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Sam Chapman
Prime Day is the time to trawl Amazon for the best in all things, including high-quality speakers at bargain prices. For much less than usual, you can add a new lynchpin to your soundsystem. That could be a space-saving soundbar for a smaller space, a smart speaker to jam out while you're busy in the kitchen or a bluetooth speaker you can bring with you anywhere. We've rounded up a list that includes Echo, JBL, Beats, Anker Soundcore and more of the best audio brands — so if you're ready to hear every last eighth-note of your favorite tracks, let's get started.
Our portable bluetooth speaker picks are some of the best all-around mobile music devices to ever hit the shelves: smaller and lighter than a boombox, better audio than an iPod, and way easier in the long run than learning to play guitar. We've sifted through Prime Day offerings to find the best portable speakers in all shapes and sizes.
Smart speakers aren't just about getting a disembodied voice to do your bidding (or at least as much of your bidding as Alexa can do without hands). On top of assistant support, the picks below serve up legitimately great audio quality alongside useful extra features. The only downside is that they're often overpriced, but that's what Prime Day is for.
Flatter, lighter and larger TV screens are nice for visuals, but often sacrifice sound quality to lose weight. If you've found yourself turning on the subtitles for your shows more often lately, you might need a soundbar to augment your TV's built-in speakers. We found a few of the best on sale for Prime Day — Sonos leads this space, but it's not without competitors.
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Best Prime Day Bluetooth speaker deals
Our portable bluetooth speaker picks are some of the best all-around mobile music devices to ever hit the shelves: smaller and lighter than a boombox, better audio than an iPod, and way easier in the long run than learning to play guitar. We've sifted through Prime Day offerings to find the best portable speakers in all shapes and sizes.
Anker Soundcore 2 for $29 (35 percent off): The Soundcore 2 is an older bluetooth speaker, but it holds up — fully waterproof, with 24 hours of battery life and bass you can hear on the other side of a pool. It's on sale for less than $30.
UE Everboom for $200 (25 percent off): If you want something stronger than the Wonderboom but the Hyperboom isn't portable enough, the Everboom is a great middle ground. Its ideal range is a little narrow, but it makes up for that with 360-degree sound and extreme durability (i.e. so waterproof it literally floats).
JBL Xtreme 2 for $255 (80 percent off): The Xtreme 2 is an older model, dating back to 2018 — but as they say on the internet, it checks out. With a maximum output of 40 watts, it's actually more powerful than the Xtreme 4. Even better, this deal includes a pair of speakers that can work together through JBL connect+.
JBL Go 3 for $28 (30 percent off): The JBL Go 3 improves on its predecessor with a carabiner-friendly design, five hours of battery life, and IP67-rated waterproofing and dustproofing. It's not exactly powerful, but it's way better than a phone speaker for driving, trekking or camping.
JBL Go 3 Eco for $28 (30 percent off): This is the same as the JBL Go 3, but made from mostly recycled materials — 90 percent of the plastic and 100 percent of the fabric is post-consumer.
Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen for $99 (33 percent off): This mini speaker from Bose is one of our favorites on the list for hands-free phone calls. It supports both Google Assistant and Siri and runs up to 12 hours on one charge, all while being smaller than a clutch purse. It also kills as a portable music player, though the sound doesn't stretch far enough to fill a room.
Bose Soundlink Revolve+ Series II for $179 (40 percent off): The Revolve series was Bose's first line of 360-degree outdoor speakers, and they're still a strong choice today. The Revolve+ weighs about two pounds and can run for 17 hours without recharging.
Bose Soundlink Max for $299 (25 percent off): Bose's Soundlink Max marries a classic carrying-case design with audio that sounds like it's coming from a much bigger unit. It comes with a 20-hour battery and IP67-rated protection against the elements.
Marshall Emberton II for $95 (47 percent off): Marshall has been making audio equipment for more than 60 years, and still has a thing or two to teach the young'ns. The Emberton II looks like a classic amp, but weighs a quarter of a pound and provides balanced sound for more than 30 hours per charge.
Best Prime Day smart speaker deals
Smart speakers aren't just about getting a disembodied voice to do your bidding (or at least as much of your bidding as Alexa can do without hands). On top of assistant support, the picks below serve up legitimately great audio quality alongside useful extra features. The only downside is that they're often overpriced, but that's what Prime Day is for.
Amazon Echo Pop for $22 (45 percent off): The latest Echo Pop release continues the trend of making Alexa's best features available on a mini-sized, reasonably priced device. Its half-spherical design fits on any desk or shelf, and its sound output is consistently clear — and gets louder than you might believe.
JBL Authentics 200 for $200 (47 percent off): JBL's Authentics line is modeled after a product it sold in the 70s. Its old-school bookshelf-friendly design belies its advanced feat of running Google Assistant and Alexa simultaneously (as opposed to other smart speakers where you have to pick just one).
JBL Authentics 300 for $300 (33 percent off): The JBL Authentics 300 can host both Alexa and Google Assistant at the same time, which impressed us enough that we gave it a full review. While we had some issues — namely its tendency to over-emphasize vocals — we can't quibble with its high-range performance or retro design.
Best Prime Day soundbar deals
Flatter, lighter and larger TV screens are nice for visuals, but often sacrifice sound quality to lose weight. If you've found yourself turning on the subtitles for your shows more often lately, you might need a soundbar to augment your TV's built-in speakers. We found a few of the best on sale for Prime Day — Sonos leads this space, but it's not without competitors.
Bose Smart for $400 (20 percent off): In our full review of the Bose Smart, we noted that two drivers in the center make its sound feel directional without any other speakers needed — simply cranking up those makes any audio more immersive. You can also link it to a pair of Ultra Open Earbuds (not included) for a private surround sound experience.
Bose Smart Ultra for $700 (22 percent off): The Smart Ultra upgrades the Bose Smart with a more sophisticated calibration system which adjusts sound settings to fill whatever room it's in. If you want the Smart's personal surround experience for more than one person, the Smart Ultra is for you.
Sonos Beam for $369 (26 percent off): The Sonos Beam is a fantastic choice for a mid-budget soundbar. It's one of the most accessible Dolby Atmos systems, and uses careful audio alterations to achieve a much more immersive sound than other bars of its size.
Sonos Ray for $169 (15 percent off): If you're looking to pay a bit less, go with the Sonos Ray to maximize sound quality on a budget. The audio won't wrap around your room like it might from a more premium model, but it's still a vast improvement on nearly all built-in TV speakers.
Sony HT-S400 for $178 (41 percent off): Sony built the HT-S400 for everyone who wants a soundbar but not an entire home theater. It's a 2.1-channel system that still manages immersive surround sound and is easy to integrate with Sony TVs. Right now, it's 40 percent off, one of the best prices we've seen on any soundbar.
VIZIO 2.0 for $78 (22 percent off): Vizio's budget soundbar makes a worthy alternative to the Sonos Ray. It punches above its weight and gets as close as possible to Dolby Atmos surround sound as a single unit can manage. For less than $100, you'll never mishear a line of dialogue again.
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