The 10 Best Multi-Room Bluetooth Speakers

Our lives revolve around music. It motivates us when we exercise. We sing and dance while we clean the house. It inspires each of us in unique and exciting ways.

Thanks to modern technology, queuing up our iTunes playlist is easier than ever before. We don’t need a computer or a fancy stereo system to enjoy a rip-roaring time. All you need is a cheap mp3 player and a pair of headphones.

Though, nothing is quite as invigorating as the sound of music reverberating off your walls. Nothing gets you dancing to the pounding beats of speakers. With Bluetooth speakers, you can set up a stereo system anywhere in your house. Your phone becomes your playlist, and Bluetooth is the carrier wave that gets it all going.

Because Bluetooth speakers rely on wireless signals to play music, you don’t need an actual stereo unit – the speakers themselves will suffice, making it easier to set up speakers across the home. And since you’re streaming music directly from your phone, you don’t have to worry about changing CDs or changing the files on your computer either. Your phone is your DJ.

Like any other speaker, a Bluetooth speaker is only as good as its sound quality allow. If you want a great speaker system with tweeters and plenty of basses, you’re going to have to fork out some money. On the other hand, there are plenty of cheaper speakers perfect for proliferating your house with tunes.

The bottom line is buying a good pair of speakers. After listening to a ton of speakers, we’ve narrowed it down to the top ten speakers worthy of your eardrums.

Things to Consider

Buying a set of speakers is always more than the sum of its parts. Music fills an important role in most of our lives. A good set of speakers helps to enhance the role that it plays. Ever since the earliest days of the phonograph, technologies have been developed, enhanced and improved, all to better bring to life the rich emotional experience of music in our ears, in our homes and our hearts.

This means that you need to pay attention to what you buy. For most of us, any old set of speakers just won’t do the trick. While money often keeps us from going all-out and buying a $500 stereo, that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice our aural experience. By paying attention to a few key factors, we can stretch our dollars a little further, buying a set of speakers that are truly worth our time.

Although Bluetooth speakers get their music from a different source than regular speakers, they function the same way, and the same rules apply.

1. Volume Control

When it comes to sound, the louder, the better. That said, you want to try to find a pair of speakers that sound good quiet because we can’t always turn our music up to 11. This is one way in which dedicated speakers are superior to headphones. Headphones often have poor volume control, and quieter songs just never sound as good.

2. Sound Quality

Sound quality is just as important, if not more important than volume control. After all, a loud speaker doesn’t do you any good if it sounds like crap. You don’t want your speakers to distort the sound or crackle when the volume is turned up too high, and you also want a speaker to preserve the fidelity of the song when played at a low volume.

3. Tweeter and Subwoofer

A tweeter is essential for capturing high-pitched sounds, and a woofer is needed to project deeper bass notes. Most people place more importance on the subwoofer, especially if you’re into dance music. But neglecting the tweeter at the expense of a great subwoofer can result in your music sounding very heavy in one way and very weak in another. The net result isn’t good.

4. Bluetooth Connection

This is one way in which Bluetooth speakers do differ from regular speakers. Most speakers, whether attached to a turntable, a CD player, television or your iPod, have a direct connection to the source of the music.

In the case of Bluetooth speakers, that signal is not being sent through a physical electrical connection but by wireless wavelengths. This means that if a speaker has a hard time staying connected to your Bluetooth signal, your music reception isn’t going to be good.

5. Size

The size of your speakers is important. Some speakers can be quite large, and not everyone has the room for that. Larger speakers are usually louder than regular speakers, but they also often require a dedicated area to keep them. Smaller speakers, on the other hand, are portable, making them easier to transport with you as you traverse your home.

QUICK OVERVIEW

The Best Home Bluetooth Speakers

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Best Multi-Room Bluetooth Speakers Under $100

Bose SoundLink Micro

A lot of people like to take their music with them wherever they go. I’m one of them. My cell phone is loaded with a 1960s honky-tonk country that I play proudly every morning when I walk my dog. While my taste in music may be more rustic and old-fashioned than yours, my love of music is the same. 

One of the great advantages of a Bluetooth speaker is that you can take it with you everywhere. The Bose SoundLink Micro takes advantage of the wireless benefits of Bluetooth technology to create a compact, portable speaker that’s perfect for picnics, camping, and other activities that place you outside the walls of your home. 

Despite their small size – the speaker is 1.4 x 3.9 x 3.9 inches big and weighs just 10 ounces – the speaker plays loud and clear tones for 6 hours or more in a single sitting. 

The Bluetooth connection is excellent, as well. As long as your smartphone is in the cell service range, you can take your personal or your conference calls from a wireless range of up to 30 feet. The speaker is also resistant to water and sand and you can pair it with another for a party boost.

It comes with a USB cable for charging. A carrying case is, unfortunately, sold separately. Still, for such a small speaker, this offers pretty good sound quality. At this price, it’s an absolute bargain.

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Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker II

Bose is a name that has been known in audio circles for over 50 years. They are renowned for producing stellar audio equipment, and the Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Speaker is no exception.

This particular speaker is small and portable, designed to be a travelling companion from room to room or for brief excursions away from home. The speaker itself is durable, as the case is made with silicone, and able to withstand a little water, dust or even impact.

Its lithium-ion battery lasts for up to 8 hours, or you can keep it charged at home with a USB power source. In addition to playing music through your Bluetooth connection, it also has a built-in mic so you can ask Siri for directions.

Fortunately, the speaker is easy to work with as well. Unlike some Bluetooth speakers that come with cumbersome apps, the Bose app makes it easy to streamline your Bluetooth connection so that you can listen to the music or podcasts you want when you want to listen to them.

If you want a great, portable, versatile speaker that you can use at home or on the run, this is a great speaker to invest in.

Best Multi-Room Bluetooth Speakers Under $150

JBL FLIP 5

If you’re looking for a compact multiroom Bluetooth-compatible speaker that’s easy to move from one room to another, the JBL FLIP 5 is a great choice. JBL uses careful digital processing to ensure your sound is as crisp, clear, and true-to-life as possible. 

The speaker is quite small, measuring just 7.10 x 2.70 x 2.90 inches and weighing 1.2 pounds. It can be moved from room to room at your convenience and has a minimalist modern look. With an output power of 20W, the speaker sounds quite good for its size because the racetrack-shaped driver helps to keep the music quality at a high level. 

The speaker comes in 11 colors, so you can decide which one suits you best. Also, the PartyBoost mode enables you to pair 2 compatible JBL speakers to get the party going.

The sound on this speaker is excellent – crisp and loud, and it also has really deep bass. With it, you will enjoy up to 12 hours of playing. The sound output might be too low for a huge garden, although that will depend on individual preferences.

But if you want a speaker to play some tunes while you clean around the house or go to a picnic with friends, this is a great buy.

Best Multi-Room Bluetooth Speakers Under $200

Ultimate Ears Boom 3

The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is another top-notch waterproof multi-room speaker on this list. It will give you up to an extraordinary 15 hours of playtime and gives a crystal clear sound anywhere you take it with you.

This one is equipped with a rechargeable battery and boasts a 360-degree deep bass since the speaker’s round shape ensures the sound goes in all directions. Moreover, the Bluetooth connectivity has a range of 150 feet, which is more than enough to connect the speaker to the last corner in your house when listening to music.

The waterproof design isn’t the best feature; The UE Boom 3 is virtually indestructible and has Play, Pause, Skip, as well as volume up/down buttons directly on the speaker. 

This multi-room speaker comes in multiple colors, tailored to fit your wishes. It has a built-in bungee hanger and comes with a micro-USB cable. However, you’ll have to purchase the adapter separately.

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Bose SoundLink Mini II

The SoundLink Mini II from Bose is another beast on this list. Although the multi-room speaker can play up to 10 hours on a single charge, which is less than the previous models, it gives an extremely natural sound and has deep bass tones.

It measures 2.10 x 7.10 x 2.30 inches and weighs 1.5 pounds, which is still acceptable for a portable speaker. The SoundLink Mini ll has a microphone that enables you to take calls on the go and control it with Siri or Google Assistant.

Except for Bluetooth connectivity, there’s an auxiliary input that lets you connect the Mini to other audio devices and a micro-B USB port to charge it when you run out of power.

All in all, this is a strong device if you like to take your music with you. Even though it isn’t waterproof, you can still enjoy the perfect sounds in your backyard if it rains. Naturally, if you have it under a roof.

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Echo Studio

I’m well acquainted with the original Amazon Echo, and I can personally vouch that, in addition to being a great smart hub, it possesses an awesome-sounding speaker. 

The Echo Studio is an upgraded version of the 5-year-old predecessor. The Echo connects to the Cloud-based Alexa app, but since that isn’t strictly pertinent to the Echo’s abilities as a speaker, I won’t go into detail here. 

What is significant is that, in addition to connecting to your smartphone devices via Bluetooth and playing your music library directly off of your phone, it can also connect to your Amazon music account, Tidal, Pandora, Spotify, Youtube, Apple Music, and other music-based streaming services.

You can also pair it with other devices or use it as a microphone to use Alexa. The other nice thing about the Echo as a 5-speaker system is that it provides crisp, clear omnidirectional sound with healthy bass.

The speaker fine-tunes the playback to give you the optimal sound in any room. Thanks to the added features Alexa provides, buying an Echo for your in-home Bluetooth speaker is a great way to kill two birds with one stone.

Best Multi-Room Bluetooth Speakers Under $300

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Have you ever dreamed of having concert-quality speakers? With the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen, your dream can become a reality. Whether you’re a music-lover who needs good multi-room speakers to listen to music all day, or you want to take it with you on a trip, these speakers are an affordable way to wake the whole neighborhood. 

The power behind this speaker isn’t as strong as on some others on this list, but the delivery is strong. 2×140 watts of power is channeled through these speakers, the built-in 3 microphone array lets you take calls on the go, while the True360 sound enables you to hear the music in all directions. 

There’s more to this speaker than just the sound, as well. It comes with a leather strap to secure it on a backpack and a built-in voice assistant.

For the average person, these Bluetooth party speakers will be way, way more than you need. It has a slim design, it measures 5.24 x 1.83 x 5.24 inches and it is water and dust-proof. The heavy beats are appropriate or both indoors and outdoors. In the right circumstances or situations, these are an absolute blast.

Best Multi-Room Bluetooth Speakers Under $400

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay P6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker with Microphone

A little stronger than the last model, the Beoplay P6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker with Microphone boasts a maximum output of 215 watts and recharges in just 3 hours to give you the performance of up to 16 hours.

It has a built-in microphone and it is covered ba an aluminum grill with a leather strap, just like the previous model. This one, however, is a rectangle shape, and not round.

The Beoplay P6 can be voice-activated and its advanced Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and specific B&O algorithms with a custom-designed long-throw 4″ woofer, this multi-room speaker gives you a solid music listening experience.

The only downside to it is that it has overly accentuated highs, compared to others on this list. So, I would say that this one is slightly overpriced if you look at the performance.

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Sonos Move

It’s hard to believe that so much sound could fit in such a small package, but the Sonos Move manages to do it all. From Bluetooth and ApplePlay to Spotify and internet radio, the Move can play everything and sound amazing while doing so. 

It is battery-powered and plays music up to 10 hours on one charge. It weight 6.6 pounds, which is quite heavy for a multi-room speaker, but its features make up for the weight. You can control it with voice and it is completely waterproof and dustproof.

The music system has an advanced digital signal processor (DSP) that helps to preserve the audio signals, ensuring greater fidelity and improved sound. There isn’t much this music system can’t-do. It delivers the clearest sound you’ll ever hear.

The main drawback is the price. The Move is pushing $400, which is a pretty hard buy for a lot of people – myself included – to justify. But if you do have the capital sitting around and you want to invest, this is the way to go.

Best Multi-Room Bluetooth Speakers Under $500

JBL Boombox

The last one on the list is the true beast. When I say beast, I mean 2.4 pounds of excellent performance and 20,000 mAh of durability. You’ll wait around 6 hours for it to fully charge, but it will last you a staggering 24 hours. 

The Boombox has 4 active transducers and 2 JBL bass radiators which are meant to deliver a real monstrous sound along with the hardest hitting bass tones. It’s a perfect speaker for pool parties with your friends since it’s waterproof and can float on water.

The best feature of all is that you can connect up to 2 smartphones to take turns in playing the music. It measures 39.37 x 39.37 x 39.37 inches and it’s a bit heavier than the last one, but still extremely lightweight considering the performance.

The JBL Boombox is the strongest multi-room speaker here. Again, the only downside is the price. But if you really want the best sound out there, consider investing in this particular model.

Conclusion

Whether you’re looking for a portable speaker for travelling, compact speakers for the home, a home theater surround sound system or something else, there are plenty of great speakers to choose from. We’ve done the hard part.

Now it’s up to you. Hopefully, this guide has provided you with the information you need to look for and buy a Bluetooth speaker that meets your needs. Even if the right speaker for you isn’t here, we hope you find what you’re looking for. Happy shopping!

*All prices mentioned above are at the time of publishing.

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