Author Topic: Small Bluetooth Speaker - any recommendations? (Read 1957 times)

Noto · « **on:** October 23, 2017, 10:58:08 am »

So, the wife is a huge fan of listening to music while showering, getting dressed, or whatever. My dad got a free "iHome" little speaker thing at a trade show once upon a time, and my wife's been using that...sparingly. It's a wired connection (3.5mm) to the music source (phone, iPod, whatever), but has a battery that lasts ~10 hrs of playback (we never really have to charge it since it's only in use for 5-8 mins at a time during prep/shower).

My new job gave me an iPhone 7 (*sigh*, Android is better, albeit less stable and more power hungry - but I digress). No 3.5mm port (and they didn't give me the box, so no dongle). I have ordered a cheapy dongle off eBay, but it got me thinking.

The wife's birthday is coming up, as are Black Friday and the Holiday shopping season. She's getting a subscription to Spotify Premium (it's absurdly expensive IMO, but hey, birthday presents are seldom cheap...), and I also want to get her a Bluetooth speaker.

Preferences:

1) Truly wireless
2) Truly Waterproof (not just "splashproof"; so that she can take it to the beach or a cottage or whatever)
3) Decent battery life
4) Good sound (if it's worse than just putting the iPhone on max volume, then why bother?)
5) Prefer under $100, but I'm flexible with price.

Would rather NOT have a unit that has/is:
1) Extraneous lighting
2) The ability to charge your phone
3) Really large/bulky

Very minimal searching has identified the UE Wonderboom and the JBL Flip 4 as potentials.

Once I target a good one, I'll watch for black friday/holiday season specials.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Sir Osis of Liver · « **Reply #1 on:** October 23, 2017, 11:04:34 am »

https://www.amazon.ca/Altec-Lansing-iMW575-Waterproof-Bluetooth/dp/B00JYQOXAO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508770866&sr=8-1&keywords=altec+lansing+bluetooth+speakers

I picked up a little Altec Lansing Bluetooth speaker for my office. It's small, sounds good, rechargeable, and it floats if for some reason the office floods.

They go on sale periodically.

CanuckS2K · « **Reply #2 on:** October 23, 2017, 11:09:00 am »

I have this one. It's waterproof and sounds exceptional for a small speaker.

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/jbl-jbl-charge-3-waterproof-wireless-bluetooth-speaker-black-jblcharge3blkam/10424278.aspx?icmp=Recos_3across_tp_sllng_prdcts

OliverD · « **Reply #3 on:** October 23, 2017, 11:21:44 am »

$10/month is absurdly expensive?

tortoise · « **Reply #4 on:** October 23, 2017, 11:31:59 am »

Bose has been doing well with these: https://www.bose.ca/en_ca/products/speakers/portable_speakers/soundlink-color-bluetooth-speaker-ii.html

This also has really good sound: https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5051-609/TURTLE-SHELL-3-0---Rugged-Wireless-Boombox

As for what Oliver said, $10 is reasonable. I recently started paying for Google Play Music. No idea why I didn't do that sooner.

Weels · « **Reply #5 on:** October 23, 2017, 11:38:43 am »

Quote from: CanuckS2K on October 23, 2017, 11:09:00 am

I have this one. It's waterproof and sounds exceptional for a small speaker.

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/jbl-jbl-charge-3-waterproof-wireless-bluetooth-speaker-black-jblcharge3blkam/10424278.aspx?icmp=Recos_3across_tp_sllng_prdcts

Mrs. Weels has the same one.
Agree, very good sound.

Quote from: OliverD on October 23, 2017, 11:21:44 am

$10/month is absurdly expensive?

I have Spotify Premium - it's worth the $10 bucks a month, imo

Sir Osis of Liver · « **Reply #6 on:** October 23, 2017, 11:45:27 am »

Spotify Premium is worth every dime.

OliverD · « **Reply #7 on:** October 23, 2017, 12:59:05 pm »

Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on October 23, 2017, 11:45:27 am

Spotify Premium is worth every dime.

100%

Gurgie · « **Reply #8 on:** October 23, 2017, 01:09:59 pm »

I have the Marley Get Together & I'm pretty impressed by its sound quality... we used it out while camping, or out in the backyard, etc... they do have a waterproof one, the Chant Sport... maybe give it a listen?

https://www.thehouseofmarley.ca/audio-systems.html

Noto · « **Reply #9 on:** October 23, 2017, 01:28:48 pm »

We don't use Spotify all that much - we're just not that "musically inclined". The wife likes it, but the free version is fine. $10 for our usage is steep.

I would happily pay a subscription of $10/month if Spotify were like Netflix in that you get "family" access (more than one account) for the $10/month. I couldn't fathom spending $20/month for listening to music sporadically just so that her country music doesn't show up mixed into my classical list (i.e. if we just "shared" the one premium account)

In any event, I'm mostly persuaded by the JBL flip 4. The Bose options seem ok, but battery life is shorter (6 or 8 hours). I like the UE Wonderboom, too, for its size, comes in pink (it's for the wife, remember

), and because it floats...but it, and many of the other ones are running Bluetooth 4.1 or lower. compared to the Flip 4's 4.2. I'm not sure how much that'd matter?? I think the JBL Charge or the other $200+ options are likely great, but offer more than we need and are double what I'm "hoping" to spend. Same with the Altec one posted by SirO.

In any event, I'm waiting to see what sales come up for Black Friday, so no immediate rush

OliverD · « **Reply #10 on:** October 23, 2017, 01:40:47 pm »

Spotify family plan is $15 a month FWIW.

Noto · « **Reply #11 on:** October 23, 2017, 02:22:15 pm »

The UE Wonderboom is currently on sale for $99 at BestBuy (from $129). It comes in pink, which she'll love. It's reviewed well, second only to the Charge 3, it seems, but is literally less than half the price. It fits all of our needs.

BestBuy's return/price adjustment policy is 30 days, which would expire a day before Black Friday this year (Nov 24, 2017). By that time, we'd have all the flyers any way. Mastercard will cover me for 90 days for price protection.

Thanks for the suggestions, fellas!

tortoise · « **Reply #12 on:** October 23, 2017, 02:24:17 pm »

House of Marley tends to make decent stuff.

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/marley-house-of-marley-chant-sport-bluetooth-wireless-speaker-signature-black-em-ja008-bk/10422788.aspx?&cmp=KNC-GOOGLE:Shopping+Campaign+-+Portable+Audio+-+RLSA:Portable+Audio:portable_bluetooth_speakers&gclid=Cj0KCQjwprbPBRCHARIsAF_7gDYVzAarsIx3E9q6n3SVAUCcXPDYmd1dEn0ac7idR_mWkotxd1LmOMIaApONEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#feedback-wrapper

Sir Osis of Liver · « **Reply #13 on:** October 23, 2017, 02:35:25 pm »

Quote from: No-san on October 23, 2017, 02:22:15 pm

The UE Wonderboom is currently on sale for $99 at BestBuy (from $129). It comes in pink, which she'll love. It's reviewed well, second only to the Charge 3, it seems, but is literally less than half the price. It fits all of our needs.

BestBuy's return/price adjustment policy is 30 days, which would expire a day before Black Friday this year (Nov 24, 2017). By that time, we'd have all the flyers any way. Mastercard will cover me for 90 days for price protection.

Thanks for the suggestions, fellas!

FWIW
Altec Lansing Mini Lifejacket 3 is $99 at the moment.
https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/altec-lansing-altec-lansing-mini-life-jacket-iii-waterproof-snowproof-dustproof-wireless-bluetooth-speaker-blue-imw-478-ab/10483426.aspx?

OliverD · « **Reply #14 on:** October 23, 2017, 02:37:01 pm »

Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on October 23, 2017, 02:35:25 pm

Quote from: No-san on October 23, 2017, 02:22:15 pm
The UE Wonderboom is currently on sale for $99 at BestBuy (from $129). It comes in pink, which she'll love. It's reviewed well, second only to the Charge 3, it seems, but is literally less than half the price. It fits all of our needs.

BestBuy's return/price adjustment policy is 30 days, which would expire a day before Black Friday this year (Nov 24, 2017). By that time, we'd have all the flyers any way. Mastercard will cover me for 90 days for price protection.

Thanks for the suggestions, fellas!

FWIW
Altec Lansing Mini Lifejacket 3 is $99 at the moment.
https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/altec-lansing-altec-lansing-mini-life-jacket-iii-waterproof-snowproof-dustproof-wireless-bluetooth-speaker-blue-imw-478-ab/10483426.aspx?

Too bad it's so freaking ugly.

Sir Osis of Liver · « **Reply #15 on:** October 23, 2017, 02:42:16 pm »

It's a speaker not a TV. You don't have to look at it.

Noto · « **Reply #16 on:** October 23, 2017, 03:10:07 pm »

SirO, yes, that one is much more reasonable, and has very good battery life. If I were buying it for me, I likely would get that one instead.

...but the wife likes pink things.

I wish the +/- on the front didn't look like a cross, but whatever...

rrocket · « **Reply #17 on:** October 23, 2017, 06:55:36 pm »

Quote from: No-san on October 23, 2017, 03:10:07 pm

SirO, yes, that one is much more reasonable, and has very good battery life. If I were buying it for me, I likely would get that one instead.

...but the wife likes pink things.

I wish the +/- on the front didn't look like a cross, but whatever...

That's the one I was going to recommend. UE Wonder Boom.

The slightly larger one is the UE Boom 2

Ex-airbalancer · « **Reply #18 on:** October 23, 2017, 08:30:26 pm »

Quote from: Gurgie on October 23, 2017, 01:09:59 pm

I have the Marley Get Together & I'm pretty impressed by its sound quality... we used it out while camping, or out in the backyard, etc... they do have a waterproof one, the Chant Sport... maybe give it a listen?

https://www.thehouseofmarley.ca/audio-systems.html

I got the wife this one
https://www.thehouseofmarley.ca/audio-systems/liberate-bt-portable-audio-system.html

Noto · « **Reply #19 on:** October 24, 2017, 11:25:07 am »

I was thinking of getting a system for the house more generally (not so much our bathroom or travel, but for the main floor). The TV that we have down there (55" Samsung UHN6350) is fantastic and has great sound output, and while it's a "smart" TV, it's "too old" to have apps like Spotify, etc. There's no way to connect our phones or anything to play it, but I can always put my laptop through an HDMI cable, so I'll just do that for now (or use the Stingray channels) when we have guests over.

The wife would have liked a system that she could easily blast Spotify through (I got her Premium last night - she legitimately qualifies for the student rate!!), but the Wonderboom will be fine for our purposes. A soundbar may come in due course, but I'd have to find a helluva good deal first.