Top Bluetooth Speakers 2023

The Sony SRS-XE200 isn't bad for music. With its default ClearAudio+ feature enabled, it has a very boomy sound profile that adds boom and punch to the bass. Like other speakers its size, it lacks low-bass, so you can't feel the deep thump and rumble typically present in bass-heavy music. The underemphasis in the treble range also causes higher-pitched vocals and instruments to sound veiled. Fortunately, you can tweak its sound profile thanks to the graphic EQ featured in its companion app. While this doesn't bring the bass up to a thump and rumble, it still gives you some control over its sound. Unfortunately, it doesn't get very loud, and there's a lot of compression at max volume that degrades the quality of your audio when the volume is maxed out.

The JBL PartyBox 110 is satisfactory for music. This party speaker can get loud enough to fill a large crowded room. With its 'Bass Boost' feature set to '1', it has a somewhat boomy sound profile overall, with a balanced mid-range, so vocals and lead instruments are clearly reproduced in the mix. That said, it lacks some rumble in the low bass. There's also compression present at max volume, so your audio doesn't sound as clean at louder volumes.

The Anker Soundcore 3 is passable for music. With its 'Bass Up' feature turned on, it struggles to reproduce the deep thump and rumble in low-bass that's often present in bass-heavy music like hip-hop or EDM. Its mid-range is relatively balanced, ensuring vocals and lead instruments sound clear. However, its underemphasized treble range can cause higher-pitched vocals and instruments to sound dull and veiled. Thankfully, its companion app features a graphic EQ and presets that can customize the speaker's sound.

The Bose SoundLink Color II is decent for podcasts. It has a well-balanced mid-range, so dialogue is reproduced clearly and accurately. It's also very portable and lasts for almost ten hours on a single charge, so you can listen to podcasts on-the-go. That said, sibilants like S and T sounds may be perceived as dull or veiled due to the speaker's underemphasized treble range.

The JBL Xtreme 3 is alright for music. Out of the box, it reproduces voices and lead instruments with relative clarity, so it's suitable for a wide range of music genres. That said, there's a dip in the treble that adds a dull quality to the sound, though you can use its graphic EQ to make up for this a bit. Given its small size, you don't get a deep rumble in the low-bass, either.

The Anker Soundcore Rave Neo speaker delivers solid Bluetooth audio and LED lights from a waterproof frame for a relatively affordable price.

The Marshall Stanmore II Bluetooth speaker delivers strong audio, but its price feels a bit high for the overall experience it delivers.

The Bose SoundLink Mini continues Bose's line of excellent Bluetooth speakers, this time in a smaller form and with a more affordable price tag.

Pricing a Bluetooth speaker at $299 is risky business, even for Jawbone. Is bigger, better enough to justify it?

The Marshall Woburn 3 is very good for music. It comes with many features to optimize your listening experience, including a placement compensation tool in the app. It lets you input the position of the speaker in your living room, whether it's near a wall or in a corner. Bass and treble levels are adjustable, too, so you can get the sound you want. Since it reproduces an extended bass, you can feel the deep thump and rumble in bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop.