Wireless Bluetooth Speaker, on a Budget

[JohnWest]

I’m looking to buy a wireless bluetooth speaker, it’s sole use will be connecting to an iPad so I can follow workouts in my garage.

Criteria:
- must be able to fill a garage with sound
- decent sound. I’m not after high end specialist audio quality, but I don’t want horrid, tinny sound, either. As point 1, ability to fill a room kind of quality
- battery powered
- not too expensive. I don’t want to spend much. Ideally not more than £30

I understand that my budget may not allow me to meet all the requirements, therefore budget can increase if it needs to. I’m going into this blind, £30 just seemed like a decent figure to me.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[Scrump]

Anker soundcore2

[PurpleTurtle]

From my experience with one around the similar price point (John Lewis own brand) I would make sure the speaker itself has a proper old skool volume knob.

Mine relies on the control of the input device, my iPad or iPhone and is pony.

There is insufficient finesse, such that one click takes it from too quiet to too loud, it is infuriating when you want just the right volume level.

[Shuvi McTupya]

Things to consider:

If its primary purpose is to use in a garage, is there power in the garage? If so , it doesnt need to be a little battery powered thing.

if it is going to live in one place does it even need to be bluetooth? (does your music device have a headphone socket?)

If these criteria actually do work for you, I would consider a pre-bluetooth bose speaker.

These things were once £2-300 and can now be picked up for around your budget.

[JohnWest]

Scrump said:

Anker soundcore2

Will check that out, thank you.

PurpleTurtle said:

From my experience with one around the similar price point (John Lewis own brand) I would make sure the speaker itself has a proper old skool volume knob.

Mine relies on the control of the input device, my iPad or iPhone and is pony.

There is insufficient finesse, such that one click takes it from too quiet to too loud, it is infuriating when you want just the right volume level.

Good point, I'll bear that in mind.

Shuvi McTupya said:

Things to consider:

If its primary purpose is to use in a garage, is there power in the garage? If so , it doesnt need to be a little battery powered thing.

if it is going to live in one place does it even need to be bluetooth? (does your music device have a headphone socket?)

If these criteria actually do work for you, I would consider a pre-bluetooth bose speaker.

These things were once £2-300 and can now be picked up for around your budget.

There is power in the garage. Only problem is, it's a poorly constructed garage that isn't insulated and sees extremes in temperature. If I can find one robust enough for those conditions then I'd happy go for a mains powered one that I can leave out there. Though if it did have bluetooth it'd be nice to have music in the garage while I'm in there doing MAN STUFF

Device is an iPad so yes, there is a headphone jack, albeit I'd have to use a Lightning to 3.5mm adaptor.

I'd love a Bose speaker, didn't realise some were available for such little money.

[Shuvi McTupya]

JohnWest said:

Scrump said:

Anker soundcore2

I'd love a Bose speaker, didn't realise some were available for such little money.

I got lucky recently when on the lookout for something similar and picked up this 'apple hifi' thing that was only made for a year or so. It lives in my garage quite happily.

Originally £300, i got it for £20 and it definitely fills the garage with sound!

[JohnWest]

Shuvi McTupya said:

I got lucky recently when on the lookout for something similar and picked up this 'apple hifi' thing that was only made for a year or so. It lives in my garage quite happily.

Originally £300, i got it for £20 and it definitely fills the garage with sound!

£20 is an absolute bargain!! I guess that's a right time, right place job. Just had a look on eBay and cheapest (fully functional) ones are well over budget.

[blueg33]

I always recommend Tribit X sound go. Water and dust proof. Great sound, bought got me by my son who is an acoustic engineer, so knows stuff about speakers

[JohnWest]

blueg33 said:

I always recommend Tribit X sound go. Water and dust proof. Great sound, bought got me by my son who is an acoustic engineer, so knows stuff about speakers

Thank you. Do you know if it can be used on mains power should I forget to charge it before using it? This also applies to the Anker Soundcore 2 previously mentioned.

[Shuvi McTupya]

JohnWest said:

Just had a look on eBay and cheapest (fully functional) ones are well over budget.

There are loads on ebay!

If you do go for a bose sounddock, get the series 2 like this one as not only do they have a 3.5mm socket, the ipod socket is powered so you can use a little bluetooth adapter on it. £30 may buy it, plus delivery of course. It will take you over budget a little bit but will sound much nicer than a £30 bluetooth speaker.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bose-SoundDock-Series-I...

[Shuvi McTupya]

JohnWest said:

Thank you. Do you know if it can be used on mains power should I forget to charge it before using it? This also applies to the Anker Soundcore 2 previously mentioned.

If it can be charged, it can be used plugged in.

[JohnWest]

Shuvi McTupya said:

There are loads on ebay!

If you do go for a bose sounddock, get the series 2 like this one as not only do they have a 3.5mm socket, the ipod socket is powered so you can use a little bluetooth adapter on it. £30 may buy it, plus delivery of course. It will take you over budget a little bit but will sound much nicer than a £30 bluetooth speaker.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bose-SoundDock-Series-I...

Sorry, I wasn't clear. Was referring to the apple hifi being out of budget.

Shuvi McTupya said:

If it can be charged, it can be used plugged in.

Good to know, thanks.

[Whoozit]

I can recommend a Philips DS series docking speaker plus a Bluetooth dongle. They look to be ~£20 on Ebay and the dongle is new £10-15.

[blueg33]

JohnWest said:

blueg33 said:

I always recommend Tribit X sound go. Water and dust proof. Great sound, bought got me by my son who is an acoustic engineer, so knows stuff about speakers

Thank you. Do you know if it can be used on mains power should I forget to charge it before using it? This also applies to the Anker Soundcore 2 previously mentioned.

Pretty sure you can use it whilst it’s on charge.

[Scrump]

JohnWest said:

blueg33 said:

I always recommend Tribit X sound go. Water and dust proof. Great sound, bought got me by my son who is an acoustic engineer, so knows stuff about speakers

Thank you. Do you know if it can be used on mains power should I forget to charge it before using it? This also applies to the Anker Soundcore 2 previously mentioned.

Yes the Soundcore 2 can be used whilst on mains power. The battery life though is amazing, anker quote 24 hours on battery.

[Skyedriver]

Another vote for the Anker Soundcore 2
Mind you I have only ever tried this model, bought after multiple recommendations on here.

[wong]

I wanted sounds in my shed that I use as a gym. I had some old speakers knocking about (that would probably been thrown away sooner or later) and bought a Bluetooth amp for ~ £30. Its mains powered, and I stream Spotify to it through my phone. It's tiny, but decently loud and at the end of the day, was fairly cheap. Hilariously called "Nobsound" - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nobsound-Digital-Bluetoot...

You'll need some speaker wire as well.

[JohnWest]

wong said:

I wanted sounds in my shed that I use as a gym. I had some old speakers knocking about (that would probably been thrown away sooner or later) and bought a Bluetooth amp for ~ £30. Its mains powered, and I stream Spotify to it through my phone. It's tiny, but decently loud and at the end of the day, was fairly cheap. Hilariously called "Nobsound" - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nobsound-Digital-Bluetoot...

You'll need some speaker wire as well.

The name of that amp made me laugh out loud!

I have a pair of decent speakers in the loft that have been there for years, this may be an ideal opportunity to give them a new purpose!

You connect your phone to the nobsound (, so childish) via Bluetooth?

Edit: my only concern with this solution would be how robust the nobsound and my speakers would be, if they’d be able to withstand the low and high temps of the garage. I think both of those elements were designed to be indoors.

Edited by JohnWest on Wednesday 23 December 17:49

[wong]

JohnWest said:

The name of that amp made me laugh out loud!

I have a pair of decent speakers in the loft that have been there for years, this may be an ideal opportunity to give them a new purpose!

You connect your phone to the nobsound (, so childish) via Bluetooth?

Edit: my only concern with this solution would be how robust the nobsound and my speakers would be, if they’d be able to withstand the low and high temps of the garage. I think both of those elements were designed to be indoors.

Edited by JohnWest on Wednesday 23 December 17:49

Yes, it pairs via Bluetooth. The Childish name is part of the reason why I chose this company - there are other similar Bluetooth amps available.
They do several versions. The link is the one that I bought.
I've had it for ~ 6 months now. It lives permanently in a Shed that is open to the elements at the eaves with no insulation. The amp is attached to the underside of the speakers on home made stands and has been excellent so far. Been 100% reliable so far.
I'm no audiophile, but I think proper speakers with larger diaphragms and separate woofers and tweeters will always sound better than tiny 2-3 inch speakers.

[Whoozit]

JohnWest said:

Edit: my only concern with this solution would be how robust the nobsound and my speakers would be, if they’d be able to withstand the low and high temps of the garage. I think both of those elements were designed to be indoors.

My student-era Kenwood amp and speakers have been set up in my unheated garage for going on 23 years now. Nary a problem.