By Gregg Ellman
Twitter.com/greggellman
Using a smartphone or tablet to store and play music and video is common these days but the speaker built into these devices just isn’t good.
Bluetooth speakers are the best choice for wireless listening and generally have a range of about 30 feet from the media source.
Some have built-in rechargeable batteries while others need an AC outlet for power. The setup for each is generally pretty simple: just pair it with your device and you should be ready to go.
When shopping for the speakers, obviously consider price and sound but be aware of size, too. They range from pocket-sized speakers up to some that take up the same amount of space as a small piece of furniture.
Here are a bunch of choices in a variety of sizes, sounds, colors and prices from $14.99 up to $599.
AUVIO AT RADIOSHACK
RadioShack’s Auvio Bluetooth speaker line comes in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors.
The Auvio 1.5-Watt 3-inch cubed speaker ($39.99) is good for about six hours of playback and also can be used as a hands-free device for answering calls with its built in mic.
It pumps out great sounding music and doesn’t take up much space, making it very portable.
The speaker is available in blue, black, white and TCU purple.
The Auvio HBT6000 Bluetooth speaker ($149) has a 60W output from six internal 10W speakers to make it the life of a party. RadioShack calls it Sonic Emotion Absolute 3D technology, which produces the powerful sound.
A remote control is included to give you wireless access for controlling music choices, pause/play along with volume. You also can control everything with similar buttons on the top of the speaker.
It measures 4.7-by-14-by-5.2 inches and comes with an AC power adapter for the needed power and has a black matte finish.
Details: www.radioshack.com
SATECHI
The Satechi Portable Mini Bluetooth speaker is travel-friendly since it can get tucked away in a computer bag or suitcase.
The pocket-sized 1.5W speaker weighs just 2.2 oz and puts out an amazing amount of sound from its twistable pop-up resonator.
It’s not room-filling sound for a party but it does produce deep, full bass for high-quality music.
Details: $14.99, www.satechi.net
HMDX AUDIO
The rounded and sharp-looking 3-inch-tall HMDX JAM Plus wireless speaker gives you a unique option to pair a second JAM for true stereo sound.
Once you get the second (sold separately) paired it’s a pretty amazing system for its size.
Each speaker has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery for up to 6 hours of sound.
Details: $59.99 available in gray, blue yellow, purple and pink; www.hmdxaudio.com
DIVOOM
You can’t help but to compare the Divoom’s Onbeat-200 speaker’s appearance to the Jambox Jawbone with its rectangle design (6.5-by-2-by-1.5 inches).
The speaker performs well and makes a great computer companion with good sound and a built-in mic to work as a hands-free speaker phone.
Inside the rugged looking case is a pair of 4W speakers and a rechargeable battery for up to 8 hours of use.
Details: $79.90 available in black, blue, gray and red; www.divoom.com
NUDAUDIO
Once you get past the impressive packaging, NudeAudio has a versatile lineup of Bluetooth speakers.
Among them are the Move S ($49.99), a pocket-sized speaker to take on the go. It features an 8-hour battery life to power a speaker packed inside a thick protective silicon sleeve.
The NudeAudio website refers to the Move L ($99.99) speaker as the “Big Daddy” of the company’s line of Bluetooth portable speakers. And after cranking it up, it sure performs to the name.
Inside is a pair of full-range speakers and a sub-woofer in a protective silicone sleeve.
Both come in charcoal/coral and gray/mint color combinations and include a carrying cord for portability.
Details: www.nudeaudio.com
BEM WIRELESS
The Bem Wireless Boom Box has incredibly clear sound at any volume and features a carrying handle to bring back the boom box days of past.
Controls for play and volume are on top of the handle of the speaker, which measures 12-by-9.5-by-5 inches and features a metal casing on the front and back.
The rechargeable battery is good for about 10 hours and you can pair two devices simultaneously to the speaker but it can only stream the audio one at a time.
Details: $249.99, www.bemwireless.com
SOUNDCAST SYSTEMS
Soundcast Systems Melody wireless speaker system has a 360-degree rugged enclosure for sound in any direction. This includes inside or outside with its weather-resistant enclosure.
This is described by the company as “designed to operate indoors and outdoors, in cold and heat, in moderate snow and rain.”
The 9-pound speaker has a carrying handle and a body with four full-range speakers. A high capacity lithium-ion battery should give you about 20 hours of sound before a charge is needed.
Simply put, the sound out of this speaker is outstanding and by far gets the “WOW” factor.
Details: $449, www.followmelody.com
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO
Saving the best for last, which you can say gets the “WOW WOW” factor, is the Minx Air 200 wireless speaker.
Devices connect to the speaker with Bluetooth or Apple iOS devices via AirPlay. Either way the sound from the 200W amplifier is just amazing.
Other features include ports on the back for a direct connection to TVs and Blu-Ray players.
Also, head to your App store for the free Minx Air app for Apple and Android devices, which let you have presets for sound control and volume.
It measures just over 8.5-by-17-by-6 inches and weighs 11 pounds and comes with a wireless remote control.
Details: $599, www.cambridgeaudio.com
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