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This article was taken from the March 2014 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
How we tested
Audio expert Adrian Justins tested each speaker in a listening room, giving marks for ease of set-up, file compatibility and sonic quality. Each speaker was connected to at least one source wirelessly. A sound pressure meter was used to record maximum volume from two metres; playing distance between source and speakers was also measured.
Intended for fixed placement, the plastic SmallPods have a curvaceous form but don't exude durability. AirPlay setup using a USB to Lightning connector failed to work with iOS 7, but a MacBook Pro and Wi-Fi did the trick. There's enough low end, but higher frequencies are harsh and there's a lack of overall warmth.
Wired: Nice styling; AirPlay user-friendly (once set up)
Tired: Sonic output compromised by internal electronics; tricky to set up; price
Cost: £600
Specifications
Weight (per speaker): 2.3kg
Wireless type: AirPlay
Max volume: at 2m 99dB
Power source: Mains
Battery life: n/a
The rugged, rhomboid Soundbook is the size of a chunky novel and features a folding cover that can be snapped shut to switch the speaker to standby. There's an on-board FM radio and you can connect the device to an external amp or hi-fi. It supports aptX but its sound bears all the bass-lite hallmarks of a passive radiator.
Wired: Rugged; NFC pairing; LED display
Tired: Poor bass; radio not DAB; volume distortion
Cost: £150
Specifications Weight: 0.53kg
Type: Bluetooth
Max volume: 98dB
Power: Battery/mains
Battery life: 10h
You'd think twice about taking the chunky Pillar on your travels, despite its durable finish. It delivers stereo sound, but acoustic imaging is very narrow. That said, it has plenty of poke and can play loudly before the distortion kicks in. Bluetooth and 3.5mm line-in sources can, bizarrely, be heard simultaneously.
Wired: Easy to pair; USB charging; loud
Tired: Bluetooth lacks aptX; hefty; no tonal control
Cost: $349
Specifications Weight: 1.36kg
Type: Bluetooth
Max volume: 95dB
Power: Battery/mains
Battery life: 15h
The Jongo ecosystem allows streaming to multiple speakers over a home network. WIRED paired two T6s and found the sonic quality livelier than its bland design, but the system lacked stability and won't play higher-res AIFF and ALAC files. It also requires the Pure Connect app with its impressive range of subscription choices.
Wired: Multi-room use; vast catalogue of music via app
Tired: No remote; stability issues
Cost: £300
Specifications Weight: 4.3kg
Type: Wi-Fi; Bluetooth
Max volume: 98dB
Power: Mains
Battery life: n/a
The Mini Jambox can fit in your jacket pocket, is well-made and neat-looking, but it can scratch easily. Like the Bayan, it has a passive bass radiator, which delivers evenly balanced sound when used indoors. Vocals are its strong point, but it's not powerful and mid-range distortion occurs at high volume.
Wired: Stylish; good sound; speakerphone function built in
Tired: Lacks oomph; no protective case
Cost: £150
Specifications Weight: 0.25kg
Type: Bluetooth
Max volume: 87dB
Power: Battery
Battery life: 10h
The wool-covered Loop is a wok-sized AirPlay speaker which can operate using its own Wi-Fi signal. There's no remote, but an iOS and Android app has access to DSP optimisation and calibration.
Bass response is good, and despite the upper register sounding a tad indistinct, sound is pretty powerful.
Wired: Customisable via app; can operate wirelessly without a network; shallow design
Tired: No remote control; expensive; AirPlay subject to interference
Cost: £400
Specifications Weight: 2.7kg
Type: AirPlay
Max volume: 101dB
Power: Mains
Battery life: n/a
The portable (but heavy) Jet's two speakers pick up sound from Bluetooth-connected sources. Each jar-sized unit creates bass by turning the surface it sits on into a loudspeaker, but the vibration causes the speakers to move about and sound quality is mediocre. Dropouts and crackle meant it needed to be reconnected.
Wired: Can be used for hands-free calls; stereo soundfield
Tired: Not the best sound quality; heavy; stereo doesn't work with line-in
Cost: £150 a pair
Specifications Weight: (per speaker) 0.3kg
Type: Bluetooth
Max volume: 94dB
Power: Battery
Battery life: 9h
The rubber-wrapped Blaster is rugged enough to withstand moisture and knocks. It connects by Bluetooth or a 3.5mm line-in and sports simple, big buttons. Wired got an impressive 12 hours from one USB charge. Syncing is simple and the speaker is surprisingly powerful.
Hands-free phone calls are a bonus.
Wired: Durable; powerful; supports aptX; decent wireless range
Tired: Tinny high frequencies; no tonal control; no battery-life indicator
Cost: £125
Specifications Weight: 0.53kg
Type: Bluetooth
Max volume: 84dB
Power: Battery
Battery life: (wireless use) 12h
This pair of speakers has two 160W amps per unit and uses the WiSA standard to receive HD audio. Volume adjustment can be done only at the playback source -- for non-B&O devices this demands a complex workaround -- but crisp, powerful and clear sound makes up for this small shortcoming.
Wired: Superb build; HD audio; versatile placement
Tired: Setup and operation using non-B&O sources is overly complex
Cost: £2,590 a pair
Specifications Weight: (per speaker) 5.5kg
Type: WiSA
Max volume: 101dB
Power source: Mains
Battery life: n/a
Compact -- but too heavy for portable use -- the Play:1 connects by Wi-Fi to a router via the Sonos Bridge (£39). WIRED tried two speakers in stereo and streamed from an iPhone's music library, Amazon Cloud player and Spotify through the Sonos app with ease.
Two drivers in each speaker deliver terrific clarity.
Wired: Wireless network supports multiple speakers; tight, powerful sound
Tired: No aux line input or Bluetooth; requires Sonos Bridge
Cost: £169 per speaker
Specifications Weight: (per speaker)
1.9kg
Type: Wi-Fi
Max volume: 99dB
Power: Mains
Battery life: n/a
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
