What You Should Keep in Mind Buying a Bluetooth Speaker

Although a portable Bluetooth speaker can be useful with your smartphone or laptop, the selection process is often overwhelming due to the multitude of options available in the market. You can find speakers that come in different sizes, from a few hundred rupees to Rs. And beyond.30,000 Auditioning is the most effective method to select a speaker as sound quality is subjective, and it’s impossible to assess its quality by solely relying on its specifications.

Even in large shopping centers, the practice of ‘’try-before you buy’’ is not always followed, unlike smartphones. Prior to buying a speaker, it’s crucial to have mastered the necessary skills to ensure that it meets all your needs. To help you make the most of your purchase, we have compiled a list of important features for your next portable Bluetooth speaker.

Understanding specifications:

While it’s not the best approach to make a purchase based on specifications, this is advisable, especially if you cannot carry out duct testing on the actual speaker.

Frequency response:

A frequency range of 100Hz to 20,000Hz is commonly known as the Frequency response. Theoretically, the greater the range, better the speaker’s ability to reproduce the intended audio. Good sound quality is not guaranteed by a large distance of sound, as the perception of sounds varies greatly depending on individual individuals.

Other factors, such as the age of the listener and the loss of our hearing capacity, also play a role. Bass in an audio track is usually between 20Hz and 250Hz.?Vocals and other instruments like a guitar and piano are typically found in the mid-range, which is usually between 250Hz to 4000Hz (or 4kHz).The remaining frequencies, up to 20,000Hz, are responsible for providing the treble.

Bluetooth version:

The Bluetooth version determines the audio quality and the maximum distance you can maintain between your phone and speaker. Ideally, you should choose Bluetooth 4 or higher, as this version includes Low Energy profile support for better battery life and is roughly 60 meters away. The latest version of Bluetooth, called Bluetooth 5, significantly increases the data transmission rate and range, but it is still early days for speakers to follow suit.

Drivers:

It is essential to choose a driver that is of decent size because the driver is the heart of any speaker. A good starting point for most portable speakers is a 40mm driver. If you opt for bigger drivers, the speaker’s overall size is likely to increase as well. By using 58mm drivers, the SRS-XB41 from Sony gives you a speaker that is much larger.

Both the number and positioning of drivers affect how well the speaker will sound. Why? Bluetooth speakers designed for smaller spaces usually have a single, full-range driver and are either facing upwards or downwards to provide better sound dispersion. This is advisable. Speakers with twin drivers are frequently noticeably louder. Portable Bluetooth speakers are not suitable for a woofer, so most manufacturers use passive radiators that vibrate to create bass. For those who enjoy rock and electronic music, passive radiators like the JBL Flip 4 are a great addition.

Connectivity:

Apart from wireless capabilities, you can also choose a wired connection, so be sure to have an auxiliary connector available. ’’Aux-In’’ is the usual designation for this on the speaker specifications page. A wired connection is useful for saving battery life and can enhance the sound quality. Many speakers are equipped with NFC, enabling fast pairing. A microphone is a useful addition, as it allows for answering calls directly from the speaker, similar to utilizing teleconferencing technology. When you receive a phone call, you can directly answer it through the speaker instead of searching for it manually.

Charging style:

A standard USB charging port is an added convenience, especially when traveling with friends or outside, and you don’t have the cable on hand. In the present day, most speakers use a Micro-USB port, which makes it possible to charge them with power banks when not in use.

What location do you intend to use the speaker for the most part?

Apart from specifics, it is important to consider the speaker’s location and usage….For those using it for personal reasons, choosing a product that will harmonize with your home décor is the most suitable choice. An example of this is the Bose SoundLink Revolve, which has a contemporary design and an aluminium body that is perfect for an urban living room.

Ideally, the speaker should be waterproof and capable of running freely in water or during outdoor activities. You can choose from a variety of reasonably priced choices. ’Once considered a budget-friendly option, the Toreto Aqua is not the only choice, as there are other affordable options such as the Ultimate Ears Boom 3.

When camping, it’s important to consider battery life and the absence of a power source. Why? While some portable speakers, like the Sony XB41, claim to last for several days, they are generally smaller and weightier than most other portable devices.

Enhanced features:

Bluetooth speakers nowadays can do more than just play music. The industry is gearing up to release smart speakers, and we are already observing their introduction in India. The company has launched its Echo series of smart speakers in India, which includes the virtual assistant Alexa, while Google has already introduced their Home series.

Additional features to look for include support for a companion app, which can be useful when managing multiple speakers, checking the speaker’s battery life, or updating the firmware. Having high-resolution audio profile support, such as with aptX HD or LDAC, is advantageous for listening to high resolution audio files. These profiles can be influenced by the appropriate audio source and compatible device.

Another useful feature is the ability to connect multiple speakers together to enhance sound quality. The advantage of pairing two or more speakers of the same type with one another arises when one speaker is not loud enough to cover a large area or when outdoors. JBL and other brands now offer this feature, but it’s not necessary to have a large quantity. The option to pair two speakers in stereo mode is a more appealing choice, as it enhances the audio experience.

These basic guidelines should make it much easier to select the Bluetooth speaker that best suits your listening needs.