For the longest time, it seemed like the portable speaker trend was headed toward smaller and more compact speakers, but you know what? Big spaces need big sound, and that’s just what you’ll get with the Braven BRV-XXL. It’s not a small speaker by any means, but the sound it puts out makes bringing it along worth it!
Recently we enjoyed the new Surf waterproof Bluetooth speaker from ION Audio, but for those times when we want to enjoy the patio or entertain friends or family, the pool may not be an option. Introducing the Tiki Sounds Outdoor Illuminated Speaker system.
We recently looked at the Scosche MagicMount Pro Charge and the Speck Presidio Mount Case designed to take advantage of its magnetic wireless charging. The Scosche BoomBottle MM is part of the same line. It is a Bluetooth waterproof speaker with magnets to hold an iPhone in a Speck Presidio Mount or attached steel plates in place; it’s awesome.
Summer is all about spending time by the pool, hanging out on the back deck, travel, and camping. The TYLT Block Party gives you a way to stay charged while outdoors while enjoying your favorite music. The Block Party is a combo portable Bluetooth speaker and 20,000mAh battery that can charge up to four devices at the same time.
Surf’s up! Summer is officially here, and what better way to celebrate the sun and heat than by visiting the closest body of water you can find? Enjoy it even more by taking along the new Surf waterproof Bluetooth speaker from ION Audio.
Last weekend, my wife and I hosted an indie rock show in our living room. It wasn’t the first house show we’ve ever thrown, and it certainly wasn’t the loudest. But as I was sound checking the bands, I realized that I desperately needed to upgrade my live sound set up.
Here at Gear Diary, we’ve reviewed countless amounts of Bluetooth speakers with every bell and whistle you can name. From floating to glowing, we’ve probably seen it all. But there’s truly something to be said about the Douni A7 Bluetooth Speaker, which I’ve been testing for the past few weeks, and honestly, this has become Jess’ favorite speaker to date.
With pools opening this weekend for Memorial Day, if you are looking for a great Bluetooth speaker to take with you poolside, to the beach, or even near the grill, you should check out the Blitzwolf BW-AS1 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker.
It’s not often that I see a device that brags on having a built-in CD and DVD player, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t times when I wish I had easy access to both. Take a look at the Radionovelli 4G Radio; it’s an FM, DAB, and internet radio with 4G connectivity, a 7″ screen, and more!
Inspired by Japanese Zen Rocks you’d typically find in gardens are the Pebble USB Desktop Speakers by Creative. The company sent us over a unit to check out, so let’s see how they help our desktop setup.
I work from home. And like any self-respecting freelancer, I have a well-stocked home office. Mine has a tall corner desk with all the compartments and drawers you could ask for. But I’m also a bit of an audiophile. I like to listen to music while I work, and I do most of my listening on vinyl.
I’m a huge fan of Ultimate Ears speakers. The MEGABLAST Alexa-powered speaker I recently reviewed hangs over my treadmill. The WONDERBOOM is a far simpler, and much less expensive speaker that, for under $100, will have you ready for the great outdoors this summer. It is small, powerful, gets great battery life and is, of course waterproof.
The Tutti Studio Matti is a cute, block-shaped wireless speaker with retro styling that wants to be your modern-day boombox. Designed as a portable sound system, the Matti has a thick, molded polymer sub-chassis, steel grills, an aluminum handle, and silicone rubber bumpers for durability. You can even link up to 8 together for massive sound!
I’ve had a couple Amazon Echo Dots for about a year now. I thought they were great. Then this past Christmas, I picked up a couple Google Home Minis just because I wanted to check them out. Now Amazon’s Echo Dot has been pushed to a backup system as I think the Google Home system is so much better.
Proving that a great sounding speaker doesn’t need to fill an entire shelf or look like an ugly black box, the Bowers & Wilkins T7 is compact, beautiful, and it sounds amazing. The T7 gives 18-hours playback from a single charge, and it’s compact enough to bring it along for travel.
Audioengine makes some of my favorite speakers; I’ve reviewed a number of them and use them daily in both my home office and bedroom. Now Audioengine has announced the A5+ Wireless speakers. With pricing starting at $399, the A5+ won’t take up a ton of space but will fill a room with quality sound. That, however, is just the beginning.
Against all expectations, vinyl sales continue to rise. That means that more people than ever are buying record players. However, building a stereo setup for your vinyl can be a difficult undertaking if you don’t know what you’re looking for.
It’s hard to talk about pool parties and camping trips when many of us are still waiting on at least one more winter storm, but spring is coming — and gone are your excuses to stay inside. The Braven Ready Elite is ready for all of your upcoming outdoor adventures; it’s waterproof, shockproof, and it gives 12-hour battery life.
Sonos has seemingly put the final nail in the coffin for the extremely overpriced HomePod by announcing a deal that will get you not one, but TWO Sonos One speakers for the same $349 you would get for Apple’s latest speaker.
It’s a natural progression for the smart speaker market to go from speakers alone to adding screens. Mobile assistants are becoming an everyday part of our workflow, and being able to move from query to visual aid quickly, or from voice request to tv show, adds a whole new level of value.
Apple’s absence from the smart speaker market is being corrected in early February with the release of the HomePod, but it won’t improve their fortunes in that market. It isn’t because HomePod is too expensive, or too late to the market, it’s because HomePod is handicapped by Siri. Sweet, but painfully useless Siri.