If you care about how your tunes sound, you'll want a speaker with good sound quality to reproduce music, podcasts, and audiobooks with fidelity. While you can't have everything in one speaker, there are plenty of great Bluetooth speakers on the market to meet your needs. Plus, many speakers support sound customization tools, so you can switch them up based on your personal preferences or adjust their output to meet the unique acoustic characteristics of your listening space.
We've tested over 180 speakers, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers for sound quality. If you want more to consider, you can also look at the best Bluetooth speakers, the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers, and the loudest Bluetooth speakers.
Quick Look
All of our recommendations start with the products we've tested. And, they're backed by in-house experts who ensure unbiased, objective data to help you choose the right speaker.
Want to see how we've tested more than 150 speakers? Our How We Test Speakers article walks you through the entire process: from selecting and purchasing products to testing, reviewing, and publishing our results.
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Best-Sounding Bluetooth Speaker
Music7.7Frequency Response Accuracy7.5Dynamics8.8Battery8.9Bluetooth8.2Multi-Device Pairing2 DevicesEQGraphicSee all our test resultsSoundstage7.2The JBL Boombox 3 is one of the best-sounding Bluetooth speakers we've tested. This premium speaker brings impressive sound quality that's suitable for everything from classical music to EDM and hip-hop. Its balanced frequency response ensures plenty of thumpy, rumbly bass without muddying vocals and lead instruments, so you'll enjoy a clear and accurate reproduction of all your favorite tracks. If you want a different sound, the JBL Portable app features a graphic EQ that lets you customize its output. Despite the introduction of the JBL Boombox 4, this previous model retains your dynamics better with a slightly fuller sound (though EQ can help alter that).
This speaker is great for listening to music at home or outside, although its front-facing design means that it sounds best when you face it directly. Since it's battery-powered, you can take it wherever you go, and its IP67 rating for dust and water resistance keeps it safe against the elements. It even floats in water, which is great for your next pool party. With a battery life of almost 30 hours, you can rock on all day without worrying about a recharge. If you'd rather not spend time adjusting the EQs to get the right sound, check out the Harman/Kardon Go + Play 3. Its sound is closer to our target curve, so you'll get a natural, well-balanced sound with clear mids and deep bass right out of the box. It also gets a little louder than the JBL and has a better soundstage. The trade-off is its significantly shorter battery life and lack of IP rating, so it's best suited for indoor use.
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Best-Sounding Upper Mid-Range Bluetooth Speaker
Music7.5Frequency Response Accuracy7.2Dynamics7.4Battery9.1Bluetooth8.4Multi-Device Pairing2 DevicesEQGraphic + PresetsSee all our test resultsSoundstage8.6The Marshall Kilburn III is the best upper mid-range Bluetooth speaker for its sound. Although its IP54 rating makes it less impervious to the elements than the JBL Boombox 3, despite being smaller, it manages to hold its own well by injecting your audio with a boomy and full low-end, as well as ensuring a very consistent sound across listening angles. The five-band EQ and presets offer the warm default tuning options for tailoring the sound to your tastes. The speaker also features room placement correction to help compensate for the changes to acoustics depending on the speaker's proximity to a wall. It reproduces an excellent soundstage, thanks to the stereo drivers facing both out the front and back of the enclosure, so your music sounds nearly the same, regardless of the speaker's location.
You can even use the LC3 Bluetooth codec to connect (with compatible devices) and increase the connection's bandwidth. The speaker also supports multi-device pairing, allowing two devices to share the same playlist. The battery lasts for over 23 hours of playback, and its intuitive controls make it a great match for your music. However, if you're concerned with getting a great-sounding Bluetooth speaker that's a bit more rugged, the Ultimate Ears EPICBOOM features a higher IP67 rating against dust and water, alongside impact resistance. Unlike the Marshall, it'll float if it falls into your pool, too. It also features an Adaptive EQ, which is similar to room correction, but its battery is shorter (just under 16 hours), and you get less control over the sound than with the Marshall.
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Best-Sounding Mid-Range Bluetooth Speaker
Music7.1Frequency Response Accuracy6.7Dynamics6.1Battery9.2Bluetooth8.2Multi-Device PairingNoEQGraphic + PresetsSee all our test resultsSoundstage9.1Looking for something more wallet-friendly and portable? Check out the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4. Despite its mid-range price point, its sound quality rivals some of our top picks. Whether you're listening to classical music or bass-heavy hip-hop, it's a solid choice. It reproduces voices and lead instruments with relative clarity, albeit with a little extra boom in the bass. As an added benefit, this speaker is lightweight and super portable. It lasts about 20 hours off a single charge, has a built-in hook that makes it easy to transport, and is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, so you can bring it with you, rain or shine.
The Ultimate Ears app has many of the same sound customization features as more premium devices on the market, including a graphic EQ and presets. That said, it can't reproduce as much low bass or get as loud as the Marshall Kilburn III due to its smaller size, and its lack of a room correction feature means it sounds a little different depending on your room. While some love the big boost in the high bass the MEGABOOM offers by default, others find it a bit muddy. If you prefer a more controlled bass, the JBL Charge 6 is a good pick. But the JBL can't play stereo audio on its own, and the sound changes a fair bit depending on your listening angle.
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Best-Sounding Budget Bluetooth Speaker
Music6.8Frequency Response Accuracy6.3Dynamics7.3Battery8.9Bluetooth8.9Multi-Device Pairing2 DevicesEQNoSee all our test resultsSoundstage9.0You don't have to break the bank to find a speaker with good sound quality. The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4 is a great option for the budget-conscious, offering versatile performance at a low price. It's a smaller, more portable speaker ideal for on-the-go listening. With an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, it can handle some exposure to the elements and even float in the water at your next pool party. It lasts around 13 hours off a single charge.
While you won't get much low bass out of this pint-sized speaker, voices and lead instruments are clear and detailed right out of the box, making it suitable for most genres. Plus, its 360-degree design brings a consistent sound from all angles around the device. Fewer sound customization tools are available than on the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4. However, it still has an 'Outdoor' preset to make music clearer in larger, more open spaces like a backyard or park. If you're willing to spend a bit more, you can also opt for the Sony ULT FIELD 1, which has a more balanced default sound and a graphic EQ and presets in the companion app. However, its directivity is much worse than the Ultimate Ears, and it compresses much more at max volume.
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Best-Sounding Bluetooth Speaker For Bass
Music7.8Frequency Response Accuracy7.9Dynamics8.7Battery9.0Bluetooth8.3Multi-Device Pairing2 DevicesEQGraphicSee all our test resultsSoundstage6.8The JBL PartyBox 310 is a great party speaker for bass lovers. It's much larger than the previous speakers on this list, but with an impressive low-frequency extension, it easily brings out all the thump and rumble in your favorite tracks, especially EDM and hip-hop. You can even use its Bass Boost tool to add more punch to the mix, or if you prefer more manual customization, there's a graphic EQ available in its companion app. Like any good party speaker, it gets loud, too, and its customizable RGB lights help you set the mood. The bass doesn't muddy other elements of your songs, either. With a balanced mid-range, this speaker accurately reproduces voices and lead instruments in the mix, so it's also great for plenty of other music genres.
This feature-packed device lets you interact with your music in many different ways, so you can plug in a microphone or guitar to sing along or use the DJ effects in the app to rock out. It's a big speaker, though, so if you're looking for big bass with a smaller footprint, it's worth checking out the Brane X instead. This premium, lunchbox-sized speaker defies its small frame with a pretty loud output and a surprisingly prominent bass response. It also comes with smart features like Alexa and Wi-Fi integration. However, its design has some limitations, as its directivity isn't the best, and its battery life is on the shorter side.
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Best-Sounding Bluetooth Speaker For Home
Music7.7Frequency Response Accuracy7.6Dynamics8.4Bluetooth7.5Multi-Device Pairing2 DevicesEQGraphicSee all our test resultsSoundstage7.3The JBL Authentics 500 is the best-sounding Bluetooth speaker for use at home. Unlike the other picks on the list, this one doesn't run on battery power, so it needs to stay connected to a power source. This stylish speaker delivers your music with a good amount of warmth and fullness in the bass and low-mids, and an articulate top-end renders vocals and cymbals with detail. Despite its smaller size, the speaker can fill out a mid-sized room with sound, and without much compression in order to preserve your music's dynamics. The companion app also provides a seven-band graphic EQ and presets to modify the tuning to your tastes.
The speaker supports the AAC codec, which is less compressed than SBC (the codec most commonly used in Bluetooth speakers). In addition to Bluetooth, the speaker can also connect via Wi-Fi for lossless audio playback to increase the fidelity of your audio files, and there's even support for Dolby Atmos content. With that said, some users have pointed out that at low volumes, there's an audible noise floor, so if you're sensitive to that, it might be worth checking out the Sonos Era 300 instead, which doesn't get nearly as loud and compresses more with limited EQ tools, but it has a bigger soundstage than the JBL and fewer comments about noise floor. For more recommendations, check out the best Bluetooth home speakers.
Notable Mentions
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Sonos Move 2:
If you're looking for a premium smart speaker with great sound quality, the Sonos Move 2 is a solid alternative to the JBL Boombox 3. However, it doesn't bring as much bass, and its battery life isn't as long-lasting.
See our review -
Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen):
The Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) is a great alternative to the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4
. It reproduces more low bass and offers access to a graphic EQ for a slightly higher price, making it a solid pick for EDM and hip-hop fans. Although it downmixes stereo content to mono, you can pair two of these speakers together for stereo sound.
See our review -
Bose SoundLink Max:
The Bose Soundlink Max is a more portable speaker with a more durable design than the Marshall Kilburn III, but it offers sparser EQ tools, has no room correction, and has a shorter battery life.
See our review -
JBL PartyBox 710:
The JBL PartyBox 710 is a larger alternative to the JBL PartyBox 310. Given its size, it can reproduce a more extended low bass. However, it's a wired speaker, so it's not as easy to transport and is a bit more expensive.
See our review - JBL PartyBox Club 120: The JBL PartyBox Club 120 is the smallest party speaker in this article, but it still packs a punch. While its default sound isn't as balanced as the JBL PartyBox 310, and it can't get as loud, the Club 120 is a fair bit more portable and comes with a swappable battery pack design, which gives you more flexibility when it comes to keeping the party going. See our review
Recent Updates
Nov 04, 2025:
This article was updated to add the Marshall Kilburn III as the best upper mid-range pick and to move the Ultimate Ears EPICBOOM as an alternative. We've added a best-sounding Bluetooth home speaker pick, featuring the JBL Authentics 500 and the Sonos Era 300 as an alternative. The Bose SoundLink Max was added to the Notable Mentions.
May 23, 2025:
We added the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 9 as an alternative to the Ultimate Ears EPICBOOM for anyone happy to sacrifice all-weather sturdiness for a deeper bass response. We also added the JBL Charge 6 as an alternative to the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 for users who prefer a more controlled bass.
Feb 25, 2025:
We've added the Harman/Kardon Go + Play 3 as an alternative to the JBL Boombox 3 for its great out-of-the-box sound. The Bose Soundlink Flex (2nd Gen) replaces its predecessor in our Notable Mentions because the newer version has access to a graphic EQ and presets through the companion app.
Nov 28, 2024:
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4 and Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 replace their predecessors, the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3 and Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3, because the newer versions charge via USB-C, which is useful.
Sep 03, 2024: We've updated this article to introduce a comparison between the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3 and the Sony ULT FIELD 1. Due to its balanced default sound and swappable battery pack design, we've added the JBL PartyBox Club 120 as a Notable Mention.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the Bluetooth speakers with the best sound for most people to buy, according to their needs. We factor in the price (cheaper speakers win over pricier ones if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no speakers that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to choose for yourself, here's the list of all our reviews for Bluetooth speakers, organized by their frequency response accuracy. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect speakers. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will matter more in your selection.