Sound advice
PORTABLE SPEAKER? HERE ARE THREE OF THE BEST FOR YOU
THE glorious UK summer is upon us… and we’re all no doubt spending the long sunny days lounging in our gardens soaking up the rays.
There’s only one thing missing – your music. So this week we’re showcasing three great Bluetooth speakers that will let you take your tunes with you.
And of course, just in case the weather fails to get the memo, these look and sound just as good inside as they do out...
Sonos Roam
They say: Take incredible sound everywhere with Roam. Enjoy music, voice control, and multiroom listening at home on WiFi, plus Bluetooth streaming, all-day battery life, and waterproof durability on the go.
We say: If you’re after something a bit more durable and a bit more portable, the Sonos Roam is for you.
At home the Roam attaches to your wifi network, and is a fullyfunctioning Alexa or Google Assistant smart speaker. On the go, the Roam will automatically switch to connect to your phone for streaming from the device to the speaker.
It’s small, light, waterproof, durable, and sounds great.
Adapting to soundings, it’ll sound good wherever you take it and has a 10-hour battery life.
Cost: £159 from sonos.com
Sony Glass Sound
They say: Enjoy perfectly blended sound and illumination with crystal clear sound through organic glass and candlelight effect for instant mood.
We say: It’s an odd-looking device, that’s for sure. And if it looks more like a light than a speaker, that’s because it is both.
The Glass Sound is the latest from Sony’s team of geniuses, and boasts a high-end speaker combined with a soft atmospheric light. But the glass bit is not just for good looks – it’s part of the speaker.
Attached to the glass section’s base are actuators, which, says Sony, tap the glass that then “vibrates to help spread the sound in every direction”.
Sounds cool, AND sounds good. The perfect combination.
Cost: Exact pricing has not been revealed for next month’s launch, but the speaker will cost between £300-£350 from sony.co.uk
B&O Beolit 20
They say: With a longer-lasting battery, integrated smartphone charging and powerful portable sound, Beolit 20 is the 4th generation of a modern classic in wireless speaker design.
We say: Bang & Olufsen speakers are all at the high-end of the market, but if you want the best, you’ve got to pay for it in this game.
The Beolit 20 is a go-anywhere Bluetooth speaker that sports stylish good looks as well as providing the kind of audio quality that does not let B&O’s reputation down.
If the price tag raises eyebrows, remember that the Beolit 20 has a killer feature which makes it better value for money – as well as being a superb speaker, it’s also a Qicompatible wireless charging station.
Just lay your smartphone, or other Qi device, on top of the speaker and it’ll juice it up. Could be vital if you’re out in the wilds...
Cost: £450 from bang-olufsen.com/
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