Portable Bluetooth Speakers

Portable Bluetooth Speakers are compact, rechargeable speakers that can play audio from any device that it is paired with, such as a Tablet or Mobile Phone. Bluetooth pairing is quick and easy because it does not require network support, so any device will stay connected provided that both devices are in range of each other. The range of a Bluetooth connection will depend on obstructions like walls but can vary from 10 to 30 meters.
 

Whilst a Bluetooth connection will give you the freedom to play music and audio wherever you go, this type of connection has a much more limited bandwidth than other connections like Wi-Fi. Because of the bandwidth limitations, audio that is played over a Bluetooth connection will be compressed, leading to some loss in quality.
 

Wireless speakers that stream audio over Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth can support uncompressed audio, although the need for an available network connection limits their portability.

Historically, Bluetooth connections have only allowed for one device pairing to work at a time but this is beginning to change. Depending on the equipment, there are a few different ways of connecting two Bluetooth speakers that can play Audio from the same source simultaneously.
 

Newer Phones, Tablets and Portable Speakers come with Bluetooth version 5.0 which extends the range and allows for two simultaneous connections. This technology is now quite widely implemented, so if you are looking for this make sure that devices and speakers are Bluetooth 5 enabled before buying.
 

Some Portable Bluetooth Speaker brands manufacture models that can connect to each other in addition to your phone, depending on the brand and model. You may be able to connect more than one compatible speaker that can play audio from a single device like Bose or Ultimate Ears ranges. Stereo settings can be used to play left and right channel audio from each paired speaker.

The battery life of Portable Bluetooth Speakers varies considerably depending on the model. In general the smaller and more portable the speaker, the shorter the battery life. A larger speaker may be able to house a larger battery but can become bulkier and less portable as a result. Some larger capacity Bluetooth Speakers will even charge Phones or Tablets. Before making a final purchase, it's worth thinking about how you want to be able to use the speaker so you can factor size, weight and battery capacity into the decision.
 

On average a Portable Bluetooth Speaker can run for between 10 to 20 hours on a full charge. If a speaker has Wi-Fi in addition to Bluetooth, turning off Wi-Fi when not in use will give more use from a single charge. Connecting multiple devices at once will aldrain the battery more quickly, so remember to disconnect devices when not in use.
 

Keeping a speaker charged between 20% and 80% capacity will help preserve the battery.

Depending on how you’d like to be able to use it, check out Portable Bluetooth Speakers that are built to be durable. Many are dust and water resistant with an IP rating that tells how resistant they are to dust and dirt. These will be displayed as IPXX, where the first X will be the number for dust resistance and the second X will be water resistance. The higher the number, the better the resistance, but if there's an X instead of a number it has not been rated for that category.
 

As mentioned previously, newer models may come with Bluetooth 5 that will allow connection between two speakers to the same device if it also has Bluetooth v5.0 or higher. Some models can also pair with other compatible speakers to run in stereo mode for enhanced listening or lets speakers be located across multiple rooms for a Party Mode.
 

Some Bluetooth Speakers also have a built-in microphone for making and answering calls.