I want to get a portable Bluetooth speaker setup for hotel room usage – playing Spotty or other downloads to the phone. Any advice welcome!
ATM Bluetooth speakers
by 27 Comments
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Musings on the byways of popular culture
Cambridge Audio Go. Good sound. Great battery life. Solid construction. Not stupidly expensive.
We have a Jabra Solemate which is great. Bluetooth/line in/USB DAC. About 75 quid.
I have a JBL Flip which has proved sturdy with a good sound. They’re now onto the Flip 2, maybe even 3. Kids have Kitsound Hives which also seem to stand up to concentrated use. Flip has a line in and Bluetooth, not sure about the Hives line in.
Speaking as a moron, are they stereo?
Is have one of these Monster ClarityHD….
Mainly use for conference calls but it’s reasonably good for music (and reasonably loud) and it’s only £20. It’s a pretty old model and the newer ones seem to get good reviews.
I have the Cambridge Minx Go (same as Pencil). Lovely sound and portable enough (think big paperback). I use mine in the kitchen all the time and then grab it for the garden or travels. I also have a Jabra speak 510 which is really a conference call speaker for Skype or Bluetooth phones. It’s brillian for work and surprisingly good as a portable speaker for music.
Stereo isn’t that important I don’t think. There isn’t enough seperation on a travel speaker to make it effective.
Well I agree but stereo brutally summed into mono by the wiring isn’t the same as zero separation but still stereo I suspect. Whether it makes any real difference is probably academic I concede. But listening to a stereo mix in mono sounds weird – you need to tweak it a bit.
OK I’m in. Fantastic reviews, Brit made, right price. The Boom looks great but not quite what I had in mind, borne in mind for future reference though, as is the similar design Flip – looks boy proof, so one for the Christmas list. The Bose probably sounds best but I’m loath to ram something that classy and expensive into my overnight bag, and once you buy the case etc it adds up and becomes a bit big. The smaller Bose is very cool too. Couldn’t find examples of the others to try in my home from home, the Manchester Trafford Centre. Probably for what I want they would all do in all honesty. The Hive is noted as I like to look of the company and will be investigating their gear – love the Bluetooth dongle/aux jack idea. Looks a great company and I feel a desire to buy something from them. Ta all!
Strictly speaking: Brit designed, China built, if that kind of thing matters to you.
Useless fact: I use the same CE testing facility as Cambridge Audio. Told you it was useless…
It has the audio codec you recommended! And the smartphone charge function is clever!
I bought a creative labs one about a year ago and I’m very pleased with it. Nice and compact but better still, waterproof so I can use it in the bathroom. The fact is rubberised means it also feels quite rugged. There are several colours, this is the red one https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00LW1U5JC/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_3
Just bought this one:
The hard case and a quality connector lead added about another £20 but I’m really pleased with it. I picked it because the reviews were very enthusiastic about the bass response, and rightly so. Good bit of kit.
If money is no object, the Bose Soundlink Mini at around £150. I have the original one and it makes a terrific racket. Good battery and sound quality. Bluetooth or mini jack in. No idea what their cheaper one is like (Soundlink Colour).
Another vote for the Bose. Very portable and great sound. I’ve been painting the bedroom – a tedious process vastly improved by having it perched on the wooden bed head. Unbelievable sound from such a tiny thing.
Bose Soundlink Mini thirded.
Another vote for the Bose Soundlink Mini II. Surprisingly powerful sound. I took my iPod down to John Lewis and tested three different models including the Cambridge Go and one other that I can’t recall at present. There wasn’t much between them and it just came down to personal preference.
Bose Soundlink Colour is amazing. Room filling sound in a very portable package
Had a look at one last night – great sound…but a bit heavy as a portable / business trip device? Also the guy said you have to charge it on the charger base thingy – is this correct?
If you mean the Soundlink Mini, no you don’t – can plug the charger cable straight into the speaker. (It’s also got an audio socket for non-Bluetooth kit like iPods.) Pretty sure the Soundlink Colour doesn’t come with a charging cradle.
Yes my bad, I posted two answers, both to the wrong posts. :-0
Cheapo option – used one on holiday as my brother has one – Mifa F1, about £20. Robust, reliable, good sound
Asked the same question earlier this year and was receommended the Cambridgde Audio Go speaker. It’s been great for me; good powerful sound and reasonably priced.
I’ve got a UE Boom, which has the advantage of not looking like a speaker at all, more a piece of ordnance. Good sound and range, can be controlled by smartphone (I believe). Also has a jack input, and is apparently water- and shock-proof, so good for the beach. Can be doubled up to provide “proper” stereo. I really like mine, it goes away everywhere with me.
We used mine as communal area entertainment, and an emergency speaker to listen to Humpbacks singing, the last time I went to Baja, and the trip organisers immediately bought 2 when they got home.
Of course, and even better for all, as with many of my significant purchases, they’re now a whole lot cheaper than when I bought mine…
Hive 2 is fantastic value. It has bass better than you’d think for the size. Line in, usb charge, Bluetooth in. Ace. We have one here in Ireland for the vac. Fills the cottage with dub. And its dubh too.
You is one clever fox.. dubh indeed!
Looked at one of these last night. Funky bit of kit! Do you have to use the charger is comes with or will any USB charger power it?
Bah, meant this for to post above! I have a hot date with Maplins on Friday to look at a Hive