The range of boxes with which you can listen to music anywhere is huge. But which one is worth it? A music producer compared eleven very different models for us.
In the kitchen, at the garden party or on the park bench: Bluetooth boxes are ubiquitous for streaming music. There is a huge range of models, some are waterproof, others look like design objects, some fit in a woman’s handbag, others are as big as an armchair. Some basic requirements are the same for all wireless speakers: they should be able to connect to playback devices via Bluetooth, they should be easy to use – and above all, they should sound good. When choosing the right Bluetooth box, the place of use plays a role: Should it sound good indoors and outdoors? Does it have to be protected against dirt and rain? Or should it above all look great and sound like a hi-fi system because it is next to the desk in the study? For our test, a wide range of models was subjected to a professional hearing test in the Separate Sound Studio in Nuremberg. The Munich music producer and mastering engineer Christoph Beyerlein played pop, rock and classic songs on the loudspeakers: “Highway to Hell” by AC / DC, “Galvanize” by Chemical Brothers, “Montero” by Lil Nas X and the fifth symphony by Beethoven. Big differences could be heard. “Boxes should not only be loud and bass-heavy, they should be as balanced and clear as possible,” says Tester Beyerlein. Also important: “These products are intended for people who like to listen to music on the side – and not for music connoisseurs.”