A GREAT BUDGET PICK

If $300 or even $180 is too much for you, we recommend the Divoom Voombox Ongo. It offers shorter battery life than our main pick: Its estimated battery life is eight hours, though in our tests it got 12.5 hours at full volume (playing Steely Dan’s “Aja” on repeat). Although it makes music sound natural, it has no bass to speak of, and it’s nowhere as loud as our main pick. But it retails for around $60, which makes it a great deal. The Ongo has a speakerphone function and an IPX4 water-resistance rating, meaning it will survive some splashes and a rainstorm, but not being fully submerged. The overall combination of sound, portability and price make it an incredibly great buy.