That's exactly what we'll do in this article — we'll tell you how to choose the perfect portable speaker, based on the tips we know and your common mistakes.

Types of portable speakers: determining their purpose

Choosing a portable speaker is not only about sound, but also about ergonomics, functionality, appearance and much more. Conventionally, all portable speakers can be divided into 5 types, knowing the advantages and disadvantages of which will make it easier for you to choose a model with an emphasis on the characteristics you need.

Ultraportable (mini speakers)


A mini speaker is ideal for those who care more about compactness than sound quality. It's easy to carry around in a backpack, shoulder bag, and sometimes even in the pocket of a jacket or hoodie. It doesn't take up much space at home, it can be placed anywhere on the bedside table, bathroom shelf or computer desk. It can be taken on trips, bike rides, at the beach, to listen to audiobooks, podcasts, or to talk with somebody without having to take the phone out.

But such a speaker will not surprise you with loud, deep and rich sound and will most likely start to wheeze if you turn the volume up to full. You're likely to get a mono sound, squeaky highs and no audible bass in the mix, although that's not a clear-cut condition. In some models (usually branded) the bass and audibility can be quite satisfactory, but as you turn the volume up, all of that will almost inevitably be lost. You won't get a high-capacity battery for obvious reasons, but you will be able to charge it relatively quickly. So, let's summarize.

Advantages: compact body, minimalistic design, fast charging.
Disadvantages: low power, mono sound, weak low frequencies, a lot of high frequencies, wheezing at high volumes.
Model examples: JBL GO 3, Sony SRS-XB13

Classic portable speakers


This type of speaker is the most common because of its versatility. In such models you will get two speakers or 2.1, and as a consequence, more or less sane sound with the presence of bass and not bad volume. The size and weight will be two or three times larger than the ultraportable speakers, but still comfortable to carry in a backpack or in the hand. The power of the system will be enough to sound a large room, a country yard or a small picnic outdoors. Such models may also have a more varied form factor and design, backlighting, an expanded set of connectors, integrated radio and sufficient battery capacity to provide a charging function for gadgets.

Advantages: design variability, better sound with bass, expanded range of functions (radio, power bank, etc.)
Disadvantages: wide range of models, it is difficult to decide which one to choose.
Examples of models: JBL Flip 6, Tronsmart Trip, Xiaomi Mi Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Portable speakers

Boomboxes


Heavy division. Both literally and figuratively. Boomboxes are characterized by powerful sound with assertive bass and bright highs, a strong body protected from dust and moisture, a stationary handle for easy carrying, and a large-capacity battery for long-term operation. All this affects weight, size and, accordingly, cost. Essentially, a boombox is a small music center, the only difference being that it runs on a built-in battery and not on a power outlet. Some models can weigh up to 7 kg and reach a length of more than half a meter. You won’t hide such a speaker in a bag or backpack, you won’t take it on a long trip, and it will take up all the space on your bedside table. But this is an excellent option for the street, a private house, a large apartment and even a small public space.

Advantages: powerful and loud sound, capacious battery.
Disadvantages: increased dimensions, weight, price.
Example models: JBL Boombox 3, Rebeltec SoundBox 440, Marshall Kilburn II

Smart speakers


A smart speaker is a separate caste. We will say at once that not all of them have autonomous power supply, and therefore are portable. But we will talk about smart speakers with a built-in battery. The key feature of such mini systems is their smartness. Such a device, as a rule, is a loudspeaker with a built-in computer and microphone, and sometimes a video camera and touch screen. Smart speakers can not only play music via Bluetooth, but also respond to voice requests, such as weather or news. And they can also connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi and stream music from various online services and control the smart home via the built-in Home Assistant function.

A smart speaker is a home option, but nothing prevents you from taking it outdoors and connecting your smartphone or tablet to it (provided you have a built-in battery). However, not all smart speakers have a waterproof housing and a powerful audio system capable of fully sounding the open space, and they are not cheap to risk ruining such a speaker in outdoor conditions.

Pros: ыmart features, streaming audio.
Disadvantages: inability to adapt to street conditions, price.
Examples of models: Devialet Mania, Xiaomi Smart Speaker IR Control, Sonos Roam

Smart speakers

Construction speakers


The name of these portable devices speaks for itself. They are designed for use on the construction site. Usually they are produced by the same brands that produce power tools: Bosch, Makita, Dewahlt, etc. Distinctive features of these speakers: design in the style of power tools, housing with a high level of protection against shock, construction dust and moisture, FM receiver with an external antenna for confident reception of radio signals through the walls, as well as combined power from the mains and from rechargeable batteries compatible with power tools of the same brand. The niche of construction speakers is very narrowly focused, on the other hand, they are ideal for extreme conditions. Such a speaker can be taken even to the mountains, nothing will happen to it.

Advantages: high degree of housing protection, good radio signal reception.
Disadvantages: construction design, price.
Model examples: DeWALT DCR029, Bosch GPB 18V-5 C

Construction radios

TOP 8 tips for choosing a portable speaker

Having decided on the type of speaker, all that remains is to narrow down the choice to one model. And our following recommendations will help you with this.

Materials

Portable speakers can be made of different materials, but the most popular is plastic. It can be cheap, or it can be high-quality and durable, such as ABS polymer. Cheap and thin plastic is not only unsightly, it is also bad for sound. Such a housing may squeak or rattle at high volumes. Well, it’s not worth talking about the appearance.

It would be good if your future speaker has a soft-touch coating with rubberized inserts. Soft-touch plastic makes the housing pleasant to the touch, protects against excessive soiling, and rubberized inserts soften shocks and falls. Also check the speaker grille. Preferably, it should be made of metal or a durable, water-resistant fabric such as burlap.

Dust and moisture protection


Pay attention to the presence of the IP marking (ingress protection) in the specifications. It is designated by numbers from 1 to 8. The first number is protection against clogging by loose objects, such as dust or sand, the second – from moisture and liquid. The higher the numbers, the better.

Ideally, if the characteristics indicate the IP 67 – 68 marking, such a speaker can be used without fear by the pool or on the sea beach, it can even be dipped briefly in sea water.

It’s worse if the marking is something like IPX4 (if the number is replaced by the letter X, the protection is not defined). This means that it is better not to come into contact with sand and dust, and immersion in water is out of the question, no more than a splash or drizzle.

It is quite bad if there is no IP marking. So, it is better not to take this speaker outdoors, and at home do not touch it with wet hands. Such a speaker simply has no protection against external factors.

Mono or stereo

If your device has only one speaker, then it produces a mono sound. This is usually the problem with mini speakers and some smart speakers. But sometimes there can be mono sound even if there are two speakers, so make sure that the word “stereo” or “2.0” is present in the characteristics. Passive emitters (these are usually present in the side parts of the body) would also be useful. A passive woofer enhances low-frequency response due to air resonance. Even better if it is a 2.1 system. In this case, you will get not only two-channel sound, but also some kind of digital subwoofer that will provide deep bass to the sound.

Portable speakers with passive emitter

Volume

We will tell you right away that you will not find such a parameter as volume in the specifications, so we will teach you how to determine the volume level based on the power and sensitivity indicators. The higher the power of the system, the louder sound it can reproduce without distortion. The higher the sensitivity, the louder the speaker will play at lower power. So, to ensure your speaker plays loudly and without distortion, look for a model with a sensitivity of at least 95 dB. As for power, here take the following gradation as a rule:

  • 1.5 – 3 W is the volume level of an average smartphone. This volume will be enough to listen to podcasts, radio or audiobooks by placing the speaker next to you.
  • 10 W – such a speaker is already suitable for the street. For example, for cycling or picnics in a narrow circle. But if you move away from it at least 3 – 5 m, the sound will noticeably weaken.
  • 15 – 20 W – sound level of a TV or radio. Such a speaker can be fully used as home acoustics, and outdoors its sound will be audible at a distance of up to 50 m (provided there are no obstacles or background noise).
  • 20 – 40 W is enough power to turn on music outdoors or on the beach for a company of up to 10 – 15 people.
  • from 40 W – with such power you can safely throw a noisy party.
Note: choose a portable speaker with a power reserve of at least 20 – 30%. If you turn the volume knob all the way up, the sound will begin to distort, the body will rattle, the battery will drain twice as fast, and your system will not last long. All this will not happen if you listen to the speaker at a volume of 50 – 70%.

Frequency range


The optimal frequency range that the human ear can hear is 20 – 20,000 Hz. As we age, our sensory capabilities decrease, and with them the limits of audible frequencies. So if the range of 20 – 20000 Hz is indicated on the speaker, take it safely and don't worry. You won't hear anything beyond these limits anyway. It's another matter if it's the other way around. Speakers with high woofer threshold (from 50 – 60 Hz) will suffer from lack of deep bass, and from 120 Hz you can forget about them at all. As for the upper range, the limit of 18 000 Hz can be considered acceptable. Not everyone will hear frequencies higher than that, and not everyone likes too bright HF. Moreover, in small or cheap speakers it is usually expressed in sudden and squeaky sounds, which can be unpleasant to the ear.

Battery

The higher the battery capacity and lower the power, the higher the battery life of your speaker. This is usually stated in hours in the model specifications, but you should keep in mind that this calculation is based on a volume level of 50% and is usually overestimated. Also, some speakers at low charge levels (usually 10%) will start to emit a short periodic warning signal. The sound is interrupted at the time of this signal, making further listening impossible. Also, the operating time may be reduced due to the low efficiency of the amplifier and additional power consumption of the speaker electronics. Therefore, safely subtract 30% from the specified number of hours, and you will get the real operating time at a volume of 50 – 70%.

Connections

Choose a speaker with a newer version of Bluetooth (5.0 and higher), this will have a positive effect on the stability of the connection and will set you up for long-term trouble-free operation. It would be nice if the speaker additionally had an NFC chip, so pairing would be even easier, but keep in mind that the NFC range is measured in centimeters, so you will have to hold the smartphone close to the speaker. The presence of AUX will allow you to listen to music without losing the quality inherent in wireless communication protocols, and USB C will provide efficient and possibly even fast charging, if you have the appropriate function and cable.

Some models have a slot for SD cards, which makes it possible to listen to music without dependence on external connections, but it is not worth getting excited about it. The built-in player does not always support high-capacity cards or audio files with high bitrate.

Additional functions

Here we have added features that are not always or very rarely included in the basic set of an average portable speaker, and are rather marketing options to increase demand and increase the price of the product. In other words, you can do without them, but it's more fun with them.

Speakerphone — allows you to use the speaker as a loudspeaker for phone calls. The function is convenient, but it is better to disable it in a company. Especially if you don’t want to advertise some of your contacts. This is done in your smartphone's Bluetooth connection settings. When pairing with your device, disable the Phone Calls option.

Lighting effects — usually synchronized to the beat of the music, creating a strobe effect. As a rule, they have several modes, such as pulsating, blinking or smoothly changing colors. The option, fortunately, can be disabled.

Flashlight — often found in construction speakers, it helps to drain the battery, but it shines brighter than the flash of a smartphone.

Power bank function — allows you to use the speaker's built-in battery to charge other devices. May be present in models with high-capacity and energy-efficient batteries.

Wireless charging of devices is a very rare feature that is found in TOP models of portable or smart speakers. It works provided your smartphone supports wireless charging and is compatible with standards.

Lossy codecs support is another rare but useful feature that will help improve the sound quality of your speaker and reduce the delay in Bluetooth audio synchronization. Usually we are talking about support for AAC or AptX codecs, but keep in mind that your smartphone must support them too.

A resonant speaker (vibraspeakers) is a very rare and little-demanded type of speaker. The principle of a vibraspeaker is to use hard surfaces to transmit sound waves. Instead of creating sound waves in the air, this speaker converts sound waves into vibrations that are transmitted through any hard surface it comes into contact with. Thus, the surface itself becomes the source of sound. Many vibraspeakers do not have a traditional membrane, and therefore do not allow for independent operation. On the other hand, they can create a unique sound experience depending on the surface on which they are installed.

Portable speakers with aptX

Seven main mistakes when buying a portable speaker


So, now when you know everything about portable speakers, or almost everything, you will surely avoid many mistakes that are made when buying them. But let's formulate the most common ones just in case.

Focus only on the brand

TOP brands like JBL, Dali or Sony do not necessarily guarantee you an outstanding experience. You can buy a speaker from a little-known manufacturer and it will sound better than a JBL of equal characteristics and three times more expensive. Conversely, if you buy an expensive Harman, you may be very disappointed. The same goes for durability. Although in theory a more expensive speaker is more likely to last longer due to higher quality components, this is not necessarily the case in practice. Therefore, if cost is a significant factor for you, do not hesitate to look for a speaker among little-known brands, you can also find very good models there.

Believe in the declared autonomy

Let's repeat it again. The characteristics of the speaker indicate maximum autonomy at a volume of no more than 50%. In addition, this figure does not take into account energy consumption for additional functions and the energy efficiency loss factor. Do you want to get an objective figure? Divide the stated amount by two. If you make a big mistake, you won’t be very disappointed; if you make a smaller mistake, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Choose a speaker without moisture protection

Buyers often think: Why should I spend money on a speaker with dust and moisture protection if I’m not going to take it outside? What about accidentally spilled drinks, condensation, wet hands and other force majeure situations? And if you still want to take speaker to a picnic, will your frayed nerves be worth it if the speaker suddenly falls under water and gets damaged? Isn’t it better to eliminate such a danger in advance and buy a model with at least minimal protection?

Evaluate sound from video reviews

When watching a video, you will have at least two conditions that distort the actual sound of the speaker. This is the quality of the microphone that captured the sound when recording the video and the quality of playback of your speakers, which will sound this video. And this does not take into account the characteristics of the acoustics of the room, decoding the audio track, etc. In other words, the sound of the speaker recorded on video will reach your ears changed beyond recognition. It is best to listen to the model live, but if this is not possible, rely on the characteristics of power, sensitivity, and frequency range. So at least you can determine whether it has bass and whether the volume is enough for your needs.

Neglect sound characteristics

Oh, what a beautiful and inexpensive speaker, you should get it! It seems to you that you made a good and profitable purchase, but in the end, it turns out that the speaker sounds simply disgusting. There is no bass, the sound is a complete mess, wheezing at high volumes, and your favorite tracks are distorted. If you are buying a speaker not for listening in quiet radio mode, but to enjoy music, always pay attention to the sound characteristics.

Choose only a smart speaker

As we have already said, smart speakers are primarily designed for integration with a smart home, but their musical abilities and autonomy are often limited. But if these points are easy to identify when choosing, then you are unlikely to predict the smartness of the speaker with accuracy. Let's start with the fact that in inexpensive models the functionality is usually reduced, the sensors begin to fail over time, and speech is recognized worse. But if you buy an expensive model, you may end up not using half of the functions as unnecessary, but you may miss the simple joys of a regular portable speaker.

Trust reviews

The perception of music is a very subjective thing, and what sounds good to you may sound bad to someone else and vice versa. In this sense, you need to trust the reviews of other people with caution, unless, of course, this is your friend with whom you have the same musical tastes.

Conclusions

Portable speaker is a unique device, without which it is difficult to imagine modern life. The market offers models for every taste and budget, it remains only to make the right choice ... We will be glad if our guide will help you in this and you will be the happy owner of a portable speaker that will be perfect for you. Are you still deciding where to buy it? Our catalog of portable speakers is at your service!