Blue Tooth Water Proofspeaker That Multiples Can Connect to One Device

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No matter what you're planning to do on your next outdoor excursion, the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers have you covered. They're ideal for people who want to listen to their favorite playlists while enjoying the great outdoors or lounging by the pool.

There are many portable Bluetooth speakers to choose from, and the top waterproof options come in all shapes and sizes. What they all have in common, however, is that they're designed to keep delivering impressive sound even if they fall in your pool or take a dip in a nearby lake. They also pair via Bluetooth and provide on-device controls so you can keep your smartphone or digital audio player safely tucked away while enjoying the music.

We tested and researched the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers for daily and adventurous use. Here are our top picks.

JBL

What We Like

• Powerful, distortion-free sound

• Rugged and durable

• Long battery life

What We Don't Like

• No speakerphone functionality

• Can't be wall-mounted

JBL Charge 4 Review

JBL's Charge 4 is a well-rounded Bluetooth speaker that manages to check all the right boxes: room-filling sound with lots of bass, rugged durability, long battery life, and a price that offers solid value considering everything that's packed into this little device.

With an IPX7 waterproof rating, the Charge 4 can stay underwater for 30 minutes at up to a 1-meter depth. It even floats, so you can easily retrieve it if it does end up going for a swim. The single, full-range "racetrack" speaker puts out the clean and crisp sound across all genres that JBL is famous for, and you can crank it up to maximum volume without worrying about distortion.

The battery delivers up to 20 hours on a single charge—assuming you keep the listening levels reasonable—and you can use some of that capacity to charge up your smartphone via the USB port around the back. The Charge 4 is also compatible with JBL's Connect+ ecosystem, so you can sync it to play alongside as many as 100 other JBL Connect+ compatible speakers for the ultimate party experience.

_{Channels: Mono | Bluetooth: Yes | Physical Connection: 3.5mm/USB | Digital Assistant: None | Waterproof: IPX7}

Tested by Lifewire

The JBL Charge 4 looked and felt like a high-quality device right out of the box. And that first impression proved itself after just a few minutes of using it and throughout testing. The 20-hour battery life claim held up, and it took about four hours to go from completely dead to fully charged, which was 90 minutes faster than JBL's estimation. While the charging time was long, the speaker's back panel with a USB port made up for it. When I took the Charge 4 to the beach, the charging bank feature let me extend my time by the waves by charging other devices. It survived a fall or two off a table and hit the ground with a thwack that made me think it would stop working. But it just kept going. As for audio, the Charge 4 sounded great at the beach; I could hear the music over the sound of the waves and the ambient noise. If the sound quality isn't perfect, it's very close. —Danny Chadwick, Product Tester

Lifewire / Danny Chadwick

JBL

What We Like

• Excellent sound quality

• Fast USB-C charging

• Fun, colorful designs

What We Don't Like

• Slightly heavy

• A little pricey

• Battery life could be longer

BL Flip 5 Review: A Rich-Sounding Speaker with a Hefty Price

Don't let the small size of JBL's Flip 5 fool you; this speaker makes no compromises on sound quality, and it gets surprisingly loud, too. It's a speaker that punches above its weight class to deliver clean and balanced sound for just about any style of music.

JBL accomplishes this quality with a unique 44-millimeter driver (the part that delivers sound) that puts out crisp and nuanced rather than overwhelming sound and just the right amount of bass for a speaker in its class. If you're looking for something closer to a true stereo setup with the Flip 5, the PartyBoost feature allows you to link up another JBL Flip 5 to get real stereo separation, taking its already impressive sound quality to an entirely new level.

The IPX7 waterproof rating also means you can take it to the pool or the beach with no worries, and the internal battery keeps you going for up to 12 hours on a single charge.

_{Channels: Mono | Bluetooth: Yes | Physical Connection: USB-C | Digital Assistant: None | Waterproof: IPX7}

Tested by Lifewire

What I like most about the build of the Flip 5 is that it doesn't feel like there's a whole lot of wasted space. I definitely noticed its presence when tossing it into my picnic bag, but the rigid grille that covers most of the device gave me no qualms about tossing this speaker onto the ground. I don't recommend dropping the speaker into the water for fun, but the IPX7 rating makes this a perfectly durable speaker for use in the rain or on a poolside table getting splashed. I noticed that battery life takes a dip at higher volumes, as expected, but I think you could get more than 12 hours at lower volumes, depending on the content you're streaming. That's a little disappointing because of how heavy the speaker is, but it charged faster than other JBL speakers I've tested—in about two and half hours. What impressed me the most about sound quality is the detail provided by this speaker, whether you're listening to soft classical tunes or using the speaker as a speakerphone. There's no denying that this speaker sounds and looks incredible.—Jason Schneider, Product Tester

 Lifewire / Jason Schneider

Amazon

What We Like

• Very affordable

• Good sound

• Speakerphone capability

What We Don't Like

• Weak on bass

Most inexpensive Bluetooth speakers don't sound much better than an old-school transistor radio, but the inexpensive Tribit's XSound Go is a refreshing surprise. It's rare to see a sub-$50 speaker pack in the right speaker technology to produce sound that's both clean and loud, but somehow Tribit has pulled it off.

It's still a budget speaker, so don't expect any miracles, but the XSound Go can hold its own against many speakers that are twice the price. The highs and mids are crisp, and there's a reasonable bass presence here, but it can't belt out distortion-free sound at a party as a premium speaker would.

Still, XSound Go is an affordable and versatile speaker for casual listening, with the usual IPX7 rating that can withstand up to a meter of water for 30 minutes, speedy USB-C charging, and 24-hour battery life. It also features a built-in mic, so you can use it as a speakerphone or call up your favorite voice assistant, and a 3.5mm auxiliary input lets you use it as a wired speaker too.

_{Channels: Stereo | Bluetooth: Yes | Physical Connection: 3.5mm / USB-C | Digital Assistant: None | Waterproof: IPX7}

Amazon

What We Like

• Compact and portable

• Fantastic sound quality

• Dustproof as well as waterproof

What We Don't Like

• No speakerphone functionality

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 Review

Ultimate Ears offers some of the more attractive portable Bluetooth speakers we've seen, with a unique design that makes the company's products instantly recognizable. The Wonderboom 2 is no exception in that regard, but what it does bring to the table is great sound in an even smaller and more portable package.

This softball-sized speaker is small enough that you can take it pretty much anywhere, yet it earns the Wonderboom name by producing surprisingly rich bass that doesn't get in the way of a lighter music style. It's much more than you'd expect from a 4-inch speaker and plays nicely with everything from hip-hop and metal to classical and jazz.

With an IP67 rating, the Wonderboom 2 isn't just waterproof, it's also certified as dust- and sand-proof, making it a great choice for even the busiest beaches. Plus it's available in UE's usual array of fun colors.

_{Channels: Mono | Bluetooth: Yes | Physical Connection: Micro USB | Digital Assistant: None | Waterproof: IPX7}

Tested by Lifewire

I tested the Wonderboom 2 and appreciated how small and durable it felt. It fit in a standard-sized backpack along with a change of clothes and some food, and it took up very little space. It also felt secure strapped to a bag. I used it both in water and on the beach without any ill effects, even when I held the speaker underwater. I also tested UE's claim that the Wonderbook 2 is drop-proof up to 5 feet; after dropping it from shoulder height onto a wood floor, the speaker just kept going without a dent or a scratch. It's not often that a company under-promises and over-delivers on battery life, but Wonderboom 2 does just that. We ran it up to the 13-hour mark, and it didn't die and continued playing for an hour. Though this speaker is tiny, it's very loud and can cut through a lot of background noise. When we played it in a 700-square-foot apartment, we couldn't get the speaker above half volume before it started hurting our ears. We could even hear it clearly when submerged beneath a few inches of water. —James Huenink, Product Tester

Lifewire / James Huenink

Anker Soundcore

What We Like

• Customizable lighting effects

• Good battery life

• Speakerphone capability

What We Don't Like

• Bass boost is needlessly heavy

• Some distortion at higher volumes

Anker's Soundcore Flare+ continues the company's tradition of making solid products at affordable prices. This waterproof Bluetooth speaker combines some of the best designs of its competitors into a single package.

With two full-range drivers (the units that create sound), two tweeters (a type of speaker that handles high sound frequencies), and a pair of passive bass radiators (speakers that handle low, bassy sounds), the Flare+ delivers strong sound throughout its entire range. It also gets loud enough for outdoor parties without too much distortion. If you want even more on the lower-end, there's a bass boost feature that works quite well—with the right genres of music. For the most part, though, we found the speaker does just fine on its own.

The design feels like a cross between UE's Boom and JBL's Pulse lineups, with a cloth texture on the exterior and an LED light ring on the bottom that pulses and phases in sync with your music. The IPX7 rating means you can take it to the pool or the beach, and you can pair two of them up for proper stereo playback. There's also a microphone for taking calls or calling up your smartphone's voice assistant, and it offers up to 20 hours of listening time on a single charge.

_{Channels: Stereo | Bluetooth: Yes | Physical Connection: 3.5mm/Micro USB | Digital Assistant: None | Waterproof: IPX7}

Amazon

What We Like

• Clear, crisp audio

• Great battery life

• Suction cup stays in place well

What We Don't Like

• Doesn't come with a wall adapter

iFox iF012 Bluetooth Shower Speaker Review

You don't technically need a shower speaker to listen to your favorite tunes while showering—any waterproof Bluetooth speaker will do—but having the right one certainly helps.

Designed for use in the bathroom rather than at the beach, the dust- and waterproof iFox iF012 has a sturdy set of suction cups that let you pop it right onto the tiles in your shower. The suction is also surprisingly strong, so it's not going anywhere once you get it in place. The iF012 also features a complete set of accessible control buttons right on the front, so you don't need to fumble with it to adjust volume, change tracks, or even answer calls using the built-in speakerphone.

As a shower speaker, it can't deliver the same audio quality you'd get from an outdoor beach speaker. It still achieves impressive results for listening in your bathroom. The iF012's 22-hour battery life is another plus and more generous than most small speakers.

_{Channels: Mono | Bluetooth: Yes | Physical Connection: 3.5mm (USB charging only) | Digital Assistant: None | Waterproof: IP67}

Tested by Lifewire

I tested the iFox iF012 and found setup and use as easy as it comes. This speaker comes with a simple five-button control panel that took only a few minutes to learn. The only confusion I experienced had to do with skipping back and forth between songs and controlling the volume—since you do both with the same buttons. Those are the only controls you get, but you can also answer phone calls, and this feature works great. When I tested this feature, the person calling in assumed I was using a handset and couldn't hear a difference. While iFox predicts a 10-hour battery life, I was able to use this speaker for about 22 hours before it ran out of power. The sound quality was as good as can be expected from this type of device. I didn't experience booming bass or stereo sound, but vocals were clear and true to the recording. —Danny Chadwick, Product Tester

Lifewire / Danny Chadwick

Bose

What We Like

• Built-in speakerphone functionality

• Lightweight and portable

• Impressive bass in a small package

What We Don't Like

• A bit pricy

• Poor battery life

• No AUX In port

The SoundLink Micro naturally won't deliver the same audio quality as a full-sized Bose speaker system, but it's pretty impressive, considering it's small enough to fit into the palm of your hand.

The magic here comes from a custom-designed speaker for mids and highs in whatever you're listening to. Combined with two passive radiators that handle lows, this arrangement allows SoundLink Micro to deliver clean sound with no shortage of bass. It also gets louder than you expect from a speaker this size, and although you can hear some distortion at the top end of the volume range, that's par for the course in this size range.

The SoundLink Micro also has a rubberized silicone exterior, integrated strap, and the usual IPX7 waterproof rating, making it a great speaker for your bike, backpack, or boat. An integrated mic offers the ability to handle calls or call up your favorite voice assistant, and it also has built-in voice prompts to walk you through the Bluetooth pairing process. Unfortunately, as surprising as the sound quality is for a speaker of this size, there's less room for a battery, so you get only about six hours of listening time on a single charge.

_{Channels: Mono | Bluetooth: Yes | Physical Connection: Micro USB | Digital Assistant: None | Waterproof: IPX7}

JBL

What We Like

• Amazing lighting effects

• Stylish design

• Powerful sound

What We Don't Like

• No 3.5mm audio port

• No speakerphone functionality

• Heavier than it looks

JBL's Pulse 4 features the company's signature audio quality, and it's the life of your party in more ways than one. Put it in the center of the room, and the Pulse 4 lets you choose from any number of cool patterns and light themes to accompany the music—or set up your own using the companion smartphone app. You can even keep the lights going when the music is off.

The Pulse 4 also offers more than enough bass to keep an indoor party going, but it drops off at higher volumes, and you start to hear a bit of distortion. Even though the IPX7 rating lets you use it near the water, it's best suited for smaller pool parties and intimate beach gatherings.

You get up to 12 hours of listening time on a single charge with the lights on, but you can push that a bit further by running the speaker dark.

_{Channels: Mono | Bluetooth: Yes | Physical Connection: USB-C | Digital Assistant: None | Waterproof: IPX7}

Amazon

What We Like

• Impressive bass in a smaller package

• IP67 dust- and waterproof

• 24-hour battery life

• NFC pairing

What We Don't Like

• Bass drops off at higher volumes

• A little big

If you're looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker that doesn't compromise on bass, Sony's SRS-XB33 has you covered—and it looks the part, too. Big bass naturally means a bigger speaker, so it's not the smallest one on our list, but it's still portable enough to take with you. It also features an IP67 rating, meaning it's certified as both waterproof and dustproof, making it an ideal choice for beach parties.

Sony packed in some substantial drivers (the components that convert audio signals) to punch out an impressive amount of bass—and it does it without any noticeable distortion even at the maximum volume levels. The SRS-XB33 delivers so much bass that we had a hard time believing it was coming from such a small speaker; it feels like there's a dedicated subwoofer somewhere in the room. The bass does drop off a bit at higher listening levels, but you still feel its presence across the entire volume range.

Two LED light bands on either side also change colors and pulse to the beat of whatever's playing, and you can adjust these with the companion smartphone app. A built-in mic provides speakerphone and voice assistant capabilities, and it even supports NFC for quick and easy Bluetooth pairing with modern smartphones. Sony also promises up to 24 hours of listening time on a single charge at normal volume levels.

_{Channels: Stereo | Bluetooth: Yes | Physical Connection: Micro USB | Digital Assistant: None | Waterproof: IP67}

Final Verdict

The JBL Charge 4 (view at Amazon) covers all the bases that a waterproof Bluetooth speaker should, with long battery life, great balanced sound, and a durable design. If you prefer not to spend a lot, however, you'll find Tribit's XSound Go (view at Amazon) produces sound quality that's quite surprising for its much more affordable price.

What to Look for in a Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

IP Rating

The main factor distinguishing the models on our list from traditional Bluetooth speakers is their water resistance, so you want to pay close attention to the ingress protection (IP) ratings. Bluetooth speakers that are waterproof typically have an IPX7 rating, which means they can handle immersion in water for a brief amount of time.

Audio Quality

Key when picking out any speaker, audio quality is especially important for a waterproof Bluetooth model because you'll use it outside. They need to be crisp and clear and powerful enough to compete with any ambient noise outdoor environments present.

Battery Life

Because they're often used on the go or may live outside next to your pool, a generous battery is essential for these speakers. Something above 12 hours is a good place to start, though some of the best go all weekend long without quitting.

FAQ

• Can waterproof speakers be used underwater?

  Waterproof Bluetooth speakers can survive getting wet, which means they keep working after dropping into a pool or lake. That doesn't mean you can listen to them while swimming, though. For that, you're much better off with a dedicated underwater media player and a set of headphones.
  

• What is an IP rating?

  The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) sets IP (ingress protection) ratings to indicate how resistant electronic devices are to dust and water. These ratings come with two numbers: the first represents a device's protection against solid particles like dust, and the second indicates resistance to water and other liquids. If you see an "X" instead of a number, a device hasn't been tested in that category.
  

• What's the range of a waterproof Bluetooth speaker?

  Waterproof Bluetooth speakers have the same range as any other Bluetooth speaker. The waterproof rating doesn't diminish the Bluetooth range in any way. While Bluetooth technology offers a theoretical maximum range of over 300 feet, almost all smartphones, digital audio players, and Bluetooth speakers use the lower-power Class 2 Bluetooth, with a range of around 30 feet (10 meters).

About Our Trusted Experts

Jesse Hollington is a tech journalist with 15 years of experience writing about technology. Jesse previously wrote and served as Editor-in-Chief for iLounge, where he reviewed dozens of portable Bluetooth speakers and related accessories over the years. He's also authored books on the iPod and iTunes and published product reviews, editorials, and how-to articles on Forbes, Yahoo, The Independent, and iDropNews.

Danny Chadwick has been writing about tech since 2008 and produced hundreds of features, articles, and reviews on a massive range of subjects. He specializes in mobile audio equipment and reviewed several of the speakers on our list.

Jason Schneider is a writer, editor, copywriter, and musician with almost ten years of experience writing for tech and media companies. In addition to covering tech for Lifewire, Jason is a current and past contributor for Thrillist, Greatist, and more. He specializes in audio tech.

James Huenink is an experienced tech journalist and copywriter who's fascinated with how tech can help bind people together. He specializes in portable speakers and produced an insightful review of the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 for our list.

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Source: https://www.lifewire.com/best-waterproof-bluetooth-speakers-4173025