To do this, click the headset in the gear list, and then click the “-” symbol to separate it from the list. Follow the above guidance to connect Bluetooth headphones to mac. Best Bluetooth Speaker For Mac With Revolutionary Design Cowin Ark. Cowin Ark is the most interesting Bluetooth speaker available in the market. It comes in two parts. The lower part which supports the upper part is called the Ark and the upper part which is the speaker itself is called the Cruze.
Use Mac As Bluetooth Speaker
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The Rundown
Our Top PicksBest Overall: Bose Home Speaker 500
4.3
Best Bluetooth Speaker For Macbook
Bose has been in the Bluetooth and wireless speaker game for a long time — now they're taking their notable sound tech and moving into the more overt smart speaker world with the Bose Home Speaker 500. This speaker offers what Bose refers to as “room-filling sound” with the ability to use Alexa-enabled smart assistance functions. That means you can both stream music wirelessly and control it with your voice. There’s a small screen on the unit, but it just displays album artwork and is not a touchscreen — instead, they've relegated the physical controls to a series of buttons on the top.
Beyond the fact that it puts out big sound from such a compact device, the most notable thing about the Bose Home Speaker 500 is its Alexa functionalities. (Bose promises that other smart functionality, like Google Assistant, is on the way.) You can use the speaker with all the requisite platforms including Spotify, Amazon Music, SiriusXM and more. And there’s even a Bose Smart app that lets you pair this up with another unit or one of Bose's smart soundbars to give you multi-room sound and mobile device control. It's on the pricier side, but if you’re a fan of Bose, that’s expected. It’s a speaker with a notable name that gives you sound commensurate with the brand’s track record.
For more reviews of a more in depth sound system, check out our picks for the best home audio systems.
Best Smart Speaker: Google Home Max
4.6
If you like to crank up the volume on your portable Bluetooth speaker, then you'll like the Google Home Max. Inside this low-profile speaker are a pair of 4.5-inch woofers and dual amps dedicated to a set of 0.7-inch polyester dome tweeters. The result: room-filling sound with serious bass. And at 100-percent volume, there’s almost no sound vibration (a rarity for a portable Bluetooth speaker). For even more sound, two Home Max speakers can be paired together.
Weighing almost 12 pounds, the Home Max is among the heaviest of the portable options. Fortunately, all that weight isn’t just about the audio. The Google Home Max also includes Google Assistant capabilities. You can ask it to tell you the weather, play a song, search the web, or control smart home devices like thermostats or lights.
Runner-Up, Best Overall: JBL Charge 4
The JBL Charge 4 has some of the best battery life among Bluetooth speakers. The 7500mAh battery can last up to 20 hours, although this will be more realistic when using an AUX cord, rather than Bluetooth. In terms of going wireless, the speaker has Bluetooth 4.2 and can connect to devices up to 30 feet away — and that’s “devices” plural. JBL Connect+ allows the speaker to buddy up with 100 other devices to play songs simultaneously for the ultimate party, surround-sound experience — or just to keep the music going from room to room.
One of the JBL Charge 4’s greatest claim to fame, aside from its battery life, is its durability. With an IPX7 rating, it is waterproof (yes, this means you can take it into the shower or bath) and also floats. The single dual ranger speakers are paired with two bass radiators for high quality-sound, comparable to many “stereo” speakers. Flaunt your personality with the JBL Charge 4’s range of ten different available colors such as teal, pink, green, yellow, blue, and red.
Check out our guide to the best JBL speakers you can buy today.
Best Budget: JBL Clip 2
The JBL Clip 2 is not only lightweight to hold and carry, it’s also light on the budget. In fact, it’s one of the most budget-friendly Bluetooth speakers that still delivers a quality sound. The speaker features a clip you can use to attach it to your backpack or your belt loops. Use the speaker’s controls to play or pause songs or skip tracks, all without having to take out your phone. The JBL Clip 2 may be small, but the eight-hour battery life rivals that of some of the larger Bluetooth speakers. It’s waterproof and while it does float, it can be submerged in water for up to 30 minutes.
For more inexpensive products, check out our roundup of the best bluetooth speakers for under $50.
Best for Design: Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay A1 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Sometimes the best-designed products are almost the simplest and that’s exactly where the Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay A1 Portable Bluetooth speaker knocks it out of the park. The basic circular design mimics the look of a hockey puck, but with strikingly clean lines that offer booming sound. With a battery life that hits around 24 hours at regular music volume (recharging 2.5 hours from zero-to-full), the 1.3-pound all-aluminum dome is both dust- and splash-resistant to help protect against the elements. The sound has peak power of around 2X140 watts.
Connection to the A1 is easily done through B&O’s Play application available on both Android and iOS (in the app you can also personalize the audio experience, set up wireless stereo pairing for even bigger sound and update the software on the A1). Beyond music, the A1 doubles as a speakerphone with an omni-directional microphone that sits on the bottom of the device and can pick up 360 degrees of voice recognition no matter where the A1 is in relation to your body.
Best Portability: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
When you’re shopping around for a Bluetooth speaker and portability is your top priority, you'll have to consider a few key factors, one of the most important of which is size. At only about 3.5 x 4 inches, the Wonderboom 2 is a truly compact speaker — one that you won’t find difficult to stash in a beach bag.
But you also want to think about durability, how much you can 'rough up' the speaker before it goes radio silent. Fortunately, this sturdy little gadget has earned itself an IP67 rating, so not only is it waterproof, it can be submerged in shallow water and even thwart some degree of dust. Durability is key for this kind of speaker because it means you can travel with it. Whether you're camping, going to the beach, or watching outdoor sports, you never have to worry about nature getting in the way of your bops.
The Wonderboom 2 improves on its predecessor in terms of sound quality, too. Increased bass response and amped-up 'outdoor boost' functionality make it the perfect outdoor party companion. You'll get about 100 feet of Bluetooth range and around 13 hours of battery life, depending on your usage as well. And if you care about color, you'll be relieved to know the Wonderboom 2 comes in Bermuda Blue, Crushed Ice Gray, Deep Space, and Radical Red flavors.
Best for Parties: JLab Block Party
For serious parties, the JLab Block Party is what you need. You can connect up to eight of these speakers together for a full sound. The multi-speaker system is great for an outdoor party or even for a multi-room audio system. It even includes indoor and outdoor modes, with the speakers equalized to play the optimal sound based on the amount of sound-absorbing surfaces nearby. (The outdoor mode may be better for houses with a lot of sound-absorbing surfaces). There’s a built-in status indicator to let you know how much battery time is left, and the speaker features buttons for volume, power, as well as to play or pause the music.
Want to bring speakers to a pool party? Consider our picks for the best waterproof bluetooth speakers.
You may also want to read the reviews in our roundup for the best party speakers.
Best Battery Life: Anker Soundcore 2
The Anker Soundcore 2 is a surprising little Bluetooth speaker for a lot of reasons. First of all, its small form factor (just over six inches long and only about 12 ounces) doesn’t hold back the surprisingly deep and booming sound quality. It does lack a bit of detail, but considering it’s so small, sports IPX5 waterproof, and delivers a 66-foot Bluetooth range, it’s pretty solid. But, as our category choice here denotes, the real “wow” factor is the battery life. Anker promises 24 hours of playback on a single charge — that’s a whole day of music without the need to plug it in. Considering that most other speaker options promise only 10–15 hours, this one blows them all out of the water. Plus, with a unibody design and a few sleek colors to choose from, it's pretty stylish too.
Looking for non-wireless speakers, too? Check out our selection of the best speakers of the year.
Tested byHow We Tested
Our reviewers spent 202 hours testing two top-rated portable Bluetooth speakers. To get the most complete results, they set them up, connected their devices, and used them to play music everywhere from picnics to parties. We asked our testers to consider the most important features when using these portable Bluetooth speakers, from sound quality to battery life. We've outlined the key points here so that you, too, know what to look for when shopping.
What to Look for in Portable Bluetooth Speakers
Sound quality - The best way to test sound quality is, of course, by listening in person — but in the age of online shopping, that’s not always possible. Perhaps the most important spec to consider is sensitivity, measured in decibels (dB). This indicates how loud the speaker will get; the higher the sensitivity rating, the louder the speaker will be. An average speaker is around 87 dB to 88 dB, but 90 dB would be excellent.
Battery life - It’s handy to be able to bring your speaker on the road with you, but you might as well be carrying a brick if its battery dies. Most Bluetooth speakers will average about 8 to 24 hours per charge, depending on how loud you’re playing your music. Another thing to consider is how long a speaker takes to recharge its battery — in some cases, a 10-minute top-up can prolong battery life for hours.
Waterproof - If you’re taking your portable speaker to the beach, you’ll want to be sure it won’t be drowned by an unexpected wave. Many models have waterproof ratings ranging from splash-resistant up to IPX7, which means it can be submerged for up to 30 minutes and still work.
Test Results: Bose Home Speaker 500 (Best Overall)
4.3
What We Like
Bose is known for its excellent sound quality, and one of our testers felt that this speaker was no exception: “Coming from a home that’s had the Echo Dot, Google Home Mini, and a Sony Bluetooth-enabled sound bar, this has the best sound quality out of the four,” he raved. Our reviewers also loved its ultra-simple setup process and its design, which one reviewer felt was “pretty sleek looking in black.” Our testers didn’t have much to say in the way of downsides, but one noticed some glitchy behavior in the Bose Music App: “It would tell me that there was a lost connection when music was still playing and there wasn't seemingly a problem,” he said.
Test Results: Google Home Max (Best Smart Speaker)
4.6
What We Like
What We Don't Like
“The Google Home Max is one of the best smart speakers I have played with yet,” gushed one of our testers. “The thing I liked most was the sound quality. It was also easy to adjust the bass and treble on your mobile app as you please.” Another highlight? Setup was a breeze, according to one reviewer who reported that “the process didn't take any longer than 5-8 minutes.” One tester also loved that it came with a magnetic rubber mat to place underneath it (to prevent any sliding around). Our reviewers did feel, however, that it was a slightly heavy for traveling, and that its Google Assistant could execute commands a little faster.
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BestBluetooth Speakers for iPhone, iPad, and MaciMore2019
Bluetooth speakers are one of the best ways to listen to your favorite tunes, podcasts, and other audio everywhere you go. As long as your iPhone, iPad, or Mac is around, your music can ring out loud and proud. There are a ton of options on the market, but the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 shines above most of the competition by offering exceptional performance in portability, sound quality, and price!
Best Overall: Ultimate Ears Boom 3
Taking the Boom 3 to your next pool party is absolutely no problem. It has a high water-resistant rating, allowing it to be submerged in 3 feet of water for 30 minutes. It's also protected against dirt and mud, but you can hand-wash the speaker with warm, soapy water just in case it gets messy. Plus, if you truly want the Boom 3 to live up to its onomatopoeic name, you have the option to set up another one (or up to 150 Boom speakers) to make a stereo pair and really raise the roof!
Pros:
Best OverallUltimate Ears Boom 3
The whole package!
The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 offers fantastic sound quality, and due to its IP67 water-resistance, it's perfect for use at home and out on any adventures.
The Marshall Stanmore II has a vintage looks that I personally love, making it look like an old tube guitar amp. While it still is small enough to be portable, it isn't particularly rugged and has no water-resistance. So, if you are going to travel with it, do so carefully.
Where the Marshall Stanmore II really shines is in customizability. The knobs on the top of the speaker allow you to adjust the bass and treble to your liking and the fantastic companion app you can get for your phone has a 5-band equalizer. This allows the Marshall Stanmore II to be used for a wide variety of music and makes it great for people who like their sound a particular way.
Pros:
Best Customizable SoundMarshall Stanmore II
Customize your sound
With bass and treble knobs on the top and a 5-band equalizer in the companion app, the Marshall Stanmore II lets you shape your sound!
When it comes to playing music for as long as you can, the Fugoo Tough delivers a staggering 40-hour battery life so you can keep the party going. On top of it all, the sound quality is very good; however, even at peak volume, it is a bit quieter than other Bluetooth speakers. The Fugoo Tough has six drivers that are spread out across all four sides, giving you clear and well-balanced 360-degree sound. No matter where you place it, you'll be able to hear the music.
Pros:
Best Battery LifeFugoo Tough
Keep the party going
With its rugged design, IP67 rating, and 40-hour battery life, the Fugoo Tough excels at keeps the party going, no matter where you are.
Anker leads the pack when it comes to inexpensive accessories, and they have four great cheap speakers to choose from. 'Cheap' doesn't mean 'junk' here; these are well-built products that can withstand your day to day use. The best speaker for most people will be the standard Anker SoundCore 2. This is a compact speaker that offers 24 hours of battery, 12 watts of sound, and surprisingly good bass for the size.
Pros:
Best Budget SpeakerAnker SoundCore 2
Don't break the bank
This is the perfect little speaker for anyone who isn't too fussy about sound quality but is fussy about the price.
Bose has always focused on excellent sound quality in its speakers and headphones. Whether you listen to your music directly from your iPhone via AUX input or you send audio wirelessly via Bluetooth, the sound quality of the SoundLink Revovle+ is impeccable. Its convenient carrying handle makes its nearly 2-pound weight a lot easier to manage. Plus, it's built like a tank, so you don't need to baby it when you're carrying it around. To top it off, the Soundlink is compatible with Siri and Google Assistant.
Pros:
Best Premium SpeakerBose SoundLink Revolve+
Money can buy the best
The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ beautiful low-end tones never sound muddy, and its clear and consistent treble tones make listening to any music a real treat.
I know it may seem weird, but some people (including myself) still love listening to the radio. The built-in FM tuner on the Sbode Bluetooth Speaker makes it easy to catch your favorite local station. This inexpensive speaker may only have an 8-hour battery life, but it sounds quite good for the price. Plus, if you have two Sbode Bluetooth speakers, you can pair them together, which not only increases your sound output but also creates a true wireless stereo system.
Pros:
Best Built-in RadioSbode Bluetooth Speaker
For radio lovers
Not only can you catch your favorite FM stations, but the Sbode Bluetooth speaker also has an IPX6 rating, meaning it can handle getting splashed.
Bottom line
While there are a ton of great options for Bluetooth speakers out there, it's tough to match everything the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 has to offer. It's beautiful, but rugged design ensures it not only looks great, but you can use it anywhere thanks to its IP67 rating. Plus, when you want to increase the volume, you can pair up to 150 other Boom speakers and really get the party bumping.
To top it all off, the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is no slouch when it comes to sound quality. It sounds great out of the box and even at loud volumes remains clear with no muddy bass or tin-like treble tones.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Luke Filipowicz is an iMore staff writer who also frequents the gym and writes a ton about headphones, speakers, and all other things audio-related.
Lory Gil is the Managing Editor of iMore and has used hundreds of accessories for her Apple products. She also plays in a band, so you know she knows what rocks.
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