Fenton BoomBox500 Party Speaker with Built-in LED Lights
One of the newest in the Fenton range, the BoomBox500 Party Speaker really bridges the gap between being one of the best portable Bluetooth speakers available and also a powerful home party speaker with its built-in LED lighting and karaoke features.
Bluetooth 5.0 greatly enhances the wireless range and sound quality for streaming your favourite music from phones or tablets. It also provides the unit with the ability to wirelessly connect to a second BoomBox500 and operate as a left and right stereo pair, making them one of the loudest Bluetooth speaker systems which are ideal for parties where higher volume is desired.
The high-brightness switchable LED lighting effect fitted to the front panel produces multi-coloured shows from its 10 preset patterns which will transform the atmosphere of any gathering. It's a fun addition and can be turned off entirely when not wanted.
A 240W output from dual 8” woofers and ported enclosure ensures a powerful bass response with clear vocals, which is perfect for music or for using the supplied microphone with an echo effect for a bit of karaoke. With long battery run time and handy features like built-in wheels and remote control, this is a real contender for the best portable Bluetooth speaker crown.
Key Features
- Party boombox speaker system ideal for home use or portable operation
- Front panel LED lighting with 10 selectable programs (lights can be turned off)
- Bluetooth 5.0 receiver and built-in USB/Micro SD media player for MP3 audio files
- Dual 8” woofers and a 1” tweeter for a detailed sound and powerful bass reproduction
- Inbuilt rechargeable battery with up to 8 hours of use per charge
Pros
- Powerful sound for a portable speaker from its dual 8-inch woofers
- Long battery life allows for day-long portable use
- Bluetooth 5.0 and built-in USB/Micro SD card audio player
Cons
- Larger physical size than many portables due to its dual 8-inch speakers
Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker - Fenton MDJ95
The popular MDJ95 is one of the best portable Bluetooth speakers for bedrooms and for music in the garden on those summer days. Its dual 3-inch coaxial-style woofers with their eye-catching blue-coloured cones provide a powerful sound as well as a striking visual design.
This 100W portable audio system is one of the loudest Bluetooth speaker units you will find at this price point, with large side ports for enhanced bass response and a larger enclosure size allowing the drivers to work at their best.
MDJ95 wireless Bluetooth speakers feature a built-in rechargeable battery that provides up to 4 hours of continuous cable-free use that is perfect for gatherings and general music listening in and around the home. The Bluetooth connection allows for easy streaming of your favourite playlists and stored songs from a phone or tablet.
The large control buttons are suitable for younger children's bedrooms as a first home stereo, and the dual microphone inputs with switchable echo effect allow for lots of karaoke fun with friends and family. With built-in MP3 playback from USB or SD and 3.5mm stereo AUX input, the MDJ95 has all the music playback options you would need in a portable speaker.
Key Features
- 100W portable boombox speaker with dual 3” drivers and bass port
- Built-in rechargeable battery with 4 hours run time
- Bluetooth for wireless streaming of audio from a smartphone or tablet
- USB/SD MP3 player and an AUX input to play music from a variety of devices
- Two microphone inputs with an adjustable echo effect for karaoke
Pros
- Dual microphone inputs and built-in echo effect for karaoke duets
- Built-in MP3 player and 3.5mm jack for laptops or TV audio
- Simple to use big button controls ideal for children as a first stereo
Cons
- Battery life is not as long as some other portable Bluetooth speakers
Fenton MDJ200 Bluetooth Party Speaker
The Fenton MDJ200 is hard to ignore with its imposing double-stacked speaker design, and is one of the loudest Bluetooth speakers available for such low cost. Its quad 4” woofers with bass porting provide a great sound for playing music and for a bit of karaoke fun.
If you’re looking for the best portable Bluetooth speaker, the MDJ200 has features like MP3 playback from its built-in USB/SD media player, and a 3.5mm AUX jack for connecting in any line device, which could be a CD player, a laptop, or the audio out from a games console or TV, making it a great stereo for teenagers bedrooms.
Great fun for daily use and for parties with its switchable LED lighting, the MDJ200 will allow up to 4 hours of wireless use from a charge of its built-in battery so can be used in the garden for BBQs and some music on the warm summer evenings.
The system comes with a wired dynamic microphone for singing along with your favourite songs, and a second mic input and adjustable echo effect means a classic karaoke duel is always at hand. With Bluetooth for easy wireless streaming from phones and tablets, the MDJ200 is an exciting portable speaker system.
Key Features
- Media player with USB/SD and 3.5mm stereo Aux input
- Bluetooth receiver for wireless audio streaming
- 4x 4” speakers with switchable RGB LEDs (on/off switch)
- 2 microphone inputs with echo effect (including a wired dynamic mic)
- Built-in battery for 3-4 hours operating time per charge
Pros
- Powerful sound with 150W and 4x 4” speakers
- Rechargeable battery system for cable-free operation
- LED lighting is a great addition for parties
Cons
- Dual stack design is physically larger than other portables
Fenton BoomBox540 Party Speaker with Built-in LED Lights
The Fenton BoomBox540 is a stunning bit of kit, and definitely a contender for the best Bluetooth portable speaker here at ElectroMarket. The combination of stylish design, extra long battery life, and its powerful 8-inch woofers make it the perfect portable speaker for any occasion.
With an oblong design and all controls to one end, this party speaker system can be placed horizontally or vertically, with its vivid LED front panel producing a multi-coloured light show that synchronises to the music, and has 10 selectable show patterns that will add a fun atmosphere to any gathering.
For music playback, you have a built-in USB/MicroSD MP3 player, a 3.5mm AUX jack that can be used for laptops or a TV, and the latest Bluetooth 5.0 wireless streaming for enjoying playlists or saved music from phones and tablets. It also uniquely allows a second BoomBox540 to connect wirelessly and the pair then work in stereo.
8-hour battery use from a charge means you're cable-free all day long, and the included microphone with echo effect is perfect for a singalong. With a remote control, adjustable bass and treble levels, and a handy recording function, this wireless Bluetooth speaker should be high on your list.
Key Features
- Boombox party speaker suitable for both home use and portable operation
- LED display front panel with 10 selectable show programs
- USB/Micro SD MP3 player and 3.5mm stereo AUX line input
- 8” woofers and dome tweeter for a powerful output and wide frequency range
- Built-in rechargeable battery with an 8-hour wireless operating time
Pros
- 8-inch speakers for powerful bass output
- Long 8-hour battery life for great portability
- Bluetooth 5.0 with speaker pairing ability
Cons
- Single microphone input for karaoke
Fenton MDJ100 Portable Speaker with LED Lights & Bluetooth
The MDJ100 is one of our best-selling portable Bluetooth speaker systems designed to be a great bit of fun for parties and as a bedroom stereo for kids. Its distinctive orange LED-lit speaker surrounds and silver bass porting make it hard to ignore in any setting.
With larger 4” dual full-range woofers and 100W amplifier, this wireless Bluetooth speaker has a powerful sound that's great for general home use as a stereo or as a party speaker when the occasion calls for it. The built-in LED lighting to the speaker surrounds and jog wheel volume adds to the fun, and can be switched off when not wanted.
Perfect for kids to sing with their friends and for those karaoke duets, the unit has two mic inputs with volume and echo controls, and includes a microphone to get you started. For music playback, you have a USB/SD MP3 player onboard, a 3.5mm AUX input jack for laptops and TVs, and of course Bluetooth for wireless streaming.
Built as a portable Bluetooth speaker, the MDJ100 has a built-in rechargeable battery which lets you use it cable-free for up to 4 hours per charge, and its large handles make it easy to carry into the garden or to friends' houses.
Key Features
- 100W integrated amplifier providing the speaker with high volume levels and a powerful output
- Bluetooth connectivity to stream audio wirelessly from Bluetooth-enabled smart devices such as a phone or tablet
- Built-in rechargeable battery making the speaker perfect for portable use
- Integrated LED lights built into the drivers of the cabinet, providing a unique light show with the speaker
- Robust and durable build quality with carry handles for simple transportation and protection
Pros
- Dual mic inputs for karaoke duets
- Switchable lighting is fun for bedrooms and parties
- Powerful sound from dual 4” woofers
Cons
- Bold visual design can be a bit too much for some
Summary
All of the portable Bluetooth speakers in our range are designed to offer a far more powerful music playback experience than the pocket-sized units such as the popular ‘pill’ shape designs which exchange performance capability for size.
By far the most desired and requested feature for wireless Bluetooth speakers from users is more bass. Reading any review for portable speakers, you will see the three common themes of battery life, overall volume ability, and how much bass it can produce. Ultra-compact size has its pros obviously, but will always mean a compromise in sound output.
With woofer sizes from dual 3” up to impressive dual 8” systems and high power amplifiers built-in, these Bluetooth speakers will bridge the gap between a portable audio system and a home stereo, with their karaoke features and LED party lighting effects making them great fun for daily use and for parties.
Bluetooth offers such convenience for connecting audio devices, with smartphones being the main source now for music playback due to streaming services such as Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube music becoming the standard for digital collections and playlists. Bluetooth allows for a good quality wireless connection which is ideal for casual listening and becomes even more useful when connected to a battery-powered speaker system which gives you complete freedom of placement both indoors and outdoors.
The portable Bluetooth speakers we have chosen here represent a good spread of features and budgets across a range of designs that all offer a significant step up in volume output and sound quality over the more compact units on the market. With extras including microphone inputs for karaoke and LED lighting, these systems represent the 5 best portable Bluetooth speakers available today from ElectroMarket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth getting a Bluetooth speaker?
With the majority of people's music being stored digitally and accessed through smartphones and tablets, a Bluetooth speaker is such a convenient way of enjoying your music as it unchains you from traditional home stereos and cables for a completely wireless experience that can be taken with you anywhere.
Is Bluetooth good quality?
The sound quality of Bluetooth has been increasing with each new version, with the more recent versions from 4.0 onwards often being coupled with Qualcomm's AptX HD codec for CD-quality streaming. As with any audio playback, wireless or not, the overall quality is highly dependent on the source recording. If you are streaming a lossy, heavily compressed format such as Youtube, it will not sound anything like as good quality as a downloaded album or Spotify stream will.
Is the higher the watts the louder the speaker?
Well, yes and no. Technically, the higher a portable Bluetooth speaker's output wattage rating is, the more volume it should be capable of producing. In reality, you need to look at the size of the unit's speaker drivers. ‘Loudness’ is pointless if it's unlistenable, and many portables using sub 2” drivers will sound terrible when driven, regardless of the wattage available from their amplifier.
What should I look for when buying a wireless Bluetooth speaker?
The main considerations are battery life per charge, the output power, the physical size of the unit, and if it includes the ability to allow a wired connection. Depending on intended use these will be followed with speaker size, and any extra desirable features such as LED lighting and inputs for microphones if it's to be used for parties.
How do I make my Bluetooth speaker louder?
As with any speaker, good placement plays a huge part in the overall sound. To enhance a portable speaker's volume you want it off the floor, preferably as near to ear height as possible. It should be on a sturdy table or surface that won't vibrate too much. Volume limitations via wireless connections are often also due to the source device, so ensure your phone or tablet's Bluetooth audio settings aren't limiting the output, and that the volume is set to around 75%. (fully up will often cause signal distortion)
Which portable speaker is best for home?
The main thing to consider is the intended use. If it's going to live in a bedroom as a stereo then you will ideally want an AUX input, maybe a headphone output, and perhaps things like lighting effects and microphones won't be so important. If it's going to be general use, for daily listening indoors and outdoors, with parties and gatherings, you want something capable of decent volume and bass, with all the options for playback and that all-important karaoke.
Development Of Bluetooth
Bluetooth technology has been in development unbelievably since as early as 1989, and after a decade of R&D shared between companies such as Ericsson, IBM and Nokia, the first commercially available device, a hands-free headset for mobile phones was revealed to the world.
Using a version of short-wave radio transmission, this digital communication between electronic devices has worked its way into everything from PCs and printers to car audio systems and personal gadgets such as headphones and watches, and of course, the smartphone market, where its wireless connection capability has gone hand in hand with the spread of digital music storage and audio streaming services.
For those of us that were late teens or older around the year 2000, our first experiences of Bluetooth were between fairly simple mobile phones and hands-free headsets, and this was its main use for the masses for several years, until Bluetooth 2.0 which arrived around 2005 and allowed for a more stable audio connection and simpler device pairing.
Interestingly, most Bluetooth receivers at this time were in the format of ‘dongle’ adapters which were connected to a stereo system's AUX input through a mini-jack cable. The main reason for this was there had yet to be the mass jump to digital music services such as Spotify which arrived toward the end of the decade.
Skip forward a few years and the digital revolution was in full swing, with sales of CD’s falling drastically as the convenience of buying and downloading albums directly to your listening device became the norm. This time also cemented the smartphone as the one-stop device to carry, replacing digital cameras and MP3 players with a portable system capable of direct internet audio streaming and ever-increasing digital storage size for album collections at the touch of a button.
Modern Bluetooth Devices
Of course, we don't always want to listen through headphones to our music, and Bluetooth wireless streaming has now become the standard connection method for portable speakers, soundbars and home stereo systems for use indoors and outdoors. The complete convenience of a pocket device with your music on it, coupled with a wireless speaker that can be taken anywhere is just fantastic, and actively encourages people to enjoy their music much more regularly than they may have done before.
Bluetooth audio connections are now also the standard format in the automotive industry, with new cars coming fitted with all digital entertainment systems, integrated with satellite navigation systems, hands-free calling and touchscreen displays. These systems can offer total control over your connected Bluetooth device from steering wheel buttons or voice commands.
Bluetooth speakers continue to advance in performance and capability every year, with increases in battery life for longer wireless use between charging, and big advances in digital amplification allowing for much more powerful systems to be produced in compact-sized designs.
A big advancement for Bluetooth speakers has been the introduction of Bluetooth 5.0, which allows for dual device connections at the same time, which means a single portable speaker is able to connect to a second unit and they will then operate as a left and right channel stereo pair, with the source device (phone) connected to just one.
Bluetooth 5.0 has also made a considerable difference to the signal stability at longer ranges and has greatly lowered the power required for transmission and reception, which has huge benefits for battery-powered portable speakers and wireless headphones, and of course your phone, extending their run time significantly.
