We’re proud to say that you can get a Sudio S3 for free if you sign up for the Fall 2023 GQ Box. We would be more than happy to spend double the $79 price tag for a Bluetooth speaker this good, but considering the GQ Box costs $59 and includes over $200 worth of GQ editor-approved products (including the S3, as we mentioned), it almost feels like a steal.
Chances are, you’ve spotted Marshall out at a live music show. The brand’s amps are synonymous with rock music, and its recently released Middleton Bluetooth speaker feels like its condenses those epic sounds into something you can port nto your studio apartment. The mid-sized speaker offers beefy sound like the Megaboom, whether you’re bumping to the heavy bass of Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” or the high-throttle thrash of Metallica’s “Whiplash” (which just so happens to include the lyrics: “Here on stage, the Marshall noise is piercing through your ears.”)
One of the best parts about the speaker is that you can actually control the bass and treble through controls on the speaker, so you never need to fuss with yet another app. It’s a feature borrowed from Marshall’s guitar amps that makes it a killer party speaker, though it’s certainly a price hike from the Megaboom (which is why we’d still recommend that one as our top pick). If you decide to get another of these puppies, you can pair them together for even bigger and better sound. Hell, if you buy a ton of Middletons, build a literal wall of noise to piss off the neighbors in true rock n’roll spirit.
Three iterations into the JBL Go series, we get this highly durable, bass-heavy bopper that costs just under $50. The pocket-sized Go 3 features front-firing speakers, so it’s not exactly going to fill a room, but it’s compact enough to act as a trustworthy sidekick on the road. It’s also available in a handful of bold hues that help it stand out despite its petite size. You’re a bit limited to what you can control directly from the speaker—volume, pause, play, and skip—but that’s not a surprise since there’s really no room to put more buttons on the Go 3. We also wish it had longer battery life, but hey, for a $40 speaker blessed with JBL’s superior sound quality, how much can you really ask for?
If the Soundcore Flare 2 looks like it was built for a rave, that’s because it is (those party lights are its giveaway). That light show is a little corny, like something you’d expect from a college kid’s dorm room, but it can be fun for a few minutes. And if you really are a student, or just someone on a shoestring budget, you’ll appreciate the sound quality and water resistance that come with your budget speaker. Its IPX7 means it’s as water-resistant as speakers rated IP67, but it lacks the testing to determine that the speaker is actually dust-proof. That means the Soundcore Flare 2 can perform perfectly fine by the pool, but maybe don’t take it to the beach where sand can mess it up. The speaker offers 360-degree sound, but if you’re hoping for more, you can link up to 100 (!) of these together for some true party vibes.
If you know Bose, you know crisp, clear audio quality is the brand’s whole thing, and its SoundLink Flex lives up to that sterling reputation: It’s an intuitive little speaker that manages to pack a decent amount of bass-heavy notes into a small package. One cool feature is that it automatically detects its orientation—whether it’s upright, on its side, or so on—and will adjust its EQ to best suit its environment. At 1.3 pounds, it’s one of the lightest options on this list and its IP67 rating means it’s perfectly capable of performing well in the great outdoors, despite dust or rain. Someone who’s constantly on the road will love having this speaker on hand because it’s so easy to toss into a checked or carry-on bag, without adding much weight or bulk.
Sony’s new (as of this year) speaker, the SRS-XB100, is a mighty improvement to its predecessor, the SRS0-XB13, at the same price point. With this upgrade, you’re getting punchier bass notes—a hefty feat considering its pocket-sized shape—and the speaker utilizes an off-center design to better optimize its sound quality, even at higher volumes. The speaker comes with a strap for portability, and because of how lightweight it is, it won’t drag you down on any of your adventures. Pair a couple of these for even better results, which is impressive because it’d only cost you $120 to get stereo sound. It’s available in four colors, from a classic black to a more eye-catching orange—and because the speaker has a UV coating, you can keep this poolside and not worry about its vivid color fading away—or having to fret about it drowning in water because of its IP67 rating.
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