Top Bluetooth Speakers 2023

You pay a premium for it, but the stylish and outdoor-friendly Sony SRS-XG300 speaker delivers commendable bass and offers lots of customizability in a portable package.

The Marshall Emberton II is alright for music. It has a balanced sound profile suitable for listening to a wide variety of audio content. Its balanced mid-range ensures vocals and lead instruments sound clear and present in the mix, and there's a bit of extra warmth and boom in the bass range too. It also has a fantastic soundstage that you'll perceive as immersive and spacious-sounding. Unfortunately, like most small speakers, it also lacks low-bass, so you can't feel the deep thump and rumble typically present in bass-heavy music. That said, while there isn't a graphic EQ to let you fully customize its sound to your liking, there are EQ presets you can use to choose a sound you prefer.

The Ultimate Ears BOOM 3 is good for outdoor use. This amazingly well-built speaker has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Since it's battery-powered, it's very portable, and it even has a built-in hook so you can attach it to your bag or backpack. Also, its 360-degree design helps create an open, spacious soundstage, so you feel immersed in your audio from all angles. However, it doesn't get very loud, which can be disappointing.

The JBL Charge 4 is reasonable for outdoor use. It has an IPX7 rating for water resistance that certifies it to be immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes, so you don't have to worry about it getting wet when taking it outdoors with you. Thanks to its fairly small and lightweight build, it's incredibly portable, so you can easily bring it with you out and about. However, it doesn't get especially loud, and there's some compression at max volume.

The Marshall Willen is satisfactory for outdoor use. Its compact, portable design makes it easy to bring with you on the go, and there's even a built-in strap on the back of the speaker. It's rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, so you don't have to worry about getting dirt and sand in the speaker, and you can drop it in water for up to thirty minutes without issue. Given its small design, it's not a big surprise that it doesn't get as loud as larger speakers on the market, but it's still suitable for smaller gatherings.

The JBL PartyBox 310 is good for music. It has a slightly boomy sound profile that you can add even more bass to using its Bass Boost feature. It can also play stereo content, and it can get really loud, although there are slight compression artifacts at max volume. You can also customize its sound to your liking using the graphic EQ featured in its companion app.

The Bose SoundLink Revolve isn't bad for music. Its sound profile is quite neutral, especially in the mid and treble ranges where vocals and lead instruments are reproduced. However, it lacks a lot of low-bass, which is disappointing for fans of bass-heavy music genres. Its 360° speaker system helps create large and wide directivity, but unfortunately, it doesn't get very loud.

The Marshall Middleton is good for outdoor use. It's a portable Bluetooth speaker that's designed to bring on the go, with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. While it's on the heavier side for smaller speakers, its removable carrying strap still means that you can carry it in one hand without issue. It lasts a little over seven hours off a single charge, which is great for a day outdoors. It gets loud enough for smaller gatherings. However, it can't quite fill larger, more open backyards with sound.

The Bose SoundLink Revolve II is alright for music. It has excellent directivity thanks to its 360-degree design, resulting in a wide and spacious-sounding soundstage. It also has a neutral sound profile suitable for listening to a wide variety of music. Its relatively balanced mid-range ensures vocals and lead instruments sound clear. That said, like most small speakers, it lacks low bass, so you can't hear the deep thump and rumble often present in bass-heavy music. Unfortunately, there aren't any sound customization features like a graphic EQ you can use to tweak its sound to your liking. It also doesn't get very loud and has noticeable compression artifacts at max volume, so your audio may not sound as clean during louder listening sessions.

The Denon Home 150 is an interesting attempt at a hi-fi smart speaker, but it satifies neither ambition.