Best Bluetooth speaker?

[Carlos rodriguez]

Hello Audioholics, can anyone recommend a "GOOD" quality bluetooth speaker?? For the use that it will be given there should not be any apps or any complication, just a speaker and a bluetooth connection! I would like the best possible sound quality BUT keeping that simplicity.

Any suggestions??

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

No

 

[Mikado463]

I like my JBL unit, sounds good and packs well for traveling. battery life is good also.

 

[KEW]

For $30, these are not bad (especially compared to a portable BT speaker such as the JBL Flip.
I like JBL and the Flip, but having decent sized boxes (with separate woofers and tweeters) and being able to locate stereo speakers 2 to 4 feet apart matters!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I2PFBJ0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

However, if you want a seriously good BT set-up, these will trounce anything in their price range at $221!

$16 here:
https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Bluetooth-Streaming-High-fidelity-Working-Time/dp/B071GSQ1TK/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1510088218&sr=8-8&keywords=Bluetooth+4.1+Receiver

$7 here:
https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMP-159-Stereo-Breakout-Cable/dp/B005HGM1D6/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1510331178&sr=1-2&keywords=Hosa+CMP-159

And $200 for a pair of these:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/jbl-lsr305-5-in-limited-edition-powered-studio-monitor--matte-red

At under $225, this is easily among the best values available for Sound Quality on a tight budget!
I have a pair of these speakers connected to my Echo Dot and smile about them every time I say "Alexa, play my Pandora station". Your setup would be the same except you are inserting the $16 BT receiver where I have my Dot.

Edit: The JBL LSR305's are out of stock with an availability of 11/17/17. Your patience will be rewarded.

Edit2: I changed the cable to reflect BSA's recommendation in post #14 below. A shielded cable is worth the extra $2!

 

[Carlos rodriguez]

For $30, these are not bad (especially compared to a portable BT speaker such as the JBL Flip.
I like JBL and the Flip, but having decent sized boxes (with separate woofers and tweeters) and being able to locate stereo speakers 2 to 4 feet apart matters!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I2PFBJ0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

However, if you want a seriously good BT set-up, these will trounce anything in their price range at $221!

$16 here:
https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Bluetooth-Streaming-High-fidelity-Working-Time/dp/B071GSQ1TK/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1510088218&sr=8-8&keywords=Bluetooth+4.1+Receiver

$5 here:
https://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Pro-PCBL43FT6-Stereo-Y-Cable-Adapter/dp/B004G87FLY/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1510089198&sr=8-25&keywords=3.5mm+to+1/4

And $200 for a pair of these:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/jbl-lsr305-5-in-limited-edition-powered-studio-monitor--matte-red

At under $225, this is easily among the best values available for Sound Quality on a tight budget!
I have a pair of these speakers connected to my Echo Dot and smile about them every time I say "Alexa, play my Pandora station". Your setup would be the same except you are inserting the $16 BT receiver where I have my Dot.

Edit: The JBL LSR305's are out of stock with an availability of 11/17/17. Your patience will be rewarded.

Thank you KEW, that JBL/mpow combination looks pretty cool!!!!

 

[KEW]

Thank you KEW, that JBL/mpow combination looks pretty cool!!!!

If that works for your budget and you don't need portability, it is the way to go!
I just ordered my second set of these speakers when I saw them on sale for $200 for the pair.
I ordered before their inventory ran out and received them today.
I was happy to see that the red is a nice shade.
Don't know how to really describe it except to say it is not a bright red, but a more mature red you might get if you took pure red then mixed some black into it. The color of Campbell's Tomato soup before you add the water is about the closest thing I can think of that you might be familiar with.

 

[shkumar4963]

For $30, these are not bad (especially compared to a portable BT speaker such as the JBL Flip.
I like JBL and the Flip, but having decent sized boxes (with separate woofers and tweeters) and being able to locate stereo speakers 2 to 4 feet apart matters!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I2PFBJ0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

However, if you want a seriously good BT set-up, these will trounce anything in their price range at $221!

$16 here:
https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Bluetooth-Streaming-High-fidelity-Working-Time/dp/B071GSQ1TK/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1510088218&sr=8-8&keywords=Bluetooth+4.1+Receiver

$5 here:
https://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Pro-PCBL43FT6-Stereo-Y-Cable-Adapter/dp/B004G87FLY/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1510089198&sr=8-25&keywords=3.5mm+to+1/4

And $200 for a pair of these:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/jbl-lsr305-5-in-limited-edition-powered-studio-monitor--matte-red

At under $225, this is easily among the best values available for Sound Quality on a tight budget!
I have a pair of these speakers connected to my Echo Dot and smile about them every time I say "Alexa, play my Pandora station". Your setup would be the same except you are inserting the $16 BT receiver where I have my Dot.

Edit: The JBL LSR305's are out of stock with an availability of 11/17/17. Your patience will be rewarded.

Good news. Guitar center has lsr305 at $99 and if you use Google Express you get $20 off (first time user). Net cost $80 plus tax. Cannot beat that.

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[KEW]

Good news. Guitar center has lsr305 at $99 and if you use Google Express you get $20 off (first time user). Net cost $80 plus tax. Cannot beat that.

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Here's a link:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/search?Ns=r&Ntt=lsr305&typeAheadRedirect=true

 

[shkumar4963]

Here's a link:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/search?Ns=r&Ntt=lsr305&typeAheadRedirect=true

Thanks. Have you listened to Q acoustic BT3? How does it compare with LSR305? Any observations will be appreciated.

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[KEW]

Thanks. Have you listened to Q acoustic BT3? How does it compare with LSR305? Any observations will be appreciated.

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I have not.
They certainly look nice as far as the feature set and the remote is welcome (but you can control the JBL's from the BT source).
Q Acoustics speakers also seem to be well designed (from what I have read).

I am pretty conservative on stuff like this so would lean toward the very well established JBL (these have been the darlings of budget recording studios for years), but I expect you would be pretty happy with the BT3 as well.

This is a guess, but JBLs will probably go louder, but I would not expect the BT3's to be weak!

 

[shkumar4963]

I have not.
They certainly look nice as far as the feature set and the remote is welcome (but you can control the JBL's from the BT source).
Q Acoustics speakers also seem to be well designed (from what I have read).

I am pretty conservative on stuff like this so would lean toward the very well established JBL (these have been the darlings of budget recording studios for years), but I expect you would be pretty happy with the BT3 as well.

This is a guess, but JBLs will probably go louder, but I would not expect the BT3's to be weak!

Just received lsr305. Not too impressed. In fact very unimpressed. But wait. The problem could be my connection to it. It needs balanced input and I don't have any source that gives balanced output. A simple stereo cable produces very poor sound quality. Just ordered stereo 3.5 mm to 1/4 inch mono cable. Hopefully it will work. Otherwise it goes back to JBL.

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[KEW]

Just received lsr305. Not too impressed. In fact very unimpressed. But wait. The problem could be my connection to it. It needs balanced input and I don't have any source that gives balanced output. A simple stereo cable produces very poor sound quality. Just ordered stereo 3.5 mm to 1/4 inch mono cable. Hopefully it will work. Otherwise it goes back to JBL.

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What source, connection, and cable are you using?
I would generally presume "a simple stereo cable" is an RCA cable.
If you are feeding it from a consumer audio source such as an AVR or the BT Receiver I linked earlier in this thread, no matter what connection you use, check to be sure the switch next to the connection on the speakers is set to -10dBV (not +4 dBV)
How would you describe the failings of the sound quality?
Do you know a set of speakers that you especially liked?
Aside from not having really deep bass (but I do like the way the bass it has presents itself) due to the 5" woofer, I feel it holds up very well against my higher end speakers.
In the end, "beauty is in the ears of the beholder", but most people seem to agree on what is good and what isn't and this speaker is well liked (including by me).
If I led you astray, apologies. Be sure to give it a little more time with a variety of the types of music you listen to (you may have done this on your first listen), but take advantage of the return policy if it is not your cup of tea.

 

[shkumar4963]

What source, connection, and cable are you using?
I would generally presume "a simple stereo cable" is an RCA cable.
If you are feeding it from a consumer audio source such as an AVR or the BT Receiver I linked earlier in this thread, no matter what connection you use, check to be sure the switch next to the connection on the speakers is set to -10dBV (not +4 dBV)
How would you describe the failings of the sound quality?
Do you know a set of speakers that you especially liked?
Aside from not having really deep bass (but I do like the way the bass it has presents itself) due to the 5" woofer, I feel it holds up very well against my higher end speakers.
In the end, "beauty is in the ears of the beholder", but most people seem to agree on what is good and what isn't and this speaker is well liked (including by me).
If I led you astray, apologies. Be sure to give it a little more time with a variety of the types of music you listen to (you may have done this on your first listen), but take advantage of the return policy if it is not your cup of tea.

Thank you for your detailed response. I am 100% sure that the problem is in my connections. And please do not apologize. We all appreciate your guidance and help.

And now for the problem and possible resolution.

1. The volume is too low. I have checked the switch behind. It is at the position that gives louder volume.

I am currently using a 3.5 mm to 1/4 inch stereo headphone cable. Clearly not appropriate.

I feel once we solve the connection problem, the sound quality problem may go away.

Not sure how best to connect an aux out or a headphone out to 1/4 inch TRS balanced input.












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[BoredSysAdmin]

Thank you for your detailed response. I am 100% sure that the problem is in my connections. And please do not apologize. We all appreciate your guidance and help.
And now for the problem and possible resolution.
1. The volume is too low. I have checked the switch behind. It is at the position that gives louder volume.
I am currently using a 3.5 mm to 1/4 inch stereo headphone cable. Clearly not appropriate.
I feel once we solve the connection problem, the sound quality problem may go away.
Not sure how best to connect an aux out or a headphone out to 1/4 inch TRS balanced input.

Something must be wrong with your connections, source or speakers needs to be RMA.
No one ever would accuse professional studio monitor speakers to have too low of volume. They are designed to be played loudly for long periods.
Kurt posted correct cable above, it should be Y-Cable from 3.5mm to TWO mono TSR plugs.
or choose to go with a bit better cable (mainly for shielding) like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMP-159-Stereo-Breakout-Cable/dp/B005HGM1D6/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1510331178&sr=1-2&keywords=Hosa+CMP-159

 

[shkumar4963]

Something must be wrong with your connections, source or speakers needs to be RMA.
No one ever would accuse professional studio monitor speakers to have too low of volume. They are designed to be played loudly for long periods.
Kurt posted correct cable above, it should be Y-Cable from 3.5mm to TWO mono TSR plugs.
or choose to go with a bit better cable (mainly for shielding) like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMP-159-Stereo-Breakout-Cable/dp/B005HGM1D6/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1510331178&sr=1-2&keywords=Hosa+CMP-159

Thank you. I just ordered a cable from Amazon. Will let you know how it works.

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[KEW]

Kurt posted correct cable above, it should be Y-Cable from 3.5mm to TWO mono TSR plugs.
or choose to go with a bit better cable (mainly for shielding) like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMP-159-Stereo-Breakout-Cable/dp/B005HGM1D6/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1510331178&sr=1-2&keywords=Hosa+CMP-159

Good point. I would not expect any problems from the cable I had unless you had some interference near the cable, but for $2, shielded is a cheap way to avoid a potential hassle and who knows where you might want to use it in the future.

 

[shkumar4963]

Ok. Just received the new cable. The volume is a bit better. At max volume at the speaker and max volume at my Samsung galaxy s7, most songs give between 70 and 80 dB at 1 meter. Is that Ok? With 80 watts of amplification, I thought each channel will be a lot louder than this.

Sound quality is not bad. But nothing to be impressed about. Sounds a bit better than a boombox.

Let me know if I you feel this unit is defective.

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[KEW]

Ok. Just received the new cable. The volume is a bit better. At max volume at the speaker and max volume at my Samsung galaxy s7, most songs give between 70 and 80 dB at 1 meter. Is that Ok? With 80 watts of amplification, I thought each channel will be a lot louder than this.

Sound quality is not bad. But nothing to be impressed about. Sounds a bit better than a boombox.

Let me know if I you feel this unit is defective.

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The speakers should get much louder than that!
Before we know the speakers are defective, we should establish that the signal from your Samsung is not the issue.
I assume you have the volume up on your Samsung and have tried feeding from several sources (some YouTube videos, for example are especially quiet).
On the back of the JBL input sensitivity should be at -10dB and the volume I leave all of the way up because I would control both speakers' levels at once by using the phone.

Find something other than the Samsung to try out as the source. Most modern TV's will have a 3.5mm headphone socket and laptops too.

 

[shkumar4963]

The speakers should get much louder than that!
Before we know the speakers are defective, we should establish that the signal from your Samsung is not the issue.
I assume you have the volume up on your Samsung and have tried feeding from several sources (some YouTube videos, for example are especially quiet).
On the back of the JBL input sensitivity should be at -10dB and the volume I leave all of the way up because I would control both speakers' levels at once by using the phone.

Find something other than the Samsung to try out as the source. Most modern TV's will have a 3.5mm headphone socket and laptops too.

Yes, yes, and yes.

Laptop is a good idea. I will try that. I have already tried using a Bluetooth receiver with aux out.

If that does not work, I am still debating whether to exchange it for a new unit or just return it.

Both volume and sound quality are underwhelming. Also, If the speaker volume knob is above halfway Mark, I hear a distinct hiss or some resonance from the speaker. It makes the vocals seem like they are straining a bit.


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[KEW]

Let us know how the laptop test goes, but something is definitely wrong.
My first pair is in the livingroom which is open to most of the house and it fills the house without any bad sounds coming from it.
I actually haven't opened the red ones I just bought, but your post is a good prompt. I'd hate to open them up and find they were faulty after the return period had expired!