Everyone ought to own a Bluetooth speaker. They are convenient and they sound great. They are perfect for listening to casual instrumental music, while working, or to podcasts for when you are cooking, or for watching movies on your laptop, but with much better quality. There are several uses – some like carrying them on picnics and holidays too. No matter what the requirement, choosing a Bluetooth speaker today is more difficult than ever before. There are an unimaginable number of features to filter and choose from. We go through the major ones and tell you what might matter the most to you.
Size
Portable speakers come in different sizes. Some of them are as tiny as the palm of your hand, others can be as large as a notebook. We ought to make the distinction that large speakers meant for TVs may have Bluetooth functionality but are different from portable Bluetooth speakers. You can find affordable, compact speakers that you can put into your pocket and carry around. These also make for good gifts. They can cost as low as Rs. 1,500. The larger ones can double up as home entertainment systems as well. Some portable speakers have a power output as high as 20W which is as good as a decent desktop speaker set. These make good sense as an accompanying speaker for a PC, laptop or even a small TV. A majority of Bluetooth speakers are even louder than the ones on most TVs. Larger speakers tend to have more features and larger batteries as well. We will talk about this a bit later.
Audio quality
Like with most audio solutions, quality is the most important factor. Most Bluetooth speakers are perfectly fine for listening to podcasts and light music but if you are particular about sound quality, look in the higher price range, for models with larger drivers. They may be heavier and bulkier, but they performance across the sound spectrum. You will be surprised by how good some of these models sound. Bulkier speakers tend to play better bass and mids. Don’t go overboard on the size and weight, or you might defeat the purpose of a portable Bluetooth speaker.
Battery capacities
We have plenty of devices to charge, ranging from smart phones, tablets, laptops, earphones, and the last thing we want is to charge a Bluetooth speaker, especially when are travelling. Bluetooth speakers with smaller batteries should last a few days under average usage. The larger speakers can play for 24 hours non-stop on a single charge. Most of us aren’t going to be listening to music 24 hours a day but you could charge these speakers once and not recharge them, for the next week or two.
Charging other devices
On the subject of battery sizes, higher capacity speakers can also double as battery packs. The models usually come with a Type-A USB port which lets you connect other devices such as a smartphone, tablets, or earphones for charging. You need not go out of the way to buy a Bluetooth speaker that lets you do this, but if it’s a feature that doesn’t cost you a lot more, so it’s a good thing to have.
NFC and new Bluetooth standard support
Every Bluetooth speakers support Bluetooth – it’s in the name, but some also support NFC (Near-Field Communication). This lets you pair devices together by simply tapping them. So if you have a NFC-enabled smartphone, simply hold the phone next to the Bluetooth speaker and the two will connect. Bluetooth is also available as several standards, the latest one being 5.1. The new generations of Bluetooth have better performance, and consume little battery on both, the speaker, and the smartphone. The Bluetooth details are mentioned in the product specification sheet so take a closer look.
Connecting to multiple sources
We may want to connect sources with wired outputs to our Bluetooth speakers. Most sources have a 3.5mm headphone jack meant for speakers. Cheap Bluetooth speakers may skimp on a wired 3.5mm port. Make sure the model you choose has one. It can be convenient. Another feature that premium Bluetooth speakers have is the ability to connect to multiple sources at once. That way, you don’t have to keep pairing, unpairing and re-connecting to different devices. You could have your favourite devices always connected to the Bluetooth speaker and you can easily toggle between them.
Pairing with other speakers
Some of the high-end speakers also give the option of connecting to other speakers. You can connect two speakers together, turning it into a stereo setup where most Bluetooth speakers are mono. This could be a great solution for a laptop or TV. You could also add more speakers and have a party setup with a much louder sound compared to just one speaker playing. Some brands even offer connectivity to up to 100 compatible speakers, which is something!
Built-in microphone for making calls
Like the 3.5mm audio jack that some Bluetooth speakers may not come with, there are models lacking a built-in microphone. This might be OK if you are sure you never want to take phone calls on your speaker. Bluetooth speakers make for particularly good conference call devices. You could be sitting on your desk, taking calls from your friends and family and the feature can prove useful, especially if you’re working from home. You could use in a small meeting room and having many people talking into it.
Water and dust-proof construction
One of the newer trends with Bluetooth speakers is that they comply with water and dust-proof standards. Some Bluetooth speakers come with IP ratings that detail what the speakers can withstand. This is useful for people who take their speakers outdoors, to a beach or to the side of a pool. While the most of us may not use it for that purpose, waterproof and water-resistant speakers are a good idea in the kitchen too. Cooking or washing dishes with a Bluetooth speaker by your side can add entertainment to the mix. This also means that you may need to touch the Bluetooth speaker to adjust the volume or tracks occasionally. Rubberised, Bluetooth speakers with waterproof features may be just the kind you want. Most of the speakers can be quite inexpensive too.
Animated lighting and effects
Some Bluetooth speakers also have lights on them. They are not meant to illuminate, but to entertain. You could think of them as a visualization like the ones on software music players on our PCs and smartphones. They animate, flash and change colours, to the tune of music. These speakers come with apps that let you tweak the look of the speaker as well. The colour, brightness and the animation effects can be changed as well. This can be fun when you’re hosting a house party and want a nifty party piece.
Voice assistant compatibility
Smart speakers are a completely different product category, but they can also be used as Bluetooth speakers. Regular Bluetooth speakers have microphones too. Hold down a button and you can send voice commands to the voice assistant on the connected phone. In that sense, they behave like any other smart speaker. If you are looking for a truly smart speaker though, head over to the Smart Speakers section on reliancedigital.in.
Those were some of our recommendations on things to keep in mind when you are out shopping for Bluetooth portable speakers. If you want larger speakers for your PC or TV, do not forget to check out the Multimedia Speakers section as well. We have a buying guide on how to choose speakers as well. Your nearest Reliance Digital store is the best place to find great deals on home audio solutions. If you prefer the comforts of your home, simply head over to reliancedigital.in and you can have a Bluetooth speaker delivered right to your doorstep in no time at all.
