Tribit XSound is going: Despite being on the market for a few years now, the Tribit XSound Go remains one of the best Bluetooth speakers for the money. In addition to sounding decent for streaming your favorite music and more, this affordable Bluetooth speaker is also completely waterproof. It has received a few minor upgrades over the years.
JBL Pulse 5: JBL’s Pulse speaker is now in its fifth generation, and both the sound quality and the 360-degree light show have been improved. JBL has “extended the transparent exterior” to make the customizable light show look more impressive. (There’s a companion app for iOS and Android that lets you customize the colorful lighting effects.) The speaker is also IP67 dust- and waterproof and offers up to 12 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels.
Tribit StormBox: The StormBox looks like a cross between a UE and a JBL speaker. We suspect that’s no coincidence. This fully waterproof speaker costs significantly less than the JBL Flip 5 and Flip 6 and produces bigger sound. Its rechargeable battery gives you up to 20 hours of music playback and more. Tribit’s XSound speakers are arguably a better value, but the StormBox is more stylish.
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd generation): A few years ago, Bang & Olufsen updated its dome-shaped aluminum-clad A1 speaker with improved battery life, better speakerphone performance (it now has a three-microphone array), and slightly improved sound. Not only is it the Danish company’s smallest wireless speaker, it’s also technically its most affordable.
Bose SoundLink Micro: While a bit pricey and due for an upgrade, the Bose SoundLink Micro sounds remarkably decent for its small size, and delivers more bass than other portable speakers. It’s a fully waterproof Bluetooth speaker and comes in three colors, though the blue version seems hard to find.
Anker Soundcore Motion Plus: Anker’s Soundcore Motion Plus came out in 2019, but it’s still one of the best-sounding speakers available under $100. It’s larger than many mini Bluetooth speakers, but still compact. It sounds much fuller than many competitors in its price range, with more bass, more volume, and better clarity. It’s also fully waterproof (IPX7 rated) and supports the aptX streaming codec for devices like Samsung’s Galaxy phones that support it.
Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore:While the Beosound Explore is slightly overpriced for the sound quality it delivers, it’s a very good little speaker with a sleek, eye-catching design, is completely waterproof and dustproof (IP67 rating) and has an excellent battery life of up to 27 hours of music listening at medium volume.
Tribit XSound Mega: Tribit has made a number of Bluetooth speakers over the past few years that deliver a lot of sound for the money. Add the new XSound Mega to that list. Tribit is marketing the XSound Mega more as an outdoor speaker — it comes with a lanyard so you can carry it around like a mini boombox — but it works just as well indoors. It has an LED light show that you can toggle on and off, and there are three EQ settings for the sound: XBass, Music, and Audiobook. Plus, it can double as a power bank to charge your mobile devices.
