To listen to your music loudly by the pool or even organize an outdoor karaoke, all without taking the lead, the party speaker is the ideal device. We have selected the best evening Bluetooth speakers for you.
JBL PartyBox // Source : JBL
What is the best way to create an outdoor ambiance without bothering with a complex installation? Invest in a party speaker, of course. These, also called I’m a DJsound speakers, High Power, or even PartyBox, have a Bluetooth connection as well as, most of the time, a battery. They are therefore directly ready to use: all you have to do is put them in a strategic place, connect your smartphone to them and enjoy the music. Most of them also offer audio inputs to add a microphone or a musical instrument, such as an electric guitar. Almost all are also capable of producing light effects using LEDs, worthy of a shisha bar. Note that these speakers are designed for small private parties: their functionalities are based on practicality. They are clearly not intended for professional use such as concerts.
If these loudspeakers are relatively unknown to the general public, many manufacturers have nevertheless looked into the question, like JBL, Sony or LG. So, which party speaker to choose to liven up your party, whether indoors or outdoors? Here is our comparison of the best Sono DJ Bluetooth speakers.
If you only need a small extra speaker to listen to music by the pool, take a look at our selection of the best Bluetooth speakers. If you prefer to equip your home with one or more connected speakers, head to our dedicated guide.
JBL PartyBox 310: the benchmark
We’re not going to hide it, JBL is a bit of the king when it comes to party speakers, thanks to its dedicated range, called PartyBox. So much so that the word “PartyBox” is commonly used to globally name an evening enclosure, thus becoming an antonomasia, that is to say a term which designates a proper noun that has become a common noun (like Scotch or Sopalin) .
Our favorite is the JBL PartyBox 310. It is the reference party speaker, one of the most balanced in the PartyBox range. It develops a nice power of 240 Watts. Note, however, that the speaker will only be able to reach this full power if it is connected to the mains.
The 310 stands out with an excellent battery life of 18 hours, which allows you to party all night long without worrying about being near an electrical outlet. This is heard at 50% volume, with lighting effects and “Bass Boost” disabled. The sound quality is good, without even having to crank the volume up. The bass is very present – even a little too much, to the detriment of the treble. This is, however, the typical JBL sound signature.
Connectivity, as you would expect, is well supplied. There is thus a mini-jack auxiliary input, a USB input, a mini-jack input and output to connect a CD player, for example. But it also has two 6.35 mm jack inputs, which can be used to connect a microphone or a guitar. If you plan to do karaoke, you can also manage the microphone effects, with the Treble and Echo adjustment knobs. In Bluetooth, the PartyBox 310 can be connected to two devices simultaneously. A 12 V port has also been added. If you have several PartyBoxes, it is possible to link them together.
JBL thought practicality for this speaker: it is splash-proof (IPX4), equipped with a retractable handle and wheels. Another advantage of which few evening speakers can boast, it can be installed high on a tripod. Finally, it is capable of producing a whole host of light effects thanks to LEDs, adjustable via the JBL PartyBox application.
Even if it is certainly not cheap, we can only recommend this famous model which brings together everything you can expect from an evening speaker.
The highlights of the JBL PartBox 310:
A lot of power for a compact format Two microphone inputs Easily transportable
JBL PartyBox 710: bigger speaker for more power
The PartyBox 710 is a beautiful beast, which measures almost a meter when placed upright. It will therefore be perfect for organizing a big party in a house, coupled with another Partybox, via a cable, or wirelessly thanks to True Wireless Stereo (TWS) technology. It is capable of delivering 800 Watts, the latter powering two 21.6 cm diameter speakers and two 7 cm tweeters. This makes it possible to sound large rooms without any hassle and also to enjoy powerful bass.
The PartyBox 710 is a good product, however it has a big weak point: it can’t run on battery… because it simply doesn’t have one. This detail will make it unrecommended for many, starting with those who wish to use it for nomadic outdoor use.
On the light shows, JBL has given everything, with dynamic and customizable strobes as well as flashing and colored patterns via LEDs placed in the shape of 8. Like all PartyBoxes, it is IPX4 certified and can therefore survive glass accidents. knocked down. Like the 310, its wheels and handle allow it to be moved more easily, despite its 28 kg.
It’s a good choice if you don’t plan to take it everywhere, but need the power for larger spaces.
The highlights of the JBL PartyBox 710:
Power to spare A wide variety of light effects Well-presented bass
Sony SRS XP500 : l’alternative abordable
Sony is positioning itself as a real challenger to JBL with the XP500. The latter offers characteristics very similar to the JBL PartyBox 110, which is the little sister of the 310. However, it is less expensive, with equivalent performance.
The SRS XP500 develops a more sober design than the JBL, neat and typical of Sony, which will appeal to many. The play of light is diffused via two strips of LEDs located at the level of the two large carrying handles. These are more decorative than anything else and remain quite discreet, they are not intended to illuminate.
Sony has strangely decided not to communicate the number of Watts on its XP series speakers. It is therefore impossible to know what power it will be able to deliver – but we can generally compare it to the audio power of the JBL 110, which has 160 W.
The brand promises 20 hours of battery life, not to mention that it benefits from fast charging. 10 minutes on one hold will allow it to last about 1 hour.
The strengths of the Sony SRS XP500:
A sober design Sony manufacturing quality Good battery life
LG XBOOM OL100: big Watts for big sound
For its part, the LG brand has also created a range of specific speakers. The latter is called XBOOM. And on the OL100, LG clearly “blows the Watts”: 2000, to be precise. It is an imposing enclosure more than a meter high.
In addition to the impressive sound power delivered, this model offers something different from other speakers: DJ functions (scratcher, crossfader, etc.), usable via the knobs located on the top.
On lighting, this speaker stands out once again by allowing lighting to be projected onto the wall. We nevertheless regret the organization of the upper control panel, perhaps not very logical on the grip, in particular on the placement of the wheels. On the connection side, there are USB ports, jack ports, micro ports… as well as a CD player and multipoint Bluetooth. The top for a big night out.
The strengths of the LG XBOOM OL100:
Perfect for adding sound to large spaces DJ functions Good value for money
LG XBOOM 360 RP4: the stylish and cheaper option
The LG XBOOM 360 RP4 is a little different. It will be less “party” oriented, in particular because it does not have a microphone input and management of treble and echo. But in addition to Bluetooth, it still offers a jack port and a USB port. It will be more of a terrace enclosure, for a nice atmosphere. It must be said that its design is for once very worked, and rather original. LG has based everything on the principle of 360° broadcast sound. The design therefore follows, with a rounded enclosure that strongly recalls an oil lamp.
It remains very easily transportable, thanks to a contained size (50 cm high) and a rounded handle on the top. It manages all the same on the sound, and will remain able to properly sound your garden or your living room: it is equipped with a midrange and bass speaker of 13 cm and a tweeter of 2.5 cm, powered by a 120 W amplifier. On the light atmosphere side, LG has placed a kind of cone in the center, which creates a soft ambient lighting, in line with the music.
On the autonomy, it will not be necessary on the other hand to expect wonders, and to be satisfied with the 10 hours proposed. This model will have the advantage of being able to be used all year round on a daily basis: thanks to its nice and discreet look, it will not stand out in the middle of a living room.
The strengths of the LG XBOOM 360 RP4:
An original design An affordable price A softer lighting atmosphere
Choosing the right Bluetooth party speaker
What are the possible uses of a party speaker?
As its name suggests, the evening speaker will be perfect for hosting parties. But unlike the Hi-Fi speaker that sits in your living room, this one can be placed wherever you want. Thus, these large speakers will be intended in particular for outdoor use, for example if you are planning a small party in your garden. On this occasion, they can also be coupled. But they can also be useful if you are organizing an event in a village hall, or occasionally indoors in a country house. If you plan to move it regularly, take a good look at whether the speaker you are interested in is wireless or not.
Finally, if you are a fan of karaoke, they will be able to perfectly accompany your passionate songs thanks to the dedicated microphone inputs. They can also troubleshoot to connect an electrical instrument.
Light effects, karaoke, DJ… what are the different features?
Light effects are available on most party speakers. But they are more or less numerous and varied, present only on the front face or also on the sides… They can be fixed, flashing, create certain patterns or even follow the rhythm of the music in progress. Some models even have LEDs that project light, for example to create strobe effects, just to transform your living room into a nightclub on the Croisette. As a general rule, they can be set very precisely via the mobile application made available by the brand (JBL Partybox, Sony Music Center, LG XBOOM, etc.). The larger speakers also offer DJ functions for amateurs.
How many Watts to choose according to the size of my living room / garden?
The higher the number of Watts, the higher the maximum load capacity of the speaker will be. To put it simply, the number of Watts conditions the maximum achievable sound volume. The more sensitive a speaker is, according to data expressed in decibels (dB), the less power it will require to produce a high sound volume.
So how do you know how many Watts are needed for your home? It is accepted that it takes about 3 to 5 Watts per square meter, in a closed place. Thus, a room of 30 square meters will require about 100 W. Outdoors, the sound disperses of course more, we count rather 7 to 10 W per square meter.
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