The Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers (And Why You Should Buy Them).Many speakers claim to be waterproof, but which ones can actually talk? Here is an overview of the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers on the market right now.Keep in mind that water resistance doesn’t mean you can throw the speaker in the pool and take it out after a few weeks – the idea is to protect it from accidental splashes and occasional water immersion, not to operate it in liquid. A waterproof speaker can withstand occasional splashes, but cannot be kept under continuous running water for long periods of time.
What Is IP Rating And Why Does It Matter?
It’s great to say that the speaker is waterproof, but what exactly does that mean? Is it waterproof in the sense that it can withstand a few drops of water, or in the sense that you can submerge it in a pool without damaging anything?This is where the IP rating comes in. The waterproof rating of a speaker (or any electronic device, really) is measured by its IP rating, or ingress protection rating.As the name implies, the IP rating of a device indicates how resistant it is to foreign particles. This includes both solid particles such as dust and liquids such as water.Therefore, the IP rating of a device consists of two digits; the first number indicates its immunity to dust, and the second number indicates how it handles water. Sometimes it is followed by a letter to indicate additional features – for example, K stands for resistance to pressurized water jets.
What Should Be the IP Rating of a Waterproof Speaker?
When you buy a waterproof speaker, you need an IP64 rating or higher. The 6 indicates complete immunity to dust, and the 4 in the second digit means that the speaker can withstand splashing water without breaking.Of course, the higher the rating, the better, especially if your speaker will be exposed to more than just occasional splashes. A rating of 5 or 6 (second number) is required to withstand water jets, while 7 and 8 are for immersion.9K is the highest possible value indicating immunity to high pressure jets – mainly to high pressure water jet cleaning equipment commonly required in the pharmaceutical and food industries.
Is a Waterproof Speaker Worth It?
At first glance, waterproof speakers sound silly. After all, why on earth should your speakers be waterproof?But if you think about it, waterproof speakers are actually very useful. There are many situations in which your speakers may come into contact with liquids, and purchasing a device that can withstand these conditions can save you a lot of trouble in the long run.
pool party
Party means music that needs a great portable speaker to play those groovy tunes, but a pool party complicates things. No matter how careful you try to be, one of your friends is going to splatter your expensive speaker, and for some models it doesn’t end well.The waterproof speaker (at least IP64 rated) can withstand multiple splashes of water and still work. A speaker with an even higher rating will survive even a plunge into the pool, although no one is going to do this. Right?
Shower
Listening to music while showering is a common habit, even if it comes at a cost. Most speakers don’t handle water well, especially when it comes out of the high pressure nozzle.Ideally you want an IP66K or IP69K rated speaker (K means they can handle high pressure jets of water), but you can also use an IP65 rated speaker if you can keep it from direct splashing.
general
A waterproof speaker is only useless if you want to play music near water sources. Even an inexpensive waterproof speaker can save you if you accidentally spill water on it.And if you like to wipe down your devices with a damp cloth, an IP-rated case can keep moisture out. little water.
#1: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 – Best Overall
When it comes to Bluetooth speakers (or any electronic device, really), there is no upper limit. No matter which model you buy, you will almost always get better sound quality from a more expensive model.But if we’re talking about the best waterproof speaker overall, we need to balance cost with performance. This makes Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 a clear winner.It combines powerful bass with excellent sound quality with an IP67 rating, making it immune to dust, splash water, and even momentary immersion. And all this for less than a hundred bucks.To be fair, the lack of USB-C charging is a bit of an annoyance as the charging process gets a lot slower and there are speakers with better sound quality. However, all said and done, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better waterproof speaker in this price range.Pros
- IP67 rating
- Small and portable
- Decent battery life (approx. 14 hours)
- Supports pairing for stereo audio.
- Special outdoor mode for outdoor listening.
- Powerful bass and good sound quality.
- Everything is customizable with physical buttons
- No USB-C charging
- Not supported by Ultimate Ears
- Not the most powerful speaker
- IP67 rating
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support
- Auto TruePlay function for outdoor
- USB-C charging
- Great sound quality
- Alexa and Google voice assistant integration
- More expensive than Wonderboom 3
- Difficult to install
- IP67 rating
- 7500 mAh battery
- Can act as a power bank
- Ability to connect to other JBL speakers using PartyBoost.
- Bluetooth Multipoint support
- No wired audio connection
- No dedicated outdoor audio mode
- Small and lightweight
- Very affordable
- IP67 waterproof
- Multipoint Bluetooth
- Good bass and volume
- Distorted sound at high volume
- No advanced modes or dedicated control app
- IPX7 waterproof rating
- Very affordable
- EQ settings via Soundcore app
- Good battery life
- Not enough bass
- Average sound quality
- Simple design
- IP67 rating
- Great sound quality
- Graphic equalizer
- Bluetooth 5.1
- No built-in voice assistant
- No outdoor mode
- Incredible bass
- Customizable RGB lighting
- Graphic EQ
- IP67 waterproof rating.
- Average sound quality
- Battery drains quickly
Cons
Price
#2: Sonos Roam – Best Smart
Sonos is known for its high quality smart speakers, and the cheapest model is the perfect portable speaker. The appropriately named Sonos Roam speaker offers voice assistant support and excellent sound quality in an IP67-rated housing, which means it’s virtually immune to water and can withstand even total immersion in water for a limited time.While the Sonos Roam is priced higher than the Wonderboom 3, it is nevertheless the most affordable model in the Sonos lineup and actually has a few more features than its competitor.For example, it charges with a USB-C cable, allowing you to quickly charge your speaker with the same cable you use for your smartphone and laptop. In addition, there is a wireless connection that uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections to play music and receive voice commands.But its best feature has to be Auto TruePlay. This feature continuously modulates the output sound to pass through background noise, allowing you to listen to your favorite tracks in the middle of a busy street.Pros
Cons
Price
#3: JBL Charge 5 – Best Powerbank
The JBL Charge 5 brings an interesting feature – it’s a waterproof speaker that can also function as a power bank, charging other devices via a USB cable. Even if you choose not to use this feature, it will result in much more battery capacity, which is always great for a portable speaker.In addition, this is a fairly reliable Bluetooth speaker with an IP67 rating and a powerful audio output. The bass is surprisingly good for its size, even at low volumes. The dedicated PartyBoost app (along with the JBL Portable app) lets you connect your device to any compatible JBL speaker, playing the same sound from different angles.By using Bluetooth 5.0, you get a low latency broadband connection that can play your music smoothly without any degradation in quality. However, unlike the Charge 4, the JBL Charge 5 lacks an AUX port, which can be a problem if you intend to connect your phone to the audio jack.Pros
Cons
Price
#4: Tribit Stormbox Micro – Best Portable
If you’re looking for the cheapest waterproof speaker that you can take with you everywhere, the Tribit Stormbox Micro is the way to go.While not the smallest speaker you can buy, the 4×4-inch size is quite small, even in a small purse. The build quality is solid, with an IP67 rating making it impervious to dust and water.You’ll be surprised by the rather powerful audio output, even if it’s a bit distorted at maximum volume. However, it has pretty good bass and Bluetooth multipoint support. At just over $50, this is definitely a steal.Pros
< li>Built-in microphone
Weaknesses
#5: Anker Soundcore 3 – Best Value
The Anker Soundcore 3 doesn’t look particularly fancy, but with its $50 price tag, it’s not necessary. This is a portable speaker with decent audio output and an IPX7 rating, making it one of the best value for money Bluetooth speakers you can buy.Of course, the sound quality isn’t great, especially when you get close to really high volumes. Bass is also lacking, even if the Anker BassUp feature does its best to boost the bass.That being said, the Anker Soundcore 3 works pretty well as an everyday speaker. Battery life is pretty good for its price, and the inclusion of the Soundcore app to control the speaker and change EQ settings is a godsend. All in all, the Soundcore 3 is a great waterproof speaker for your simple musical needs.Pros
Cons
Price
#6: JBL Flip 6 – Best Sound
JBL speakers are all the rage, and for good reason. They offer a good balance of affordability and quality with many different models to suit different use cases.The JBL Flip 6 is perfect for a comfortable portable speaker with amazing sound quality. The clarity is incredible and the vocals are quite crisp. You lack voice assistant integration, but if you just want to listen to music, that’s not a problem.This model also supports PartyBoost, so you can connect other JBL speakers for stereo sound. What’s more, the IP67 rating protects against dust and water immersion, unlike the Flip 5’s waterproof rating.Ultimately, the best part of this speaker is the sound quality, which is way better than most of its competitors in the same price range. Of course, you can always use the JBL Portable app to adjust the equalizer settings, perfectly tuning your sound.Pros
< li >Decent battery life
Cons
Price
#7: Sony SRS-XB33 – Best Bass
If you like to listen to soundtracks with rich bass, the Sony SRS-XB33 is exactly what you need. Part of Sony’s EXTRA BASS series, the SRS-XB33 combines powerful bass in a portable package.While audio clarity suffers a bit, there’s nothing better in this price range than this speaker’s bass. Add to that the cool RGB lighting that flashes to the beat of the music and you have a cool party speaker to carry around.Because it’s Sony, you can use the Sony Music Center app to adjust the LED lighting or EQ settings, giving you complete control over the speaker. Party and Stereo pairing modes can be used to connect to other SRS speakers, as well as battery saver mode to extend battery life.You can even connect other devices with a USB-A cable to charge them with the speaker’s battery, allowing you to use it as a sort of power bank. You should probably refrain from doing this, though, as the powerful bass and LED lighting will burn the battery pretty quickly on their own.Pros
< li >External battery function.
Cons
Price
What’s the Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker?
Waterproof Bluetooth speakers are no longer a rarity and you can find a great option in almost any price range. Nearly all of them are IP67 (or at least IPX7) rated, allowing you to take them into the shower with you or even submerge them in the pool without any hassle.Choose the Tribit Stormbox Micro or Anker Soundcore 3 if you’re looking for an affordable option, otherwise something like the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 is perfect.Of course, if you’re more interested in sound quality, something like the JBL Flip 6 (or the Sony SRS-XB33 for bass lovers) might be the way to go. No matter which speaker you choose from the list, you will get a waterproof device that you can carry with you and listen to music anywhere.
The Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers (And Why You Should Buy Them)
The Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers (And Why You Should Buy Them)