Stop belting out your favorite tunes in the shower a cappella. These shower speakers are reliably water-resistant to take in the bath or on a trip to the beach, with enough oomph to cut through flowing water for a clear melody. Choose between versatile speakers with built-in speakerphones and voice assistants, lightweight speaker balls that can float in the bathtub, or powerhouses like the JBL Charge 5 with long-lasting battery life and beautifully rich sound.
Best overall: JBL Charge 5
JBL makes some of the most robust-sounding, weatherproof Bluetooth speakers on the market. We're fans of all things JBL, including their newest speaker, the Charge 5. They're a tad pricey, but if you're looking for a capable sound system that can physically handle being inside the shower with you and you have the budget for it, JBL's Charge 5 is the single best shower speaker on the market today.
With an IP67 waterproof rating, the Charge 5 can power your party in the rain, sit poolside or beachside, and blast tunes in the shower or tub without missing a beat.
The battery on the Charge 5 holds out for 20 hours, and it has a power bank onboard so you can charge your portables while streaming. Bonus: you can connect two phones at one time, too. How cool is that? Yep, it's expensive, and it's heavy, but the sound will blow you away for years to come.
Pros:
- IP67 water-resistant
- Built-in power bank charges devices
- 20-hour battery life
- Connect two phones at once
- Lots of color options
Cons:
- Heavy
- Expensive
Best overall
JBL CHARGE 5 - Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Strong performance on the go
Thanks to its 7,500mAH battery, the Charge 5 plays rich audio and can keep your phone and other devices charged.
Best for compact power: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 is light, waterproof, and buoyant. It does just as well floating in a pool or sitting on the beach as it would in your shower. With true omnidirectional sound, it can be placed anywhere without you having to angle it a certain way, including submerged underwater. Plus, it has up to 13 hours of battery, recharges in about 2.5 hours, and can survive a five-foot drop, so you'll rarely have it die on you. Just don't recharge it while it's still wet.
The greatest strength of the Wonderboom 2 is its performance. Despite its cutesy shape and colors, it lives up to its namesake and blasts out music at high volumes without detracting from the quality. Our Wonderboom 2 reviewer explained that he never raised its volume beyond 50% for fear of angering his neighbors. But if you take it outside, you can activate Outdoor Boost mode and achieve an even louder volume that improves the vocals along with the bass. Or you can buy a second Wonderboom 2 and pair them to form a stereo speaker set.
The main negative of this speaker is that it isn't particularly "smart". There's no mic for a speakerphone, no voice assistants, and no app support, so you're solely paying for solid music via Bluetooth. But these quibbles didn't stop the Wonderboom 2 from being Android Central's best Bluetooth speaker, waterproof or otherwise.
Pros:
- 13 hours of battery life
- Booming sound with Outdoor Boost mode
- IPX7 water/dust resistance
- Pairs with another Wonderboom for stereo
- Weighs less than a pound
Cons:
- No integrated mic for calls
- No smart assistant
- No app support
Best for compact power
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
Big sound in a small package
The Wonderboom 2 hits up to 87 dB in a 360-degree circle. It's light and durable to go anywhere.
Best smart speaker: Sonos Roam
We gave high marks to the new Sonos Roam in our review, and it remains at the top of our list of best shower speakers of the year. The robust Roam stands vertically or lays on one of three sides, so it fits into tight corners or can stand on its own on a table or shelf.
This is a smart speaker that's also waterproof. It's submersible in water for as long as 30 minutes and carries IP67-certification. It's just the right size to sit in the corner of the shower or at the side of the tub, and it's equally at home on a kitchen counter or desk.
The Roam is chargeable with a QI charger, has a battery indicator LED lights, and works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The sound is strong and the build solid, but the battery only holds out for about 10 hours. If that's not an issue, this is one of our favorite small Bluetooth/Wi-Fi speakers.
Pros:
- Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant baked in
- Transitions from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth seamlessly
- Solid build
- Distortion-free audio
- Has wireless charging
Cons:
- Battery lasts only 10 hours
Best smart speaker
Sonos Roam - Black
A versatile smart speaker
With Alexa, Google Assistant, and wireless charging, this is a waterproof smart speaker that sounds great.
Best price: Anker Soundcore 2
Battery estimates for Bluetooth speakers rarely live up to the marketing, and their batteries usually get worse over time. You can overcompensate for this by choosing the Anker Soundcore 2, one of the most popular and reliable Bluetooth Speakers of the past few years thanks to its 24-hour battery life. That too is an estimate, but our reviewer was able to use it over a long weekend without ever charging it; the Soundcore 2 matches its reputation.
Unless you take very long showers, you'll get your money's worth if you take this speaker with you on the road. Its brick-like shape isn't particularly attractive, but at less than a pound and only 2.2 inches wide by 1.8 deep, it'll slide easily into your pocket. Bluetooth 5.0 support lets your phone connect from over 60 feet away, and the Soundcore 2 doubles as a speakerphone.
The Soundcore's 12W power and dual neodymium drivers produce good sound in small spaces, but it lacks a strong bass. If you're looking for a portable, truly waterproof speaker you can use at home, by the pool, and on the road, toss the affordable Soundcore in your cart now.
Pros:
- 24 hours of nonstop music
- Low price
- Lightweight
- IPX7 rating
- Pair two for stereo sound
- Bluetooth 5.0 for long-range pairing
Cons:
- Not as loud or rich in bass as other speakers
- No auxiliary port
Best price
Anker Soundcore 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
24 hours of melody
The Anker Soundcore 2 gives you solid audio performance without needing constant recharges.
Best connected speaker: Tronsmart Force
The Tronsmart Force is a compact speaker that features instantaneous NFC pairing, long-distance Bluetooth 5.0 pairing, a microSD card slot, and an AUX cord port — more connectivity options than most Bluetooth speakers give you. You also receive a built-in microphone for making calls and a voice assistant.
Connectivity aside, this Tronsmart Force is also one of the toughest speakers out there, able to survive a four-story drop into a pool with no damage thanks in part to its IPX7-class resistance. While we don't recommend you recreate the experiment, you can safely take this in the shower or on trips without ruining it.
In terms of performance, the Force creates plenty of volume thanks to its two 20W drivers, and you can tweak the performance to your liking thanks to its three different EQ modes. Our reviewer did notice a tinny sound at higher volumes, and the standard EQ setting just doesn't sound rich unless you buy a second Force speaker for stereo sound.
Pros:
- IPX7 resistant
- Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and 3.5mm aux connectivity
- Fast USB-C charging of 15-hour battery
- Reasonable price for great performance
- Built-in mic for calls and voice assistant
Cons:
- Somewhat tinny audio
- Buttons are difficult to see
Best connected speaker
Tronsmart Force
No force can damage it
Easy pairing via NFC, rapid USB-C charging, and a durable build make the Force safe to use anywhere.
Best for parties: JBL Pulse 4
Most speaker companies slap different colors and patterns on the same cylindrical or rectangular shape, but JBL built a lava lamp-style speaker that shouts "LOOK AT ME!" with a flashing light show that'll encourage you to dance in the shower as well as sing. The JBL Pulse 4 uses LEDs filtered through a plastic casing to emit multi-colored lights in all directions, while also generating 360-degree sound, making it a great party centerpiece.
The Pulse 4 is IPX7-certified water-resistant, making it safe to bring anywhere, though it is fairly large and heavy, which makes it somewhat inconvenient to lug around. The speaker recharges in 3.5 hours and is linkable with other JBL speakers, so you can really crank things up across multiple speakers for big events.
JBL is one of the top speaker brands, and the Pulse 4 mostly lives up to that expectation of solid performance beneath its flashy exterior. It's expensive and it's a chore to lung around, but it does generate a well-balanced sound level with particularly effective bass, and can perform well at a high volume while giving an impressive LED light show.
Pros:
- Colorful 360ยบ LEDs
- 12-hour battery life
- Recharges in 3.5 hours
- IPX7 rating
- Pairable with other speakers
Cons:
- Expensive
- Not easy to carry around
Best for parties
JBL Pulse 4 - Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Lighten things up
Brighter, larger, and heavier than most Bluetooth speakers, the JBL Pulse 4 plays music and makes a bold statement.
Best speaker/ radio combo: Sbode M400
Most folks nowadays listen to their own playlists, music services, or podcasts, but some people still prefer the classic radio stations they grew up with, or want access to music when they don't have Wi-Fi access. The Sbode M400 fits that bill; along with a microSD card slot and AUX port, it comes with an FM radio tuner.
An IPX6 speaker, the Sbode M400 can handle getting sprayed with water but shouldn't be submerged. You can have it nearby as you shower, then take it with you camping to listen to radio broadcasts and get your fix of sports, news, and music. Our Sbode speaker review noted that it hits a good range of sound with minimal sound distortion, and is easy to hang from a shower hook or fit inside a backpack's water bottle pouch.
Pros:
- FM radio tuner
- MicroSD slot for MP3/WAV/FLAC files
- 3.5mm AUX port
- Large buttons for easy song skips
- Surprisingly loud audio
Cons:
- Only 8 hours of battery life
- Not fully water-resistant
- No fun color choices
Best speaker/ radio combo
Sbode M400
FM radio included
This semi-waterproof speaker plays via Bluetooth, FM radio, aux, or microSD, and sounds great regardless of the source.
Bottom line
This may be our guide for the best shower speakers, but we tried to find devices that aren't just defined by being waterproof, or that are well-suited to other water-adjacent activities. Some of the more affordable Bluetooth speakers may be suited to stay indoors, but the JBL Charge 5 is useful on the go because it will keep your phone charged. Most of our recommendations may have 10+ hour batteries, but if your phone battery is getting drained by streaming music and then transmitting it over Bluetooth, then your speaker becomes useless the moment your phone dies. With the built-in power bank, you avoid that potential problem.
The Charge 5 comes in several different color options, giving it some character compared to the somber black monochrome of most speakers. Other shower speakers are smaller, making them more suited to hang from a showerhead, but these also lack the space for large drivers and booming bass. JBL makes no compromises with this model and delivers a sound you'll have no trouble deciphering through the sounds of water falling around you.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Michael Hicks got his tech journalism start in 2016, covering emerging tech like VR and self-driving cars before expanding to all things tech. When he's not gaming or reading SFF novels, he writes freelance for Android Central and Windows Central.
from Android Central - Android Forums, News, Reviews, Help and Android Wallpapers
0 comments: