Author: Michael Crider / Source: reviewgeek.com
If one Bluetooth speaker sounds good, two sound better. And three sound even better, and… you get the idea. These speakers offer a “party mode” to make it dead simple to pair speakers for powerful playback. Here’s our top picks.
Part of newer Bluetooth standards, “Party mode” allows a sound source like your phone to send its wireless audio signal to multiple receivers at once.
That means that only some of the more recent models of speaker can do this, and not all of them support that specific function: it’s generally achieved via a separate manufacturer-supplied app.Unfortunately, that means that Bluetooth speakers can generally only pair with similar models from the same manufacturer. An alternative way to achieve this which doesn’t rely on a single manufacturer is via “smart” speakers, using a Wi-Fi connected system like Amazon’s Alexa or Google Chromecast. But, for people that want to build out a wireless and synchronized speaker system without using a smart home platform (or to use it at, say, the beach or camping where using a smart home system is impractical) party mode is a perfect fit.
Best Overall Party Mode Speaker: Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 ($100)
For a combination of features, slick design, and price, you can’t beat this mid-range offering from Logitech’s Ultimate Ears sub-brand. A simple but effective chassis combines circularly-placed drivers and radiators with big, finger-friendly control buttons and a variety of color and cloth combinations.
UE’s mobile app allows connecting to up to 150 different BOOM speakers at once (yes, really), and includes a “Block Party” mode so three people can send music at once and take turns at playing DJ.
Other pluses include a 15-hour rechargeable battery, IPX7 water resistance, a standard headphone audio-in jack, and a tripod mount for the included strap handle. The BOOM 2 is available in various colors for around $100. If you want even more sound, the MEGABOOM design has bigger, beefier drivers and a 20-hour battery life with identical features for around a $160 street price.Best Budget Party Mode Speaker: Creative Metallix ($30)
Once you dip below the $70 price point, quality speakers tend to be hard to find, not to mention speakers with anything more than “it plays music!” in its list of features. Creative’s Metallix is a happy exception.
In addition to basic…
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