How to choose a speaker? - Update 2024

While classic large and especially pro speakers offer perfect sound, they are not ideal for everyone. That's why small Bluetooth speakers that are portable, sleek, feature-rich and sound just as good as their "colleagues" that need constant mains power are becoming increasingly popular.

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Whether you're throwing a garden party, want to enjoy music with friends or want to play your favourite music anywhere in the house, a Bluetooth speaker is the companion that will never let you down. It's compatible with many devices, offers quality music streaming without interference, can play for hours without charging, and is conveniently small so you can take it with you everywhere.

What should I choose a Bluetooth speaker based on?

• Sound quality

  • If you want to enjoy your music to the fullest, you need it to be of the highest quality. And sometimes even a tiny speaker can achieve such perfection in playback that it will surprise you. Others, on the other hand, may be overpriced, but the listening experience is not great.

    That's why you have to choose carefully.

• Size

  • Size matters. And with a portable speaker, that's doubly true. Bluetooth speakers are usually small enough to fit in a backpack, and you can use them to play music anywhere, anytime. On the other hand, there are also large Bluetooth-enabled Hi-Fi speakers that are definitely not travel-friendly.

    But at home with your computer, TV or home theater, big speakers are definitely useful for listening to music.

• Features

  • Wireless speakers have long had many more features than simply playing individual songs, skipping them or controlling the volume. For example, the SWISSTEN Bluetooth speaker Sound-X allows playback from flash drives and micro SD cards.

    And the most advanced ones also support hands-free calling or have a built-in microphone.

• Compatibility

  • Compatibility is an important parameter, i.e. which device the speaker will be able to communicate with.

    In the case of Bluetooth speakers, this is easy - they can be paired with all devices that have this technology (iPhone, iPad, Mac...).

• Range

  • To control the Bluetooth speaker, you must keep a certain distance away from it. If you are too far away, the connection will be lost.

    With modern wireless speakers, the usual range is up to 10 metres.

• Price

  • For most people, besides the design of a speaker, the price is the most important factor. So the choice is up to you and your finances.

    However, it is true that even a small and cheap wireless speaker can sometimes surprise with its quality.

• Power consumption

  • Finally, you should look at energy consumption. Since Bluetooth speakers work as wireless speakers, you have to take into account the need to continuously recharge them. The more capacity their battery has, the longer they can play. For example, the popular SWISSTEN X-BOOM outdoor Bluetooth speaker plays for up to 8 hours. Then you need to recharge it.

    And if you don't have a power outlet handy, it's ideal to always have a charged power bank with you, which can charge the speaker several times.

What types of wireless speakers are there?

When choosing the best wireless speaker, first consider which type suits you best. It's not all about colour and design, although that's obviously very important too (and you should definitely like your speaker).

Generally speaking, however, these speakers fall into three groups:

• Bluetooth speakers

• Speakers compatible with flash drive or micro SD card

• Outdoor speakers

Bluetooth speakers

These are usually small speakers that can easily fit into a backpack and sometimes even a purse. They don't need any cables to function. They produce music thanks to Bluetooth technology - pair your Bluetooth-enabled device of choice with the speaker and your device instantly works as a remote control. Some speakers have their own control panel with basic buttons, others have a display.

Advantages and disadvantages of Bluetooth speakers

• Wireless connection - no cables needed

• Pairing with the device is easy

• Data transmission is high quality and noise-free

• Sound quality is excellent

• The speakers are very light and small

• Some speakers can be connected wirelessly to create a stereo system

• Only large speakers can achieve the quality of Hi-Fi systems

• Small is not enough for a big party

• Need to keep maximum distance between device and speaker to avoid interruption of connection

• Need to recharge - can only play for a certain amount of time

Speakers compatible with flash drive or micro SD card

Some types of wireless speakers also support playback from other sources. It is possible to insert a micro SD card or flash drive with music already prepared. They will then start playing songs sequentially, or you can use their control panel to skip songs and control the sound. So they don't need any other device (smartphone, laptop...) to play. But most of them are also Bluetooth compatible, so they also offer all the same options as classic Bluetooth speakers.

Advantages and disadvantages of speakers compatible with flash drive or micro SD card

• Can be used independently without pairing with another device

• Usually also supports Bluetooth technology

• Completely portable and works anywhere, anytime

• Some types also have an AUX-IN input for connecting external devices containing music

• Cannot play music other than that already loaded on the micro SD card or flash drive

• Need to recharge the battery

Outdoor speakers

This group is usually intertwined with the two groups described above. Outdoor speakers are of course wireless and are more durable and solid, so they can be used anywhere outdoors without any problems. They usually support Bluetooth technology and therefore work like traditional Bluetooth speakers. Many of them also have the ability to play music from other sources, so they include ports for inserting a micro SD card, a flash drive or an AUX-IN for connecting a device such as an MP3 player or CD player.

Advantages and disadvantages of outdoor speakers

• Support for most music playback technologies

• Usually have their own control panel

• More massive appearance

• More durable

• Often IPX5 protection or higher - splash proof

• Need to recharge batteries

• Less elegant appearance