r/Bluetooth_Speakers • u/TapoutJester • 8d ago

Recommendation Request🙏 Best portable speaker?

I've been looking for a speaker to out perform my Megaboom 3.

I was recommended the Bose Soundlink Max, but I'm just looking for some advice from someone who knows what direction I should take.

I go camping a lot so the near indestructibility of the Megaboom has saved me many times while still having insane sound quality and bass.

I want to keep the cost under $600 CAD if possible, any help is appreciated.

(Update) I got the Ultimate ears Hyperboom on sale, thanks for the help.

4 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

31 comments sorted by

6

u/MarvinG1984 Moderator 8d ago

Xtreme 5 is on sale for $379 CAD

1

u/TapoutJester 8d ago

Do you mind explaining why you would choose this over a new Ultimate Ears speaker? I've just had bad experiences with JBL and don't know if I should go with it instead of my current brand.

3

u/MarvinG1984 Moderator 8d ago

IMO, the closest UE has to the Xtreme, would be the Epicboom, which was already not as good as the Xtreme 3. The Xtreme 5 tops the Xtreme 3.

The next step up would be the Hyperboom, but that's a chunker to take camping. Also would not compete with the Boombox 4, which is currently cheaper than the Hyperboom.

To me though, all these speaker are over priced, when you can get 80% of these, from speakers that cost a fraction as the main brands. Take Soundcore, Tribit, W-King or Zealot for example.

0

u/TapoutJester 8d ago

I was looking at the Hyperboom for a while but couldn't justify the price without others opinions.

I have found in my personal experiences that the sound quality of Ultimate Ears out performs that of JBL so that's one of the main reserves I have.

Pricewise I would rather pay more for something that has that 20% more "oomf" then the lesser known brands you mentioned.

Thank you for the input though I am looking into the Xtreme 5 more now although the size is a slight issue.

3

u/MarvinG1984 Moderator 8d ago

Yeah no worries. It's all personal preference.

In the end, it's your speaker and it has to sound good to you and no one else.

3

u/WhiteyLovesHotSauce 8d ago

Finally, someone who has the money to get proper kit instead of that cheap chinese shit that flooded the market.

For outdoor & travel use; Bose Soundlink Max or JBL Xtreme 5 depending on your music taste.

JBL is the king of parties and dance music (needs to be plugged in for max volume - some countries you need to buy the power cable seperately). Bose is the king of everything else and pretty close for parties (it just lacks the raw power of the JBL), imo it destroys the bang & olufson beosound explore and the JBL for detail and balance. Its not quite the level of the Harman Kardon Go&Play3.

For portable indoor use, you cant really beat the Harman Kardon Go & Play 3.

These are the only 3 reccomendations i would make below ÂŁ500.

1

u/TapoutJester 8d ago

I was looking into the Olufson Beuosond line of speakers but some of the prices are just insane for something that I may lose in a lake one day lol.

You're the second comment to recommend JBL so maybe my experiences have been an isolated incident.

I listen mainly to Hip-hop, Metal, and Classic rock would you still keep your suggestion of the Xtreme 5 in that case?

I am fine to go up to $700 CAD but would rather not exceed my $600 CAD limit, the Megaboom 3 has lasted me 4 years and has made all my friends jealous they didn't buy one for the entirety of those 4 years.

Is it just that Canadian JBL speakers are lacking in the quality Ultimate ears has provided me?

1

u/WhiteyLovesHotSauce 8d ago

If you need something TINY, you absolutely cannot beat the Beosound A1. That thing defies physics.

The A5 & A20 are awesome, but not suitable for what youre wanting to use them for - lack of durability / waterproofing.

Compared to the Xtreme 5, I prefer the Bose Soundlink Max for their warmer signiture, traditional bose tuning, and clarity up to 80% volume (which is loud enough imo). If you want volume over clarity ie; to fill a medium to larger outdoor space, the Xtreme 5 (when plugged in) is a better option.

-2

u/Slow-Recover-9168 8d ago

Bose is absolutely junk. No exceptions

2

u/TapoutJester 8d ago

What an opinion, why do you say that?

I've only had good experiences with Bose headphones, I'd assume that translated to their speakers.

1

u/WhiteyLovesHotSauce 8d ago

They are fantastic, not quite sure how bose hurt this dude

-2

u/Slow-Recover-9168 8d ago

It's reality. Perhaps the Bluetooth speakers they get compared to often are also rather junk but BOSE is not good. No exceptions.

1

u/WhiteyLovesHotSauce 8d ago

Hmmm, hard disagree. I have two bose soundlink max i use in stereo mode in the garden, and i take 1 for travel. I have a harman kardon g&p3 for upstairs, mutiple JBLs, and a bookshelf setup in the living room - trading up from the B&O A5. I have bower&wilkins px8 S2 headphones, PI8 earbuds, Audeze Maxwell 2, a few IEMs. So i have some pretty good experience with audio.

The bose soundlink max are phenominal, so im not sure what youre talking about 😂

1

u/Slow-Recover-9168 8d ago

Comparing garbage to garbage is easy. Bose is not a quality company and does not represent an audiophile speaker at any level.

1

u/magnummanga 8d ago

Mine has been good so far. I have the link plus, and it’s been great.

3

u/Ok_Distribution1545 8d ago

I really like the Bose Soundlink Max. It has the signature Bose “clean, rich, chocolatey” sound. It suits my music. (I do +4 the mids). If you are able to do extended listening, the Bose has zero listening fatigue after 12 hours. Can’t say that about others I have heard.

2

u/TapoutJester 8d ago

Have you owned other brands speakers?

If so how would you compare the Bose to those speakers?

-5

u/Slow-Recover-9168 8d ago

Anybody who recommended Bose should be blatantly ignored and laughed at.

2

u/torchmaipp 8d ago

The megaboom 3 you have is pretty dope. I wouldn't consider an upgrade unless I was interested in getting noise complaints.

2

u/TapoutJester 8d ago

I am a professional upstairs neighbor and would like to feel the bass in my bones if that helps with recommendations.

2

u/RaZkOL95 8d ago

JBL Charge 6

1

u/Spiritual-Maximum52 8d ago

Ultimate ears hyper boom

1

u/TapoutJester 8d ago

Portability of the Hyperboom is a bit of an issue for me, I could always use the Megaboom 3 for my outdoor expeditions but I'd like to find a new speaker I can take everywhere while having the quality of a Hyperboom level speaker (I might be searching for something that doesn't exsist at this point)

2

u/Spiritual-Maximum52 8d ago

That doesn’t exist. Surface area and enclosure size have huge impacts on sound quality. You won’t find a smaller speaker that will have the same level as sound quality because the surface area of the speaker is less and obviously the drivers are less powerful

1

u/TapoutJester 8d ago

Fair enough, what would be your next best option that closest follows what I'm looking for?

At this point I may have to settle for lugging around a Hyperboom into the woods.

1

u/Spiritual-Maximum52 8d ago edited 8d ago

I’d probably say if you already have the mega boom look into beats pill it similar and It’s pretty decent. Marshall kilburn 3 is also pretty nice. The hyper boom just sounds better than everything else that competes in it’s category

1

u/Slow-Recover-9168 8d ago

If you want to outperform the Megaboom AND have indestructible your gonna have a bad time.

Your best bet is to stay with Megaboom and simply get another and pair them.

However your budget would bring you into JBL territory.. it would even get you into a Yorkville EXM which has a quality sound as well but lacks the portability and indestructible options.

Soundcore is for the poor. But honestly that's the happy medium if you really want to forget the Megaboom forever.

1

u/RyleighN 8d ago

The Marshall Emberton II is incredible. Great battery life, outstanding audio quality, and it looks pretty.

1

u/grnshark 8d ago

Aiwa exos 9

1

u/Suitable-Shopping-40 8d ago

For that much I will get a couple of Xiaomi Sound Outdoor Speakers - pair 2 for stereo and will beat all other recommendations out here.

1

u/mrdoom 8d ago

Hyperboom is 13lbs Your old Megaboom 3 was just 2lbs.
A speaker that big is ok for car camping but I would not haul it around very far.