Christmas Tech: Bluetooth speakers for seasonal entertainment

On the hunt for the perfect wireless speaker for Christmas? There are still some options available. Here are some suggestions and where to find them.

Sony SRS-XB13

€49

Small but mighty, the SRS-XB13 is a bluetooth speaker that will give you great audio without breaking the bank. The compact speaker has a rechargable battery and a carrying strap that means you can hook it on to almost anything to take your music with you. Not only that, but it is waterproof and dustproof, with an IP67 rating, so you can take it outside without worrying about a bit of rain putting an end to the party.

Where to buy: Harvey Norman, DID

JBL Flip 5

€99

Small but perfectly formed, the JBL Flip is pocket friendly in more ways than one. At just under €100 it isn’t a huge amount of pay out for a decent speaker, and its small size means you can throw it in a bag for pandemic-approved outdoor socialising. It is IPX7 waterproof, so it will take a dip of up to three feet without suffering an ill-effects. And the audio itself is, as you would hope, worth the price tag. If you have more than one, you can pair them for “party boost” mode to give your entertainment a shot in the arm.

Where to buy: Currys, Harvey Norman

OneSonic Quattro

€219

Irish company OneSonic has had a good year that ended with a spot on the Late Late Show. One of the star products is the Quattro, a bluetooth enabled speaker that offers high definition and superior bass. The battery lasts for around 12 hours, and not only can it power your entertainment, but it can also be used as a massive portable battery for your USB devices. Team two of the speakers together and you get a surround sound effect.

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The speaker is IPX6-rated, so you are protected from the rain, although it might be wise to keep it away from dust or sand given the lack of an official dust-proof rating. There is a mic for use with your preferred digital assistant, but it isn’t an essential feature.

It’s all nicely packaged up in a sleek black package that has a handy carrying handle.

Where to buy: OneSonic.com, Brown Thomas Grafton Street

Sonos Roam

€199

Sonos speakers are the full package: great sound, good looks, and plenty opf features. The Roam is no exception, despite its portable nature. The Roam offers perfect music, voice control, and links with other Sonos speakers for multi-room using your wifi or bluetooth connections.

It tunes itself to your surroundings, so you can get the best audio possible regardless of where your speaker is located - indoors, outdoors, in an acoustically brilliant room or somewhere that requires a little more tuning.

A 10-hour battery life is boosted by the automic sleep mode that puts the Roam into low-power mode when it is not being used.

Where to buy: DID, Harvey Norman