Michigan Internet Marketing Club: 5 Best Wireless Speakers Under $300

5 Best Wireless Speakers Under $300

Wireless speakers are becoming household essentials for many music lovers, especially at this time of year when holiday parties are fueled by tunes stored on smartphones or laptops, or streamed from services such as Spotify and Pandora. There are very good models available for under $300, bringing wireless speakers into range as holiday gifts. So, whether you and your shopping-list headliners are looking to blast out “We Are the World” or get mellow with Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song,” we can recommend the best wireless speakers for your budget and taste. The music will sound much better than it would if you were playing through the tiny speakers on your phone or laptop.

Marshall Kilburn, $300

If you’re a guitar enthusiast, you’ll quickly recognize the product design on this speaker from the company’s renowned line of guitar amps. What makes this speaker stand out is that it’s easier to use than most models in our Ratings. Each of the three most prominent controls (for volume, bass and treble) on the top of the unit has a nice, tactile feel to it. The speaker also has two buttons that make it easy to change audio sources and for Bluetooth pairing. We particularly liked how all the controls were clearly labeled and were easy to access. And the speaker has good audio quality.

Sony SRS-X77, $250

This elegant-looking wireless speaker has touch-sensitive buttons on top, a metal mesh grille on the front, and brushed aluminum side panels. The speaker is both Apple AirPlay- and DLNA-compatible. (Airplay works primarily with iOS devices and DLNA works with Android and PC-based devices. Both let you wirelessly access content located on one device, like a smartphone or tablet, to play on another.) You can touch your speaker with most Android smartphones or tablets, using NFC to link the two via Bluetooth. Or connect to the speaker via an Ethernet line. We found the speaker to have good audio quality.

Sony SRS-X55, $180

Although it’s cheaper than many portable wireless speakers, this Bluetooth-compatible speaker still produces good sound quality. We found it very easy to use—for instance, the touch controls are large and simple to spot. The volume is clearly marked and the source selector is easy to find on top of the unit. And the device is versatile, offering analog audio inputs as well.

Denon HEOS 1 w/ Go Pack, $300

This wireless speaker from Denon stands out for its intriguing hexagonal-shaped design. But it’s not just about looks: The HEOS 1 delivers good sound quality. It can join a Wi-Fi network or get its music through a DLNA connection. The Go Pack accessory is a combination battery-and-Bluetooth adaptor that makes the speaker a travel companion. But if you want to use this speaker only at home(without the Go Pack accessory), you can save $100.

Logitech UE Megaboom, $300

Unlike many speakers, which look boxy and black, this long, artfully designed Bluetooth stereo speaker comes in four colors. We found it easy to use and it delivers good sound quality. Another nice extra is that the manufacturer claims it’s waterproof, so you won’t have to worry if you want to listen to your tunes by the pool next summer. If you stand it upright, the speaker is tall and thin and doesn’t take up a lot of room on a tabletop.