Where do you listen to music? Home audio is no longer about getting a professional in to set up an intricate system of amps, subwoofers and speakers. Thanks to new-fangled technology such as NFC (near-field communication) and Bluetooth, there’s a speaker to suit every type of audiophile (and every audiophile’s personal aesthetic, too).
Want to listen to a podcast while you shower or bath? Sharkk (available from takealot.com) makes a brilliant waterproof Bluetooth shower speaker called the Sharkk ²O. It can be submerged up to 1m – no need to worry about it falling into the bathtub – and is rugged enough to take a fall.
If you want something a bit more sustainable, we’ve seen it all. Speakers made of cardboard, kelp, bamboo, glass – you name it. Local brand Shibby Beats has a retro-looking range of walnut wood speakers. One pick, the Shibby Unwind, puts out quality sound and is shaped like an old-school radio that would look sweet on any shelf.
Speakers don’t have to be big to sound great. Higher-end brands such as Bang & Olufsen and Bose make mini portable speakers which are petite in size, but pack real punch. For on-the-go sound, Logitech’s X100 mobile wireless speaker is a colourful and inexpensive option that easily pairs with any Bluetooth-enabled device, be it a laptop, tablet or smartphone.
Hate the whole pairing and setup process of Bluetooth? An NFC speaker (like the oh-so-cute Sony SRS-BTV5) uses NFC. That means all you need to do is tap your source of music, which also has to be NFC-enabled, to your speaker. Because NFC is about proximity, one tap is all it takes to get the music started.
From functionality to form, design and price, the only problem you’ll encounter when trying to choose a portable speaker is finding just one from the massive market of options available. And while a mobile Bluetooth speaker may be the best solution for some, if you’re still after a bigger home-bound, theatre-style audio system, be sure to check out brands such as Sonos, Sony and Bose for incredible multiroom speaker systems. I’ll cover the options in a later blog post.
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