The 9 Best Speaker Brands - Spring 2023 Reviews

Sonos is an American company that manufactures high-end audio products like smart speakers and soundbars. Their devices are designed for integration, so you can create a whole Sonos ecosystem through the Sonos S2 app. Pair multiple Sonos speakers together to spread sound throughout multiple rooms of your home, or set them up with a Sonos soundbar like the Sonos Arc to create a surround sound system. With built-in voice assistant support, as well as sleek and premium builds, they're a great addition to your home. Models like the Sonos Move and the Sonos Roam also offer the flexibility to take your music on the go.

The best Sonos speaker we've tested is the Sonos Era 300. This sleek and stylish home speaker is designed for easy integration into your existing home theater setup, and you can connect it with compatible Sonos soundbars for a wide and immersive surround sound. If you prefer to use it on its own, it's also a great choice, thanks to its impressive sound quality. A room correction feature optimizes the speaker's audio reproduction based on your room's unique acoustics, while bass and treble adjustments let you manually control the sound. It even supports Dolby Atmos, which is cool if you listen to Dolby Atmos Music through streaming services like Apple Music. Built-in Alexa provides hands-free control, too. It's a wired device, so it's meant for listening at home, but if that's what you have in mind, it's worth checking out.

Bose is an American manufacturer that specializes in home electronics. While they're best known for making high-end noise-canceling headphones, they also make speakers and sound systems, and they're one of the main competitors to Sonos. Similarly, you'll find that their different speaker lineups are geared toward different audiences, and they're designed for compatibility with other products in the Bose ecosystem, like their soundbars. Top Bose speakers include voice assistant-enabled home models like the Bose Home Speaker 500 as well as portable Bluetooth models like the Bose SoundLink Flex.

One of their more versatile offerings is the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It's the best of both worlds, integrating Bose's built-in voice assistant capabilities into a device that, as its name implies, can bring your tunes with you on the go. Alexa and Google Assistant provide hands-free control, and the built-in carrying handle makes transporting the speaker from room to room easy. With an IPX4 rating for water resistance, you can even take it to the backyard for the day. This speaker brings Bose's signature sound quality, along with bass and treble adjustments in case you prefer a different sound.

JBL is an American company that manufactures various audio equipment, including loudspeakers and headphones. They have a wide selection of speakers, so you can choose the products that best meet your unique needs. For example, if you're looking for a large party speaker, you can check out models from the PartyBox lineup, like the JBL PartyBox 710. If you're looking for a smaller clip-on model to take on the go, something like the JBL Clip 4 may be more to your tastes. Larger speakers tend to cost more, of course, while you can find smaller models are more wallet-friendly prices. The flexibility is part of what makes JBL one of the best brands we've tested.

The JBL Boombox 3 is one of the manufacturer's more premium models, and its versatile performance can please many different listeners. As its name implies, this speaker has a boombox-like design with a built-in handle to take your tunes on the go. It's a mighty speaker with great sound quality, so you enjoy a deep and thumpy bass with EDM and hip-hop tracks, as well as clear and accurate vocals and instruments in the mids. Customization is easy thanks to the graphic EQ in the JBL Portable app. This Bluetooth speaker gets loud, too, and with a battery life of over 29 hours, it's a great way to take the party late into the night.

Sony is one of the largest electronics manufacturers in the world, and they produce products like headphones and a wide range of speaker models that can appeal to many different users. They produce everything from wired home speakers like the Sony SRS-RA3000 to booming party speakers like the Sony SRS-XP700. Their portable Bluetooth speakers are a great way to get good sound quality at an affordable price, and you'll find models available at a wide array of price points, so even budget-conscious shoppers can get good sound quality. While their speakers don't tend to be voice-enabled, some of them are compatible with the voice assistant on your paired smartphone.

The Sony SRS-XG500 is a versatile pick that's ideal for different listeners. It's a premium device with a boombox-like design, and its IP66 rating for dust and water resistance helps to protect it when you listen to your favorite songs outside. This speaker is customizable, too. You can set its built-in RGB lights to the colors and patterns you like in the Sony Music Center app. Plus, thanks to the graphic EQ and presets also found in the app, you can customize the speaker's sound. Even without these tools, you still enjoy great sound out-of-the-box, thanks to Sony's ClearAudio+ feature that corrects the audio based on your room's acoustics. It also lasts for over 25 hours off a single charge, which is impressive.

Ultimate Ears is an American manufacturer that's a subsidiary of Logitech. They produce various audio products, including headphones, in-ear monitors, and wireless Bluetooth speakers. They generally produce well-built portable speakers available at different price points, and their budget-friendly models are some of the best we've tested in the lower price ranges. With these speakers, you can bring your favorite tunes outside, and their wide array of customization tools gives you lots of control over their sound.

The Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM is the best of the bunch. It's a portable Bluetooth speaker with a built-in carrying strap, meaning you can bring it on the go. While larger than some of the manufacturer's other models, it can bring more thump and rumble in the bass range, so you feel the energy in bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop. It gets plenty loud, too, and its battery life of over 23 hours lets you continue the party as long as you like. Plus, the graphic EQ and presets in the Ultimate Ears app let you customize its sound to your liking, which is a cool touch.

Anker is a young company that produces many different types of audio equipment, as well as portable power banks and affordable charging cables. They're one of the best Bluetooth speaker brands if you're in the market for good, budget-friendly speakers. Their models are compatible with the Soundcore app, which lets you customize their sound using the included graphic EQ and presets. While they don't tend to have any built-in voice assistant features, some are compatible with the voice assistant on your paired smartphone.

The Anker Soundcore Motion+ is the manufacturer's best offering overall. Available at a relatively affordable price, it offers a lot of bang for your buck, with a versatile performance that suits many different types of listeners. Compatibility with the Soundcore app helps it stand out from the crowd, so you can adjust its output based on your preferences. The BassUp tool lets you add more thump and rumble to the mix, while the graphic EQ lets you customize across the range. It's small and lightweight, so you can even take the party with you on the go, and its IPX7 rating protects it in the event of exposure to the elements.

Apple is an American technology company that sells phones, headphones, laptops, tablets, watches, and more. Their speakers offer great voice assistant support with Siri built-in, and if you're an iOS user, they make a great addition to your Apple ecosystem. Since they're for home use, these speakers aren't very portable due to their wired design and need to remain plugged into an outlet to work. While only two Apple speakers are on the market, they're still worth a look if you've already invested in the company's ecosystem.

The Apple HomePod (2nd generation) is the best of the bunch. Released in 2023, this smart home speaker retains a look similar to its predecessor, with a sleek fabric wrapping that blends with your home decor. Built-in Siri lets you control the device using only your voice from the comfort of your couch. You can ask Siri to stop listening to you if you want a more private moment, too. Its many premium features offer an improved sound over the first-generation model, including a bass-EQ microphone to keep lower frequencies steady and present in the mix, even when you listen at lower volumes. Plus, its built-in room calibration tool adjusts its output to meet the unique needs of your space. The Apple HomePod mini is also an option if you don't have a lot of space in your room.

Amazon is a major global technology company that produces various electronics and is among the best speaker brands we've tested for smart home speakers. Their speakers tend to come with Alexa built-in and often need to be plugged into a power outlet to work since they're for home use, but their sleek designs make them a stylish addition to your existing decor. Their newer models are more like smart home hubs that you can use to control Zigbee-compatible devices using your voice.

For example, the Amazon Echo Studio has built-in Zigbee. Using Alexa, you can command the speaker to control other smart devices in your home, like light bulbs and thermostats, all from the comfort of your couch. Even if you don't use these devices, the speaker's voice assistant capabilities still shine, meaning you can control your favorite music hands-free. Whether you're close or far away from the speaker, it can hear you clearly. Your music sounds great with this speaker, with detailed voices and lead instruments right out of the box. You can even control its sound using its bass and treble adjustments in its companion app, though you won't find a full graphic EQ to control it across the range.

Google is an American technology company that produces a wide range of internet-related products. They sell phones, smart speakers, tablets, earbuds, and more. They currently have two speakers on the market: the Google Nest Audio and the smaller Google Nest mini, which offer excellent voice assistant support with Google Assistant built-in. You can activate the assistant with your voice, and they feature mute mic buttons when you no longer want the assistant to listen to you for more privacy. They're designed for use at home, so they aren't very portable since they need to stay wired to a power outlet to work.

The Google Nest Audio is the best offering overall, and it's a great home speaker that blends in nicely with your existing decor. You can find it in many color variants, letting you choose the style that best suits your taste. With built-in Google Assistant, you can command the speaker to play your favorite tunes from around the room, and it doesn't have trouble hearing you. When you're done, you can even mute the microphone. The Google Home app gives you bass and treble adjustments to switch up its sound. Unfortunately, this speaker doesn't get very loud, so it's best suited for average-sized rooms instead of open basements.