Music for a modern person is an integral part of life. How pleasant it is to take a walk to the sounds of your favorite melody coming from the headphones! To help music lovers who want to share their favorite works in good quality with friends everywhere, portable speakers were invented. This relatively new technology for transmitting audio signals begins its history in 2009, over the years, portable speakers have become so good that they can compete with stationary options.
A wide variety of portable speaker options on the market today can confuse the most tech-savvy person. The rating of high-quality portable audio systems will help you navigate the variety of goods and choose the best product for a reasonable price. The rating includes only the best manufacturers of audio equipment: affordable quality is quite real today.
Attention! We talk about portable acoustics, which are popular in 2024, here.
Content
There is an opinion that portable speakers are pure pampering, necessary only for outdoor recreation. In fact, there are a lot of options for their use. Such speakers will allow you to listen to music wherever there is no access to an outlet: beautiful, deep sound will be infinitely pleasant, and listening to music from the standard audio output of the phone will seem impossible.
A huge advantage of a portable audio system is that it does not consume, but, on the contrary, saves precious minutes of phone operation. Often, portable speakers are used in tandem with a laptop, if the gadget supports Bluetooth, at home it will be possible to avoid tangles of additional wires. They also buy such speakers for the car, since many models are equipped with AUX.
If buying portable speakers still seems like a avoidable waste of money, the main benefits of the product are worth considering:
So that the purchase does not bring disappointment, you should clearly define the necessary options: the popularity of models often does not guarantee that the equipment will suit each specific person, since everyone has their own expectations from the device.
Criterias of choice | Impact of the criterion on the product |
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Speaker power | Directly related to sound volume. The minimum power is 3 W, the maximum is 20 W. The higher the volume, the more distorted the sound is as a result. |
Stripes (number) | The more bands, the clearer the output sound. Cheap portable speakers most often have only 1 lane - they have 1 speaker. The best option is three-way speakers with 3 speakers. Two-lane models are considered intermediate. |
frequency range | The wider the range, the better. The minimum indicators are 20-500 Hz, the maximum ones are 10000-50000 Hz. |
Number of channels | Mono systems (1.0), stereos (2.0 and 2.1) differ in sound quality by bass density. Single-channel systems reproduce sound flatter than stereos. 2.1 stereo systems differ from 2.0 in that they have a subwoofer, which gives the most dense, rich and deep sound. |
Signal to noise ratio | Portable speakers have indicators from 45 to 100 dB, the higher the indicator, the better the sound. |
Wireless technologies | These can be Bluetooth, NFC, Wi-Fi and AirPlay for Apple gadgets. The availability of these characteristics will depend on the possibility of wireless data transmission. |
Battery life | An excellent indicator for wireless speakers - 10-15 hours of operation without recharging. |
Weight | Often, the low weight negatively affects the other characteristics of the speakers: a weight of 500 grams is considered to be suitable for excellent technical equipment of a gadget. |
Column management | These can be buttons on the speakers themselves, a built-in display or control using a device connected to them. The choice in favor of one of the options depends solely on personal preference. |
Inexpensive models of portable speakers can serve for many years without causing any complaints from the user. The budget models so popular today have wide functionality and excellent technical characteristics, and small shortcomings are more than smoothed out by the price of the product.
Criterias of choice | Model characteristics |
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Number of channels | Monosystem 1.0 |
Power | 3 watts |
frequency range | 180-20000 Hz |
Signal to noise ratio | 80 dB |
Battery life | 5:00 |
Weight | 130 g |
Price | 30 $ |
The clear, loud, rich sound of these speakers will surprise the owner, especially when you consider the maximum compactness of the device. The minimum dimensions allow the speakers to be carried anywhere and everywhere: for this purpose, there is even a strap mount. The headset mode will be extremely convenient with this version of the device operation: the speakers have a button to answer an incoming call and a speaker for talking. Finding a good-sounding mono-channel model is difficult, but JBL has managed to create a really decent one.
Column video review:
Criterias of choice | Model characteristics |
---|---|
Number of channels | Stereo system |
Power | 6 watts |
frequency range | 85-20000 Hz |
Battery life | 10 hours |
Weight | 270 g |
Price | 40 $ |
Products from China today can compete with products of leading European manufacturers and even surpass them in many respects: powerful and inexpensive devices from Xiaomi that are rapidly conquering the world are a direct confirmation of this.
Mi Speaker is the most popular model of the entire range of portable speakers from this company. Excellent technical characteristics, affordable average price - mobile speakers will become a real treasure for the music lover. The developers managed to concentrate many advantages and functions in these small speakers: this is the ability to use the device as a headset, and connection to external devices via Bluetooth or a 3.5 mm jack, and a color indicator of the charging level.
The creators paid special attention to the development of the speaker system: in terms of sound power of medium and low sounds, the speakers can well compete with much heavier units.
More information about the column - in the video:
Criterias of choice | Model characteristics |
---|---|
Number of channels | Monosystem 1.0 |
Power | 3 watts |
frequency range | 90-20000 Hz |
Signal to noise ratio | 77 dB |
Battery life | 6 o'clock |
Weight | 140 g |
Price | 16 $ |
Cyclists have chosen these speakers: the elongated body makes fastening to the bike easy and convenient. The speakers can be used as a headset and even a stand-alone device that works as a music player, the speakers have a headphone output. The model is equipped with a flashlight and radio: cycling will be especially pleasant with speakers. The sound quality is far from ideal, but it is not expected from this device: mini-speakers from Supra are bought for their small size and wide functionality.
About this bicycle accessory in the video:
It is difficult to answer the question of how much a first-class technique costs. However, the high price of the product is usually more than justified. The most popular portable speaker models among music-savvy people cost no less than $ 100. Although you can sometimes find real pearls among the goods with aliexpress, it is quite simple to answer the question of which company is better to buy speakers - it must be a well-known manufacturer who has been developing audio equipment for a long time.
Criterias of choice | Model characteristics |
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Number of channels | Stereo system |
Power | 16 watts |
frequency range | 70-20000 Hz |
Signal to noise ratio | 80 dB |
Battery life | 12 hours |
Weight | 510 g |
Price | 100 $ |
Many music lovers in Russia, and not only on the question of which portable audio system is better to buy, answer unequivocally: JBL Flip 4. It is these babies who will be able to capture the imagination of the most sophisticated people in music: the improved quality of the 2.0 system, perfect acoustics, the ability to reproduce the lowest possible sounds - there is all.
The manufacturer has worked hard to bring the product to an unattainable level. The model is ideal for the field: it is equipped with a waterproof case and the ability to play music on a single charge for 12 hours.
Review of the gadget - in the video:
Criterias of choice | Model characteristics |
---|---|
Number of channels | Stereo system |
Power | 25 watts |
frequency range | 20-20000 Hz |
Signal to noise ratio | 80 dB |
Battery life | 12 hours |
Weight | 590 g |
Price | 100 $ |
Sony portable speakers look like an alien device thanks to LED lighting around the perimeter of the product, which changes the intensity to the beat of the music. The model is equipped with a stylish waterproof case, built-in microphone and Mini Jack. NFC makes it easier to connect to an iPhone or iPod. The model sounds great at medium volume, but the low frequencies leave a lot to be desired: probably, bass lovers can be somewhat disappointed.
Column video review:
Criterias of choice | Model characteristics |
---|---|
Number of channels | Stereo 2.1 |
Power | 10W + 15W from subwoofer |
frequency range | 62-20000 Hz |
Battery life | 20 hours |
Weight | 3 Kg |
Price | 300 $ |
Portable speakers do not always weigh up to 1 kg, there are also much heavier models, one of which is the Marshall Killburn speaker. The product is definitely not suitable for walking and cycling, its target audience is those who cannot deny themselves great music of impeccable purity, even away from outlets. The sound of the speaker is actually ideal - it is impossible to find fault with it, the user can adjust the low and high frequencies.
Column video review:
The decisive factor when choosing a portable speaker will still be your own taste: before purchasing, you should not be lazy, it is important to listen to all possible options and choose the best one. The column will serve faithfully for many years, delighting with your favorite music wherever it is convenient for you.