Bluetooth Speaker Buying Guide - Updated 2020
We know that choosing a New Bluetooth Speaker can be a complicated task..how do you decide between all the different features and decide which one is best for you?
No worries..we got you covered. To help you find the best Bluetooth speaker, here is a simple buying guide that can show you everything you need to know as well as our top 10 speaker choices and their pros and cons.
Connection type - 4.0 or 5.0?
Bluetooth, like most technologies, is updated every few years or so, but these updates are all physical, meaning you cannot download any software to update the Bluetooth connection on your phone or speaker.
So, if you have a phone that only has a 4.0 connection and you get a newer speaker that requires a 5.0 connection, you will not be able to connect your phone to the speaker; you would have to get a new phone or use another device that has 5.0 connection.
Before picking a speaker out, you should make sure that whatever you plan on connecting to the speaker, whether it is a phone or not, has the same or a higher Bluetooth connection than the speaker itself.
One of the main differences between the types of Bluetooth connections is that the newer versions (4.0 to 5.1) are less likely to disconnect or have connection issues, they are able to connect to other types of devices (smart home devices), and they can have a much longer range of use than the other versions.
Control types
Most speakers rely on the phone or mp3 player to control the music, but there are a few speakers that have built-in voice commands, similar to the smart home devices from Google and Amazon. Sometimes these can act up and not respond, but you always have the choice to control it using the usual method as long as it is not only a voice-command speaker.
Bass power
Most speakers say what their frequency range is in Hertz, and those that support lower frequencies (below 100hz) usually have the best bass. Most speakers typically support between 80Hz to 40kHz, but there are some that support frequencies as low as 50Hz or less.
Battery life
Usually, the average battery life a Bluetooth speaker can have on a full charge is between 3 and 12 hours of constant run time. However, there are a few speakers that can play music longer, but these usually have a lower sound quality to make up for the battery life.
Waterproof and/or weatherproof
These days, it is hard not to find a weatherproof and/or waterproof Bluetooth speaker since most of the time people like to play their music outside, and there are some speakers specifically made for those who like to listen to music in the shower. Still, you may want to check if the speaker you are looking at is truly weatherproof or waterproof because there are even some newer models that are not.
What are the advantages of Bluetooth speakers?
Bluetooth speakers let you play music practically anywhere without having to worry about needing a power outlet each time or an AUX cord that fits the device that you are playing music from. In some cases, they are even more powerful than stationary speakers, too.
Things to look for that differentiate them.
Some wireless speakers do not actually use Bluetooth to connect them to the devices, but they instead use Wifi to connect them. There are some that use both as well, but it is a good idea that you check how it connects in case you plan on using the speaker where there will be no Wifi.
What is the best way to use a Bluetooth speaker?
If you want to get the best out of the speaker, keep it fully charged and stored in a dry and safe place when you are not using it. You may want to consider getting a case for it if you plan on keeping it in a car or taking it with you often to help keep it safe and undamaged.
Are they better than wired speakers?
Some people think that wired speakers have a higher quality of sound when compared to Bluetooth ones. This can be true depending on the more technical specs of the speaker, but it is actually more common for wired speakers that have a better sound quality to be more expensive since wired speakers are not meant to be moved around or transported as easily, making them bigger and bulkier.
Usually, wired speakers that are more affordable than Bluetooth ones do not support songs or sounds that have a more powerful base.
How to maintain your speaker.
Try to keep the speaker dry whenever possible because even if it is weatherproof and/or waterproof speakers , exposure to too much water over time can shorten the lifespan of the speaker. If it gets dirty, you could wipe it down with a damp (not wet) cloth before drying it off.
Top 10 Bluetooth speakers
The first on the list, this speaker has a standard cylinder-shaped design that rests horizontally. Unlike other models, this one has five different inner speakers that make it louder and have better bass.
When looking at the technical specs, it is easy to see how this has made it onto this list between the 50Hz to 40kHz frequency range, 12-hour long battery, and waterproof exterior and interior.
This connects with Bluetooth 5.0, but it also has a standard-sized AUX cord that you can use with devices that do not have Bluetooth. One of the cooler features this has is that it can be paired with one of the newer TVs that have Bluetooth, and they can also be paired together if you have one or more of them so that you can have multiple speakers playing from the same phone or device.
There is also an app for the speaker where you can control the frequencies to either raise or lower 9 different frequencies: 80, 150, 300, 500, 700, 1k, 5k, 8k, and 12kHz. All of these frequencies can be set to either be 6 decibels higher or lower which can either be a slight difference if the volume is low or a significant one if the volume is high.
Pros
Cons
The design of this speaker is very similar to the last one, except this one has a more triangular design so that it can rest on one side while pointing in the direction the face is set at. It is also a little smaller, only having 4 speakers instead of 5 like the previous one.
This one connects with Bluetooth 4.2 but also has a standard-sized AUX port and some basic volume, previous/skip, and pause/play buttons on the top of the unit. It is also splashproof, but it is not entirely waterproof speaker, so you probably should avoid dropping it in water or leaving it in the rain.
It is a little less powerful than the last speaker, but one of the features that make this one especially unique is the fact that it has a replaceable battery, something that nearly no other portable speaker has. The reason that this is a valuable trait is that if the battery dies and the rest of the speaker is fine, then it can be replaced, saving you money when compared to buying a new speaker.