Latest speaker reviews
The UE Blast and Megablast step away from the Boom 2 and Megaboom to form a new family of Ultimate Ears speakers, but with a similar story to tell: it's all about loudess and portability. These are speakers that are designed to be used anywhere, any... Read more
When we first looked at the SoundLiink Micro's diminutive proportions, we thought "nah, this dinky speaker can't sound good, can it?". How wrong we were, for Bose's smallest speaker kicks out considerable volume and with more bass than you might imagine.It's... Read more
The Sonos One is is described by the company as "the smart speaker for music lovers" and it not only offers Amazon's Alexa, but it will offer Google Assistant in 2018 too, giving you a choice of the personal assistant you want to use. Sonos One vs Sonos... Read more
These days, home assistant speakers are hot stuff. We've signed all the T&Cs and asked Alexa and Google Assistant all the weird questions a five-year-old might ask a beleaguered parent. Traditional Bluetooth speakers like the Denon Envaya aren't as in... Read more
Sonos launched its wireless subwoofer - the Sonos Sub - way back in 2012. It was originally designed to fit into any room, promising to instantly boost the performance of the company's range of multi-room speakers, which back then consisted of only... Read more
The Sonos Playbar is specifically designed to sit under or above your wall-mounted TV, while the more recent Sonos Playbase, is designed to sit beneath your TV, acting as a base for sets that sit on top of furniture.Of course you aren't restricted to... Read more
Sonos offers one of the best multi room audio platforms out there and the Sonos Play:1 is the cheapest way to get started with a Sonos system.Before the Play:1 was announced in 2013, a typical Sonos system started at over £250 and climbed rapidly upwards... Read more
The Sony ST5000 soundbar might be a lighter way to get yourself a Dolby Atmos compatible sound system than installing a full-on room setup, but as soundbars go, it delivers plenty of heft. Dolby Atmos explained: What is it and how do I get it? It's a... Read more
The hot word in home entertainment at the moment is Dolby Atmos. Once the preserve of high-end cinemas, this enhanced version of surround sound has been making its way into homes, first in AV receivers, and now in soundbars too.There is a caveat of course:... Read more
The market is full of Bluetooth speakers, that's no secret. As with any saturated market various manufacturers clamber over one another to try and get the best combination of features into the most attractive possible package. See current price on Amazon... Read more
The Bluetooth speaker market has changed a lot in the years since the likes of the Jawbone Jambox kickstarted a new movement in loud, room-filling, portable speakers. Now more traditional audio companies are dominating, by pushing the design and audio... Read more
What do you look for in a Bluetooth speaker? Is it sophistication in design? Is it smart voice control? Or it brutal bass and a lighting rig that puts that tricked-out Ford Escort XR3i to shame?If it's the last, then the Sony XB40 won't have escaped your... Read more
When it comes to sound quality, Danish high-end maker Bang & Olufsen is well regarded. The company's offshoots, B&O Play and Beoplay, also create excellent portable speakers and headphones at more accessible price points.Not that the Beolit 17 is exactly... Read more
Several companies announced smart speakers at consumer electronics show IFA in Berlin, some opting for Google Assistant, others for Amazon's Alexa but Onkyo went for both, launching two speakers at the show.The Onkyo P3 is the Amazon Alexa smart speaker,... Read more
Consumer electronics show IFA sees a lot of product launches, but speakers with built-in assistants, whether Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, have been announced in abundance. Panasonic and Sony have both launched Google Assistant-powered speakers, while... Read more
They are all at it. Sony is one of the latest companies to announce a smart home speaker with Google Assistant built-in, joining the likes of Panasonic and Onyko.Sony's LF-S50G doesn't have the catchiest name, but it's a pretty good looking speaker and... Read more
Portable Bluetooth speakers have widened their appeal over recent years, with high-end brands also muscling in on the space to deliver affordable, transportable and great-sounding products.V-Moda is well established in the headphones market — it makes... Read more
In days gone by, if you wanted a decent multi-room audio experience, you could go two ways: if you wanted to keep your existing speakers and stereo, you could use something an Apple AirPort Express unit to build a fairly clunky, unintuitive hack of a... Read more
Soundbars are emerging as the preferred choice for a lot of people. Compact, easy to accommodate in the home and getting better and better in performance with every generation, there are plenty of reasons to plump for a smart soundbar over a more traditional... Read more
Sonos doesn't launch a new product every month, or even every year, but when it does it's well worth the wait for top notch sound. The company's latest speaker, the PlayBase - which is designed to slide underneath your TV rather than mount onto the... Read more
With what seems like a zillion portable Bluetooth speakers available, it can be tricky to decide which one to buy. Creative might not be the most obvious name that springs to mind, but its Roar series has been a strong contender in the space for years... Read more
UE is back with the Wonderboom, the latest Bluetooth speaker to join the Boom party. And this time it's going small. Like the UE Roll 2, this speaker takes things smaller, making it even easier to port around its fun brand of Bluetooth music, but doing... Read more
British-based audio company Orbitsound has unveiled a new soundbar, the One P70. At its £299 price point it's very well positioned to undercut some of the big-boy competitiors and deliver TV-boosting sound.But that's not all the P70 can do, for it's... Read more
There were plenty of soundbars launched at CES in January, with 2017 looking like the year that Dolby Atmos properly takes off in the home.Sony and Samsung are both investing heavily in Dolby Atmos kit, while LG is really going to town with the technology.... Read more
Bluetooth speakers come in all shapes and sizes these days, and there are even some that float.But when you normally talk about floating speakers, you are usually referring to waterproof devices, that you can use in a swimming pool.The LG PJ9 is a different... Read more
One of the hottest trends we've noticed so far at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is speakers. They're everywhere, and apparently, they can be worn anywhere, including your neck. Crazy and whacky gadgets of CES 2017 For instance, LG... Read more
B&O Play likes to do things in a Danish way. That's probably why the new BeoPlay M5 comes clad in a wool-blend coat, as if it could go camping in the hills of a Troldeskoven.But no, the M5 isn't designed to leave the house. It's a wired speaker after... Read more
Sound is a bigger part of your home entertainment setup than you might initially give it credit. Well, you know that, because you're interested in a Dolby Atmos soundbar, a way of bringing the latest in cinema surround sound excitement into your home... Read more
We had no problems recommending the original Denon Heos multi-room speaker range, but a couple of minor gripes stopped it from true five-star performance. The follow-up, rebooted Heos HS2 range goes all out, offering hi-res streaming support and Bluetooth... Read more
The word Dali will probably see your mind either wander to the 'tache-twiddling famed Spanish artist, or to a certain Danish audio manufacturer known for its great quality speakers. The Dali Katch isn't necessarily a piece of art to be hung in a gallery,... Read more
Gaming fans might think the Devialet Phantom looks like a real-life replica of Ghost from smash-hit title Destiny, but audiophiles will know the high-end French manufacturer doesn't speak in vocoded Peter Dinklage, but instead top-end, crystal clear audio.... Read more
Not all headphones are made equal. There are a lot of choices on the market to suit different tastes - whether you want banging bass, noise-cancellation for travelling, or something more neutral like the Beyerdynamic DT 770.These comfortable over-ear... Read more
When we last met AC Worldwide, we saw a couple of superb, Star Wars-licensed Bluetooth speakers in the shape of a Stormtrooper helmet and C-3PO's head respectively. We were also told at the time that they would soon be joined by Darth Vader and Master... Read more
It's not often a Bluetooth speaker has its designer's name tucked away within its specification. But then the BeoPlay A1, by Bang & Olufsen, is no ordinary Bluetooth speaker; it's exemplary for the kind of sound quality that can be achieved at this small... Read more
Can a wireless speaker already be retro? Weirdly enough, that's what the Harman Kardon Go + Play feels like. There's something refreshing about how out-of-step it is.As a large wireless speaker it totally ignores the trend for every speaker larger than... Read more
When we meet Francesco Pellisari, the designer of the Zemi Aria speaker, he's a mixture of eccentric Italian and yet quiet in that seemingly genius-like manner. Does his latest speaker exhibit the same qualities as its designer?We're drawn to the Zemi... Read more
There have been a few Star Wars themed speakers over the years but few quite as visually impressive as the first duo of Bluetooth loudspeakers from British audio firm AC Worldwide.It revealed to Pocket-lint that it will be releasing additional models... Read more
The Roberts Radio S2 - which is part of a whole new series of R-Line multi-room speakers - is one of the first products from everyone's favourite DAB radio maker. Alongside Pure Digital, anyway.At £279 the S2 is a good deal more affordable than the Sonos... Read more
When the original Naim Mu-so launched in 2014, it was received with critical acclaim. Although it's a physically large bit of kit, it impressed us so much that it took the Pocket-lint Awards gong for best speaker in 2015.Which sets-up the newer, smaller-scale... Read more
Libratone is a Scandinavian company and does things a little differently. First, it likes its materials: whether woolly coats or similar, like with its Diva soundbar. Second, its products aren't as outlandishly expensive as most things in Copenhagen.The... Read more
Portable Bluetooth speakers are available in abundance right now. Whether ones made by companies you've heard of, or ones that you haven't, the price and ability of such speakers hugely varies. With Beats now owned by Apple adding a sense of extra kudos... Read more
Harman, the group that owns audio brands like JBL, Infinity, AKG and Mark Levinson, has unveiled a new in-car audio solution here at CES. The Voyager Dashboard consists of a portable speaker unit, which pops into and out of the dashboard top, removing... Read more
Danish audio maker Bang & Olufsen is known for its high-end materials and finish in its products. That's something the BeoSound 35 soundbar-esque multi-room music system strives to achieve, but with a somewhat harsher-looking pentagonal form than the... Read more
As you travelled around the massive LG stand at CES 2016 there was one area you wouldn't want to have a meeting on. The company had effectively turned it into a club by demonstrating the latest entries in the loud, DJ-centric Loudr series of audio products... Read more
We've been harking on about Dolby Atmos and extra height channels in a surround sound setup for a while now, but you've really only been able to replicate the more immersive experience at home for yourself if you had a supported AV receiver. Samsung's... Read more
Having tried several portable Bluetooth speakers in the past, specifically to give us tunes on the move when at festivals, we can see exactly why there is a market for them. The only issue, especially for those who are travelling light and by foot, is... Read more