So you’re looking for a new wireless speaker for personal use, maybe entertainment or whatever. Nowadays wireless speakers come in different types and very high price ranges. How do you know what is right for you? Take a look at these three tips to help you decide on the right wireless speaker for you.
Tip #1: Let’s start here: Bluetooth, WiFi or both?
– Bluetooth Speaker: We see them everywhere and they are probably the most popular type of wireless speaker for streaming your music.
Pro: Easy to carry and you can take it anywhere. Bluetooth works with a wide range of devices. Example: Android, iPhone, Google smartphones, etc. The price! Bluetooth is usually cheaper than WiFi speakers.
Con: Some can be bulky and you can only stream one device at a time. A limited range that is up to 33 feet.
– WiFi speaker: Do you have a home network? Great! You can take advantage of that by connecting a WiFi speaker to it.
Pro: Stronger and more stable connection. It can stream to multiple speakers and also has a longer range than Bluetooth. They can usually get to about 200 feet, but I’d keep it lower than that. You don’t want to force it too much.
With: bandwidth! Yes, if you don’t have reliable bandwidth, this can affect your speakers. If you have tons of devices connected to WiFi, this can hog a lot of bandwidth, which will then reduce the quality of your audio. Some can be quite expensive.
– Both Bluetooth and WiFi: If you want it all, both could be for you.
Pro: More flexibility with both. Use WiFi if you’re walking around the house with your phone and don’t want to lose connection or if you’re traveling and want to take it with you, then connect Bluetooth. Invite people over and someone wants to play music? The easiest way here is to get them connected to Bluetooth and ready to go.
Con: It all comes down to price. You’re going to pay more because it has more features than a Bluetooth-only or WiFi-only option.
Ok, now that you have read the pros and cons of each, this brings us to the next tip.
Tip #2: What will you use the speaker for? This is an excellent question to start with. What is the main use of your loudspeaker? Is it to go out on the terrace, inside the house, travel, etc.?
If you’re out on the patio or grilling, Bluetooth or WiFi could work here. There are WiFi speakers that are designed for outdoors, or if you want something next to you on the table or railing and you want to move it around, a Bluetooth would be the best option. If you are going to walk in the garden, go hiking or travel, choose a Bluetooth speaker and look for something that is waterproof or waterproof and resistant in case you drop it. I leave everything…
If you’re going to be listening to audio primarily indoors, I’d go for a WiFi speaker. You won’t have to worry about the signal because WiFi has a longer distance and objects won’t affect the signal. With Bluetooth, walls will affect the Bluetooth signal. If you go three rooms past your Bluetooth speaker, the signal has to go through those walls, which will weaken the signal. This may cause you to log in and out or log out of your device. With WiFi, you won’t have to worry about that, just make sure you keep it under 200 feet. All you have to worry about is whether your router or WiFi can handle it.
Now that should get your brain moving a little bit more in a certain direction. Let’s go to tip number three.
Tip #3: Functionality! There are certain things that we definitely want or would want in our wireless speakers.
– Voice and remote control: voice can be fun, you don’t have to move from your spot but it can also be a pain if it doesn’t understand you. Sometimes accents can affect speech recognition. Using the remote, which could be an actual remote or an app on your device, can be a more efficient way to control your wireless speaker.
– Online music service: A good example here for WiFi speakers is Amazon Echo. Here I can access my music account to play music like Spotify, Pandora and much more.
– Built-in microphone or hands-free speakerphone – This functionality is excellent. This feature is only available on certain Bluetooth speakers like the Anker Soundcore 2. When you’re connected to your Bluetooth speaker and someone calls you, you won’t have to disconnect from the speaker to take the call.
– Input and output: almost all wireless speakers come with an auxiliary port. Here you can connect other devices, such as a TV. There are some speakers, like the Anker Soundcore Boost speaker, that have a USB port where you can plug in your phone and charge it. The output can be used to add a subwoofer for watching a movie or when you’re entertaining and just want more for your audio.
If you’ve been looking for a great wireless speaker, I suggest you follow these three tips. This will help you limit yourself to what you need and not end up buying something you don’t need and save money.
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