As the name implies, Bluetooth speakers use Bluetooth connectivity to provide the link between the music source and the Bluetooth speaker.
Bluetooth is a wireless connectivity standard for short range communications. Using the 2.48 GHz ISM band and techniques like frequency hopping, it has developed into a standard that can be used not only for audio connections but very many other forms of wireless connectivity including IoT where low power is of the essence.
The first stage in picking the best Bluetooth speaker to buy is to decide exactly what you want to use it for. Some speakers may be for use on the home - others may be for outside, listing when you are barbequing outside, etc., others may be a portable speaker for when you are travelling. Before you can decide on the best speaker for you, its necessary to determine what it is wanted for. The best buy Bluetooth speaker for the home, may not be the best for travelling, as the requirements will be totally different. When buying a Bluetooth speaker, ask yourself the following questions:
- What's battery life?
- What's the audio quality?
- What size do I need?
- What's the audio power?
- Is it waterproof?
- Is it smart?
Some Bluetooth speakers have a line-in socket, aka an aux-in. This allows you to connect your wireless speaker to any audio source via a cable. That may sound a little old hat (haven't we just been extolling the virtues of wireless listening?) but it could come in handy for a number of reasons. Firstly, you won't have to rely on a Bluetooth wireless connection. Older Bluetooth speakers have a limited operational range of around 10 to 30 metres before the connection is lost – there's no such issue when using good old-fashioned cables.
