Top Bluetooth Speakers 2023

The portable, splash-proof JBL Charge 2+ delivers a solid Bluetooth audio experience at moderate volume levels, but distortion can creep in on tracks with intense bass.

The EcoXGear EcoPebble is a portable, waterproof Bluetooth speaker that delivers decent—not great—audio for a very reasonable price.

The Soundfreaq Pocket Kick packs stereo sound and speakerphone function into an attractive – and very portable – package.

It’s a shame the portable and Apple AirPlay-equipped iHome iW1 speaker distorts at high volumes, but it’s not necessarily a deal-breaker if you don’t listen to music with deep bass.

The ION Pathfinder 280 is alright for music. Vocals and lead instruments sound present out-of-the-box, though there's some unevenness in the mid and treble ranges that causes them to sound alternately honky and veiled at times. Also, it lacks a thumpy and rumbling low-bass. Fortunately, there's a graphic EQ and presets to tweak its sound to your liking. There's also a Boom Button to help bump up the bass. It gets loud enough to fill large crowded spaces, making it suitable for parties. Unfortunately, its soundstage is perceived as fairly narrow and isn't as immersive.

The Anker Soundcore 2 is okay for outdoor use. It's well-built, and its 15-hour battery life should last for long days on-the-go. It also has an IPX7 rating for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Since it's battery-powered, you don't have to worry about plugging it into an outlet to use it. However, it doesn't get very loud, and there's some compression at max volume.

The aluminum grille on the Victrola Music Edition 2 speaker makes it look nice and strong, but the metal distorts the sound and makes it far too bright to listen to.

The ION Pathfinder 320 is alright for music. This party-oriented speaker has a boomy sound out of the box, so bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop are somewhat lacking in clarity. That said, bass lovers can add more to the mix using the Boom button. Also, if you want a different sound, the graphic EQ in the companion app makes it easy to customize.

The Sonos Roam SL is alright for music. It has a neutral sound profile out of the box, making it suitable for listening to a wide variety of audio content. Its balanced mid-range ensures vocals and lead instruments reproduce clearly and with detail. There's a bit of extra warmth in the high-bass range that adds extra boom to the mix. You can tweak its sound to your liking, thanks to the bass and treble sliders in its companion app. However, like most small portable speakers, it lacks a thumpy and rumbling low-bass. It also needs to be paired to another speaker to play stereo audio and downmixes stereo content to mono when using it on its own, which isn't as immersive.

The Klipsch The One II is alright for music. It has a boomy sound profile that adds some punch to the bass, though it can also muddy vocals and lead instruments. That said, like most speakers its size, it lacks the thump and rumble in the low-bass range that fans of bass-heavy music like hip-hop and EDM tend to enjoy. Unfortunately, there aren't any sound customization features you can use to tweak its sound to your liking. However, this stereo speaker can still get pretty loud, though there's some compression present at max volume that can affect the quality of your audio during louder listening sessions.