Bluetooth Speaker for ~ £100 ?

[BRISTOL86]

Can someone recommend a good bluetooth speaker for around the £100 mark?

It will be used only for playing music from Spotify on the iPhone, mainly outdoors in the summer when we're sat outside, so if there's anything specifically aimed at iPhone/Spotify then that'd be a plus. I know nothing about them so open to all brands etc.

I have an AVR indoors that I AirPlay to from Spotify on the iPhone, and that works flawlessly every time, so something that works in a similar way would be good.

Cheers!

[LordHaveMurci]

Bought my kids TDK Flex & Scosche Boom Bottle ones for Xmas, RRP's are under £100 but I paid a lot less anyway, both seem pretty good., Scosche more so.

[nyt]

over budget .. but this is the one that all the others are compared to: http://homeavdirect.co.uk/bose-soundlink-mini-ii-b...

[bitchstewie]

nyt said:

over budget .. but this is the one that all the others are compared to: http://homeavdirect.co.uk/bose-soundlink-mini-ii-b...

Tell you what, I was at a conference in a reasonably large room a week back and a guy took out a laptop and said "I'm going to play a video" having hooked it up to a projector.

Then he took out one of those and popped it next to the laptop and I can honestly say I was floored at the "size" of the sound.

[tog]

nyt said:

over budget .. but this is the one that all the others are compared to: http://homeavdirect.co.uk/bose-soundlink-mini-ii-b...

I've just got one of these for using while I was a working away and staying in a hotel for a month and it's great. I've since found another use for it - tunes in old cars which don't have decent radio or speakers. So much better than 1960s medium wave!

[nyt]

bhstewie said:

nyt said:

over budget .. but this is the one that all the others are compared to: http://homeavdirect.co.uk/bose-soundlink-mini-ii-b...

Tell you what, I was at a conference in a reasonably large room a week back and a guy took out a laptop and said "I'm going to play a video" having hooked it up to a projector.

Then he took out one of those and popped it next to the laptop and I can honestly say I was floored at the "size" of the sound.

I first saw it being demonstrated outside the Bose outlet in Bicester. The sound filled a small outdoor square.
I do find Bose a little base heavy though.

The price does drop to about £129 sometimes.

There are two models - the latest is the 'Bose soundlink mini 2' aka the 'Bose soundlink mini II'

Edited by nyt on Sunday 10th April 14:20

[BRISTOL86]

nyt said:

over budget .. but this is the one that all the others are compared to: http://homeavdirect.co.uk/bose-soundlink-mini-ii-b...

That looks the nuts, think I can justify a budget stretch

Thanks

[Troubleatmill]

I bought this. Very happy with it.

[gregs656]

I have a UE Boom 2 which I got within your budget from John Lewis. Extremely pleased with it, gets a lot of use.

[Steve Campbell]

Check out the Cambridge Audio G2 ((~£80 from John Lewis now). Gets some mixed expert reviews but I've found it more than adequate for an "around the house" portable Bluetooth speaker. Easily lasts the 10 hrs advertised when I've used it. Often gets marked down by lack of USB charging, which isn't a problem if you are only using it around the house and can plug it in to charge.

http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/tvs-entertainment/b...

[Frybywire]

http://minirigs.co.uk/

[toon10]

Another vote for the Bose. I bought one cheaper in the States a couple of years back and for the size, it's pretty impressive. I spent more on the travel case and rubber protection bumper but you don't have to splash out on those to keep costs down. I keep it in our bedroom to use when having a lazy day.

I used mine in Florida when we were chilling by the pool and it's more than punchy enough for outside. I also use it when travelling to beef up the sound when watching movies on the iPad.

[Douglas Arfempty]

gregs656 said:

I have a UE Boom 2 which I got within your budget from John Lewis. Extremely pleased with it, gets a lot of use.

Another vote for the UE Boom. The sound is 'massive' and also very clear. Not as much bass as the Bose, but that is what made me go for the UE Boom as it has, to my mind, just the right amount. A colleague has the Bose and it is all about the bass, 'bout the bass.

[JimPD]

I would recommend the Denon Envaya Mini as a very good alternative to the above - and in budget

[toon10]

Douglas Arfempty said:

Another vote for the UE Boom. The sound is 'massive' and also very clear. Not as much bass as the Bose, but that is what made me go for the UE Boom as it has, to my mind, just the right amount. A colleague has the Bose and it is all about the bass, 'bout the bass.

I can't comment on the UE Boom as I've not heard one before but would recomend a demo. As for the Bose, I have to disagree. I normally stay well clear of Bose as they do tend to be bass heavy. The speaker does produce impressive bass but it's not intrusive or too much. I'd be interested to hear the Cambridge Audio speaker as they do make some good stuff at a decent price.

[Shilvers]

JBL Charge 2+. Picked one up from Currys for £99 and I'm amazed what it can do for the size. Highly recommended.

[Aerate]

Frybywire said:

http://minirigs.co.uk/

+1

Amazing battery life. Add another one to make it louder (not that you need to unless you're hosting a rave).

[feef]

I've got a Yamaha NX P100

It's got a USB output so it can charge (or at least power) your phone, and while the What HiFi review says it lacks Bass, I can't say I felt that was the case

As for lacking excitement and rhythm? I'm not sure what they mean by that

http://www.whathifi.com/yamaha/nx-p100/review

In general, I commend it to the house

[kingston12]

BRISTOL86 said:

That looks the nuts, think I can justify a budget stretch

Thanks

I have had the version 1 of the Bose for a few years and I am in no hurry to change. I have never been much of a Bose fan, but I have had their SoundDocks and noise cancelling headphones for years and still can't find anything that rivals them in those particular fields.

I actually changed my SoundDock for the Mini because I could see myself getting more use out of something so much smaller. The sound quality is actually very similar up to reasonable levels - the Dock did go louder, but I have different systems when I want to do that.

The new one charges by Micro USB (I think), but my version 1 came with a 3 pin charger as well as a 'fold down' US/Japanese 2 pin which fits in the Bose case without adding much extra bulk at all. If you can find a refurb version 1 within your budget definitely go for it, otherwise the version 2 will be great at £140.

[heebeegeetee]

Another one for UE Boom. I am *very* impressed with mine, it's so easily pick-up-able, made to be used outside, fits in cup holders in cars that don't have bluetooth, good sound, we take ours on hotel breaks, it fits in bags or whatever easily, has a tough exterior that won't scratch, etc etc a great bit of kit imo.

I so like it I'm thinking of buying a pair of the bigger ones (a pair can be linked for stereo).