Bose not always the best

Q. We have a Bose SoundLink Mini that we use with our iMac desktop computer. Recently the speaker has performed erratically, requiring setting changes, and last night it developed irritating static. Its about 3 years old. Are repairs possible, or should I just replace it?

—J.S., North Oaks, Minn.

A. I've seen many portable products of different brands go bad, and repairing them rarely makes financial sense. Though it says Bose on it and is premium priced, internally it probably isn't built any better than less expensive Bluetooth speakers from other major manufacturers. Most serious audio enthusiasts don’t consider Bose a highend brand. I think you can get the same or better quality for less money or much better quality at the same price.

The OontZ line of portable Bluetooth speakers sound good and are affordable. All of them work with your phone for hands-free speakerphone calling and have a miniplug input to use with your computer.

The $109.99 OontZ Angle 3XL is the closest speaker to what you have. It has the same 4.5-star Amazon rating as the SoundLink Mini but can do much more.

The OontZ Angle 3 is tiny, IPX5 water-resistant and lightweight. It sells for under $27.99. It is Amazon’s best-selling Bluetooth speaker and has a 4.5-star rating.

A new mid-sized model, the OontZ Angle 3 Plus, has deeper, richer bass output than the Angle 3, is also IPX5 water-resistant and has 30 hours of battery life at 60 percent power. It is on sale for the holidays for $39.99. I like the Angle 3, but for $12 more, I would be inclined to get the Angle 3 Plus. See all three speakers at theoontz.com.

Fluance Fi50 Bluetooth Speaker: The Fluance Fi50 has clean styling and attractive wood finishes, and its quality components make dynamic and extremely clear music. I recommended the Fi50 to someone looking for a $300 system to play records. She added a $99 Audio-Technica AT-LP60 turntable connected by a miniplug cable to re-create her classic console stereo. It’s only $199. See fluance.com