The 9 Best Speaker Brands - Fall 2023 Reviews

Sonos is an American company that manufactures high-end audio products designed mainly for home use, like smart speakers and soundbars. Their speakers stand out from other brands thanks to their connectivity-focused designs— you can create a whole ecosystem of Sonos soundbars and speakers through the app, which allows you to spread audio throughout multiple rooms in your home. Generally, their speakers have sleek and premium designs to blend into your decor, with built-in voice assistant support for hands-free control. These premium, high-end products boast great sound, but if you want a simpler speaker, you'll probably want to look elsewhere.

The Sonos Era 300 is the best speaker we've tested from the manufacturer. It's emblematic of the manufacturer's connectivity-oriented designs since you can use it on its own or pair it up with a Sonos soundbar to create a home theater setup right in the comfort of your living room. It boasts many premium features like built-in Alexa, Dolby Atmos support, and a room correction tool to optimize its sound based on your room's unique acoustics. The Sonos Roam and the Sonos Move are good alternatives if you prefer a more portable model. Again, they boast a great sound, but their premium price point isn't ideal for everyone.

Bose is another American manufacturer that's one of the main competitors to Sonos. Both manufacturers are known for their premium smart speakers designed for home use. However, Bose's lineup is more wide-ranging and versatile than their competition, so you have a lot more options to choose from. You can find more budget-friendly and portable options for use outside of the home, as well as wireless PA systems like the Bose S1 Pro+ for musicians. Depending on your tastes, the company's signature sound is either a benefit or a drawback.

The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is the best of both worlds, and that's why it's ranked among the best Bose speakers we've tested. It integrates built-in voice assistant capabilities into a device that's portable enough to take your favorite tunes with you on the go. Unlike more home-oriented models like the aptly named Bose Home Speaker 500, you can use it on battery power, so you don't have to worry about plugging it into an outlet when you're out and about. It has a premium design that shows in its price. If you want a more simple, rugged speaker for outdoor use, something like the Bose SoundLink Flex may be a better alternative for you.

JBL is another well-known name in the speaker space. This brand is notable due to their wide selection of speakers geared towards lots of different market segments, from their party-oriented PartyBox lineup to the smaller and more budget-friendly Clip lineup. JBL's speakers are more rugged, too, and their sturdy build is part of their appeal, especially if you plan to use them on the go. In comparison with Sonos and Bose speakers, for example, they aren't quite as stylish but boast other features like IP ratings for dust and water resistance.

The JBL Boombox 3 is one of the manufacturer's more premium models, and its versatile performance can please many different listeners. As its name implies, this speaker has a boombox-like design with a built-in handle to take your tunes on the go. It's a mighty speaker with great sound quality, so you enjoy a deep and thumpy bass with EDM and hip-hop tracks and clear and accurate vocals and instruments in the mids. Customization is easy thanks to the graphic EQ in the JBL Portable app. This Bluetooth speaker gets loud, too, and with a battery life of over 29 hours, it's a great way to take the party late into the night.

Like JBL, Sony's speaker lineup is versatile enough to address lots of different potential use cases in the market. They produce everything from wired home speakers like the Sony SRS-RA3000 to booming party speakers like the Sony SRS-XP700. Their portable Bluetooth speakers are a great way to get good sound quality at an affordable price, and you'll find models available at a wide array of price points, so even budget-conscious shoppers can get good sound quality. While their speakers don't tend to be voice-enabled, some of them are compatible with the voice assistant on your paired smartphone.

The Sony SRS-XG500 is a versatile pick that's ideal for different listeners. It's a premium device with a boombox-like design, and its IP66 rating for dust and water resistance helps to protect it when you listen to your favorite songs outside. This speaker is customizable, too. You can set its built-in RGB lights to the colors and patterns you like in the Sony Music Center app. Plus, thanks to the graphic EQ and presets also found in the app, you can customize the speaker's sound. Even without these tools, you still enjoy great sound out-of-the-box, thanks to Sony's ClearAudio+ feature that corrects the audio based on your room's acoustics. It also lasts over 25 hours off a single charge, which is impressive.

Ultimate Ears is an American manufacturer that's a subsidiary of Logitech. They produce various audio products, including headphones, in-ear monitors, and wireless Bluetooth speakers. They generally produce well-built portable speakers available at different price points, and their budget-friendly models are some of the best we've tested in the lower price ranges. With these speakers, you can bring your favorite tunes outside, and their wide array of customization tools gives you lots of control over their sound. You won't find integrated voice assistant support like with other manufacturers, though, and you may need to pair up your smartphone if you want to control their speakers with your voice.

Still, the Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM is a premium speaker that's worth a look. It's a portable Bluetooth device with a built-in carrying strap, meaning you can bring it on the go. While larger than some of the manufacturer's other models, it can bring more thump and rumble in the bass range, so you feel the energy in bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop. It gets loud, too, and its battery life of over 23 hours lets you continue the party as long as you like. Plus, the graphic EQ and presets in the Ultimate Ears app let you customize its sound to your liking, which is a cool touch. Budget-conscious shoppers can check out alternatives like the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3, which doesn't bring the same high-quality sound but still does a great job for the price.

Anker is a young company that produces many different types of audio equipment, as well as portable power banks and affordable charging cables. They're one of the best Bluetooth speaker brands if you're in the market for good, budget-friendly speakers that offer a solid sound without breaking the bank. Of course, they don't have as many features as more premium offerings from brands like JBL, Bose, or Sonos. Still, their speakers are pretty customizable for the price, with support for a graphic EQ and presets through the Soundcore app. It's a nice touch that makes these speakers an interesting alternative for wallet-conscious shoppers.

The manufacturer's best offering that we've tested is the Anker Soundcore Motion X600. It's a portable Bluetooth speaker with a built-in handle and is designed to listen to music wherever you go, whether at the park with friends or in your living room at home. It's rated IPX7 for dust and water resistance and comes in several colors to suit your style. The graphic EQ and presets give you lots of control over its sound, and there's even a Spatial Audio feature to bring a more immersive feel to your audio. It does well for the price, but if you want extra features like built-in voice assistant support or room correction, you'll want to opt for a premium model from a different brand. Still, Anker's products are worth checking out if you're on a budget.

Apple is an American technology company that sells phones, headphones, laptops, tablets, watches, and more. Along with Amazon and Google, they're leaders in the smart speaker space. All three companies produce limited lineups of smart speakers with integrated support for their respective voice assistants, from Siri to Alexa to Google Assistant. These devices boast stylish designs, which make sense because they're only meant to be used in your home. You won't find the same diversity in their lineup as larger manufacturers like JBL or Sony. Still, if you love Apple products and are already invested in the company's ecosystem, it's worth looking at Apple speakers.

The Apple HomePod (2nd generation) is the best from the manufacturer. Released in 2023, this smart home speaker retains a look similar to its predecessor. Built-in Siri lets you control the device using only your voice from the comfort of your couch. You can ask Siri to stop listening to you if you want a more private moment, too. iPhone and iPad users will also appreciate the integrated Apple AirPlay support, which makes wireless streaming from these devices even more simple and easy-to-use. The speaker's many premium features offer an improved sound over the first-generation model, including a bass-EQ microphone to keep lower frequencies steady and present in the mix, even when you listen at lower volumes. Plus, its built-in room calibration tool adjusts its output to meet the unique needs of your space. As a result, the HomePod shines even in comparison to headliner models from rivals like Amazon and Google.

Amazon is a major global technology company that produces various electronics. It also ranks among the best speaker brands we've tested for smart home speakers. Its current lineup is limited to just a few speakers. Still, they all come with Amazon Alexa support for hands-free control and integrated support for connecting their speakers with other compatible smart home products. More premium offerings from Amazon include Zigbee support, which lets you connect many different smart home devices to the speaker so you can control these through Alexa, too. It's a really neat touch if you love smart technology.

The Amazon Echo Studio is the best Amazon speaker that we've tested. It supports all those neat smart features, from built-in Amazon Alexa support to Zigbee compatibility, and it comes in a sleek and stylish package that fits right in with your living room decor. Like most smart speakers, it's meant for home use only, and its wired design means you can't take it outdoors. Still, you can enjoy a decent sound from the comfort of your living room, with the ability to pair the device to other compatible speakers in your home to spread audio across different rooms. You can even control its sound using the bass and treble adjustments in the Amazon Alexa app. It's a great choice for home use, but if you want a more versatile speaker, you'll likely want to opt for another brand.

Google is an American technology company that produces a wide range of internet-related products. They sell phones, smart speakers, tablets, earbuds, and more. They currently have two speakers on the market: the Google Nest Audio and the smaller Google Nest Mini, which offer excellent voice assistant support via Google Assistant. It's easy to check the weather or get a status update on traffic, for example, using only your voice. Plus, you can mute the voice assistant's microphones for more private moments. These speakers are ideal for those who already own Google products, but again, the lineup isn't very diverse, so you'll only find wired home speakers with this manufacturer.

The best from Google is the Google Nest Audio. It's a home speaker with a sleek design that's meant to fit in with your home decor, and it's even available in a couple of different color options. Of course, Google Assistant is built right into the device, along with Chromecast support for easy streaming from compatible devices. The Google Home app is designed to pair this speaker with compatible Google models to spread audio throughout your home or create a stereo pair. You'll also find bass and treble adjustments to switch up its sound in the app. Like most smart speakers, the sound quality is decent, and it gets loud enough for average-sized living rooms. It isn't meant for outdoor use, though, and it isn't the most portable. If you love Google products and want a simple voice-assistant device, though, it's a great pick.