Life deserves a soundtrack, whether you are creating an ambient backdrop against which to blast out some work or lip-syncing for your life on your way into town.
Most of us, though, are consuming music through the paltriest of sources. Hi-fi systems have fallen by the wayside in favour of poxy smartphone speakers and boomy Bluetooth earbuds. While these sources are convenient for the mindless consumption of favourite tracks, they very quickly show their shortcomings in more communal environments.
There are many situations in which you’d be extremely grateful for a great deal more oomph in sharing music out and about – from impromptu park picnic meetings with pals to full-on house parties. In these instances, something both powerful and portable would be ideal; enter the aptly-named party speaker.
Party speakers, and what to look for
For the completely unaware, party speakers are (sometimes) large, (ideally) portable, (helpfully) battery-operated and (typically) Bluetooth-enabled speaker systems. They are the contemporary answer to the cassette-and-radio boomboxes of yesterday, using clever design to project full-sounding audio at loud enough volumes to compete with many conventional hi-fis – with the advantage of being free enough to get placed practically anywhere.
Different manufacturers naturally have different priorities when it comes to speaker design. Some will focus more on features, while others will direct their attention to volume. These differences make various models of speakers better suited for different use cases or situations.
Party speakers are not known for offering particularly high-fidelity reproductions of sound, but some brands make sound quality their USP; frequency response diagrams, where available, are a great tool for sniffing these out.
The party speaker market is a saturated one, with many brands and models making choosing the right one annoyingly difficult. This is why we’ve curated a handy list of the best on the market at the moment, from pocket-sized surprises to modern takes on the classic boombox…
Best party speakers to buy at a glance
- Best overall: Lenco PA-200BK - £199, Boots
- Best for spatial audio shindig-fodder: Soundcore Motion X500 - £99.99, Amazon
- Best for something that does everything: Sony MHC-V43D - £349.97, Amazon
- Best for impromptu picnic partying: Soundcore Motion 300 - £72, Amazon
- Best for late-night garden gatherings: Ion Bright Max - £84.99, Gear4Music
- Best for skint-ish students: Bush High Power Bluetooth Party Speaker - £134.99, Argos
- Best for performing partiers: Alto Busker - £299, PMT Online
- Best for soundtracking smaller parties: Soundcore Motion X600 - £199.99, Soundcore
- Best for brand familiarity: JBL Partybox 110 - £269, Amazon
- Best for long battery life: Bose SoundLink Max - £399.95, John Lewis
- Best for bank-breaking, bass-boosting maximalism: JBL Partybox Ultimate - £1299.99, Argos
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Lenco PA-200BK
Best: overall
Lenco is a Swiss brand with a rich history of producing consumer audio products, having started with turntables in the mid-1940s. Today, its products have expanded to include radios, speakers and more – and the PA-200BK is a fairly strong example.
This party speaker doesn’t skimp on the colour, with an RGB-heavy front panel that can be adjusted to pulse along with the music. In fact, this speaker doesn’t really skimp on much. Being extremely feature-rich for a sub-£200 party speaker. Let’s start with the various ways in which you can play music through it.
There is Bluetooth connectivity, of course, which should come as no surprise. There’s a handy 3.5mm aux input – but from here it gets weirder. The PA-200BK also receives FM radio, and has an antenna attachment on the rear to that effect. It has two separate 6.35mm jack inputs for a microphone and guitar respectively, and it can even play back audio from a USB stick – the same USB-A socket from which it provides charging capabilities, should your phone die mid-shindig.
The unit can run from mains power, but also has an extensive battery pack that enables up to eight hours of usage if you sacrifice the light-show, that is.
In terms of its sound, it is surprisingly balanced; a subwoofer and woofer work together to comprehensively cover the bottom two-thirds of the frequency spectrum, and a treble horn delivers clarity. It can sound a little muddy, particularly if the ‘X-Drive’ bass-boosting option is enabled, but this is ameliorated in larger or body-filled spaces.
The PA-200BK includes a great deal for what should amount to a budget high-powered party speaker, though it must be said that some concessions are made. While it is an undeniably rugged unit, there is a familiar kind of plasticky feel to the buttons and casing. Since you’ll be spending more time using its handy remote – or, more importantly, dancing to its sounds – this does not get in the way of the surprising viability of this budget party speaker.
Buy now £199.00, Boots
Anker Soundcore Motion X500
Best for: spatial audio shindig-fodder
This is the next-in-line from Anker’s latest forays into Bluetooth-speakery, the Motion X500 – a bigger, bolder and boomier brother that boasts more of practically everything.
The X500 is a serious graduation from the already-impressive Motion 300, bringing with it a suite of additional features and tricks that make it a viable alternative to other forms of domestic party sound systems. As well as a firm chassis and a chunky metal carry handle, the X500 also introduces an additional 10 watts of power, bringing it to a commendable 40 watts (at least, for its size).
Here, Soundcore’s Spatial sound technology shines. For one, the Motion X500 is big enough to throw sound farther and wider, with a much more powerful stereo image appearing almost miraculously from this central audio source. This is with partial thanks to the skyward-pointing speaker nestled in the top of the unit – which also enjoys bright LED illumination, though there are no RGB party-light effects to find here.
There are three preset EQ modes to switch between at the touch of a button, with the Spatial Dynamic mode providing the fullest range of frequencies to this writer’s ears. The Motion X500 also makes use of Soundcore’s proprietary app, which you can use to switch EQs and sculpt your own settings, as well as check in on the unit’s charge.
While a straight upgrade from the Motion 300 in many essential ways, the Motion X500 is a different thing entirely. The Spatial audio is a revelation and the depth and clarity of sound are even more visceral.
Again, it won’t compete against full-stack party speaker systems, but it has more than enough oomph to supply some quality sounds to a comfortable shindig.
Buy now £99.99, Amazon
Sony MHC-V43D
Best for: something that does everything
The Sony MHC-V43D is a mid-range entry in an extensive line of party speakers, and is equipped well with core features, bells, whistles and even the odd amuse-bouche to boot. It is a Swiss Army Knife of a party speaker, and one that amply fills the room with its booming sound.
A 10” subwoofer dwarfs many similar-sized competitors, especially when balanced out by two 3.5” woofers and two 1.5” tweeter horns – the latter of which are mounted towards the top of the unit, and pointed outwards to spread its output widely. The MHC-V43D also features Sony’s ‘Jet Bass Booster’, a bass reflex port that extends the range of lower-frequency sounds and competes well with bigger or fuller rooms.
As for what you can play through them, a better question might ask what you can’t play. As well as the requisite Bluetooth connectivity, there are also aux and microphone jack inputs, a USB port for USB sticks or other media devices, and even a CD drawer for old-school playlists.
This CD drawer is also, amazingly, a DVD drawer. A HDMI output on the rear means you can watch films via the MHC-V43D, making it possible to host the loudest film night on your street with ease. That isn’t even the MHC-V43D’s most impressive gimmick, either.
The unit can be controlled gesturally, with a sensor array at the centre of the top console that responds to various hand motions. There’s app connectivity too, within which you can do everything from create a shared playlist, set up karaoke and control the unit via phone movements.
This breakdown hasn’t touched on the Karaoke mode, the effects and sampling capabilities of the unit, or its impressive light arrays that sweep the room front and back. This is truly an everything party speaker – though its price is much more easily justified if you were to have a use for all of its features.
Buy now £349.97, Amazon
Soundcore Motion 300
Best for: impromptu picnic partying
Soundcore is the audio arm of budget tech giant Anker. Though the Motion 300 portable speaker may be relatively diminutive – and the smallest on this list – it packs a surprising punch despite itself.
It is solidly built and IPX-7 rated, making it functionally waterproof. Within its near-watertight, slender-yet-weighty bounds can be found 30 watts of aural power. This might not measure up to the triple-figured behemoths elsewhere on this list, but on a per-cubic-inch basis, it wins out.
It also, surprisingly, wins many out through the quality of its sound. There is a full frequency range here, with no noticeable dips or low-mid hollowness as is usually customary with speakers of this size. Even at low volumes, the 300 maintains its impressive bass-y presence (though it truly shines when pumped loud). Regarding its sound, the Motion 300 also has a couple of nifty tricks up its sleeve, the most impressive of which is an adaptive EQ algorithm that reacts to the physical orientation of the unit itself (and a proprietary app you can use to customise these settings yourself).
Still, this bears little in common with the big LED-festooned party machines that earn the name ‘party speaker’. So why did this small, shower-friendly Bluetooth speaker make it onto a party speaker breakdown? Firstly, some of the best parties are impromptu, and something this size is perfect for getting it started – particularly when it crams so much into such a small package. In all, this is an ideal alternative to the bulky portable party speaker, especially for daytime affairs where the pretty lights won’t be missed.
Buy now £72.00, Amazon
Ion Bright Max
Best for: late-night garden gatherings
The ION Bright Max calls itself a ‘360-degree portable speaker’, on account of a unique two-way speaker arrangement that enables projection of sound in all directions. A 3.5” speaker is supported by two 1” tweeters, which together provide a somewhat bright but more-than-serviceable sound. For its size, it is deceptively powerful, with a 60W amp hidden within its lamp-ish form factor.
‘Lamp-ish’ is much more usefully descriptive than it might seem at first glance, as the resemblance doesn’t stop with the conical shape and size – nor the lantern-esque handle atop the thing. The top of this speaker is loaded with LEDs, which can be cycled through a number of colours and ambiences. It is also water-resistant to an IPX-5 rating, making it perfectly capable of withstanding rain, splashes or spills.
While powerful enough for small gatherings alone, the Bright Max also features a proprietary Multi-Sync mode that enables up to 100 different compatible (read: ION-branded) speakers to play in concert with one another. This is a nifty feature for those likely to buy multiple, and can allow for much greater house or garden coverage at larger events. Ultimately, though, this would be the perfect partner for quieter, late-night gatherings – particularly those late-summer garden hang-outs that often tend to last longer than the remaining daylight.
Buy now £84.99, Gear4Music
Bush High Power Bluetooth Party Speaker - Medium
Best for: skint-ish students
Bush is a brand that was likely found in most teenagers’ bedrooms in the nineties and mid-noughties, thanks to its affordable and sometimes enviable range of kid-friendly 3-in-1 boomboxes. Today, Bush is the main in-house consumer electronics brand for Sainsbury’s and Argos, continuing in its tradition of providing bread-and-butter audio equipment (and kitchenware) at bread-and-butter prices.
The High Power Bluetooth Party Speaker is practically a perfect iteration of this remit. It has two woofers and two tweeters, which together work to blast out 60 watts’ worth of amplified sound. This isn’t extremely powerful when you consider the size of this thing, but is perfectly adequate for medium spaces and medium gatherings. There are LEDs on the front too, providing that practically-necessary disco light effect.
Its capabilities and interface are almost refreshingly austere, with simple modes and options well laid out and labelled on the unit’s top. There’s a huge rotary knob for volume, and a number of push-buttons for access to basic EQ options and, of course, a bass boost effect. It is Bluetooth-enabled and has buttons that enable skipping or pausing via Bluetooth. There are two USB ports, one for USB-borne MP3s and one for charging devices. There are also two mono 6.35mm jack inputs, for microphones in case you fancy a sing-a-long.
This unit will set no records, but promises to perform admirably in practically every low-stakes party situation. This is the budget investment for the skint-ish student, or for the teen after something with a little more oomph than their childhood boombox.
Buy now £134.99, Argos
Alto Busker
Best for: performing partiers
Alto will be a familiar name to those more professionally engaged with audio, being one of the premier budget-range brands for PA equipment; many a new grassroots music venue owes its sonic capabilities to the good Alto name. While Alto might be better known for pro-PA use cases than partying, there is nonetheless an entry in their line that could prove invaluable to the right buyer: the Alto Busker PA.
The Busker is, as it sounds, a portable speaker aimed at the busking musician. It is a monumentally powerful thing, and in more than one way too.
For output, it offers up to 200W of air-pushing power via a 6.5” woofer and a 1” tweeter. Its inputs are just as, if not more, impressive, with the Busker boasting three channels – two fitted with hybrid XLR/6.35mm jack-ins, and one with both a Bluetooth connection and a 3.5mm aux-in. There are outputs too, in the form of a phono out for recording its output and an XLR out for feeding an additional speaker. There’s even an effects bus, with Alesis-provided effects algorithms including reverb and delay.
This is, in short, a professional system for the practically minded. It has a massive battery pack that can, in ‘eco’ mode, survive for up to 24 hours, and it can feed charge to devices via a USB-A output. It is hefty and loud and rugged, and admittedly not the most engaging to look at (albeit when unfairly compared to the technicolour dream machines featured elsewhere in this list). It might even be overkill for most partygoing applications.
For those with basement gigs or house-party DJs in mind, though, this is ideal.
Buy now £299.00, PMT
Soundcore Motion X600
Best for: soundtracking smaller parties
Soundcore’s top-range entrant in its Motion range is the X600, which cuts a slimmer form than its younger sibling the x500. It is wider and shallower, but by no means lighter – this time packing a 50-watt amplifier, and near-rivalling some of the cheaper waist-height party PAs on this list in the process.
That stiff competition isn’t just with regard to volume, either. The X600 boasts the same spatial audio possibilities as its supporting models, and does more with them thanks to its size and strength. The bass feels a little less defined here than in Soundcore’s smaller models, with a little more EQ tweaking required to get the same full-throated balance across the frequency spectrum. The treble clarity remains commendable, though – and again, Soundcore’s app connects to the unit easily to enable swift adjustments of volume and EQ.
The X600 also adds a 3.5mm aux input next to the USB-C charging port – a welcome addition, and one which makes its absence in the smaller Motions something of a shame. At this point, it would also be prudent to mention a feature which all Motion products enjoy: TWS, or True Wireless Stereo. If you have two identical units, you can pair them to act as two separate channels of stereo signal, doubling the power and reach of your music.
This is a neat additional upgrade in terms of raw power, and a real contender for supplying smaller parties without much of a struggle. The aux input is a bonus, too – but with higher-powered and better-featured party speakers on the market, this might only just win out for sound quality and portability.
Buy now £199.99, Soundcore
JBL Partybox 110
Best for: brand familiarity
JBL rules the roost when it comes to party speakers. The American company has a storied history of speaker design and audio equipment innovation, and today has impressive standing in both professional and consumer environments – with larger-scale loudspeakers and Bluetooth-enabled boomboxes respectively.
The Partybox 110 is one of its smaller party speakers – albeit much larger than most of its entries in the Bluetooth speaker arena. Despite being one of the cheaper Partyboxes, it packs a decent enough punch with its 160W amplifier. Its ample battery provides up to 12 hours of liveliness, and its LED light capabilities are peerless for the price. This is especially true thanks to its unique app connectivity; a proprietary ‘PartyBox’ app gives you remote control of the device and its settings, including the light display. This app connectivity enables the Partybox’s console to be extremely simple, with buttons merely for power, lights, connectivity and pressing play.
The 110 has all the connectivity you would expect for its price, from Bluetooth to aux, and from USB to 6.35mm ins for guitar and microphone. The quality of the sound is notable, though this writer’s opinions on EQ settings and bass boost may not be shared by the majority of the party-speaker-using population; in this instance, JBL’s Bass Boost is a little heavy-handed.
The Partybox 110 is built remarkably well, and is comfortable to wheel around thanks to some smart ergonomic engineering. If you’re looking for high quality and dependable performance from a well-regarded name brand in the party speaker sphere, it’s hard to do much better than this.
Buy now £289.99, Amazon
Bose SoundLink Max
There’s no denying it: the SoundLink Max is a very high-end bit of kit. The audio is characteristically gorgeous – as you’d expect from Bose – and it sounds just as good inside as it does out. Two in-built passive radiators deliver maximum bass levels and you get its full force no matter where you stand (thanks to the Bose Articulated Array, which has three transducers spread across the front of the speaker).
With an Instagram-friendly aesthetic (it’s made from smooth silicon-wrapped steel) and a direct link to Spotify, it’s the perfect speaker for summer. It’s also waterproof with an IP67 rating and boasts a 20-hour battery life that takes around five hours to charge via the attached USB cable. But after half an hour of charge, it does provide two hours of music and it can be juiced up from your phone.
The only downsides? It only comes in two shades and weighs 2.27kg.
If you want to pay for the best, this is it.
Buy now £399.95, John Lews
JBL Partybox Ultimate
Best for: bank-breaking, bass-boosting maximalism
Finally, we return to JBL – and the party speaker supreme, which sits at the very top of their Partybox range. The Partybox Ultimate is about as far as you can go in party speaker territory before you should basically just buy yourself a PA system, really. This is, put simply, an absurdity in the shape of a boombox (in a good way, of course).
The Ultimate offers a truly silly 1100W of amplifier power, served through six speakers – two each subs, woofers and tweeters, for ludicrous volume and three-dimensional sound. These speakers are high-quality and deep-sounding as anything, which makes the Dolby Atmos-readiness of the Ultimate all the more enticing. Everything is extra with this device, including its control surface. Here, some significant developments are made in comparison to its diminutive sibling the 110. Most notable of these is the PartyPad, a touchscreen that allows you to introduce dynamic DJ-ish effects to your playlisting (fog-horn, anyone?).
As for inputs, once again we have Bluetooth and aux connectivity. And again, we have two fully controllable input channels for mic and/or guitar, but this time with a handy EQ section topside to control their tone. Despite the increased size, the physical controls of the Ultimate remain as simple as possible, with more complex tasks relegated to the JBL One app. This same app connectivity also enables WiFi connectivity, meaning you can continue to stream music while doing other things on your phone.
All this comes at a price, though – a four-figure one, to be precise. It is also true that the Ultimate has no internal battery pack, meaning you’re tethered to the wall. That said, at nearly 40kg of speakers and amplifier, would you expect to be carting this around? The JBL Partybox Ultimate is a maximalist device with power to rival many cheap PAs, and a lightshow to bury them.
Buy now £1299.99, Argos
Verdict
We’ve covered a wide array of sound-projecting party-catalysing devices, from pint-sized bass-rumblers to disco-lighted karaoke facilitators, from absurdly-featured media systems to uncompromisingly loud domicile-shakers. Each has its merits, but Soundcore’s Motion series is extremely impressive across its price points, even if not entirely designed with party boomboxing in mind. For those in search of a guaranteed high-quality listening experience to supplement a social occasion, the Soundcore Motion X500 is a grand fit.
However, there is one model of party speaker that ticks all of the boxes for functionality, power and sheer entertainment factor. The Lenco PA-200BK marries the ridiculousness of the party speaker remit with a wholly agreeable retail price.
