Why You Can Trust CNET Back to school 2017: Best wireless speakers
Today's students don't need a fancy high-end stereo to make them happy. A good wireless speaker is all they need for their nomadic lifestyle.
UE Wonderboom
Ultimate Ears has a new waterproof Bluetooth speaker that's shorter and squatter than its popular UE Boom 2 speaker. For a sub-$100 Bluetooth speaker, the UE Wonderboom is near the top of the class for sound quality.
JBL Flip 4
New for 2017, JBL's sub-$100 Flip 4 is fully waterproof and a little bigger than than the JBL 3. That extra size -- and a new set of drivers in side -- makes a significant difference in sound quality. The speaker also has a better battery life than its predecessor.
Bose SoundLink Revolve
Bose's latest SoundLink Bluetooth speakers, the Revolve ($200) and Revolve+ ($300), feature a new cylindrical design and 360-degree sound output.
Bose SoundLink Revolve Plus
Bose's larger Revolve+ ($300) gives you sound that's a little bigger with more bass -- and it has an integrated handle.
Sonos Play:5 (2015)
The second-generation Sonos Play:5 is a sleek, well-designed Wi-Fi speaker that delivers rich sound for its size, as well as strong bass. It offers the full Sonos wireless experience, controllable from iPhone, iPad and Android apps, with compatibility with nearly every key music service, including Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, Amazon and Apple Music. It comes in two colors -- white and black -- and can be placed either horizontally or vertically.
UE Boom 2
The UE Boom 2 is a compact, durable wireless Bluetooth speaker that plays louder than the original Boom and sounds a little better. It's stain-resistant, shock-resistant and now fully waterproof. Battery life is a strong 15 hours, and it can be paired with a second UE speaker for stereo sound.
Sony SRS-XB10
If you're looking for a tiny speaker that can output a reasonable amount of sound, Sony's SRS-XB10 fits the bill nicely for less than $50.
Bose SoundTouch 10
Bose's SoundTouch 10 is the smallest and least expensive Wi-Fi speaker in the company's line of DIY wireless multiroom audio systems, all of which added Bluetooth to their features list in late 2015.
At $200, the Bose SoundTouch 10 is a very compact Wi-Fi speaker that plays much bigger than its size would indicate, and it offers convenient features such as Bluetooth and shortcut buttons.
Sonos Play:1 wireless speaker
The Sonos Play:1 is a big step up from your average wireless speaker. It's offered in both white and blue options, and both support streaming music services including Spotify, Amazon Cloud Player, Google Music, 7Digital, Deezer, Soundcloud and Napster.
Raumfeld One S
The compact Raumfeld One S is even better than its modest "bathroom and kitchen" ambitions might suggest with better sound quality than its competitors. It's simply one of the best entry-level Wi-Fi speakers available, and its water resistance makes it a great choice for bathrooms, kitchens or anywhere else you want to listen to music.
Bose SoundLink Color II
If your priority is sound quality, you're better off with the more expensive SoundLink Mini II, which also has a more upscale metallic design. But if you value portability and don't want to spend the extra $70, the SoundLink Color II, which features improved sound over the original, is a solid choice. While not everybody will love its design, the majority of people should be impressed with the sound it puts out, particularly in smaller rooms.
B&O Play Beoplay A1
Credit B&O Play for creating a Bluetooth speaker that doesn't look like anything out there already. The new dome-shaped Beoplay A1 is not only the smallest wireless speaker from the Danish company, but also the most affordable at $249.
With a sleek look courtesy of well-known Danish furniture designer Cecilie Manz, the aluminum-clad A1 delivers relatively high-quality sound for its very compact size, has excellent battery life and works well as a speakerphone.
JBL Pulse 2
JBL has improved both LED light show and sound in the Pulse 2, making this flashy Bluetooth speaker a standout product in a crowded market.
It delivers strong sound for its size and features an integrated light show that's far improved from the original model.
JBL Clip 2
JBL's Clip speakers have long been among our favorite micro Bluetooth speakers, and the Clip 2, which comes in five color options and costs $60, is also a winner.
It's about the size of a hockey puck, with a built-in rechargeable battery, which should give you 8 hours of tunes. It offers decent sound for its size and it's fully waterproof.
It also has an integrated line-in cable that stows away in the bottom of the device, as well as speakerphone capabilities.
UE Megaboom Bluetooth speaker
While away from home, you can untether your speaker system with the UE Megaboom Bluetooth speaker. It's a tiny waterproof unit that gets IPX7 certification for extra toughness from the elements.
Amazon Echo
For anyone who wants a little extra help around the house, consider the Amazon Echo. The voice-activated speaker comes with digital companion Alexa, which can order paper towels from Amazon, turn up the music or tell you the capital of Indonesia, hands-free.
UE Roll 2
The waterproof UE Roll 2 plays 15 percent louder than the original Roll, has a longer wireless range of up to 30 meters (about 98 feet), and it ships with a UE Floatie, so you can take it into the pool with you right out of the box. Certain colors of this speaker often go on sale for less than $60, particularly now that the newer UE Wonderboom has been released.
V-Moda Remix
V-Moda's Remix is a compact, premium Bluetooth speaker that also has a built-in headphone amp. Billed as "the world's first 3D-printed custom speaker," all six sides of the Remix can be personalized with optional accessories.
Fluance Fi50
The affordable Fluance Fi50 delivers high-quality sound from a retro-style Bluetooth speaker. It's solidly built with a medium-density-fiberboard cabinet.
The two-way driver design features a tweeter mounted in the center of a 5-inch woofer. Equipped with a 40-watt amplifier, it plays loudly without distorting, and has a USB charging port and an integrated LED with touch controls.
Amazon Echo Show
Amazon's Echo Show offers improved sound over the original Echo and has a built-in screen that allows you to watch video and make video calls to friends.
Bose SoundLink Mini II
Available in two colors -- Carbon and Pearl -- The Bose SoundLink Mini II offered some nice upgrades over the original SoundLink Mini. The price on this speaker has come down a little to $180 as Bose has released the all-new SoundLink Revolve ($200) and Revolve+ ($300).
Amazon Echo Dot
The Amazon Echo Dot wins our Editors' Choice Award. How could it not? It's just as smart as the Echo, but it costs half as much. And, unlike the Echo, you can use it with whatever speakers you want. That's terrific news both for audiophiles and for people who don't care about sound quality and just want a cheaper way to bring Alexa into their homes.
Amazon Tap
Now in battery-powered form within the portable Amazon Tap, Amazon's digital assistant Alexa is as good as ever. You can play music, command your smart home, or add something to your to-do list -- all with your voice.
JBL Charge 3
The JBL Charge 3 is a well-designed, fully waterproof portable Bluetooth speaker that features good battery life and doubles as an external charger for your portable devices. It also has built-in speakerphone capabilities, and plays loudly with strong bass for its size and price class.
Divoom Voombox Travel 3
Divoom Voombox Travel 3 is a portable splashproof Bluetooth speaker that plays loud for its size and costs only $40.
Denon HEOS 1
Wireless multiroom systems have exploded onto the market in the last 18 months, but the Denon HEOS 1 is the first to offer something completely different: a rugged build and decent audio quality in an affordable package. Its HEOS app is also easy to use.
Adding the HEOS Go package, for $99, gives you more flexibility, including battery power, splashproofing and Bluetooth.
Samsung Radiant360 R1 WAM1500
The Samsung Radiant360 R1 is a likable and unobtrusive speaker if you're looking for "cafe ambience" and not "Madison Square Garden."
Although it doesn't have the best overall sound quality, the Radiant360 R1 is a welcome upgrade on most Wi-Fi speakers and works well if you primarily want background music.
B&O Play Beolit 17
If you want to give your grad a little something extra special as far as a Bluetooth speaker goes, there's B&O Play's Beolit 17, which offers bigger sound than a lot of these smaller Bluetooth speakers in the gift guide. The only downside is that it costs $500.
Google Chromecast Audio
No, it's not a wireless speaker, but at $35 Google's Chromecast Audio is almost a no-brainer for anyone looking for wireless audio. It makes it so you can stream from your phone to any old speaker, plus it uses Wi-Fi, which means better sound quality and a stronger connection than Bluetooth.
Logitech Bluetooth Music Receiver
The Logitech Bluetooth Music Receiver is a more universal alternative to the Chromecast if you're looking for a way to stream audio from nearly any mobile device to a stereo.
You'll experience a slight decrease in sound quality that can't be avoided with the current limitations of Bluetooth, but the trade-off is worth it considering how easy it is to connect.
The wireless range extends up to 50 feet (15 meters) and it holds a strong connection within reasonable distance.
Bose SoundTouch 30
Bose's $500 SoundTouch 30 is a direct competitor to the Sonos Play:5 and features both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming. In can be linked with Bose's other SoundTouch speakers to create a multiroom system.
More Galleries
Go Inside the Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro: See How the New iPhones Look and Work
21 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features and Settings on Your iPhone
18 Photos
Astronomy Photographer of the Year Winners Reveal Our Stunning Universe
16 Photos
I Got an Early Look at Intel's Glass Packaging Tech for Faster Chips
20 Photos
Yamaha motorcycle and instrument designers trade jobs (pictures)
16 Photos
