The KitSound BoomBar 2+ is self-described as “retro inspired design meets modern innovation”, meant to look like an 80’s boombox, personally, I think the design looks rather modern and not very retro or 80’s – it’s lacking all the knobs, defined edges and bare bone design of 80’s boombox so does this mean the sound quality is equivalent to a 30year old machine?
The Malmo speaker comes with the option to connect via Bluetooth, NFC or a 3.5 mm aux cable. The device will ask you to you select which connection mode you need; confusingly, instead of the standard Bluetooth symbol, this option is marked ‘BT’, but it pairs up easily and even allows you to answer calls whilst connected (although a speaker system blasting my mum’s voice as she describes her cat’s latest kill is something that I and my neighbours could have done without!)
The KitSound BoomBar+ is a portable Bluetooth speaker that is available in five bold colours in a tactile, soft-touch finish. It comes with a large, 1000 mAh rechargeable lithium battery that gives you an impressive 20-hours battery life, is compatible via Bluetooth and comes with an AUX lead that makes it accessible with any phone or MP3 player.
The Pulse V4 features Bluetooth V4.0 (hence the name). It comes with aptX and NFC pairing with a range of 20 meters, and you can also use the included braided AUX cable for another connection option. The V4 features 25 core Kevlar drivers and a 7.4 Volt 3000mah battery that will give you up to 20 hours’ playtime per charge (with a four-six hour full charge time).
The REMIX is a small but mighty Bluetooth speaker, measuring in at just over 8", powered with a newly designed glass-fibre diaphragm and long coil drivers, the REMIX also features a rear-mounted bass reflex port. The REMIX is the world’s first speaker to use a built-in headphone amplifier to drive your headphones with a power boost, it also comes with a daisy chain cable that lets you wire REMIX onto REMIX to an unlimited degree (well… as far as your bank account lets you) which lets you play with a larger sound and surround sound experience.
The Hive 2+ is a beefy little speaker with a unique beehive style design. This portable wireless speaker, new for 2017, has Siri and Google Assistant integration, which means you can interact with your device directly from the speaker. KitSound has increased the power and clarity of sound on their second generation of the Hive; the 40mm active drivers and digital amplifier, combined with a passive bass radiator, creates 12 Watts of sound.
The Edifier MP211 is a compact mini speaker available in 5 glossy colours, pink, yellow, blue, black or white with a built-in microphone which allows you to answer your calls hands free and can be connected to devices via Bluetooth 4.0, AUX cable or NFC.