Best Wireless Bluetooth Boom Boxes for 2024

The Sony ULT Field 7 is the successor to Sony's SRS-SG500 Bluetooth boom box, which I liked but thought lacked clarity compared with some of its competitors, including boom box speakers from JBL. This new model not only sounds better but offers an an improved design with integrated handles on each side of the speaker, LED lighting and a new karaoke function (microphone not included). You can stand the speaker up vertically or lay it down horizontally. The sound does change a bit with the speaker's orientation, but the overall clarity and treble performance has improved and I thought the bass had better definition.

Weighing in at a hefty 13.9 pounds (6.3 kilograms), the speaker does pack a punch, especially when you engage the ULT button, which has two low-frequency settings (there's also a seven-band EQ) that both amp up the sound -- and the bass in particular -- making the speaker sound fuller (I always had the ULT button engaged). Battery life is rated at up to 30 hours at moderate volume levels and the speaker is IP67 waterproof, dust-proof and rust-proof. A charge-out port on back allows you to charge external devices like your smartphone.

Anker's original Soundcore Motion Boom speaker (see below) has been on this list for a while and is still a decent value. But the new-for-2022 Motion Boom Plus is significantly improved, particularly in terms of sound quality. It's easily one of the best new Bluetooth speakers we've tested. 

Weighing 5.29 pounds (almost a pound more than the Motion Boom), it uses Bluetooth 5.3 and is equipped with upgraded dual 3.5-inch woofers and newly added dual 1-inch tweeters, delivering up to 80 watts of audio output (60W for the woofers and 20W for the tweeters). Battery life is rated for 20 hours at moderate volume levels. It's also IP67 waterproof and dustproof and floats if you happen to drop it in a body of water.

I was impressed with the sound quality, which measures up well against a few more expensive -- and some larger -- speakers on this list. You can tweak the sound profile (with EQ settings) and upgrade the speaker's firmware in Anker's Soundcore companion app for iOS and Android. I tended to go with the bass boost engaged -- there's a button on the speaker to activate it -- and found that the speaker delivers full sound with good clarity in the mids and highs and good bass definition. For its size, the speaker is able to put out a lot of sound and mostly manages to avoid distorting at higher volumes (I tended to keep the volume in the 50-75% range). 

If you're sitting within a few feet of the speaker, there's a bit of stereo separation. But if you really want to up the sound quality, you can wirelessly pair two Soundcore Motion Boom Plus speakers to create a real stereo pair.

Tribit is known for its affordable smaller Bluetooth speakers that deliver very good sound quality and features for the price. Its new Stormbox Blast speaker is its first Bluetooth boom box speaker, and it delivers mostly impressive sound for its size and also has a built-in light show and USB-out charging. 

Weighing in at 12 pounds (5.45 kg) with two 30-watt midwoofers and two 15W tweeters, it's basically twice as heavy as Anker's Motion Boom Plus (see above) and pumps out more volume and bass compared to that speaker, but lacks a bit of clarity. Also, the midrange -- where vocals live -- is a bit recessed at its XBass default setting (I preferred the Music EQ setting in the companion app, which is a bit more balanced). The speaker's firmware is upgradeable, and you can pair two Stormbox Blasts to create a stereo pair, which would improve the sound considerably. 

Battery life is very good. It's rated at up 30 hours at moderate volume levels. And the speaker has an IPX7 rating, which means it's fully waterproof. Again, like the Soundcore by Anker Motion Boom Plus, the Tribit Stormbox Blast is a good value that measures up well from a sound standpoint against more expensive JBL boom box speakers that arguably offer superior styling.

The Soundcore by Anker Rave Party 2 can be stood up vertically or laid down horizontally and features a built-in light show and handle. Like other larger speakers that boast higher power ratings (in this case, 120 watts), this speaker needs to be charged with its own AC adapter rather than a USB-cable and has a USB-A out port on the back for charging your smartphone or any other devices that need some juice. 

Though it costs more than Tribit's Stormbox Blast, the 11.7-pound Rave Party 2 is a more attractively designed speaker and arguably sounds slightly better. Its two 4-inch woofers and two 2-inch tweeters deliver aggressive, punchy sound with enough volume to fill larger rooms (the Tribit's bass goes a little deeper, but I was pretty satisfied with this speaker's low-end capabilities). For even bigger sound, you can wirelessly link multiple Rave Party 2 and other Soundcore speakers that support the company's PartyCast 2.0 feature. 

While this speaker isn't fully waterproof and can't float like some speakers can, it's splash-proof, with an IPX4 rating, and has a microphone input with discrete gain and reverb controls (no microphone is included). In the companion app for iOS and Android, you can customize the sound profile and light show. Battery life is rated at up to 16 hours, but that number will drop if you crank the volume.

I did think the sound held together pretty well at higher volumes -- it mostly avoided distorting -- and the speaker is designed to play loudly outdoors. That said, indoors the speaker sounds best below 75 percent volume, unless you're having a party, in which case all critical listening goes out the door. 

JBL's third-generation Boombox 3 features some design changes from its predecessor's, including a new swankier handle and a new three-way driver system that delivers clearer more detailed sound and similar impressive bass performance, creating bigger, richer sound overall. I could easily hear the difference when comparing this model to the Boombox 2. 

While the battery life rating remains the same (up to 24 hours at moderate volume levels), this Gen 3 model includes Bluetooth 5.3 instead of Bluetooth 5.1. Also, the speaker weighs about 1.7 pounds more (14.7 pounds or 6.7 kg) and just feels that much more substantial. 

Like the UE Hyperboom (see below), this has a USB-out port that allows you to charge external devices like your phone, and there's also an analog audio input if you want to go wired and connect a device without using Bluetooth connectivity (the Hyperboom adds an optical digital input).

For outdoor use, I like the design of the Boombox 3 better than UE Hyperboom. The portable Bluetooth speaker is easier to carry around and just looks more like an outdoor speaker. It's also fully waterproof and dustproof with an IPX67 rating (the previous model was waterproof but didn't have a dustproof rating).

With the JBL Boombox 2, I felt that the speaker, while well-designed, didn't quite live up to its expensive price tag from a sound quality standpoint. The Boombox 3 is still pricey, but its sound now has a more premium quality to it -- for portable boomboxes anyway. And if you have really deep pockets, you can link two together to create a stereo pair (or link several together to cover a wider area with sound). 

The JBL Partybox Encore Essential is the company's smallest PartyBox speaker to date but it's still got some heft to it, weighing in at 13 pounds (5.9 kg). It's a 11.54 by 10.87 by 12.87-inch cube that has a ring of light over the driver that pulsates and syncs to the beat of your music as it changes colors. The Essential is IPX4 splash-proof and has an integrated handle for easy toting. 

Rated for 100 watts of power (we always take power ratings with a grain of salt), the speaker doesn't have quite the volume or sound quality of the step-up PartyBox 110 (see below). But it has a 5.25-inch woofer and two 1.75-inch tweeters and has plenty of kick to it, and it's easier to carry around. In that sense, it offers a nice balance between size and power. 

Battery life is rated at 6 hours at moderate volume levels, and this speaker charges with an included AC adapter. It also has a charge-out port on the back along with a microphone port if you want to talk or sing to a crowd (microphone not included). 

To be clear, this is a mono speaker that's designed to put out a lot of sound (there's a bass boost mode) from a reasonably sized design. You can wirelessly pair two of these speakers and get significantly better sound (in stereo). But that would get a little pricey.

Anker's Soundcore Motion X600 mini boom box not only has a premium look and feel with a metal grille and carrying handle, but includes some interesting features like spatial audio and support for Sony's LDAC audio codec. It sounds impressive for its relatively compact size and is a good value.

Weighing 4.2 pounds (1.9 kg), it's got some heft to it, but it's light enough to carry around without feeling like you're getting a workout. The speaker is available in gray, green and blue color options and is equipped with five drivers, including two woofers, two tweeters and one full-range, upward-firing driver "in a unique speaker array that combined with Soundcore's audio algorithm and DSP helps create a wide (and tall) soundstage for listening to any type of music," according to Anker. It's rated for 50 watts of total power, with two 20-watt amps devoted to the woofers and tweeters and a third 10-watt amp powering the upward-firing driver.

At the default sound setting without bass boost or spatial audio engaged, I wasn't exactly wowed with sound quality (the bass is a bit underwhelming, the mids are recessed and there's a bit too much treble push). But as soon as you engage the bass boost and spatial audio, everything sounds more balanced and full. You can also tweak the sound profile further in the Soundcore companion app for iOS and Android. 

The PartyBox 110 packs some serious punch and delivers bigger sound than some of the portable boombox speakers on this list, including JBL's own Boombox 2 (see below). There's an integrated handle for toting the speaker, but the PartyBox 110 is pretty hefty, weighing in at 23 pounds and measuring slightly more than 22 inches tall. You can put this bluetooth boom box up vertically as shown in the picture above or place it horizontally, as it has rubber feet on both sides of the speaker.

It's rated for up to 12 hours of playback time at moderate volume levels and has a redesigned light show that syncs to the beat of your music (you can customize the light show from the speaker itself or use the JBL PartyBox companion app). 

The speaker has Bluetooth or a wired USB connection and there are guitar and mic inputs. It's also worth noting that the speaker is IPX4 splash-proof and you can wirelessly link two PartyBox 110 speakers together for stereo sound. I didn't test the stereo mode, but I was impressed with the sound of a single PartyBox 110 -- this bluetooth device puts out lots of well-defined bass with good overall clarity in the highs and mids -- and I suspect that pairing two of these together would be pretty awesome. 

I also liked how the speaker has no external AC adapter brick and only requires a cord for charging (the power adapter is in the speaker). For longer parties during which you're really cranking the tunes, you'd want to plug the speaker in if possible. But it does deliver enough volume to fill a spacious living room with sound and also plays loud enough for a small pool or beach party. 

The PartyBox 710 is a massive party speaker that has integrated wheels and requires a power source to operate; it does not have an integrated rechargeable battery. This is your best bet if you want a portable speaker that can deliver big, quality sound and operates on battery power. To be clear, this offers bigger and better sound than the JBL Boombox 2 -- but it is harder to carry around.

The UE Hyperboom has a few things going for it over the Boombox 3. For starters, the cheaper price point.

For outdoor use, I give the nod to the JBL's design. Both of these weigh around 13 pounds, but the JBL is a little more natural to carry around. It's got the handle, the tubular design -- it looks like it belongs outdoors. The Hyperboom's got a thick rubber strap and it kind of feels like you're carrying a big pitcher of something really solid. It's boxy and understated, and it looks a little more at home indoors.

The Hyperboom is splashproof with an IPX4 rating while the Boombox 3 is fully waterproof with an IPX67 rating. (I put them out in the rain and they both survived without issues.) Like the Boombox 3, this has a USB-out port that allows you to charge devices like your phone and it also has analog audio input if you want to go wired and connect a device without using Bluetooth. However, the Hyperboom adds an optical digital input. That means you can connect it to a TV, PC or game console with an optical output. You can also toggle between two Bluetooth connections and it has a built-in microphone that calibrates the speaker's sound to wherever it is, inside or outside.

The Hyperboom also is the better-sounding portable Bluetooth speaker overall. It has a wider soundstage with slightly more bass and clarity. It also sounds a little more natural. 

If you can afford it, you can link up two Hyperbooms and create a stereo pair. You can also link it wirelessly to the latest UE Bluetooth speakers to spread out the sound across a wider area.