The Best Portable Speaker For Your Lifestyle

In a world where technology has always needed wires, wireless speakers can feel a little like magic.

Usually, wires are necessary for two reasons: Power and the audio connection.

For now, wireless speakers are typically powered by batteries, either the traditional type that you can remove and charge or internal batteries that can be recharged.

As for the audio connection, that is usually operated with Bluetooth technology.

Bluetooth devices work by broadcasting and receiving short-range radio waves at 2.4 GHz. There are 80 channels in the 2.4 GHz band (from 0 to 79), which is why a lot of your technology can run on this frequency without interfering with other radio wave frequencies such as televisions and radios.

Bluetooth devices can therefore connect to one another by automatically choosing one of those 80 channels to communicate on (and actually shifting between those channels with a technique known as spread-spectrum frequency hopping for better security).

This also means that several transmitters (such as your phones) can connect to the same Bluetooth device on the same frequency, allowing more than one person to take control of the tunes.

A portable waterproof wireless speaker may be the best choice for you if you plan on taking your speaker to the beach, a pool party, or even simply playing music while you’re taking a shower.

Possibly the best portable waterproof Bluetooth speaker is the JBL Xtreme 3. This clever model is IP67 rated, which means on the Ingress Protection (IP) scale, it scores a 6 (out of 6) for solids (such as dust) protection, and a 7 (out of 8) for liquids protection.

That means it’s 100% protected against dusty and sandy environments, and very highly protected against moisture, so it could continue to function just fine even if you drop it in the pool or splashed water over it (just don’t purposefully leave it in the water for your event).

The JBL Xtreme 3 also features a carry strap to bring it with you anywhere, wireless Bluetooth streaming, a built-in powerbank, and even a handy bottle opener.

Or for something more compact and simpler, the Go3 will do the trick. It also carries an IP67 rating and has up to five hours of playback time for all your events and activities.

Are you the life of the party and the first to suggest karaoke at any event or road trip?

The good news is that there are portable karaoke speakers designed just for you.

The JBL PartyBox On-The-Go is more than just a wireless speaker. It offers 100 watts of JBL Pro Sound for clear and powerful music no matter where you are, but it also comes with a synched light show that will bring the party to life, and a JBL wireless microphone with a 10-metre range for show-stopping performances.

This means you can connect the PartyBox to your Bluetooth and set up your favourite tunes, then get on the mic to add the lyrics. You also have the option of getting a second microphone for beautiful duets with its dual-mic input.

When you want serious sound on the go, a boombox ticks all the wireless boxes.

The JBL Boombox 2 is the loudest JBL boombox and most powerful portable speaker, ever. It can ramp up the deep bass and play for up to 24 hours at a time, making for an instant party anywhere, at any time. It’s splashproof and allows you to link with other JBL Party-Boost compatible speakers, so you can connect your audio to this boombox and others for a full-on surround sound effect.

Plug it in to charge, then enjoy wire-free music with Bluetooth connectivity.

When it comes to portable outdoor Bluetooth speakers, you are truly spoiled for choice. There’s everything from small handheld devices such as the JBL Clip 4 , right up to massive boomboxes that can make the ground shake.

If you’re unsure where to start, a side by side comparison can help you decide which model is best for your lifestyle. Our Help Me Choose portal will run through the various features available and help you narrow down the options to find the best portable speaker for your needs.