Looking to buy a small (slip into my suitcase type size) speaker to use with my mobile on hols and then back home.
Any recommendations would be useful and appreciated!

I were your granddad I'd say leave your phone at home and your music and give yourself a rest from all that.

CaptainKirk wrote:Looking to buy a small (slip into my suitcase type size) speaker to use with my mobile on hols and then back home.
Any recommendations would be useful and appreciated!

Sign up for "Ken Bruces Pop Master" if you win you get one for free... if you lose you get a "One year out" Tee Shirt...

If its your first one, spend no more than 30 quid or so and get a square JBL job, or similar. If you like it you can then look at shelling out nearer to 100+ for a proper piece of kit

Book another suitcase and take a ghetto blaster

I bought a £30 JBL clip for my hols and it was perfect.

CaptainKirk wrote:Looking to buy a small (slip into my suitcase type size) speaker to use with my mobile on hols and then back home.
Any recommendations would be useful and appreciated!

I now have a mental picture you poolside listening to Aqua and Black Lace and everyone having a "Fun" time

What's wrong with Black Lace?

CaptainKirk wrote:Looking to buy a small (slip into my suitcase type size) speaker to use with my mobile on hols and then back home.
Any recommendations would be useful and appreciated!

I bought this one a couple of years ago and it's still going strong.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Anke ... 9855NM6IVA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have just returned from Salou not sure where you are going but if similar all the gift shops are selling wireless speakers. Might be worth waiting and getting out there obviously not as good as a proper one but if only for the Holiday they should be fine I guess. The marked prices tend to be over the top, but you can get them down from that quite a bit.

Just bought a Sony srs-xb01 from eBay, £15, sound quality excellent

Not sure of your budget or how much sound quality means to you but I have a couple of speakers including the one linked by FF and it's a good little unit. Tiny, and decent volume / sound quality for the size of it. My other is a Riva S which is more in the Bose Soundlink ballpark in terms of price and sound quality.

See if you can pick up a Cambridge Audio one, they often have big discounts on opened-box stuff on their site. I've got two of their Bluetooth speakers (can set them to play in stereo) and they've got very good sound quality.

I have one of these

https://www.whathifi.com/ultimate-ears/roll-2/review" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Niece got one from BandM that was about £7/10 and is small but loud enough for the job.

At that price you’re not bothered about losing/breaking it and they have a few different Bluetooth ones available.

Have a pop in and see what you like.

Failing that, i’m sure even bloody Poundland has some in now.

Bosscat wrote:I now have a mental picture you poolside listening to Aqua and Black Lace and everyone having a "Fun" time

Abba and The Carpenters, please.

Didn't realise they were 10 a penny and all over the place these days.
Thanks for all the tips. Testing out a BOOM2 apparently then take it from there.

CaptainKirk wrote:Didn't realise they were 10 a penny and all over the place these days.
Thanks for all the tips. Testing out a BOOM2 apparently then take it from there.

I’d recommend picking up a cheap little one for the hol as you’d be fuming if it got splashed by the pool or a drink spilt on it .... or even crushed in the suitcase en route.

Then get a better one when you’re back for home use.

FactualFrank wrote:I bought this one a couple of years ago and it's still going strong.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Anke ... 9855NM6IVA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've never heard of that brand but over 5k reviews, averaging 5 stars is some going. Is it really as good as people are saying, Frank?

At the cheaper end of the scale (prices fluctuate a lot but you can pick them up for about £30 if you shop around) the Sony SRS-XB10 is decent. SOunds good for the size, good battery and reasonably waterproof.

Fretters wrote:I've never heard of that brand but over 5k reviews, averaging 5 stars is some going. Is it really as good as people are saying, Frank?

Absolutely. For the size of it, which is smaller than the palm of your hand, it's loud and has great battery life. I'd definitely recommend it, and on Amazon you can pretty much always rely on reviews when there's enough of them.

One thing to consider though, is I bought it in August 2017. So whether there's something just as good, but perhaps a bit cheaper, I don't know, as I've not needed to do any research since then.

Phone + this speaker and you're pretty much set. I've even used it in the car, when the stereo stopped working. And if you use it on your computer, you can charge it up via USB. I've not tested the bluetooth distance as I've never connected it more than a few metres from my phone.

FactualFrank wrote:Absolutely. For the size of it, which is smaller than the palm of your hand, it's loud and has great battery life. I'd definitely recommend it, and on Amazon you can pretty much always rely on reviews when there's enough of them.

One thing to consider though, is I bought it in August 2017. So whether there's something just as good, but perhaps a bit cheaper, I don't know, as I've not needed to do any research since then.

Phone + this speaker and you're pretty much set. I've even used it in the car, when the stereo stopped working. And if you use it on your computer, you can charge it up via USB. I've not tested the bluetooth distance as I've never connected it more than a few metres from my phone.

I was on the verge of buying it for our office but then saw from a review saying you can't use bluetooth to connect to a Windows 10 laptop which is a shame.

Fretters wrote:I was on the verge of buying it for our office but then saw from a review saying you can't use bluetooth to connect to a Windows 10 laptop which is a shame.

It connects to my PC which uses Windows 10, so would be surprised if that's gospel.

FactualFrank wrote:It connects to my PC which uses Windows 10, so would be surprised if that's gospel.

Interesting, via bluetooth? Apparently Anker offered him a cable to connect, I wonder why they wouldn't have just replaced it if the bluetooth is supposed to work.

Fretters wrote:Interesting, via bluetooth? Apparently Anker offered him a cable to connect, I wonder why they wouldn't have just replaced it if the bluetooth is supposed to work.

Yep, via bluetooth. I only connect it to my PC when it needs charging up.

This is Soundcore Mini 2 - mine might be 1.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-AK-A3107 ... B079JBP4ZP" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Turn up your phone and place in a mixing bowl, cheap and never runs out of charge.

I bought one at a Walgreens for $3. Made by Infinitive. About the size of a tennis ball. Good for a 50ft radius. Use it when gardening further away from the house or out at the gazebo where there's no power. Left it out all day and night on numerous occasions in the heat or cold still works. Even used it as emergency in car music when my car radio locked up on a trip.

Walgreens are partners with Boots and often have the same stuff.

Bertiebeehead wrote:Turn up your phone and place in a mixing bowl, cheap and never runs out of charge.

What phone have you got?!

JohnMcGreal wrote:What phone have you got?!

Try it, it works.

Fretters wrote:Interesting, via bluetooth? Apparently Anker offered him a cable to connect, I wonder why they wouldn't have just replaced it if the bluetooth is supposed to work.

It would be a problem with the computer rather than speaker. Some can be a bit picky about what they connect to and it's an arse to troubleshoot.

Just remember when you're sat by the poolside of your 2* hotel, supping cheap Spanish lager out of a glass bottle - no one else wants to hear your music!!!

Bose Soundlink Colour. I've had one for the last three years and the sound is incredible for the size of it

FactualFrank wrote:Yep, via bluetooth. I only connect it to my PC when it needs charging up.

This is Soundcore Mini 2 - mine might be 1.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-AK-A3107 ... B079JBP4ZP" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have a soundcore mini, bought for me on Father’s Day. Very cheap but amazing quality for the price. It is a radio and can play off a sd card as well. Charge lasts a fair while and build quality is great. It has connected to my phone,iPad and pc without hitch.

Being a bit of an audiophile i've always been sceptical about wireless speakers. However on our recent holiday there was one in our hotel room. It was only a Creative, not exactly a leader in hifi. However when I coupled it with my ipod the sound was quite impressive. Enough so for me to consider purchasing for future trips provided I can find one light enough.