally, the back compartment needs to be fully closed otherwise the speaker could be damaged.

The Souncore Motion Boom comes in at 4.4 pounds and 13.6 x 5.8 x 7.9 inches, making it a pretty hefty speaker. I’ve had trouble fitting it on my desk, but my dual speakers sit perfectly at the sides of my TV. I wouldn’t enjoy carrying this gigantic thing outdoors, especially on a longer hike.

Anker Soundcore Motion Boom ports and battery life 

The Soundcore Motion Boom has two ports: a USB Type-C port to charge the speaker and a USB Type-A to charge external devices. The latter port allows outdoorsy folk to use what’s left of the speaker’s battery to charge their phone or other accessories. 

There’s no audio-in jack, which means the speaker must be connected through Bluetooth. This was a bit of an issue for me, as my previous computer had no onboard Bluetooth receiver. External Bluetooth receivers are affordable, but if you need an audio-in jack for one reason or another, the Soundcore Motion Boom is not for you.

Anker advertises a 24-hour battery life for the Soundcore Motion Boom, which is accurate to our testing. I’ve only needed to recharge it once since I received the unit a couple of months ago. However, I used it infrequently so don't expect the speaker to survive constant use throughout those months.

Additionally, I have concerns about accidentally overcharging the Soundcore Motion Boom. The speaker I originally received stopped working before I started using it. I left it to charge for the recommended four hours, and I even used the charger that came with the speaker. But when I turned it on, it made a popping noise and would not turn on again. This hasn’t happened with the two other speakers I’ve tested, but it makes me weary. This issue could plague your system, so be cautious when charging the speaker. 

The speaker’s power button will indicate whether it still needs charging; a red-colored power button signals it can be charged more while a white glow means it is fully charged and ready to be disconnected.

Anker Soundcore Motion Boom connectivity, controls and app 

The Soundcore Motion Boom must be paired via its Bluetooth 5.0 connection as there is no 3.5mm jack. 

The Soundcore Motion Boom has seven buttons; from left to right, there’s bass boosting, Bluetooth discovery, volume down, a multi-function tool, volume up, power on/off, and TWS (true wireless stereo). The TWS function allows the speaker to seamlessly connect with another Soundcore Motion Boom. When testing this feature, the speakers only needed to sync once before an automatic link with one another was established to play audio simultaneously.

Through the Soundcore App, you can choose between four Equalizer presets: Soundcore signature, voice, treble boost and balanced. You can also toggle extra bass on/off, and can even tune the equalizer to your preferences. However, it’s best to leave this option alone unless you’re knowledgeable or are following a guide. Connecting my Motion Boom to the Soundcore App was easy, only requiring the speaker to be connected to your phone via Bluetooth.

Anker Soundcore Motion Boom music 

The Soundcore Motion Boom boasts two titanium drivers that can reproduce frequencies up to 40kHz. The Soundcore Motion Boom gets so loud that I typically have to keep it at 50% volume when using it indoors.

I listened to Kanye West’s “Come to Life,” and I was impressed by how the subtle background vocals of the track meshed with the ambient synths. As the uplifting piano keys balanced out against the powerful electric droning, every element was wonderful. The Motion Boom successfully presents each noise at a surprising clarity, with nothing being lost against the cacophony of sounds.

In “Atlas” by Battles, the immediate pounding against the drums provided a bassy punch. I was worried the lead singer’s vocal enhancer would come off as grating when played through a speaker, but the high-pitched chorus sounds as good as it does on a pair of headphones. I also tested the bass boost toggle, but wasn’t impressed. The background guitar was drowned out by the loud vocals and drums. Those elements sounded slightly more immersive, but the track felt less balanced as a result.

“Power Freaks” by Jean Dawson maintains its experimental quality, with the low hum synthesizer vibrating throughout my desk and shaking me to my core. As the track came into its chaotic drop, the bombastic percussion, high-pitched electric guitar, and low bass strumming mixed wonderfully. However, I did notice that an infrequent and very low pop will occasionally occur while certain music is playing.

Anker Soundcore Motion Boom films and games 

I watched “The Green Knight” and set up dual Motion Boom speakers through TWS. Thanks to the powerful bass and crisp audio, the highs and lows of the film were presented excellently. Dev Patel’s range in performance could be felt through every line of dialogue, whether it be fearful hesitation or the conviction in his voice. However, the audio wasn’t perfect. The Motion Boom sounded flat when sounds overlapped, and the loudest noises can get piercing, but otherwise, the audio is loud and clear.

I also watched “Star Trek: The Next Generation” with the sound coming from the dual speakers. I was impressed by how good such an old show could sound, and even though the recorded dialogue had some static due to the age of the show, it still came out crisp and clear. Even the opening iconic dialogue and bombastic strings feel impactful.

I experienced a good chunk of “Nioh 2” on the PS5 with sound coming from my TV speakers, and although I was content at the time, I noticed a drastic improvement with the Motion Boom. My LG OLED TV failed to present the richness of the audio, as the subtle ambience gets completely drowned out by the exciting music and sound effects. However, the Motion Boom speakers brought out sounds I could barely hear before, like the cracking of grass and the soft blowing of wind.

Bottom Line 

The Anker Soundcore Motion Boom is a great pick for those who need an affordable sound system that can provide crisp and bassy audio. There are more powerful speakers out there, like the JBL Xtreme 3, but the Motion Boom is less than a third of the price. And if you buy a second one, you can use the TWS functionality to create a compelling surround sound effect. And if you’re a fiend for intense volumes, these speakers can get insanely loud — I typically avoid the maximum volume altogether.

The Soundcore Motion Boom isn’t the best out there, but it’s affordable and provides a great aural experience, especially when two are paired together.

The new Dell MH3021 USB-C Hub allows you to connect to multiple devices while also acting as a speakerphone. The device provides you with an all-in-one connectivity and conferencing solution. 

Thanks to this Amazon Prime Day deal, you can save 45% on the Dell USB-C Hub which is a savings of $62.00. For just $137.99 you can turn your laptop into a mobile workstation. 

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Dell MH3021 USB-C Hub deal

Whether you're working remotely or in the office the Dell MH3021 Mobile USB-C Hub  gives you all the ports you need in a small lightweight form factor. With a wrap-around USB-C cable and a second USB-C port, the Mobile Adapter Speakerphone lets you plug in a power adapter for 90W USB-C PD passthrough charging, while providing access to two USB-A ports that are rated for up to 10 Gbps speeds, and an HDMI 2.0 port with support for 4K HDR at 60Hz refresh rates. 

You can also enjoy a seamless conferencing experience with the built-in integrated omnidirectional microphone with Echo and noise cancelation that ensures your conference calls are crystal clear. Thanks to this Amazon Prime Day deal you can save $62 while expanding the capabilities of your laptop. 

Prime Day ends June 22 so be sure to check out our Amazon Prime Day 2021 deals hub for the best Prime Day discounts.

Out of the box, all laptops have internal microphones and speakers. But if you want an upgrade, external hardware is always a better option. Whether you’re trying to stream games on YouTube or Twitch, or just trying to look (and sound) more presentable in your next Zoom meeting, an external microphone and speakers are a great start.

By default, your laptop will want to use the internal microphone input and speaker outputs. Some external hardware switches over immediately when you plug it in, while some require you to adjust the input and output settings to make sure your PC is using the external hardware. 

To do this, we’ll make a couple of easy adjustments in the Sound Settings menu.

1) Click to open the quick access menu options on the Taskbar.

2) Right-click the sound icon to open the sound settings.

3) From the menu that opens, select Open Sound settings.

4) On the Playback tab select the device you want to use for speaker output.

5) Click Set Default to always use the same device.

6) Go to the Recording tab to set up the microphone input.

7) Select the recording device if it is not already selected.

8) Click OK to complete the process.

Its time to indulge in the rich melodies of the season. This Cyber Monday turn up the savings with up to 10% off these Bose Companion computer speakers. 

Most computer monitors these days don't come with built-in speakers. If they do, we've noticed the sad trend of high, tinny sounds and a disappointing lack of bass. Thankfully, right now you can get the Bose Companion 2 Series III Speakers for just $89. And hey, why not upgrade your sound all the way with the Bose Companion 20 Speakers for $224.

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Bose Companion Multimedia Speakers deal

Why settle for less than stellar sound quality? Get the best sound balance possible with these Bose Companion Multimedia Speakers.

The Bose Companion 2 Series III is a good quality budget set of speakers that will bring your listening experience from "eh" to "wowzers!" With the volume control and audio jack right on the front of the speaker, taking control of your music is quick and easy.

Is your listening experience already there? You can always take it to the next step, creating a more dramatic, more rich, sound that will shake you to the tip of your toes. The Bose Companion 20 is equipped with TrueSpace technology that reproduces wide, and natural sound. Customize your space easily with its sleek design and volume control pod that you can move around as you see fit. 

Cyber Monday deals are still going! Don't forget to bookmark our best Cyber Monday deals hub to keep track of all the best deals the season has to offer.

Compact, but packs a punch. That’s it. That’s the review. Oh, you need more? OK. The BlueSound Pulse Flex 2i speaker is a high-end wireless speaker that can be used with your laptop, smartphone or tablet for a serious audio upgrade. The small speaker serves up robust, dynamic audio that’s precise and balanced. Coupled with its app and many ports, the speaker has a plethora of ways to access your music. It even offers digital assistant integration via Amazon Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant. 

However, the $299 price might give all but the most dedicated and deep-pocketed audiophiles some pause. Plus, some spotty app functionality mars an otherwise great experience.

BlueSound Pulse Flex 2i pricing and configurations

There’s only one version of the BlueSound Pulse Flex 2i speaker and it’s priced at $299. However, the speaker is available in two colors: black and white. 

BlueSound Pulse Flex 2i design

The only thing I like more than listening to the Flex 2i is touching it. The speaker is covered in white soft-touch material. It’s cool and smooth to the touch. Another thing I like about the speaker is its shape. The rear corners of the device appear to be cut off, giving the speaker a rather avant-garde appearance that looked just as good on my desk as it did on my bookshelf. 

The resulting hexagonal shape is more functional than it originally lets on. Those gutted sides allow the speaker to fit cozily into a corner, which can ultimately help the bass response. 

The front is covered by a white metallic grille made up of tiny ovals that contract into small circles towards the edges. The top of the device is covered in more soft-touch material. The BlueSound logo is imprinted just above the glossy black control panel; printed in silver paint, the lettering has a slight gleam. 

In the back, you get more pronounced dark gray lettering spelling out the speaker model. Directly below that, you have a black soft-touch plug that, when removed, reveals a mounting thread and a battery port for its optional Bluesound BP100 Battery Pack. And finally, the rear also houses abevy of ports (more on that later).

The 4.9 x 7.2 x 3.9-inch Flex 2i might be small, but it’s got some heft to it at 2.7 pounds.BlueSound ships with two power cords: one for the United States and the other for Europe.

BlueSound Pulse Flex 2i ports

Along the back of the Flex 2i, you’ll find a series of ports. There’s a USB Type-A port, a microUSB port, Gigabit Ethernet, inputs for audio-in and audio-out, and a port for the power cord. And as stated previously, there’s a mounting thread and a battery port for its optional battery pack beneath the black soft-touch cover. 

BlueSound Pulse Flex 2i codec, connectivity and sources

There are tons of ways to play on the Flex 2i. For the initial connections, the speaker supports Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 5 and the aptX codec. That means, in addition to a smartphone, the speaker will play nice with your MacBook or Windows PC. Speaking of Macs, the Flex 2i also works with AirPlay2 so you can stream audio from other devices. 

BlueSound offers a robust streaming provider catalog, including TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer and Qobuz, to name a few. The Flex 2i also works with AirPlay2 so you can stream audio from other devices. 

If you’d rather not stream, you can also play music by plugging a USB drive into the port on the back of the cabinet.

For a stereo experience, you can pair two Flex 2i together for an even fuller experience, but if you want the whole shebang, add the Pulse Sub+ ($749) for a full surround sound experience. It’s pricey, but cheaper than a full floor-standing speaker setup in most cases. 

BlueSound Pulse Flex 2i setup

Once you plug the Flex 2i in, a green status light in the front of the system lets you know it’s ready to set up. In order to perform the setup, you’ll need to download the free BluOS app (Android, iOS). Launching the app prompts the software to search for any BlueSound products in the vicinity. In the case of my review unit, I was notified that it needed to be set up. 

I’m going to stop here and say that if you require an app to control your device, the app should be as seamless as possible. This wasn’t the case with Flex 2i. I wanted to set up the speaker to work over my Wi-Fi network, but no matter how many times I restarted or factory reset, I kept receiving the same not complete error message. I finally had to concede defeat and use an Ethernet cord to establish a connection, which meant I couldn’t use the speaker where I wanted.

Once I ate that digital crow, the app took 5 minutes to update the speaker and I was ready to go. 

When I finally achieved a connection, I could adjust the volume, skip tracks and play/pause whatever I was listening to via the app. 

BlueSound Pulse Flex 2i controls

In addition to the app controls, the speaker has a number of physical buttons located on the top of the device. You have play/pause, adjust volume, and skip track controls. There are five preset buttons that can be programmed to play from your chosen sources, including a USB drive, streaming services or playlist stored on your device. 

You can also control the speaker via Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri, which is a pretty cool feature.

BlueSound Pulse Flex 2i app

Call it a tale of two apps. I had two totally different experiences when using the free BluOS app on Android and iOS. While I got the app to load on my Samsung Galaxy Note 8, and managed to connect the speaker, I couldn’t access many of the features available on the app despite uninstalling and reinstalling several times. 

I had a totally different experience on my iPhone XS Max; once the speaker was connected, I immediately had access to my Tidal playlist and my Spotify account. It was here that I set up Alexa and Google Assistant to take my commands, and perused some of the internet radio channels, such as IHeartRadio, TuneIn and Radio Paradise. 

You can also set alarms, connect more BlueSound sound equipment, and set up output (stereo, left, right, mono). There’s also gain controls, which allows the stereo to maintain the same playback audio volume whether a track is older or newer. 

BlueSound Pulse Flex 2i audio

So now the section you’ve been waiting for. Just how does the BlueSound Pulse Flex 2i sound? In a word, spectacular. The compact speaker’s custom-tuned drives with a 1-inch tweeter and 4-inch woofer easily filled the top floor of my duplex with rich, clean audio at approximately 40% volume. Raising it to 60% permeated the bottom floor. 

And while loud is great for a speaker, where the BlueSound excels is precision, particularly on the high end of things. Jhene Aiko’s airy soprano blew in like a comforting breeze over a well-utilized sample of Kool & the Gang’s “Summer Madness” on  “Summer 2020” on Tidal. The bass was full-throated and that iconic, piercing synth was perfectly recreated from the sealed cabinet. 

But don’t underestimate the lows. Listening to Cardi B. and Megan Thee Stallion’s raunchy bop, “WAP,” the bass had an aggressive growl that added even more dimension to the track. And while it’s easy to focus on the salacious vocals, which were crisp, I easily heard the seductive breathing in the background amidst the snares and hi-hats, and the classic DJ Funk loop that makes up the foundation of the song. 

Listening to Santana’s “Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven Smile),” the electric guitar had a gritty quality that immediately pulled me in. You know that feeling when you have to make an ugly face because the groove is that solid? Yeah, that face, I made it throughout the track.  It really made me wish BlueSound had sent another Flex 2i so I could have gotten the stereo effect going. But the singleton was enough to reproduce the steady strum of the bass guitar, the rich organ, and the crisp drums and cymbals. 

And when it was time for me to take a trip back to the ‘80s, I coasted along with the smooth synth-funk of WHAM!’s “Everything She Wants.” George Michael’s plaintive, dreamy vocal skated over the keyboard, especially when he hit that high note toward the end of the song. The poppy drum machine was also prominent thanks to the spacious soundstage. 

I was greeted by a robust church organ on Chapel Hart’s “Jesus & Alcohol,” that gave way to an enthusiastic guitar, playful piano and steady drumbeat. The vocalist’s alto was nice and fat and the harmonizing soprano on certain parts really helped tie the track together. 

Bottom line

The BlueSound Pulse Flex 2i manages to squeeze a lot of power into a rather small sealed cabinet. For $299, the speaker offers precise, powerful audio that can be accessed through a variety of sources. Plus, with the free app, you can access a bunch of functionality, such as Alexa and Google Assistant. And if you can afford it, you can add another Flex 2i and a subwoofer for a full home theater experience. 

But therein lies one of the problems with the Pulse Flex 2i: the price. It can be a bit pricey for non-audiophiles. Also, the app experience can be spotty depending on the platform. But overall, the BlueSound Pulse Flex 2i is a great choice for music lovers looking for a high-quality audio experience in a compact package.

Amazon Prime Day is almost over, and while the best Prime Day laptop deals are still coming, it'll be tough to find a laptop with good speakers, so pick up the JBL Boombox for $120 off while you can.

Right now, you can get the JBL Boombox portable waterproof Bluetooth speaker on sale for $279 at Amazon. The JBL Boombox offers thunderous bass comboed with great overall sound -- something you'll never find in laptop speakers.

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With dual 20mm, high-performance tweeters, a powerful 30W amplifier and dual 4-inch woofers, the JBL Boombox earns its name by properly blowing its listeners away.

If that wasn't enough, this speaker has a neat handle for portability, making it easy to carry around with your laptop when you travel. Yes, it's huge, but the handle does work. The JBL Boombox is IPX7 waterproof, which means it can withstand any weather and even submersion in water.

You can even use its massive 20,000 mAh battery to charge two devices at once while the music plays. When it's not charging devices, this baby can last 24 hours on a charge.

Ditch those crappy laptop speakers and treat yourself to something that will cleanse your soul with thick bass.

Amazon Prime Day 2020 officially kicked off on October 13 and we've been seeing tons of deals on the industry’s best laptops. Be sure to bookmark our best Amazon Prime Day laptop deals page for this year’s exclusive deals on laptops.

HTC's One M8 was already the best sounding smartphones on the planet, but Sprint is upping the ante with its new HTC One M8 Harman Kardon edition. Set to launch May 8, the handset promises an even greater audio experience over the standard edition One M8. Sprint Easy Pay customers will be able to snag the One M8 Harman Kardon for $0 down and 24 monthly payments of $28.34

Sprint says it does this by using two Harman Kardon technologies: Clari-Fi and LiveStage. According to Harman Kardon, Clafi-Fi uses specific algorithms that analyze your music as its being played and determine what notes have been lost due to audio compression. The enabling technology then puts back sounds that would otherwise have been lost.

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LiveStage technology helps simulate the kind of listening experience you'd hear at a live concert by making it sound as if the musicians are spread out across a stage, instead of coming through a single channel. In addition to Clari-Fi and LiveState, the One M8 Harman Kardon edition will also come with a pair of $149 Harman Kardon headphones for free. 

The HTC One M8 sports a gorgeous all-aluminum frame with a 5-inch, 1920 x 1080-pixel display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and 2GB of RAM. During our review of the handset we praised it for its powerful performance, long-lasting battery and excellent 3D camera features. 

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The Bluetooth speaker market is growing at such a rapid pace, it's easy to get lost in the crowd. That is, unless your dealing with the Fugoo Bluetooth speaker line, comprised of the Fugoo Style, Fugoo Sport and Fugoo Tough.

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This trio of durable devices, priced between $199 and $299, are teeming with versatility and customization options. Set to hit store shelves sometime in February, Fugoo is the brand to watch in 2014 and we got some one-on-one time with these little audio powerhouses. 

Design

Each of the Fugoo speakers begins with the core, the black aluminum casing is integrated with shock absorbers and co-molded seals, making these devices very durable. The air-tight seals protect against water, dust, sand and snow. Plus, the speaker ends sport caps to protect against life's inevitable scrapes and falls. But it's the outer jacket that makes these speakers pop. Each device will have a set of interchangeable jackets that easily slip over the core. The bright red sleeve was our personal favorite, because it immediately drew the eye.

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Audio

Each Fugoo model features six drivers, including a pair of neodymium tweeters, aluminum cones and passive bass radiators. The drivers are placed on a upward slant helping to bathe the listener in 360 degree sound. Despite the non-stop din of the crowd, the Fugoo Tough speaker we demoed deliver booming bass with richly balanced highs and mids. Each speaker possesses speakerphone capabilitie,s thanks to their omni-directional mics. Fugoo speakers also work in concert with Siri and Google Now.

Bluetooth and Battery

Fugoo speakers utilize Bluetooth 4.0 and have an expected range of 33 feet. Each device sports a built-in lithium-ion battery that Fugoo reps claim will get up to 40 hours of battery life when played at half volume. The battery life drops significantly at full volume, lasting only 7 to 8 hours.  

Accessories

Aside from the swappable sleeves, the Fugoo speakers have some interesting accessories, the most impressive of which is the wearable Bluetooth low energy remote. The device which can be worn as a watch or around a person's neck on a lanyard, has the ability to play music on the speakers or activate Siri or Google Now. Upping the cool factor is the bottle opener hidden on the bottom of the remote. We see this particular feature being very popular at a party or a sporting event parking lot. Fugoo also has some more practical accessories such as the Multi Mount used to attach the speaker to a backpack or purse. The bike rack is pretty straightforward, but there's also a pole mount to secure the speaker to a pole or tree.

When the Fugoo speakers launch in February, consumers should expect to shell out $199 for the Fugoo Style, $229 for the Fugoo Sport with Remote and $229 for the Fugoo Tough. 

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Portable Bluetooth speakers now have a host of features, from apps to speakerphones -- and some are even waterproof. Ultimately, though, the speakers have to sound good. The $199 Bose SoundLink Mini forgoes all of these niceties, instead focusing solely on making this device stand out in the audio department. That's why this speaker rises above everything else.

Design

Click to EnlargeThe sleek, silver-colored aluminum casing and sheer weight (1.5 pounds -- twice that of the Braven BRV-1) of the SoundLink Mini give it a classy look that matches Apple's notebook styling, and its build inspires confidence that the product will survive use on the road. Chunkier than the Jambox Mini, but flatter and longer than the Braven BRV-1, the Bose SoundLink Mini is closest in size (and weight) to the Logitech UE Boom and is very bag-friendly despite its weight.

The bottom has a rubber slab for stability, and there's a metal mesh grille on both the front and back of the speaker. Two passive bass radiators face in opposite directions to minimize vibrations, and a pair of full-range drivers sit on opposite ends of the speaker facing front.

A row of rubber buttons along the top controls power, mute, volume, Bluetooth pairing and input source (aux). A power jack and 3.5-mm line input are located on the right side, and pins for the included charging dock are on the bottom, along with a micro USB port.

The package includes a charging dock, although you can also plug the power supply directly into the speaker. The low-profile wall plug's prongs fold up, making it extremely compact. Accessories such as a travel bag ($44.95) and colored soft covers ($24.95) are available, but they add considerable expense.

Setup

Pairing the SoundLink Mini with a Bluetooth device such as a phone, tablet or laptop is a breeze. Just turn on the speaker and press the Bluetooth button to put it in pairing mode. It showed up right away on our iPhone 4S, with no PIN code required. A light above the Bluetooth button flashes white when the unit is not connected and stays solid when a connection is made. It flashes blue when it's in pairing mode.

Audio

Click to EnlargeThe dual passive radiators and large, heavy magnets inside the SoundLink Mini give it extraordinary bass response, something lacking in literally all other speakers of comparable size. That's not to say that deep bass in tracks like Ludacris' "Helluva Night" comes through like full-size speakers -- the speaker does have its limitations. But bass and kick drums on tracks such as Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" have way more impact than with any other speaker out there at the time of this writing.

But it's more than just bass; vocals and complex instrumentation on tracks like on Tower of Power's "So Very Hard to Go" and The Beatles' "Penny Lane" are impressively clear, with great overall tonal balance. Even Philippe Entremont's recording of Debussy's moody solo piano piece "Clair de Lune" sounds lively. Acoustic jazz has plenty of sparkle in the cymbals and presence in the horns, with powerful bass.

We watched episodes of "True Blood" and "Breaking Bad" on an iPad using the SoundLink Mini as the audio device, and dialogue, explosions and gunfire all came through very clearly with plenty of low-end rumble and crispness.

The SoundLink Mini is loud enough to fill a medium-size room or power a small outdoor patio party, and we didn't hear any noticeable distortion, even at top volume. The strong bass and overall output bests competitors like the Monster ClarityHD Micro and even larger speakers like the Jawbone Jambox. The speaker's wireless range is very good -- roughly 30 feet, standard for Bluetooth devices -- as long you maintain a direct line of sight. We experienced dropouts with two walls (or a wall and a body) in the way, even though the speaker and our iPhone 4S were only about 12 feet from each other.

Features

Other speakers in this price range -- and below -- offer speakerphone, onboard playback controls and USB charging of the speaker. In some cases, like the Braven speaker, you can even charge your mobile phone. The Bose SoundLink Mini forgoes all of that, which may leave some feeling cheated at nearly $200. But ultimately, the Mini's sound quality on music and movies made the lack of features far less of an issue. Our biggest gripe is the lack of an included carrying case.

Battery Life

The SoundLink Mini has a built-in rechargeable battery that lasts roughly 7 hours, which is about half that of the Logitech UE Boom and three hours less than the Jambox. The SoundLink Mini charges in about 3 hours.

Verdict

The SoundLink Mini's lack of speakerphone capabilities may deter some, and others will gripe about the lack of onboard controls or the device's ability to charge via USB. However, nothing approaches the SoundLink Mini's sonic versatility and full, rich output at this size. If sound is your primary concern, the Bose speaker is tops.

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If rappers can have their own audio product lines, why not R&B artists? Nine-time Grammy Award-winning crooner John Legend is partnering with Definitive Technology as brand ambassador for the company's first mobile offering, the Sound Cylinder Bluetooth Speaker. Uninspired name aside, Legend might be onto something here. Definitive Technology is known for their audiophile-grade loudspeakers and sound systems.

Priced at $199, the Sound Cylinder comes in a sleek, silver aluminum/magnesium alloy chassis. The clever cylinder hides a handy slide-out kickstand that can be used with most tablets. Other prominent ports include a microUSB port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. In terms of sound quality, the Bluetooth speaker has a 2.1 channel bi-amplified audio system with a pair of 32mm midrange/high frequency drivers and a 43mm subwoofer for clear, balanced audio throughout the track. Definitive Technology claims that the speaker has a 10-hour battery life. 

In addition to the Sound Cylinder, Legend will be acting as spokesperson and "creative inspiration" for Definitive Technology's current and future products. The celebrity shilling will most likely start around September 3 -- the release date of Legend's fourth studio album debuts. 

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Click to EnlargeYou might think a company based in the south of France would be more interested in producing a robust Cabernet Sauvignon than a well-dressed Bluetooth speaker, but Supertooth believes it has a special vintage with the Disco Twin. As the name suggests, the Disco Twin ($199, $175 on Amazon), has two freestanding Bluetooth speakers, which you can place around a room as you see fit. But does twice the speaker equal twice the sound quality?

Design

The Disco Twin speakers stand 7.2 inches tall, with a svelte silhouette that tapers in the middle. The mini-towers are black with a gray base, and weigh 1.2 pounds apiece. That's light enough for the Twins to move easily around your desktop, or from the living room to the kitchen, or even outdoors to a barbeque.

Six light-up buttons rest on the top of each speaker: power, volume up, volume down, fast forward, rewind and play/pause. Ports for the AC adapter are around back, and each Twin comes with its own adapter. In case Bluetooth pairing isn't an option, there's also an audio-in port for connecting the speakers via a 3.5mm cord (included). Lastly, Supertooth throws in two soft-touch canvas bags to keep the speakers scratch-free when you toss them in a car or backpack.

Set Up

Click to EnlargeJust like real twins, these speakers share a constant connection. In fact, they come paired together right out of the box, so you only need to pair your source device with the master speaker (the left one).

To enter Bluetooth pairing mode, hold down the power button for five seconds. Once the play button flashes red, you're ready to connect a smartphone, tablet, laptop or media player. When your tunes are spinning, you can play, stop, move forward or backward through tracks, and tweak the sound through your connected device or the buttons on top of either Twin.

There is also one cool hidden feature: the Disco Twins can talk. When you turn on one speaker, it says "Hello" in a Siri-esque voice. Turn on the second speaker, and both Twins say "Hello," followed by individual announcements for "Left" and "Right." And the Twins call out with an AOL-style "Goodbye" when they power down.

Audio Performance

Click to EnlargeThe Twins' two-channel output gave music tracks recorded in stereo a more detailed, immersive surround-sound feel. The speakers' sweet spot is mid-range audio such as jazz and mellow rock tracks played at low or medium volume. "Californication" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers was well-balanced, with equal parts bass and treble throughout. The Twins were also effective for deciphering whip-fast dialogue in an episode of "Newsroom" and for focusing on the somber voices of an early morning news podcast.

The Disco Twins don't have a built-in subwoofer, so in tracks with big bass, the softer bits of the audio were lost. On Kanye West's "Blood on the Leaves," the beat steamrolled the rapper's vocals, and we had a harder time hearing punch lines through the guitar and drums on Tenacious D's "Rize of the Fenix."

At high volume, things were far worse. The Twins shook, rattled and rolled -- and not in a good way -- under the bass-heavy force of Jay-Z's "Picasso Baby." The end result was noise and scratchiness on any bass-intensive track. The issue was less noticeable during calmer songs and with audio-from-video content set at full volume, but it was still audible -- and distracting. Most listeners won't need to play songs at 90 to 100 percent volume, but head bangers might lament the opportunity to rock out full blast.

By comparison, the $199 Pure Jongo S3, which packs four multi-directional speakers and a subwoofer into one, compact package, delivered cleaner, more nuanced sound. The drums and vocals in Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" were better balanced and easier to hear across all volume levels. Not to mention, the heavy bassline didn't distract from the falsetto vocals, unlike what happened to the same song with the Disco Twins.

Bluetooth Performance and Range

Equipped with Bluetooth 3.0 technology, the Disco Twins have certainly got range. During testing, we didn't notice any drops in playback until our smartphone was about 65 feet away from the speakers. That's almost double Supertooth's suggested maximum distance of 33 feet. The connection waned at about 45 feet when there was a wall between the speakers and the source device.

In our apartment, the Bluetooth connection remained consistent even as we kept the right speaker in our bedroom and moved its counterpart all over the place: outside to the balcony (about 20 feet away), to the kitchen (15 feet away) and even into the building hallway (about 20 feet away). Music playback began to skip a beat when we placed the smartphone, the left speaker and the right speaker in three separate rooms, though. Our advice: don't create too much distance between the three components.

Speaking of distance, the Disco Twins' excellent Bluetooth range makes the set a lot of fun for listening to audio in two different rooms. For instance, you could listen through one speaker in the kitchen and with the other speaker out on the patio, simultaneously.

There is one caveat to spreading out the sound, however. The Disco Twins have two-channel stereo sound; that means audio elements are filtered to the left or right speaker independently. For instance, in the opening to Queens of the Stone Age's "Better Living Through Chemistry," bongos played only on the right speaker, while bass guitar shredded exclusively on the left. That's no problem for mono-sound sources such as podcasts, but it is awkward to hear only half of a song when a track is in stereo.

Battery Life

SuperTooth estimates the Disco Twins' rechargeable batteries will last through 10 hours of medium-volume playback and 3 to 4 hours of high-volume listening. During our tests, the speakers survived 4 hours of standby time and 5 hours of medium-to-high audio playback from music and video tracks. The towers were charged and ready to go in a little less than 90 minutes.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeFor $199, the Disco Twin speakers will boost your audio experience with Bluetooth-enabled portability. Though the sound quality is decent for a majority of music genres, tracks with deep bass will sound ratchety at full blast. For more dependable sound, we recommend the Jongo S3 speaker. For $199, that unit includes four speakers in one, as well as a subwoofer for better low-end kick. Still, if you like your music mellow and mild and want a true stereo experience, the Disco Twins will get you groovin'.

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The Braven BRV-1 ($179) is aimed at outdoorsy types who want wireless sound while they're out in the wet 'n wild wilderness. It offers some handy features, including the ability to survive rain and splashes, wireless playback control and a beefy battery that lasts up to 12 hours and charges your mobile phone. If you want a splash-proof speaker, the BRV-1 will certainly please, but it's better for personal listening than entertaining.

Design

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Click to EnlargeThe Braven BRV-1 weighs just 12.2 ounces and reminds us of a canteen, especially when you hold it with the watertight cap on the back facing up. It has a pair of 1.25-inch, 3W speakers and a passive bass radiator housed in an IPX5-certified, rubberized shell that lets it survive rain and splashes but not submersion. The speaker grille, which is held in place by eight screws, has a metallic-blue finish that adds some welcome personality.

The controls on top include power, play/pause and volume buttons that double as track skip/rewind when you hold them down.

Click to EnlargeTwisting off the cap on the back reveals a battery indicator, a microUSB port (for charging the speaker), a USB port (for mobile device charging), a 3.5mm line-in jack and a reset button. The USB port supports charging 1-amp devices, such as mobile phones, but not 2.1-amp monsters like tablets.

The package includes a microUSB cable, an audio line-in cable and a lanyard. There's no wall plug, as the speaker is designed to be charged using a phone charger or a computer's USB port.

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Setup

Pairing the BRV-1 with your smartphone is a snap -- just press the power button until you hear a sound suspiciously similar to the Android "Droid" startup sound, and then press the Play button until you hear a few soft beeps to enter pairing mode. Our iPhone 4S picked up the device right away, and we had no problems pairing quickly.

Audio

Click to EnlargeFor a speaker this size, the sound offered by the BRV-1 is full, with reasonably strong bass and good overall balance. Vocals come through loud and clear, though any deep bass gets lost simply due to the speaker's size. Tracks such as Bob Dylan's "Man In the Long Black Coat" sounded clear and detailed enough, and the bass mostly retained the recording's intention. Funky tracks with horns, like Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings' "Tell Me," have enough detail that none of the parts got pushed too far into the background, and modern-sounding R&B songs, like Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are," have plenty of sparkle in the highs and thump in the lows.

But there's a catch. With many tracks, the BRV-1's volume (wired or via Bluetooth) generally isn't loud enough to fill a room, let alone the great outdoors. The BRV-1 is best at providing a good listening experience from just a few feet away. Beyond that, the sound drops off pretty sharply. Throw on a track that's mastered to be very loud (any club hit, or modern R&B song), and you'll get some good volume, but at the price of noticeable distortion.

The BRV-1 also works as a Bluetooth speakerphone, but the audio isn't particularly clear. Braven estimates that the BRV-1's 1400 mAh battery will last up to 12 hours playing music.

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Verdict

Click to EnlargeIf you and one other person are going to be listening in close quarters in a potentially wet environment, the BRV-1 is a good choice. It's also not bad for travelers in hotel rooms. But if you're expecting to host a party, you'll want to spend extra money on something a bit larger and with more power, like the Jawbone Big Jambox ($299). If you've got to stick to the microspeaker form factor, the Monster ClarityHD ($199) offers a bit more sound for just a few bucks more. But if you're hanging out by the pool or going down the shore, the BRV-1 will keep playing even if it gets hit by an errant wave.

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If you're streaming music from a smartphone or tablet to a wireless speaker and you want to change rooms, you have two options: carry that speaker with you, or add multiple speakers to several rooms in your home. Hoping to make that second solution a little easier, Pure Audio, the U.K.-based audio experts, announced the Jongo S3 wireless speaker for $199 and the Jongo A2 wireless audio adapter for $129. Both accessories pair with the Pure Connect app for iOS to help fill each room in your home with sound. Here's how the system works. 

The Jongo S3 performs the heavy lifting in this multi-room, outdoor-ready system.  Shaped like a small tower of sound, the S3 kicks out 360-degree audio courtesy of four side-facing tweeters and a sub-woofer that fires out the top. The Jongo S3 can be paired with others of its kind over a local Wi-Fi network. Of course, if you opt to purchase just one Jongo S3, it can connect solo to a mobile device or laptop over Bluetooth. A rechargeable battery lasts 10 hours per charge, according to Pure. 

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For audiophiles who already have an established sound system or home theater, the Jongo A2 Hi-Fi adapter can jack into that pre-existing set up and connect those speakers over Wi-Fi to a Jongo S3 speaker. And the glue holding it all together is the Pure Connect App, available for iPhones and iPads now but coming to Android devices soon.  With that download, users can control what speaker, or speakers, play audio and which sit silently until they're needed.

For now, the Pure Connect app accesses local music files stored on the connected device, as well as more than 20,000 radio stations and plenty of podcasts and other audio programs, but soon it will also play host to Pure Music, the streaming service that carries more than 15 million tracks for U.K. listeners. Pure Music is slated to launch in the United States later this year.

Until then, interested parties can purchase Jongo products at Amazon.com, Target.com, OfficeMax or on Pure's website, Pure.com/us. 

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Loud and proud of it, the Killer Concepts Rocksteady XS Bluetooth speaker is compact enough to tote around in a purse or backpack yet can fill a room with sound. Though its aluminum design isn't nearly as flashy as the appearance of competing models, such as the Jawbone Jambox, the XS pumps out premium audio for $99 and promises more than 10 hours of wireless listening.

Design

Click to EnlargeThe Rocksteady XS is constructed of brushed, black aluminum that feels like it can take a beating in your bag. The front panel sports the Rocksteady XS logo with six buttons directly underneath it. The buttons allow you to pause, play, stop, skip tracks, change volume settings and activate Bluetooth connectivity mode. Although its overall look isn't exactly chic, the XS certainly is sturdy.

Both the left and right sides of the Rocksteady XS store a single speaker protected by a metal grille, while the top houses a third speaker. The speakers are supplemented by a built-in passive subwoofer. On the back of the XS, you'll find three connectivity options: one USB port (for plugging in a USB drive), a 3.5-millimeter audio jack and the power port. The On/Off switch is directly to the right of the audio jack.

Click to EnlargeOn the underside of the speaker, a clear plastic cover protects the lithium-ion rechargeable battery, which can be removed by lifting a flap on the cover. Doing so with our fingers proved to be difficult, but it only took us a few seconds to pry it open with the tip of a pen.

Measuring 6.4 x 1.8 x 1.8 inches and weighing 8.9 ounces, the Rocksteady XS is lighter but longer than the Jawbone Jambox Smartspeaker, which measures 5.9 x 2.2 x 1.6 inches and weighs 12.1 ounces.

Setup and Ease of Use

After switching the speaker on and pressing the Mode button to put it into Pairing mode, we switched on Bluetooth in our Droid Razr M's Settings menu and tapped Search for Devices. A few moments later, our handset detected that the Rocksteady XS was in Pairing mode. We tapped the Connect button, and the Rocksteady emitted a chirping sound several seconds later, indicating that pairing was successful.

Connecting the Rocksteady XS to a Windows 7-based ASUS Zenbook Prime notebook took a couple of extra steps. We right-clicked on the Bluetooth icon in the taskbar, clicked Show Bluetooth Devices and right-clicked on the Rocksteady XS icon in the Devices window that appeared. We then clicked Services and selected Listen to Music in the window that opened. Just as it did when we tapped Connect on our Droid Razr M, the Rocksteady XS chirped moments later, completing setup.

Performance

Click to EnlargeThe Rocksteady XS is definitely one of the best-sounding speakers in its class. When we listened to "The Blue Danube" by Johann Strauss, the Rocksteady pumped out clear and powerful sound.

When we activated LiveAudio (the Jambox's highest-quality audio setting) and streamed the same song to the Jawbone Jambox, it made the classical-music epic sound flat and lifeless. When we listened to "Hot for Teacher" by Van Halen, the guitars sounded hollow and weak on the Jambox, but clear on the Rocksteady. We noticed some distortion on higher tones on the XS, but not enough for us to consider it a significant issue.

When streaming music from the Droid Razr M to the Rocksteady XS, we were able to get as far away as 55 feet before the sound cut out. However, when we switched to a Windows 7-based ASUS Zenbook Prime notebook, that number sank to a maximum distance of 18-27 feet.

Battery Life

Though Killer Concepts claims that the Rocksteady XS should get more than 10 hours of battery life, the device shattered that mark in our test, streaming talk radio at 50 percent volume for a whopping 18 hours and 5 minutes before the battery conked out.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeWhile it lacks the apps and the speakerphone function found in the Jawbone Jambox, the Rocksteady XS delivers excellent sound, lasts a long time on a charge, and costs $30 less. Those looking for an unobtrusive yet powerful and portable Bluetooth speaker will find a lot to like in the Rocksteady XS.

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After establishing a firm grasp in the headphone market, Beats by Dr. Dre is turning its attention to the portable speaker world. The $199 Beats Pill portable speaker combines the company's patented audio technology with a bold minimalist design that delivers quite the aural wallop. But in such a crowded field, is this just what the doctor ordered?

Design

If it were an actual pill, the 7.5 x 1.8-inch, 10.8 ounce Beats Pill would be impossible to swallow. However, the portable speaker is lighter than both the Jabra Solemate (6.8 x 2.8 x 2.5 inches, 22.4 ounces) and the Monster ClarityHD Micro (7 x 3.25 x 1.5 inches, 13.3 ounces). The Pill slipped into most large purses with ease.

Click to EnlargeThe cylindrical speaker rocks the fire-engine red we've come to expect from the Beats by Dr. Dre brand. The Pill's front is dominated by a see-through grille that shows of the four speakers underneath. A thick soft-touch band sandwiched by a pair of shiny thin bands sit in the middle of the grille, and wrap around to the back of the device. The speaker's back and bottom also have a red soft-touch finish. A flat soft-touch foot extrudes slightly from the bottom, keeping the speaker from shaking itself off your desk or table.

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The Pill is also available in white or black for people with more subdued color palettes.

Click to EnlargeAudio in and out jacks, a Bluetooth status light and a microUSB port sit on the rear of the device. The Beats button in the center of the speaker pulls double-duty as the Play/Pause, Answer/Ignore calls and Bluetooth pairing button. The band also holds a pair of volume buttons and the all-important power button. A gray icon between the power and volume up button indicates where to place your phone or tablet for NFC pairing.

To protect your $199 investment, the Pill comes with a sturdy hard-shell carrying case shaped like, you guessed it, a pill. There's also a 3.5mm input cable, a microUSB cord and AC adapter.

Setup and Ease of Use

Click to EnlargeWe paired the Pill with a Samsung Galaxy Note II, iPhone 4s and a Nokia Lumia 920. Placing the speaker into pair mode is as simple as pressing the Beats button for 1 to 2 seconds. The iPhone 4s connected in 5 seconds while the Note II and Lumia 920 finished in 7 and 9 seconds, respectively. Pairing with a Dell XPS 13 notebook took only 4 seconds.

Connecting using NFC was even faster, delivering nearly instantaneous pairing on the Galaxy Note II and the Lumia 920. The Pill can remember up to eight paired devices.

Unlike the ClarityHD Micro and the Solemate, the Pill doesn't employ a voice guidance system to assist with the pairing process. Once connected, the Pill lets out a cheery little chirp.

The volume buttons adjusted volume as expected. The multifunction Beats button performed its duties admirably. A quick press of the button answered incoming phone calls. Holding the button down for approximately 2 seconds ignored calls. We were disappointed that Beats' design team didn't add buttons to skip forward or backwards through tracks.

Audio Quality

Click to EnlargeThe Pill's quad of speakers blanketed our test room in loud, crisp audio. In a side-by-side test with the Jabra Solemate, the Pill was the clear-cut winner.

We were impressed with the audio quality on Queen Latifah's rendition of "Close Your Eyes." Her warm alto blended perfectly with the clear strumming of the bass and the rich chords of the piano. We also heard minute details such as the delicate tinkle of the triangle and the gentle dusting of the cymbals. Minnie Riperton's classic, "Loving You" was just as clear, right down to the birds chirping in the background and the artist's legendary whistle register.

However, the Pill does lack bass. Whereas the Solemate's bass was overwhelming, the Pill doesn't sound like it made an attempt. It's weird for a company that's built its empire on bass-rattling audio to bungle the lows.

Listening to Dr. Dre's "The Next Episode," we heard crescendoing trumpets and the deliberate plucks of a guitar. However, the bass fell flat, robbing the song of a key element. We heard the same lack of bass on Kanye West's "Mercy" and Kendrick Lemar's "Backseat Freestyle."

Speakerphone

When not busting out the jams, the Beats Pill also functions as a competent speakerphone. When a call comes in, the speaker paused the track and beeped to alert us.

Calls on both ends were relatively loud, but there were hints of distortion. We could not, however, ignore the 3 to 4 second delays when speaking. During some of our test calls, the conversation became awkward as we had to wait for the speaker to transmit the audio.

We were disappointed that features such as voice command and call announcement, which are available on the ClarityHD Micro speaker, are missing on the Pill.

Battery Life and Bluetooth

Click to EnlargeBeats by Dr. Dre claims that the Pill portable speaker's Lithium-ion battery can last 7 hours. During our testing, we were still going strong after 4 hours of nonstop play. The ClarityHD Micro, by comparison, lasted nearly 6 hours, surpassing its estimated 5-hour battery life. The Pill also has a 30-minute auto shutoff feature to preserve battery life. A white LED light around the microUSB port acts as a battery indicator. When the battery needs to be recharged, the light begins to blink red.

Similar to most Bluetooth speakers on the market, the Pill has an estimated range of 30 feet. When connected to an iPhone 4s, we were astounded that the speaker still worked 105 feet away in a clear hallway in our office. The audio remained loud and clear with only a small amount of sputtering. However, the Solemate worked at an even more impressive distance of 140 feet.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeAudiophiles might turn up their noses at the Pill, but the speaker delivers impressive sound quality for such a relatively small package. For the same $199 price tag, consumers can pick up the Monster ClarityHD Micro Bluetooth speaker, which offers voice command and a better balance of bass and volume. However, consumers looking for a fun design and solid audio can take one Pill and call us in the morning.

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Jabra is literally kicking down the door to the portable speaker market. The Jabra Solemate Portable Bluetooth Speaker delivers big sound in a compact, fashionable sneakerlike design. Product name puns aside, can this $199 speaker stomp the competition?

Design

Click to EnlargeThe Solemate really plays up the shoe angle. The 6.8 x 2.8 x 2.5-inch portable speaker (about an 11 in children's shoes) has a removable white rubber sole along the bottom. The sole has treads that enhance the sneaker look, but also keep the speaker in place when it's kicking out the jams.

A tan braided 3.5mm audio cable nestled in the bottom of the sole mimics a shoestring. The cable can be removed from the tread and plugged into the audio jack on the rubber white band on the speaker's right side. The band also contains a microUSB port, power switch and status indicators for battery and Bluetooth.

Click to EnlargeThe band extends to the top of the speaker and tapers into another strip down the left side of the device. The top of the Solemate has buttons for volume and Answer Call/Battery Status. A fabric carrying strap on the left side of the speaker resembles the loop on back of most sneakers. The Solemate's front and back are covered by white metal speaker grilles. Jabra also sells a version of the Solemate in black with yellow accents.

Despite its compact dimensions, the Solemate weighs a hefty 1.4 pounds. The Monster ClarityHD Micro Bluetooth and the Jawbone Jambox speakers weigh a slight 12 ounces by comparison.

Durability

Click to EnlargeThe Solemate can definitely take a beating, thanks to the impact-resistant rubber lining the top and bottom of the speaker. We dropped the device numerous times with no ill effects. The speaker is also splash- and dust-resistant, which means it can hold its own on a beach or in a dorm room.

Folks paranoid about ruining their investment can place their Solemate in the included travel bag. The black textured bag is splash-proof. Best of all, the lightweight material doesn't muffle the speaker.

Setup and Ease of Use

After making our Samsung Galaxy Note II discoverable, we held the Solemate's On/Off switch in the top position for three seconds. The speaker informed us in a smoldering baritone that it was ready to pair.

The voice was accompanied by a track that sounded like it had been culled from an X-rated flick. It was slightly disconcerting, especially when the speaker announced that it was "now connected" in a rather knowing voice. From start to finish, the process took approximately six seconds.

The volume buttons adjusted volume as expected. Pressing both buttons for one second muted/unmuted the audio during phone calls. The Answer/End button wears a lot of hats. In addition to answering and ending calls (hold the button for two seconds), pressing the button announces the battery status while double tapping the button redials the last number called.

Audio Quality

Click to EnlargeDon't let the gimmicky design fool you. The Solemate's pair of tweeters and integrated subwoofer easily filled our test room at maximum volume. But loud doesn't always mean good.

At mid-volume, we were impressed with the depth of the bass on George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" and A Tribe Called Quest's "Bonita Applebaum." However, Gwen Stefani's "Luxurious" and OutKast's "Prototype" sounded very muddy.

The problem only increased as we went to maximum volume. We quickly discovered that the subwoofer couldn't handle deep bass and distorted the rest of the track in its attempts to compensate. Once the bassline entered the equation in "Prototype," Andre 3000's whimsical falsetto was no longer clear and vibrant, and the entire track became distorted. Stefani's soft, mewling vocal became harsh and grating and the synthesized parts of the track took on a dog-whistle quality.

Tracks that don't have a deep bass line, such as Earth, Wind & Fire's "September," sounded great no matter the volume level.

Speakerphone

Click to EnlargeLike many portable speakers on the market, the Jabra Solemate also functions as a speakerphone. When we received a call while playing music, the speaker paused the track, replacing it with a bleating ringtone.

We wished Jabra had given the Solemate the ability to announce callers just in case the phone wasn't at arm's length or worse, M.I.A. We also would have appreciated having voice command, similar to what we used on the Monster ClarityHD Micro speaker. This seems like a glaring omission considering the voice guidance system used for the initial speaker setup.

Test calls to mobile phones, landlines and Skype were loud and clear as a bell on both ends. One of our callers noted that he could tell that he was on speakerphone.

Battery Life and Bluetooth

Jabra claims the Solemate can get up to eight hours of battery life at maximum volume. During our testing, we used the speaker consistently for three hours and had 75 percent remaining battery life. That's roughly equal to the Jambox, and about two hours longer than the Monster ClarityHD Micro.

As with most Bluetooth devices, the Solemate has a range of 33 feet. We got 19 feet away in our offices when the audio began to sputter. Another two feet and the sound completely cut out. The speaker took a few seconds to reconnect when we walked back into range.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeJabra's Solemate Bluetooth speaker has a fun, kitschy design and it can pump out a fair amount of volume. However, while this $199 speaker delivers passable sound for music that has light bass, tracks with deeper bass sounded distorted. For the same price, the Monster ClarityHD Micro Bluetooth speaker delivers loud, rich audio, voice command and call announcements. Overall, this boot ain't made for bass.

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You may have heard of Pure Music’s audio streaming success in the U.K., but the company’s in the spotlight this week for its recently announced Jongo wireless speaker set.

We dug into the specs and details of the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled speaker system a few days ago, but recently we spent some ears-on time with the devices at Pure’s CES 2013 booth.

The system, comprised of the S340B and T460B speakers along with a wireless adapter for non-Wi-Fi audio sources, is sold a la carte, with the smaller-but-still-powerful S340B on sale for $229 in the U.S. now.

This tiny device packs four speakers and an up-firing sub-woofer to help maximize sound in a small package. The speakers are arranged in an array that wraps around the device and can be set to fire in whatever direction the audience requires, so music can be tuned to play forward (if the back of the speaker is against the wall, for instance) or backward or, for open-air environments, from both sides. 

Soundwise, the S340B offers room-filling audio. Pure played some R&B tunes and we heard clear highs from the devices. The lows were a little hard to hear, but we were listening on a pre-production model, so we’ll have to wait for a true ears-on call.

Though it's not currently on sale in the U.S., we also got to sample the sound quality on the big-booming A140B. We’ll say this: Adele’s voice is pretty rich, but she sounded even better with all the power of this sound system, even though it too is still a prototype for demos.

Look for the Jongo S340B to launch soon, while Pure says the A140B and the sold-separately wireless adapter will retail sometime later this year for around $329 and $119, respectively.

[Note: In the video, we say that the Jongo Wireless S340B are available now. That's incorrect. Word is Q1 2013.]

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If you like your gadgets with a pinch of style and want a mobile charger, Bluetooth headset or portable wireless speaker, check out MiPow.

When it comes to design, most gadget-makers opt for simple color schemes and boxy designs, but the first thing we noticed about the MiPow table at CES 2013 was the polished purple, orange-yellow, blue and metallic red tones of its portable chargers, speakers and Bluetooth earpieces, each made out of soft-finished, anodized aluminum.

If you like what see above and in our gallery below, you’ll be glad to know that most of these devices will launch officially later this month.

On the portable charger side of things, MiPow will debut three devices of varying battery capacities (hinted at within their name). The line includes the Power Cube 8000 with a pretty large 8000mAh battery, the Power Tube 5500 and the cylindrical PowerTube 2200.

Considering that most smartphones don’t have battery sizes beyond 2000mAh, even the smallest KiPow charger can bring a smartphone back to life at least once. MiPow’s chargers are available with either a 30-pin port for previous-gen iPads and iPhones or microUSB ports for Android devices. Worry not, iPhone 5 and new iPad owners, each device has a female USB port for charging via a Lightning port cord--although we would like to see these devices rock a native Lightning port connector.

Each MiPow charger gets its own juice over USB--either through a male USB port for docking in a notebook or a female micro-USB port for connection with a laptop’s USB port or a charging adapter (adapter not included).

Next on the company’s gadget list are the Boom and Boom Mini Bluetooth 4.0 speakers. Thanks to low-power Bluetooth Smart technology, the larger Boom speaker offers 10 hours of music playback time, and an estimated 300 hours of talk/standby time if users take advantage of the built-in microphone for making calls.

The Boom has two 3W speakers for audio that was a little flat but still punchy for a device of its size. Save for the removable handle, three buttons for volume and call control and speaker perforations on the device’s front, the Boom is a smooth box with the same brushed-finish aluminum as the chargers--it looks colorful, fun and sleek.

The Boom Mini is a much smaller, simpler box device, packs one 3W speaker and supports 5 to 10 hours talk time via a microphone or 3 to 5 hours of consistent music playback.

If you’re looking for a lightweight Bluetooth earpiece, MiPow offers three mono Bluetooth 4.0 headsets--each with the ability to pair two devices at once, plus built-in noise-cancellation and support for voice commands.

Talk about style. The Luz100 not only comes with a very cool-looking magnetic dock, it also has an added touch of class, compliments of a single, studded Swarvoski crystal. The VoxTube 500 loses the stone but looks just as classy as MiPow’s other gadgets, and the VoxTube 700 builds a male USB port into the end of the mouthpiece so it can charge plugged into a nearby notebook.

If any of the above sound like gadgets for you, keep an eye out for MiPow devices to go on sale later this month.

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The best thing about the Belkin Thunderstorm Handheld Theater is the sound. Even in a very noisy room at CES 2013, we could hear the roars of an engine in an iPad racing game over the din. This newfangled iPad case packs two speakers, allowing you to better enjoy everything from apps and music to movies. 

The multi-fold case lets you prop up your iPad in a couple of different positions, great for listening at your desk or in the kitchen. Another plus is the up to 10 hours of battery life.

Our main issue with the Thunderstorm is that it's fairly thick and bulky. Yes, the back of the device is protected--and you can still access all the ports and camera--but we're not sure having this kind of audio boost is worth the trade-off. Check out the video and let us know what you think.

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Ion Audio knows how to get the party started. During CES Unveiled at CES 2013, we were drawn to the booth blasting Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T." with the mini light-show. In between busting out a mean groove, we learned about the Ion Audio Party Rocker.

A literal party in a box, the $149 all-in-one portable speaker is crammed full of party-inducing features including inputs for mics and instruments such as a guitar. A crystal-like dome at the top delivered a myriad of colored lights. Flipping the switch to Beats mode, synced the colors up to the track's baseline for a somewhat hypnotic effect. Users have the ability to stream music from any Bluetooth device or plug it in using the Auxillary input. And in case you were wondering, the Party Rocker can also handle any and all karoake needs.

Ion Audio also offers a more professional iteration of the Party Rocker called the Job Rocker. Designed for heavy-duty worksites, the $199 Job Rocker, ditches the flashy lighting in favor of two AC adapter for charging tools. The orange speaker is outfitted with a pair of large steel handles wrapped in  rubber for easy handling -- even with work gloves. The sides of the speaker have protective bumpers enabling it to withstand some abuse. A built-in battery gives the mobile powerhouse 50 hours of battery life. In addition to the Bluetooth capabilities of the Party Rocker, the Job Rocker can also play AM and FM Radio.

For a more compact listening experience, Ion Audio also offers the Clipster. This super-portable wireless speaker can clip on to a backpack or belt buckle thanks to its built-in clip. The Clipster can stream audio from any Bluetooth-enabled device. Available in a number of colors (red, black, lime green and light blue) the Clipster is priced at $29.99.

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Pure’s subscription-based, on-demand music streaming service isn’t available stateside yet (current word is sometime in 2013), but at CES Unveiled tonight the popular U.K. Spotify competitor is releasing new hardware in the big 50. Say "Hello, Guvnah!" to the Jongo line of wireless streaming devices, a new fleet of colorful sound-kickers that can broadcast audio from room to room of your home via your local Wi-Fi network or Bluetooth.

Headlining the speaker set is the Jongo S340B (pictured left), a tank of mobile sound that packs in four tweeters, an upward-firing subwoofer and five speakers with individual power amplifiers. Can you say “Boom,” cause that’s some power in a wire-free, standalone speaker. According to Pure, the S340B has a battery that will keep you dancing for 10 hours. This packed speaker costs $229, and is available in all black, or white with black, burnt orange, lime green, mango or white speaker grilles (spare covers cost $30).

Jongo fans can either purchase and connect more S340B speakers to their home network or buy the larger Jongo T640B (pictured background). This speaker slings tracks with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, but it packs 2 custom-designed, 5-inch, full-range boxes and includes a stand for landscape and portrait orientation as well as a wall mount.

The last bit of the Pure Jongo equation is a high-fidelity wireless adapter (pictured right) for corded home audio networks that need to go wireless. Connect the Jongo A140B up to a grounded sound system and notes dance the airwaves via a 24-bit DAC (digital-to-analogue converter), optical-coaxial digital and dual phono outputs.

Jongo products stream music from any source including the local storage of any connected device, other streaming services like Rdio or Spotify and the freshly updated Pure Connect app for Android and iOS devices or Pure Connect website with access to online radio channels and podcasts (but not the Pure Music on-demand subscription service, which isn’t available here).

Just keep this in mind: there’s no pricing or availability for the latter two Jongo devices yet. The entire system will be on display at CES 2013, however, so we’ll find out if this speaker set sounds as lively as it looks.

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It doesn't get more versatile than this. The new Belkin Thunderstorm Handheld Theater not only packs major audio power, it also includes a magnetically-attached stand that serves as a cover and props up the sound system in several viewing modes. To help this $199 “handheld theater” live up to its name, Belkin’s partnered with Oregon-based firm Audifi, which uses the motto “small is the new loud” on its website.

The Thunderstorm works with an app of the same name that includes sound profiles to boost the audio for watching movies, listening to music and playing video games. Hardware sound enhancements include front-facing stereo speakers, landscape-orientation for a maximum span of sound and ported speakers for deeper bass.

The Thunderstorm will be available in two flavors; one with a connector for 30-pin iPads and another with a slot for the Lightning port. Both versions will cost $199, include the magnetic cover that doubles as a foldable multi-position stand, and support pass-through access for all the iPads’ functions, including the back camera, charging and on-device volume control.

Although the 30-pin Thunderstorm will be available at Amazon, Apple.com and Belkin.com in January, the Lightning port system won’t hit until later this spring. Look for our ears- and-hands-on during CES 2013 later this week to determine if Belkin’s new dock brings the thunder and noise.

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Is a dock that charges up to three tablets or smartphones at the same time overkill, or just an accurate necessity for our gadget-packed lives? Soon, you can judge for yourself.

Devices-maker EasyDoks this week announced the CR19, an alarm clock dock that at first glance looks akin to any ole dock. On deeper inspection though, the CR19 packs three ports for charging any Apple or micro-USB device, works as a sound system and includes a Bluetooth keyboard.  

Think of it as the gadget accessory for super-techies that come home with a dead iPad, Galaxy Note and mp3 player and want to send emails with their tablet docked on their desktop. Just make sure said super-techie gets their mileage out of the device. Priced at $84.99, the CR-19 won't come cheap, but it does pack a bevy of tricks like an internal cord management system, AC/DC and battery power, FM radio capability and an intelligent charging system that adjusts the wattage for each specific device (so your smartphone doesn't short out due to an over-charge).

Easy Doc says the CR19 will hit online versions of K-Mart, Sears and Target as well as Skymall.com and the company's own site in February 2012. The company will also attend CES 2013 with a six-gadget charging dock in tow. We'll be there too, so look for our hands-on impressions during the show.  

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Jawbone's latest portable speaker untethers the mobile audio experience for smartphones, tablets and notebooks via Bluetooth. Yes, this device is bulkier and pricier than the original Jambox, but the Big Jambox also promises much bigger sound along with apps to customize the experience. Find out if this $299 speaker lives up to its name.

Design

Click to EnlargeThe distinctive Yves Behar-designed grille (available in graphite, red or white) covers four of the speaker's sides, with large rubber buttons on top and eight rubber stabilizers on the bottom. Underneath the grille are two 2.25-inch drivers and dual passive bass radiators. The power and pairing buttons as well as jacks for AC charging, audio line-in and microUSB are on the unit's right side.

Measuring 10.1 x 3.7 x 3.2 inches and weighing 2.7 pounds -- as much as some ultraportable laptops -- the Big Jambox is about the same size and weight as the Bose SoundLink (5.1 x 9.6 x 1.9 inches, 2.9 pounds).

Included are microUSB and 3.5mm line-in cables, though there's no travel pouch. For mobile protection, you can pick up a carry case for $49.99 (or $24.99 bundled with the speaker). The metal speaker grille feels sturdy, but we wish it came with some sort of protection; the Bose SoundLink II, by contrast, has a built-in grille cover, and the Braven 650 comes with a bag.

Setup & Operation

Pairing the Big Jambox is simple: put any Bluetooth-equipped device in discoverable mode, press the Jambox's pairing button to initiate the handshake, and select the Big Jambox on your device.

The built-in rechargeable battery is rated for up to 15 hours, but typical usage yields around 11 hours. While the Big Jambox's microUSB port can be used for charging the speaker, it does so at a glacial pace. iOS users can see the speaker's battery life in a headset icon at the top of their screens, while Android users can download a free app with a battery meter and a few scheduling and voice-activation features. (There are currently no apps for other platforms.)

Using the large rubber buttons -- shaped according to their function -- is a pleasure, and the rubber feet on bottom keep the speaker from vibrating on hard surfaces. Holding down the + and - volume buttons turns on the LiveAudio feature (more on that later).

DialApps

The "J" button activates the speakerphone, though you can customize the button's function via the MyTalk website after a brief signup and software install. These DialApps let you configure the "J" button to do things such as voice dialing, access Siri on iOS devices, and access favorite numbers.

To install an app, users must first download the Jawbone Updater software onto their PC or Mac. From there, you plug the speaker into your notebook to sync apps and recent driver updates from the MyTalk website. Too bad you can have only one AudioApp and one DialApp activated at any given time.

Click to EnlargeJawbone Companion for Android lets users hear calendar alerts through the Jambox and display the speaker's battery meter on the phone.

You can also customize the voice that greets you when you power the Big Jambox on or off, pair it, or drain the battery halfway or less. Some of the voices, like the Mobster, are actually pretty funny; oddly (as of this writing) the voice that tells you when LiveAudio is turned on or off does not change.

Performance

Click to EnlargeMusic from the Big Jambox generally sounded crisp with an emphasis on treble, making the speaker sound very bright. Bass response wasn't as strong as on the Bose Soundlink II, and deep bass from the likes of Bass Mekanik disappears. However, bass guitar on Bob Marley tracks like "Exodus" came across with decent power. Our test unit distorted very slightly at top volume, but otherwise the sound held together well. Movie explosions in "The Bourne Legacy" came through reasonably well, and dialogue was clear.

The LiveAudio feature adjusts the timing of sounds so they reach your ears as though they are not coming from a 10-inch-long box, attempting to make the spatial cues more realistic. This feature works OK for movies, though it lowers the overall volume and shoves the dialogue into the background a bit. Forget about using LiveAudio with most music -- it mangled our rock, reggae and jazz test tracks. Fortunately, Jawbone maintains playlists on services such as Spotify and MOG containing music that works well with the LiveAudio feature.

In general, upper bass had less impact on the Big Jambox than on the Bose SoundLink II. The net result is that while tracks such as Bob Marley's "Exodus" will still sound punchy on the Big Jambox, it will sound warmer and fuller on the SoundLink. And when a drone missile strikes a secluded mountain cabin in "The Bourne Legacy," the Big Jambox's LiveAudio feature gives you better spatial cues as the missile comes in, but the SoundLink has a deeper rumble to it during the explosion. Gunshots actually sounded crisper on the Big Jambox.

Speakerphone calls were clear on both ends, and we could be heard well from anywhere in the room in relation to the speaker.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeLike its smaller brother, the $299 Jawbone Big Jambox has a stylish design and clever features, such as LiveAudio and speakerphone capability. Those who are solely interested in audio quality will prefer the Bose SoundLink, though that device lacks the ability to make and receive calls. But if you're looking for a multipurpose portable speaker with large sound, the Big Jambox is worth a listen.

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Your wireless speakers may have great sound quality, but do they also have cutting edge design? The Libratone Zipp is a Wi-Fi speaker that doesn't just sound great, it's also won the CES Design Award for two consecutive years. We got a chance to play with this fun and colorful speaker at this year's Pepcom.

Rather than operating over Bluetooth frequencies, the Libratone Zipp is a Wi-Fi speaker, allowing seamless integration with Airplay on any Apple device. A representative was able to instantly connect to the Zipp through the native Music app on his iPhone by clicking the Airplay button.

There is also an optional iOS app that greatly increases this speaker's abilities, allowing custom settings for different types of music as well as the speaker's spacial location, which optimizes playback whether on the floor, shelf or counter top.Using the app, we were able to tell the Libratone Zipp that it was resting on a table around 4 feet off the ground, which caused some very subtle audio changes. There is also an app for Android, but this speaker's seamless Airplay integration really enhances usability.

The Libratone Zipp's design is really what makes this device stand out in a crowd. There are three wool color sleeves included with the $449 version, allowing easy customization with a quick zip of the zipper. Colors are bright and playful, including Pineapple Yellow, Passion Pink and Icy Blue. There are a total of 8 different colored sleeves, available for $49.95 each through Libratone's online store.

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The new Lightning connector for the Apple iPhone 5, fourth-gen iPad and iPad mini has caused some controversy, but it has plenty of advantages. It's 80 percent smaller than the previous 30-pin dock connector (enabling thinner designs). And, because it's reversible, there's no wrong way to plug the connector into your iGadget. After a slow start, vendors are finally rolling out Lightning-compatible gear. Belkin, iLuv and Scosche are among the first to debut accessories, such as car and wall chargers and speaker docks. Here are our top Lightning accessory picks so far.

Whether you like to download songs from iTunes or stream from Spotify or Pandora, you're going to want a speaker dock to rock out with your iPhone 5. JBL's OnBeat Micro does just that, with its two full-range transducers that JBL says will fill a room with sound. The speaker dock charges your phone, and USB and line-in ports let other devices join in on the fun. Four AAA batteries supply up to 5 hours of listening time when you're away from an outlet.

Compatible with iPod touch, iPhone 5, iPad mini and iPad (4th-gen), Scosche's strikeLINE is a retractable charge-and-sync cable that extends up to three feet. A great solution for those who travel a lot or just need a super-portable charger, the strikeLINE lets you charge all of the Apple devices with one cable without worrying about tangled cords.

This cable with Lightning connector charges and syncs your iPhone 5, iPad (4th-gen), iPad Mini or iPod touch. Its coiled cord ensures that it doesn't easily get tangled, and connects to your computer or AC adapter via USB 2. Stretching to six feet, iLuv's Premium Coiled Charge/Sync Cable is double-shielded.

Belkin's dock lets you charge and sync your iPhone 5 or iPod touch (5th gen) quickly and easily. To use, just remove the magnetic base from the dock, then feed your Lightning cable through the cable channel. Replace the magnetic base and you're good to go. You can listen to tunes on your Apple device while docked through headphones or by connecting to a stereo system via AUX cable.

For those who spend a lot of time on the road, Griffin's PowerJolt SE charges all your Apple devices (iPhone 5, iPad 4th-gen and iPad mini). Pop it into your 12-volt accessory outlet, and its 10-watt charging circuit will power up your devices quickly. The coiled cable eliminates tangles and stretches four feet. Its SmartFuse guards against power fluctuations while your Apple gadgets are charging.

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Can't get enough Angry Birds? If the games, stuffed animals, pajamas and upcoming cartoon show aren't enough, now you can buy a set of portable Angry Birds speakers. At IFA Berlin, accessory-maker Gear4 unveiled a new line of portable mini speakers shaped like the red bird, black bird, blue bird, laser space bird and red space bird from the popular line of Angry Birds games.

The mini speakers, which will cost between $29 and $34 depending on the bird, contain rechargeable lithium ion batteries that provide 8 hours of playback after a 2-hour charge. A volume control dial on the side of each bird allows you to make it louder or softer. When a Gear4 rep turned up the volume on one bird at their booth, the music was extremely loud.

Each bird comes with a color-coordinated 3.5 mm jack and wire attached to it. These wires not only connect a bird to your smartphone, but also connect the birds to each other. So, if you buy more than one bird, you can connect the first bird to your iPhone and then connect the second bird to it and the third bird to the second bird and so on. A Gear4 rep said the company successfully daisy chained 25 birds together in its office.

There's also a larger Angry Birds speaker that costs $59.99 and is supposed to provide more power and fidelity. In addition to the speakers, Gear4 is introducing a line of Angry Birds-themed ear buds and Angry Birds cases for the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S III.

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Who says Bluetooth speakers have to be boring? The $199 Jawbone Jambox bucks the trend with bold colors and big sound in a travel-friendly design. Jawbone also gives users the ability to design their own custom speaker and supplies 3D audio. Does the Jambox hit all the right notes?

Design

Click to EnlargeThe Jambox could easily be passed off as modern art. Our eyes were immediately drawn to the bright red circular indentations -- aptly named Red Dot -- lining the perimeter. We had a hard time deciding what felt cooler, the dimpled red aluminum grille or the soft-touch red rubberized finish lining the top and bottom.

Jawbone keeps controls to a minimum. A Talk button, and plus and minus buttons for the volume, sit at the top of the speaker. Branding is subdued, too: a small Jawbone Jambox logo surrounds the minus button, and a small logo is engraved on the speaker's bottom.

A microUSB port, headphone jack and the On/Off switch sit on the Jambox's right. The On/Off switch is topped by a small LED ring that signals whether the device is in pair mode or has a low battery. Like the Monster ClarityHD Micro Bluetooth speaker, the Jambox has two drivers and a passive bass radiator.

The 0.75-pound, 5.9 x 2.2 x 1.6-inch Jambox is rather compact compared with the 0.83-pound 7 x 3.25 x 1.5-inch Monster ClarityHD Micro. Although the Jambox is small enough to fit in our hand and slides easily into a bag, it's not slim enough to stuff it into a pants pocket.

In addition to the Red Dot design, shoppers can choose three other chic looks: Black Diamond, Blue Wave and Grey Hex, each of which features its own unique geometric pattern. You can even create your own custom Jambox online. Starting Aug. 28, fashion mavens can mix and match from 13 grill and nine cap covers with four geometric designs. With more than 100 possible combinations, this easily eclipses the Monster ClarityHD Micro's three pairs of customizable plates.

Setup and Ease of Use

Click to EnlargePairing the Jambox with mobile phones and laptops was fairly simple. After moving the On/Off switch into the On position, we pushed it into the upmost position for 3 seconds until the LED ring began to flash red and white. A pleasant female voice announced that the speaker was ready to be paired.

A Dell Inspiron 17R SE 7720 with Bluetooth quickly found the Jambox, and we could stream audio within seconds. Pairing the speaker to our Samsung Galaxy S III (Verizon) was just as simple. The connection established within 2 seconds, and we were ready to take calls and play music.

Controls on the Jambox are pretty straightforward. Pressing the plus and minus raised and lowered the volume as expected. However, we got the best results when the volume on the phone or laptop was at maximum before using the speaker controls. Simultaneously pressing the volume buttons activates/deactivates LiveAudio, a BACCH 3D sound technology. Pressing the buttons again launches Sound Clarity mode, which delivers louder audio.

A quick press of the Talk button let us answer calls; pressing the button for 2 seconds ignored the call. Simultaneously holding down the volume controls quickly muted the speaker during voice calls. When we weren't taking calls, pressing the Talk button announced the remaining battery life. Holding the Talk button for 3 seconds activates the DialApp, a Jambox-specific app that enables users to configure the Talk button to voice dial.

Unlike the MonsterHD, the Jambox lacks controls for changing tracks, so you'll need to use your phone or other device.

Performance

Click to EnlargePlaying music on the Jawbone Jambox is a bit of a Catch-22. Thanks to the two audio modes (LiveAudio and Sound Clarity), listeners either hear rich, clear sound at lower volume or loud music that can sound harsh with noticeable distortion.

LiveAudio's 3D audio technology disperses sound, making it seem as if music is coming from a much larger area. As we listened to Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Kurt Kobain's jaded vocal was nice and crisp, as was the guitar. In terms of bass, we heard deep lows during Childish Gambino's "Bonfire" coupled with a bombastic rhyme scheme. However, we were most impressed with the full crisp trumpets and flutes on Quincy Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova." Despite the rich audio, though, the speaker failed to fill a small room.

When we switched to Sound Clarity mode, the Jambox pumped out music at a volume equal to the Monster ClarityHD Micro speaker, but our three test tracks had a significant amount of distortion, particularly on "Bonfire" where the bass threatened to overtake the entire track. Guitar on "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was harsh, as were the horns on "Soul Bossa Nova."

Overall, we prefer the mini Monster, which delivered more balanced sound without sacrificing clarity or volume. But the Jambox delivered clearer, sweeter highs on Live Audio mode.

Speakerphone

The Jawbone Jambox also functions as a speakerphone, making it handy for conference calls. When receiving a call, the speaker pauses music and a voice announces the phone number.

Our first set of calls made in Sound Clarity mode to mobile phones, landlines and Skype resulted in loud audio, but many of our callers sounded distorted and hollow, like the adults in a Charlie Brown cartoon. However, callers said they heard us loud and clear across-the-board.

Similar to playing music, calls in LiveAudio mode weren't as loud but were clearer. Skype callers reported some feedback, though.

Apps

Click to EnlargeJawbone augments the Jambox with a number of apps that add features not found on other Bluetooth speakers. For instance, users can switch out the generic female voice to one of 10 novelty voices, including "Classic Arcade," "The Thinker" and "The Bombshell." There are also seven available languages such as Spanish, Korean, French and Mandarin. Our favorite voice profile was "Classic Arcade," which delivered some 8-bit era beeps coupled with a robotic voice. The smarmy French accent of the "The Rogue" was a close second.

DialApps allow users to customize the Talk button on the speaker. Each of the seven DialApps (Voice Dial, Directory Assistance, MyFavorite, Voice Control, Voice on the Go, 1-800-Free411 and HandsFree Assistant) were useful in their own right. Voice Control was our favorite because it allowed us to use Siri or an Android voice assistant via the speaker.

To install an app, users must first download the Jawbone Updater software onto their PC or Mac. From there, you plug the speaker into your notebook to sync apps and recent driver updates from the MyTalk website. Syncing can take upward of 5 minutes, during which time you can't use the Jambox.

Too bad you can have only one AudioApp and one DialApp activated at any given time. It would be awesome to be able to cycle through multiple apps on the speaker instead of being tethered to a computer for a 5-minute download.

Jawbone Companion for Android lets users hear calendar alerts through the Jambox and display the speaker's battery meter on the phone. (When you pair the Jambox with an iPhone, the battery meter automatically appears next to the iPhone's battery gauge.) We wish that Jawbone would add a voice command app so we could issue commands to the speaker, similar to the Monster ClarityHD Micro.

Battery Life and Bluetooth Range

Click to EnlargeJawbone claims that the Jambox's Lithium-ion battery can get approximately 10 hours of play depending on the volume. That's twice as long as the ClarityHD Micro's 5-hour claim. During our testing, we were able to use the speaker for more than 8 hours, which consisted of streaming music and taking calls at medium volume.

We streamed music to the speaker from 29.5 feet away on both our Samsung Galaxy S III and the Dell Inspiron 17R SE 7720 before the sound faded. However, the signal became weaker at a closer distance when we put a couple of walls in between the speaker and the connected device.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeFor $199, the Jawbone Jambox is a compact Bluetooth speaker with a cool design that can be customized via apps, speaker grilles and caps to your delight. But while the Jambox can deliver nice highs, the $199 Monster ClarityHD Micro Bluetooth Speaker consistently delivered better sound, and at louder volumes, too. Still, if you're looking for a Bluetooth speaker with versatility, the Jambox will not disappoint.

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Monster Cables and Beats by Dre have gone their separate ways, but Monster Cable continues to make a name for itself as a standalone audio brand. Its latest offering, the $199 Monster ClarityHD Micro Bluetooth Speaker, delivers big sound in a relatively small package. In addition to voice conferencing, the Micro offers voice command features, making this accessory a great choice for mobile professionals and music fans alike.

Design

Click to EnlargeThe ClarityHD Micro is small enough to fit on even the most crowded shelf or desk. The 7 x 3.25 x 1.5-inch, 0.83 pound Micro cuts a rather slim, lightweight profile. While the 0.75-pound, 5.9 x 2.2 x 1.6-inch Jawbone Jambox is smaller and lighter, the Micro is extremely portable and can fit into just about any purse or small compartment in a backpack.

Our favorite part about the ClarityHD Micro's design is the pair of unassuming black metal grilles that wrap around the speaker's front and rear. The front plate has a small chrome Monster logo while the black plate is bare. The matte black covers are magnetic, making them easy to swap out for one of the other colored plates pairs (light blue, light green and pink, available for $19.95).

Click to EnlargeRemoving the front plate shows of the dual speakers separated by a Monster insignia etched into the plastic base. A micro-USB port and a line-in jack line a lower left panel along the back of the speaker. The right panel holds an On/Off switch and a reset button.

The top of the Micro is subtly recessed; at its center is a long button for volume and Bluetooth pairing, below a red-and-white ClarityHD Micro logo. The Micro's bottom has a soft-touch rubberized panel to keep it from slipping.

In terms of accessories, the Micro features a small wrist strap, an AC adapter with four alternate plugs, a micro-USB cable and a handsome velvet carrying pouch.

Set up and Ease of Use

Click to EnlargePairing the ClarityHD Micro to Bluetooth-enabled devices is as easy as a flicking a switch and pressing a button. We took turns pairing the speaker with the Samsung Galaxy S III and the iPhone 4S.

After placing each phone in pair mode, we switched the Micro on and pressed a button on top of the speaker. Micro made a slight purring noise and the status light flashed red and blue to signal it was in pair mode. From there a pleasant male voice delivered instructions, including the speaker's pin code. Once we were paired, the speaker made a happy chirping noise. The whole process took about three to four seconds on each phone and we were ready to play music.

Syncing the device with a laptop was just as speedy. After making our Fujitsu LifeBook U772 Ultrabook discoverable, we pressed the pair button on the Monster and listened for the distinctive purr. Pairing took a little longer at five to six seconds.

We ran into a bit of trouble with the speaker's volume buttons. Instead of adding skip/rewind buttons, users must short press the +/- buttons to skip forward or back and long-press to adjust the volume. There were more than a few occasions where we accidently skipped a track while attempting to adjust the volume.

Voice Command

Click to EnlargeAfter pressing the + and - buttons for five seconds, that friendly male voice informed us that "voice command is on." To activate voice commands, we simply said "Hello Monster Micro," and the speaker prompted us to say a command. The Micro responds to 24 individual commands, including "pair mode," "check battery," "redial" and accessing "settings menu." If we ever needed a refresher course on the command prompts, we used the "What can I say?" command.

We liked that we could use our normal speaking voice and appreciated the Micro's speed of execution. However, we wished we could use voice commands while playing music instead of having to pause the track and wait a few seconds before issuing commands.

Audio Quality

Click to EnlargeThe Monster ClarityHD bathed our testing room in rich, loud audio. Thanks to the pair of full-range drivers in the front and the large passive bass radiator in the back, the speaker delivered relatively balanced sound. However at higher volumes, we noticed some distortion.

Chrisette Michele's soulful soprano exuded sweetness and power over the organ and keyboards in "If I Have My Way." However, we noticed a bit of flatness in the trumpets, bass and vocals on Jay-Z and Young Jeezy's "As Real As It Gets." Still, we could clearly hear the delicate sprinkling of piano throughout the track.

The Micro fared better on Eric Clapton's "If I Could Change The World," with crisp percussion, clear guitar and Clapton's signature bluesy vocal. Babyface's backup vocals blended nicely with Clapton's for a nice harmony.

When we played the same tracks on the competing Jambox, highs were consistently richer, but we did hear quite a bit of distortion on the Chrisette Michele tracks, especially toward the bridge when the singer belts out a beautiful solo. The Micro blew the Jambox away in terms of volume and bass.

On a side note, the Micro has a rather annoying habit of chirping every couple of seconds when we paused the music for longer than 30 seconds.

Speakerphone

Click to EnlargeIn addition to playing music, the ClarityHD Micro functions as a speakerphone, good for conducting conference calls. If we received a call while listening to music, the track would pause as the Micro announced the call by reading out the number. We could either say "answer" or "ignore" if voice command was enabled, or simply press the + or - buttons.

Our test calls to landlines, cellphones and Skype were loud and crisp. There were a few instances on Skype where we experienced some echo. Our callers reported clear, loud audio on their end across the board.

Battery Life and Bluetooth Range

Similar to other Bluetooth products, the Monster ClarityHD Micro has a range of about 30 feet. During our testing, we were able to use both the Samsung Galaxy SIII and the Fujitsu LifeBook U772 up to 26 feet before the sound dropped off. However, the signal faded a lot quicker when we put a few walls between the speaker and the connected device.

Monster conservatively rated the Micro for five hours of battery life. During testing the device lasted nearly six hours before the red low battery life status light began to flash.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeThe $199 Monster ClarityHD Micro Bluetooth Speaker delivers a compact, travel-friendly speaker with loud, balanced audio and solid speakerphone ability. The pot gets even sweeter when you throw in the voice commands and switchable speaker plates. Consumers looking for a slightly smaller speaker with clearer highs should check out the identically priced Jawbone Jambox, but you won't get voice commands. Overall, the Micro is an excellent portable speaker that's a smart choice for mobile professionals or anyone looking for a lot of sound from a small package.

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The Veho VSS-009-360BT 360 M4 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker packs loud, crystal-clear audio into a tiny package, and even accepts microSD cards so you don't even need a smartphone to play tunes. But $99.95 is a lot to pay for a wireless speaker. Is the Veho worth the investment?

Design

Click to EnlargeAt just 2.6 x 2.3 x 2.3 inches, Veho's tiny cylindrical speaker fits into the palm of our hand. Its sleek, circular black-and-silver design is 5.3 ounces and crams two 2.2-watt speakers inside, protected by a metal grille. Among the lightest speakers we've tested, it's also only a bit taller than the DBEST PS4003BT Duo, which measures 2.4 x 2.4 x 1.7 inches.

A silver aluminum ring on the bottom of the Veho contrasts the mostly black design, and the silver Veho logo is right above that silver ring. On the bottom of the back you'll find the USB port (for the included USB power cable), a microSD card slot and an aux-in jack. The microSD card slot (the Veho supports up to 16GB) is a nice addition -- even if you don't have another device handy, you can still use the speaker.

On the bottom of the speaker lies a switch where you can select between microSD/Line in or Bluetooth. There's also a reset button here. On the top, the power button lays in the center, surrounded by four others: a button to skip to the next track, a button to go to the previous track, and volume. All the buttons, as well as a ring encircling them, light up blue upon turning the device on.

Setup

Click to EnlargeAfter charging the Veho, we turned it on and flipped the switch on the bottom of the device to Bluetooth; the speaker made a noise to indicate it was in pairing mode. We then paired the device with our iPhone -- we had to enter a four-digit code, an extra step removed by other Bluetooth speakers -- after which the device paired almost instantly. To turn the device on and off, we just held the power button down for 1 to 2 seconds.

Performance

We truly enjoyed the VSS-009-360BT's sound. Tracks such as Maroon 5's "Payphone" came through crystal clear. We felt like we were right next to Adam Levine as he bashed love songs with his high-pitched vocals. Kanye West's "Mercy" also rang loud and clear, with the sound easily filling up a large room at full volume. In fact, we could even hear the track from the next room with the door closed. However, those who like more bass will prefer the Satechi ST-69BTS; although audio wasn't as defined, it had a much greater lower end.

Click to EnlargeWhen we left the Veho on for a while without playing audio, it beeped intermittently, reminding us that it was still on.

Veho says the VSS-009-360BT provides only 2 hours of constant playback via Bluetooth. In our testing the speaker lasted a longer 2 hours and 45 minutes at 60 percent volume. While that's longer than Veho's claim, it's about 20 hours less than the DBEST PS4003BT Duo, and not even close to the second shortest battery life, the iHome iDM11's 5:25. The Satechi Audio Cube lasted 7:51. Bummer.

When we charged the speaker, it took us a little more than 2 hours, which is in line with the company's claim.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeWe love with the Veho VSS-009-360BT's audio performance and appreciate its compact and stylish design. However, we ultimately can't recommend this speaker because of its short battery life. And at $99.95, this device costs about twice as much as some competing products. For that price, you could get two Satechi ST-69BTS Audio Cubes and really crank out the tunes.

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The $69.99 DBEST London Duo PS4003BT Duo wireless Bluetooth speaker offers a sleek and innovative design and best-in-class battery life.

Design

Click to EnlargeMeasuring just 2.4 x 2.4 x 1.7 inches and 5.6 ounces, DBEST's PS4003BT Duo speakers are each a little larger than a golf ball, and fit nicely into the palm of our hand. The black exteriors have a soft matte finish, and, like the DBEST London, the speakers themselves are a shiny red.

A small strip of black plastic with the DBest logo spans the speaker, protecting it from damage. The speakers are rounded at the top, but have legs on the bottom to maximize sturdiness.

The coolest part? Although you'd think you'd be twice as likely to lose these tiny speakers since there are two of them, the interlocking bases are magnetic so they snap together for easy transport.

One speaker has an aux-in jack, and the other has a USB port for charging, an On/Off switch, and a volume dial. Unlike competing Bluetooth speakers, though, there are no controls to advance tracks.

Setup

When we turned on the DBEST PS4003BT Duo, it made a multi-toned ringing sound. Once paired with our iPhone, the speakers made another ringing sound. We appreciate that DBEST wants to give us so many alerts to indicate when we're ready to go, but we could do without so many tones. To use both speakers, we plugged the audio cable into their respective Input/Output jacks.

Performance

Click to EnlargeIn general, sound from the dual speakers was loud and accurate, if a bit bright. When we played Daft Punk's "One More Time," the vocals rang out in the electronic, funky way they're supposed to. When turned to full volume, the speakers shattered through a medium-size room and easily filled an extra-large room, although we noticed that audio from the second speaker was a bit softer. The Satechi ST-69BTS speaker, by contrast, offered equally loud sound, but much stronger bass.

According to DBEST, the speakers work up to 45 feet away from your device. When we traveled with our iPhone 4 around our apartment, we noticed only slight breaking in tracks when traveling between rooms.

As far as battery life goes, DBEST boasts that this speaker pair gets 20 hours of continuous wireless playback. When we tested this out, we got just shy of 22 hours of listening time. That's pretty impressive when you consider that the next longest battery life we've seen was about 16.5 hours from the Genius SP-900BT (with the volume automatically cut in half).

DBEST says the speaker set takes four to five hours to charge, but when we tested it out, it took only 3:24 to get them fully juiced.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeThe DBEST London PS4003BT Duo has an edgy design, and we appreciate the idea of having two speakers that you can spread out. Its battery life is incredibly impressive, and the sound is nice and loud. While we prefer the audio from the $44.99 Satechi ST-69BT speakers, if you're looking for a set that will last literally the whole day, DBEST's PS4003BT Duo is a very good pick.

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A party in a box, the Satechi ST-69BTS Audio Cube pairs with your phone or other mobile device via Bluetooth to crank out your favorite tunes. A bit larger than the competition but still travel-friendly, this $44.99 device promises jaw-dropping audio at a great price. Spoiler alert: it delivers.

Design

Click to EnlargeAs its name suggests, the Satechi ST-69BTS is essentially a cube with rounded sides. Measuring 3.1 x 3.1 x 3 inches and weighing 7.7 ounces, it's on the larger side for portable Bluetooth speakers. The iHome iDM11 is slightly smaller (2.75 x 2.75 x 2.75 inches) but a heavier 11.1 ounces. The portable speaker has a soft-touch rubberized black finish, and the Satechi logo and buttons on the top light up in blue when in use.

The clean design features three simple buttons on the top of the unit: Volume Up, Volume Down and Power. The Volume Up button does just that as well as skip to the next track, while Volume Down turns down the level of sound and skips to the previous track. The Power button turns the device on and off and plays or pauses a track. The sleek top of the unit where the buttons are found is shiny, but doesn't pick up fingerprints easily. Our only gripe is that you have to use a bit of force pressing down to get the stiff buttons to respond.

Click to EnlargeOn the left and right sides of the device are where the actual speakers are located. A mini-USB port and a 3.5mm aux-in jack sit on the back of the device.

Setup

After charging the ST-69BTS with over a mini-USB connection, we pressed the power button down for about five seconds to turn on the Audio Cube. It then beeped, and the outer rim of the top of the device started flashing blue.

To pair the Cube with our iPhone, we held the Power button down until the blue light flashed at a faster frequency. We then saw ST-69BTS pop up under Devices in the Bluetooth menu, and we tapped to connect. Once we were paired, the blue light on the Cube stopped flashing.

Performance

Songs boomed out of the Audio Cube. Popular hits such as Maroon5's "Payphone" sounded great. The dual 2-watt speakers easily filled a medium-size room, and handled Adam Levine's high-pitched crooning with aplomb. Kanye West's "Mercy" also blasted out of the speaker, but almost too much -- the bass became muddled, especially at the max volume.

By comparison, the Veho VSS-009-360BT delivered even crisper and equally loud audio, but didn't handle bass as well. Lower-end tones were much more driving on the Satechi Audio Cube.

Reportedly able to stream music from up to 33 feet away, we had no problem taking our iPhone with us and leaving the speaker 30 feet away while still listening to our favorite songs. However, when we took our iPhone 4 behind a partition in the room we were testing in, audio cut out and was spotty.

Battery Life

The Audio Cube automatically turns off after a few minutes of not using it, so it won't waste battery life. And while Satechi says users can get up to 5 hours of playback at 60 percent volume, we got an impressive 7 hours and 51 minutes of playback time. That clearly doesn't compete with the DBEST PD4003BT Duo's 22-hour battery life, but is much better than the Veho's endurance of 2:45.

Satechi says the unit takes 2-3 hours to charge, but it took us only 1:49. The top of the device lit up red while charging; when fully charged the light turned off.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeAlthough Satechi's ST-69BTS Audio Cube is on the larger side among palm-size Bluetooth speakers, its excellent audio and driving bass makes it sound even bigger. While we wish the buttons weren't so stiff, its fairly long battery life and low price of $44.99 -- half that of the Veho -- make it an excellent and affordable Bluetooth speaker.

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With a retro-style conical shape, the Genius SP-900BT definitely has a funky design. Plus, unlike some other palm-size Bluetooth speakers, this one can be used as a speakerphone because it has a built-in microphone. But is this $49.99 device the best of the bunch?

Design

Click to EnlargeWeighing 6.5 ounces, the SP-900BT is a bit heavier than some of the other Bluetooth speakers we've tested. However, we like The Genius SP-900BT's sleek yet retro design. It has a conical shape that tapers from the 3.2-inch speaker in the front to about 1.9 inches in the rear. The back is shiny black, while the ring around the actual speaker is matte silver. The device also comes in a white-and-lime color combo.

In the middle of the speaker is a silver circle with the Genius logo, and surrounding it is black speaker grill cloth. We worry about accidentally ripping a hole in this material. In fact, after a few days of use, we noticed slight tearing in the fabric. Fortunately, Genius includes a small drawstring pouch.

The round front slants toward the back, and features a USB port and an aux-in jack. In front of that are four silver buttons: Volume Up/Down, Power On/Off/Call/Answer and Bluetooth pairing. An indicator light lies above the buttons, and a rubber pad rests on the bottom of the speaker, so it won't slide around or damage any furniture.

Setup

After charging the Genius SP-900BT, we turned it on and held down the Bluetooth button. When the LED light started flashing quickly (which means it's in pairing mode), we went into our iPhone 4's Settings, tapped General, then Bluetooth and looked for SP-900BT under Devices. Once we saw the device, we tapped on it to pair. We knew the speaker had successfully paired with our iPhone when the blue LED light resumed its slow flashing.

We then accessed our iPhone's music library and played the track we wanted to hear. Audio instantly erupted from the Genius SP-900BT.

Performance

Click to EnlargeFor the most part, the Genius offered sound quality that was just a notch below the Satechi ST-69BTS, the DBEST London Duo and the Veho VSS-009-360BT. While it didn't have as much bass as the Satechi, or was quite as accurate as the Veho, the audio was loud and powerful. However, we did notice that sound became distorted at higher volumes.

While playing Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain" the bass was a bit hollow, but the piano riffs came through beautifully, almost like we were sitting on the bench with the pianist. Adele's mezzo-soprano vocals were crisp and rich, reaching the highs and nailing the lows. But when we played other tracks such as Katy Perry's "California Girls," the sound was more muffled. Perry's strong vocals sounded a bit tinny when belting out the popular lyrics.

Speakerphone

We appreciate the SP-900BT's speakerphone capability. When receiving calls, we had the option to answer via our smartphone, speakerphone or through the actual speaker. Calls came through clearer than with the iHome iDM11.

Battery Life

Genius says the SP-900BT should get 8 hours of playback time, but we got only about 3 hours and 30 minutes before it automatically cut the volume in half. After that, we got approximately another three hours of playback before the volume got even softer. The speaker lasted for another 10 hours after that before finally dying.

While this was only trumped by DBEST's PS4003BT Duo's battery life of 22 hours, we weren't fans of the automatic volume lowering. We'd prefer a device with a shorter battery life that lets us blast out our favorite tracks.

When left on and not in use, the SP-900BT beeped annoyingly until we turned it off. In fact, one night after using it, we were woken up by the random, intermittent beeping because we had forgotten to turn the speaker off.

Genius says the speaker takes 3 hours to charge, but when we charged the device, it only took 1 hour and 55 minutes.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeThe $49.99 Genius SP-900BT offers pretty good audio and a sleek design. The speakerphone capability also comes in handy. However, we're not fans of the automatic volume decrease feature that saves battery life. While it doesn't double as a speakerphone, the Satechi ST-69BTS Audio Cube costs $5 less, and offers better-sounding audio and longer battery life at higher volume. But for less than $50, the SP-900BT is a versatile and long-lasting little speaker.

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Compatible with iPod touch, iPhone, iPad and other Bluetooth-enabled devices, the cube-shaped iHome iDM11 Bluetooth speaker sports a funky design and speakerphone capabilities. Does its performance live up to the $69.99 price?

Design

Click to EnlargeLike an all-black Rubik's Cube, the squarish 3.9 x 3.9 x 4.5-inch iHome iDM11 weighs 11.1 ounces, easily the heaviest of all the Bluetooth speakers we've recently tested. Although we like the look of the geometric design, its edges are rather sharp, making it awkward to hold. One corner of the iDM11 has been sliced off, so the device seems to jut forward, with the speaker facing front.

On the back of the device are buttons for Bluetooth/Speakerphone/Play/Pause, Volume Up and Down, and Power. There's also a switch to enable Bluetooth as well as a microUSB port. However, their placement on the back makes it difficult to control the device.

Note: In the users' manual, iHome says to put a protective cloth in between the speaker and natural wood or lacquered furniture, which indicates that it could potentially scratch those surfaces.

Setup

When the iDM11 was fully charged, we turned it on by holding down the power button for about two seconds, and it made a short beeping noise while the bottom lit up blue. We then flipped the switch on the bottom to Bluetooth mode; the device beeped again and the blue light began flashing blue and red. Once finished pairing with our iPhone, the speaker beeped once more and the flashing lights turned back to just blue.

To turn the device off, we simply held the power button down for about four seconds until the blue light flashed red and the device beeped. We wish we didn't have to hold the button down for that long, but we appreciate the tone that confirms it's turning off.

Performance

The sound quality from the iDM11 was good, but it wasn't on a par with some of the other Bluetooth speakers we've tested. When we played Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain" on low-to-medium volume, the soulful singer's vocals, which are normally smooth and full of depth, came out somewhat wispy and weak. And although piano notes came out crisp and clear, the bass struggled, scratching and breaking. At full volume, the speaker easily filled a large room, but bass was noticeably distorted.

After about five minutes of not being in use, the speaker turned off automatically to save battery, which we appreciate. The iDM11 also stopped playing audio when we went behind a partition in our apartment, even though we were within 10 feet of the device.

The iDM11 also supports speakerphone capabilities. Calls came through clearly, and our caller said they could hear us well on the other end. However, calls on the Genius SP-900BT sounded a bit better.

Battery Life

iHome says the iDM11 can deliver music for up to 10 hours, but when we tested the speaker's battery life, we only got 5 hours and 25 minutes at midvolume. While this is nearly twice as long as the Veho (2:45), it's nowhere near the DBEST's epic endurance of almost 22 hours. The Genius SP-900BT lasted about 16 hours, but the last 13 or so was at a diminished volume.

iHome said it takes 3.5 to 4.5 hours to fully charge its device, but it only took us 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Verdict

Although we wanted to like the iHome iDM11 because of its innovative, funky design and speakerphone capabilities, its audio performance is not on the same level as class-leading devices like the Satechi ST-69BTS Audio Cube. If having speakerphone functionality is important, we recommend the Genius SP-900BT Bluetooth speaker, which costs about $20 less, and sounds better, too.

Though Philips and others have docks that work with Android devices, we haven't seen many connected alarm clocks that truly take advantage of the platform as most accessory makers concentrate their resources on buliding great iPhone or iPad docks. Fortunately, accessory-maker Gear4 feels your pain so it's coming out with the Android.Connect, a clock dock that lets you control the alarm and radio directly from your Android phone or tablet and even carries audio directly over the USB cable on select devices.

This week at Google I/O, Gear4 was showing off the Android.Connect and we had a chance to take a look at the device, which is due this fall for an undetermined price that a rep said would likwly be "sub $150." We were impressed with the Connect's simple, black plastic design,because it is shaped to accomodate all manner of Android devices, from the smallest phone to a larger tablet. 

Unlike other docks that have a micro USB port in one position and contain small mounting mechanisms, the Android.Connect uses your phone's own USB cable to connect. In one sense, this may seem inelegant, because you have a wire on something that is meant to be a dock, but because there's no fixed connector and a high plastic back to support the weight of your device, you can position your slate or phone in either portrait or landscape mode and it will stay mounted, with its screen accessible to you.

Having the screen on your device accessible is key, because the Android.Connect will ship with an app that lets you control the clock, the alarms and the radio. However, even without the app, the dock charges your device and, on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean devices, it actually sends and receives audio over the USB cable, no audio cable or Bluetooth connection required. The ability to send media data down the USB cable is new for Jelly Bean, but Gear4 says the dock will work with any device running Android 2.3 and above because the app will provide backward compatibility.

Unfortunately, Gear4 did not have the Android.Connect's app ready to show at Google I/O, but when we saw the dock, it was playing audio directly from the Google Play music app on a Nexus 7, because the music-over-USB functionality works on Jelly Bean devices today. We look forward to getting our hands on the Android.Connect when it launches this fall, but until then, check out the video below for a closer look.

Braven announced its new Six series today, including the Braven 625s, Braven 600 and Braven 650. These little wonders not only boost your audio anywhere, they can charge your devices simultaneously. Costing between $149 and $189, each of these speakers offer 3 watts of output along with 12 to 20 hours of battery life and continuous wireless play from up to 33 feet away via Bluetooth. 

The Braven Six series come in three models. The 625s is a rugged, shock-absorbing design ideal for sports or traveling. It comes with a waterproof bag, and comes with a USB flashlight built in. The aircraft-grade aluminum model Braven 650 is offers portability and the industry-leading aptX and AAC audio encoding. And the similarly outfitted Braven 600 comes in Ash Grey or Moab Red. Across all three you can daisy chain multiple speakers together to get even more sound. The Braven Six series speakers are available for pre-order now and will ship at the end of June.

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Small but powerful, the DBest London PS4001BT Solo Bluetooth Rechargeable Speaker can slip into a pocket, but fill a room with sound. But how much quality can a company stuff into such a small package that costs $59.99?

Design

Click to Enlarge

DBest London claims the PS4001BT Solo Bluetooth Rechargeable Speaker is among the world's smallest, and we believe it. About the size of a clementine orange, its 2.3 x 2.3 x 1.8 inch dimensions look positively tiny compared to the 6 x 2 x 1.5-inch Jawbone Jambox. And the Solo is way cuter than the 3 x 3 x 1.8-inch Satechi BT Wireless Bluetooth Portable Speaker System.

Our review unit was matte black with a flash of red from inside the speaker's dome. The Solo is also available in solid red, or a mix of red on black or black on red. The rubberized finish of the adorable and unadorned sphere feels nice in the palm of your hand.

After you flip the only switch on the exterior of this Bluetooth speaker, you'll be greeted by a cheerful series of four tones and a blue LED light. A small loophole along the speaker's mid-section allows you to attach a lanyard to the device. Also included is a Y cable with a microUSB plug at one end, a full-size USB plug at another, and a 3.5mm headphone jack at the third.

Setup

DBest says it takes three to four hours to fully charge

Click to Enlarge the speaker, but after connecting the included USB to mini-USB cord from the speaker to our PC, we found we only needed about an hour for the glowing LED light to switch from red to blue. We were very quickly able to connect the DBest Solo to our T-Mobile MyTouch 4G Slide by entering the default code (0000), and in a matter of seconds we were streaming Pandora through our phone.

Performance

We were floored by the audio quality the PS4001BT Solo provided. Music sounded orders of magnitude sharper and fuller than that of our phone's speaker. By comparison, the Satechi Bluetooth portable speaker, which sounded also clear and full, put out about half the volume as the DBest, even though its speaker is rated to 70dB while the DBest is rated to 80.

While playing an MP3 file of "Bad Things," Jace Everett's menacing and bass-filled voice boomed at a full volume and the high-pitched twang of the guitar produced the goosebumps that the theme from "True Blood" should. Also, Itzhak Perman's violin crisply danced through Paganini's "Caprices 5" even at half volume.

When connected to an iPhone 4S, sound was equally (and impressively) loud, but we noticed that higher tones became distorted and fuzzy, especially when we cranked the volume.

We maintained a Bluetooth connection at nearly 50 feet away, although the device is only rated up to 45. While you can adjust the volume of the speaker from your phone, the DBest doesn't have any onboard controls.

DBest also claims the speaker will wirelessly stream sound for 20 hours on a charge, or via a wired connection for 40 hours. Unfortunately, as there is no battery meter, there's no way to know when you're running out of juice.

Verdict

The DBest London PS4001BT Solo Bluetooth Rechargeable Speaker is so lightweight and easy to carry we couldn't see a reason not to take it with us everywhere. Whether you travel frequently on business or want to share some jams with your friends on the spot, this $60 speaker delivers quality sound in a fun and compact design.

• Alarm Clock Dock Roundup
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Sure, you can use your iPhone as an alarm clock, if you don't mind waking up to its mediocre speaker. A new generation of alarm clock docks turn your iPhone or iPad into the nerve center of a high-fidelity wake-up system and stereo. Some of these models come with dedicated apps that makes it dead simple to set your alarm, and one of them can even rattle your nightstand. Read our reviews to find out which iOS alarm clock delivers the right mixture of design, features and performance for the right price.

With a built-in sensor that detects when and how you're sleeping, Gear4's Renew SleepClock puts a interesting spin on the alarm clock dock formula.

Read our Gear4 Renew SleepClock Review

iLuv's Vibro II is a good-sounding iPhone alarm clock that features a versatile app and an accessory tailor-made for heavy sleepers.

Read our iLuv Vibro II Review

The Edifier Tick Tock Dock is an alarm dock with a funky design, but is that enough?

Read our Edifier Tick Tock Dock Review

iHome's iD50 offers quality audio and a built-in speakerphone, and it offers three separate apps to get the most out of this alarm clock dock.

Read our iHome iD50 Alarm Clock Review

The Philips DC390 alarm clock dock is an audio powerhouse, and can dock your iPhone and iPad at the same time.

Read our Philips DC390 Docking System Review

Stem's Time Command alarm clock dock for iOS devices can wake you with music and your lamp.

Read our Stem Innovation Time Command Review

iLuv's Vibro II is an iPhone/iPod docking station that seeks to solve the problem of users sleeping through their alarms. The solution? A small black cube that vibrates on your nightstand whenever your alarm goes off. But the Vibro II is more than just a gimmick. It also includes a first-rate app, as well as a solid pair of speakers. Not bad at all for $80.

Design

Click to EnlargeWeighing 1 pound and measuring 9 x 3 x 3 inches, the Vibro II is fairly light and compact compared to some competing alarm docks, such as the Philips DC390 (3.1 pounds, 10.4 x 9.6 x 6.3 inches) and the Stem Time Command (1.6 pounds, 7.6 around and 3.3 inches tall). Doubling as the unit's legs, the speakers create a valley in which the Vibro II's dock and controls reside. Our unit came in black, but you can buy the Vibro II in blue, pink or white if you're looking for a little personality.

The symmetrical design continues with the controls, two large circular buttons located on either side of the connector dock. The buttons control everything from the audio output mode and alarm settings to the volume and track selection. Between the buttons is a rocker that controls the alarm's sleep timer and time sync.

The Vibro II features a large LCD seated between the speakers. The display was somewhat hard to read under brighter lighting, even with the brightness turned all the way up. However, determining which alarm was set was easy, since only active alarms are displayed. The rear of the Vibro II offers a power port, Aux-in and output for the included alarm Shaker.

The Shaker is basically a roughly 2 x 2 x 0.5-inch black cube that sits next to your bed. Its extra-long 6-foot cord allowed us to place it as close or far from us as we'd like.

Setup and interface

Click to EnlargeAs it should be for an alarm dock, setting up the Vibro II was a snap. We just plugged in the A/C adapter and Shaker in the back of the unit and placed our iPhone 4S onto the dock. Our iPhone then prompted us to download the app for the Vibro II from the App Store. There are currently two apps available for the Vibro II: Alarm Clock HD by iLuv and the iLuv App. We downloaded both just to be safe. Oddly, the apps both featured the same layout and functionality, so we deleted the iLuv App and chose to use the Alarm Clock HD app instead.

Despite the initial confusion, we found the Alarm Clock HD by iLuv app to be one of the best among iPhone alarm clocks. The indicator bar at the bottom of the screen let us choose between the clock, weather, radio, iPod and menu screens. The default homescreen features a large clock, as well as the current weather and temperature. Swiping from right to left allows you to choose between a "retro," digital, analog and world clock design. Tapping the option menu at the top of the screen provides access to the alarm controls, sleep timer, clock format and color theme.

Click to EnlargeTapping the weather icon in the indicator bar pulls up the current weather conditions, as well as the five-day and six- to 10-day forecasts. Tapping the radio icon provides access to a host of Internet radio stations, while the iPod icon lets you tap into your music collection. Our one complaint about the app is that it doesn't include an equalizer component, a feature many other alarm docks offer.

Features

Beyond its excellent app, the Vibro II's best feature is its Shaker alarm accessory. As its name suggests, the Shaker, which is included as part of the system, vibrates when your alarm goes off. During our testing we found that the Shaker vibrated about about as much as a smartphone. While that's not exactly earthquake-level, you can always move it as close as you like without worrying about radiating your head while you sleep.

Performance

The iLuv Vibro II's large speakers produced accurate and pleasant sound. The harmonies in Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild" sounded crisp and the thump of the bass-heavy opening was satisfying. The guitar rich sounds of 36 Crazy Fists sounded just as clean; the guttural growls of the lead singer didn't drown out the backing vocals or instrumentals. That said, the Vibro II's speakers couldn't match the power of the Philips DC390, which produced enough bass to shake a large table.

Verdict

The iLuv Vibro II is a great alarm dock that offers one of the most full-featured apps available, and the Shaker accessory is effective at waking heavy sleepers. If you're looking for something that offers a more immersive music experience, we'd suggest Philips' $149 DC390 alarm dock. But for $79.99, you'd be hard-pressed to find a docking station that's better than the iLuv.

When you were a kid, nothing got you out of bed quicker than when your parents came in to your bedroom and turned on the lights. Stem's Time Command alarm clock dock aims to accomplish the same task, albeit more gently. When it's time to get up, this $99 dock can gradually turn on a lamp, easing you out of your slumber. The Time Command has pretty good audio and an iOS app, to boot. But is this the best dock for less than $100?

Design

With a 7.6-inch diameter and standing 3.3 inches tall, the 1.6-pound Time Command's rounded design--which makes it resemble a Roomba-- helps it stand out from the crowded alarm clock dock market, which generally have more of a rectangular shape. Size-wise, it fits between the Philips DC390 (3.1 pounds, 10.4 x 9.6 x 6.3 inches) and the iLuv Vibro II (1 pound, 9 x 3 x 3 inches). In the center of its matte black top is the Time Command's dock connector, the base of which moves back and forth to accommodate bulkier iPad and iPhone cases.

Positioned in front of the dock are the Time Command's glossy black interface buttons. The dock's digital display complete with red backlighting is positioned on the Time Command's face between its wraparound speakers. Although the display's lighting was bright, we wish Stem had chosen to use a more soothing color, such as white or blue, rather than its intense red.

Setup and interface

After downloading and installing Stem's free Time Command app, it will ask if you want it to track your current location to provide you with weather updates. Tap yes to allow tracking and you're set. That's the extent of the setup process.

A bar at the bottom of the screen allows you to choose between Clocks, Brightness, Sonic IQ equalizer, Settings and Information. The Clocks tab serves as the app's home screen and provides you with your choice of a large digital or analog clock (we were partial to the analog version), as well as your alarm settings. Above that are the app's weather and music player panels.

Tap the calendar while on the weather panel to check the five-day forecast. If you want a more detailed forecast, you can tap the Weatherbug icon in the top left corner of the screen to open Weatherbug.com. To get to the app's music player, simply swipe from right to left while on the weather panel. The player was fairly useful and allowed us to choose between listening to our personal music collection stored on our iPhone or Internet radio stations.

In general, we appreciated the level of functionality the Time Command app offered. However, when we would navigate through the different settings, it would hang for a few seconds. At times, we had to lock and unlock our iPhone phone for it to become responsive again.

Features

Time Command's best feature is its secondary outlet on the side of its power adapter. This accessory lets you connect a lamp and turn it on and off using the dock. The Time Command app gives you even more control, allowing you to dim or brighten the lamp's output (provided you're using an incandescent light bulb). You can also set your light to automatically switch on to full brightness when your alarm goes off. If the thought of being blinded first thing in the morning is a bit much, you can set your lamp to gradually increase its brightness level. It's a really great addition to the alarm clock formula.

Like most alarm docks, the Time Command syncs its time with your iPad/ iPhone/ iPod when connected. The one thing that's missing from the Time Command is the most basic feature of all, an AM/ FM radio. Granted, when you connect your iPhone or iPad, you can access all manner of music services via the web, but without those devices, the Time Command is basically a brick.

Performance

We tested the Time Command's performance by listening to 36 Crazyfists' "Aurora" and Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild." The guitar riffs on Aurora sounded crisp and the vocals were clear, but the bass sounded a bit too flat for our liking. Even when we changed the app's Sonic IQ equalizer to the rock setting and enabled its bass enhancer, the bass still didn't have that deep hit we were looking for.

Sonic IQ's's Sound Field Expansion setting allows you to spread the sound from the Time Command's speakers across a large area or make audio sound more concentrated. We found the latter setting offered richer treble and bass with more oomph.

While the Time Command was pleasant to listen to, overall, we found that the Vibro II produced a more authentic-sounding musical experience. Instruments sounded clearer and lyrics were easier to understand when they came from the Vibro II's speakers.

Verdict

Stem's Time Command is a quality alarm dock that offers some useful features. We were equally impressed with the unit's bedside lamp integration, as well as its Sonic IQ equalizer. And while you won't get the kind of bass other more expensive systems offer, the $99.99 Time Command is one of the best sub-$100 docks we tested. For $79.99 the iLuv Vibro II provides a superior app experience and slightly better sound quality. But for especially deep sleepers, having the lights turn on may be the best way to wake up.

iHome has been the go-to alarm clock dock for Apple's products since before the first iPhone launched. The company's latest effort, the iD50, hopes to continue that tradition by offering a powerful speaker system augmented by function-specific apps. So does the $169 iD50 deserve your consideration? Read on to find out.

Design

Click to Enlarge

Measuring 10.6 x 6.2 x 4.3 and weighing 2.9 pounds, the iD50 is somewhat bulky, but not as large or heavy as the Philips DC390 (10.4 x 9.6 x 6.3 inches, 3.1 pounds). The iD50's deck is covered in a matte black paint job that looks significantly better than the glossy coating worn by its predecessors, but still looks too plain. We prefer the aluminum cabinet on the Philips.

The unit's flexible dock connector and cradle are pushed toward the back to make room for the system's 15 backlit buttons. While we always appreciate more options, the large amount of buttons the iD50 sports makes the deck look busy.

Both sides of the iD50 are wrapped in a band of silver plastic that gives the unit some character, while the speakers jut out ever so slightly. The alarm's LCD, situated between the speakers, offers large, ghost-white numbers and letters that put less strain on your eyes in the dark than the traditional red lighting used by most clocks.

While we appreciate that the iD50 includes an AM/FM radio, the separate antennas attached to the back of the unit created a rat's nest of wires.

Setup and interface

Click to Enlarge

Setting up the iD50 was quick and painless. Attach the unit's AM antenna and frame and then connect your iPad, iPhone or iPod to the dock connector. You should receive a prompt telling you that your device doesn't have the appropriate app for the iD50. Follow the on-screen link to download the app from Apple's App Store and you should be set.

There are three apps available for the iD50: iHome Set and iHome+Sleep are both free, and iHome+Radio costs $1.99. The iHome Set app is the most basic, and lets you set your alarm clock, set sleep timers and listen to music. The iHome+Sleep app includes a Stats feature that tells you how many hours of sleep you've gotten, what your most recent wakeup time was and how many times you pressed the Snooze button. The $1.99 iHome+Radio app provides users with access to Internet radio websites, but doesn't provide you with sleep stats.

Each of the apps are fairly easy to navigate. Still, the fact that iHome requires users to download three separate apps to take full advantage of its alarm clock is annoying. Each of these apps could have easily been combined into one, such as with Stem's TimeCommand app.

Features

Hands down, the iD50's best feature is its speakerphone. Instead of having to disconnect your iPhone from the dock whenever you get a phone call, you can just tap the iD50's answer button and start talking. You can also make calls by dialing from your iPhone's touchpad and redial the most recent number by double-tapping the green call button on the dock's deck.

The iD50's Bluetooth feature was also particularly convenient, as we were able to listen to music on the iD50 without having to connect our iPhone to the dock connector. The unit's speaker phone worked over Bluetooth, too.

The iD50 includes an easy-to-use remote capable of controlling everything from song volume to the equalizer's performance and the speakerphone function. Unfortunately, pressing some buttons required some extra effort that that made the remote flex. The remote for the Philips DC390 felt much more sturdy.

Performance

The iD50 offered crisp and distortion-free audio, providing enough bass and treble to give our test tracks an extra bit of flair. When we switched on the SRS WOW TruBass feature, the thunderous bass hits of Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild" echoed through our office, lending a sense of depth to the music. We noticed a bit of distortion while playing with the treble and bass settings via the iD50's equalizer, but that was only when we switched either to the highest or lowest setting. Although good, the iD50's sound quality didn't match the Philips DC390's output, which offered deeper bass and sharper guitar riffs.

We wish there was a way to easily switch between the Bluetooth and dock connector output when your iPhone or iPad is paired with the dock via Bluetooth. Instead, you have to open your iPhone or iPad's settings and turn off its Bluetooth radio. It's also worth noting that the iD50's volume will mirror your iPhone's, so if you turn your phone halfway up, the dock's speaker will be limited to that volume.

Verdict

The iHome iD50 offers a host of features and very good audio for $169, and its speakerphone feature is a plus. We also like that there's an old-school AM radio on board. Overall, though, we prefer the $199 Philips DC390, which for $30 more lets you dock your iPhone and iPad simultaneously and sports a more premium aluminum design. Still, if iHome consolidates its three apps into one, we would have no qualms putting the iD50 next to our bed.