JBL Playlist
A Sonos rival with party sound
£149.99 from JBL, uk.jbl.com Features 2x 2.25-inch woofers, 2x 15W power rating, Google Cast, Bluetooth
Rather than a simple Bluetoothequipped, battery powered speaker, the JBL Playlist is mains-powered and equipped with Google
Cast. You can still use Bluetooth if you’d prefer, but Google Cast allows the speaker to become part of a multi-room setup. Much like AirPlay, you stream music over Wi-Fi and you can even pair the speaker with others to fill your house with music.
A full set of playback controls can be found on the top, while the front of the device is given over to its bulbous speaker grill. At the back is a two-pronged power port and 3.5mm jack.
Apple’s own music and podcasting apps don’t support the functionality, but numerous others do. Spotify, Tidal, and Deezer are among their number, and Pocketcasts can be used for podcast listening.
While the Playlist offers big chunky bass it’s not matched with much treble and mid-range presence, leading to a speaker more at home with a house party than a dinner party.
It might not have the sonic abilities of rival Sonos speakers, but the Playlist is an affordable way into multi-room listening, so long as you use the music apps that can make the most of it.