Tune out: these are the ultimate speakers for summer
From a slim, book-like design to a big, brash waterproof offering, here's how to fill the season with sound
After a few long months of seemingly endless work, we hope you get to go to the coast (or even just the pool) this summer. But regardless of whether you’re travelling afield or staying put, a good speaker is a must – even if it is just for all those barbecues we expect you to be having. After all, these hardy, noisy little lives and souls of the party will keep you grilling to any playlist or podcast of your choice.
But not all speakers are created equal, so we’ve rounded up a handy list to ensure your hardware does the job this summer – whether you want something drink-splashingly waterproof or extra, piña colada-shakingly bassy.
For stylish innovation: Bang & Olufsen Beosound Emerge
Size isn’t everything; and never more so than with this almost disconcertingly slim speaker. It’s hard to believe that a product of this size could fill a space, but that’s the point. This is a piece of kit that can be discreetly slotted into a bookcase, or tucked away in a quiet corner of the kitchen – and then, contrary to its slender exterior, it’ll fill the room with its full-range sound.
Bang & Olufsen have long been masters of innovation, and this design is no exception. But although we’d love to keep waxing lyrical about the aesthetic (for one second, we really did think it was a tome), it would be remiss of us not to mention the omnidirectional low frequencies that can flood a room with sound no matter which direction the speaker is pointing, or the active room compensation, which acoustically optimises the sound of the speaker based on the room it’s in. You’ll never need to worry about carpeted floors again.
For efficiency: Amazon Echo
If you’ve managed to resist the allure of Alexa thus far, you’re a stronger man than most. But now could be your moment.
This fourth-gen Echo doesn’t only have Alexa to call upon (asking her to play your favourite tunes at a grill-out is certainly convenient, especially if you’re trying to keep your eye on several different kinds of meat at once), but, with premium sound, its speakers can also deliver deep bass or more delicate high frequencies, depending on what the party calls for; and that’s in addition to its built-in Zigbee smart home hub (lights, plugs and locks can be managed, for example), as well as a temperature sensor. Due to its holistic capability, this is perhaps the ultimate speaker for efficiency.
For durability: Bose SoundLink Revolve II
With its lack of decoration and minimalist design, this looks like a Very Serious Speaker. And it is, in that it comes equipped with a speakerphone (for all those conference calls you’ll be making) and its voice prompts to keep you organised. But it’s also not averse to a good time; in fact, it actively encourages boisterous, over-excitable partying, because it can handle the rough-and-ready treatment.
Take its water-resistant design, for example – no need to worry about dive-bombing into the pool while this speaker’s around. It’s also able to cope with the odd bumping – if you drop it, knock it against the side of the table or set it down that little bit harder than you meant to, don’t fret. It’ll bounce right back, thanks to a use of soft materials. And its shape is carefully designed for a ‘grab and go’ situation.
For impromptu parties: Bowers & Wilkins Formation Wedge
A speaker with ‘wedge’ in the name doesn’t sound overly attractive, but this is surprisingly unobtrusive. In fact, it looks almost like a piece of contemporary art; a bit like an aesthetically pleasing chiselled rock.
But don’t mistake a stoney appearance for a lack of sound. At £899, it’s not cheap – but it can fill a room, to say the least, due to its five precisely angled drivers that provide stereo sound and the potential to be controlled by your iPhone (whether that’s with Spotify Connect or the Bowers & Wilkins Music App). Get that party started.
For all of the above: Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3
Super-styled, tough, great-sounding and portable? This MEGABOOM 3 speaker from Ultimate Ears might have it all. No, it actually might. It’s waterproof, drop-proof and dustproof, too, there’s an Amazon Alexa hiding in there, it features Bluetooth capability, and, because of its carry-anywhere build, you can cart it around as easily as you would your phone (only without all those annoying spam emails).
And that’s before we even get to the sonics. Immersive and bold, this blazing-red offering packs a serious ear-drumming punch for its size, with spatial 360° sound and a thundering bass that’s 50% deeper than its predecessor.
More of a book man? Here are the classic Hollywood biographies to read this summer…
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