iSound Wireless

Performance Features Ergonomics Value PRICE $349 AT A GLANCE Plus Superb sonics with extraordinary bass Great build quality AirPlay capable Easy setup Minus Integrated music streaming restricted to Apple Music No bluetooth More limited smarts versus competition No wired input for TV viewing THE VERDICT Apple has created the best-sounding small speaker we’ve heard to date, but its Apple-centricity and immaturity as a smart device may deter some buyers. From conception through launch, the Apple HomePod speaker was six years in development. That’s a long time to bring to fruition something as ubiquitous and seemingly simplistic as a wireless tabletop speaker. If we account for the many poor examples of the breed, we can acknowledge that a truly excellent wireless speaker might require some extra time to create...but six years? The HomePod was so long in coming that the “smart speaker” with builtin voice assistant that it eventually became hadn’t yet been invented (by rival Amazon) when the project was begun. Which, I’m certain, delayed it even further.

Performance Features Ergonomics Value PRICE $199 AT A GLANCE Plus Typical Sonos build and sound quality Alexa voice control Minus No Bluetooth No hi-res audio THE VERDICT Sonos was slow to deliver a voice-controlled smart speaker, but with integrated Alexa (and Google Assistant arriving soon) in what amounts to a redesigned Play:1, they've created a nearly irresistible, low-cost intro to their wireless ecosystem. The full impact of the home-based voice-actuated assistant, invented first by Amazon in the guise of Alexa, then followed by Google and now Apple with its Siri-driven HomePod, has yet to be felt. The category has loosely evolved into what we are now calling the "smart speaker," though it is not the speaker, but the microphone (or mic array) in conjunction with a network connection that imbues these devices with their extraordinary power. Sure, the speaker plays music, perhaps the simplest of its voice-controlled functions and (according to a recent study by NPR/Edison Research, the activity a smart speaker is still most frequently used for). But the opportunity presented by an artificially intelligent device that can respond to human language and trigger any number of events in our environment possesses extraordinary potential for transforming our lives. The fact that the most sophisticated of these voice interfaces to date, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, are offered in open, licensed platforms and being constantly advanced and promoted by two of the world's richest tech giants, suggests that we are on the verge of an explosion of innovation. The best is yet to come.

Arena Wireless Speaker Performance Features Ergonomics Value Festival Wireless Speaker Performance Features Ergonomics Value PRICE Festival, $499; Arena, $249 AT A GLANCE Plus Excellent build and sound quality Chromecast, AirPlay, Bluetooth built-in Away mode and optional battery for portability Minus Chromecast multiroom interface THE VERDICT Riva Audio continues a tradition of excellent sound quality with the WAND series, the company’s first wireless multiroom speakers. I first met Riva Audio founder Rikki Farr and chief engineer (now also president) Don North in the fall of 2014 when they marched into Sound & Vision’s New York City conference room to demo their first product, a Bluetooth speaker called the Turbo X. North was a youthful, glasses-wearing geek who had just enough of the right credentials and tech swagger to suggest he really knew what he was doing.

Audio Performance Features Ergonomics Value PRICE $200 AT A GLANCE Plus Multiple streaming options via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Chromecast built-in Remote control Minus Lackluster sound quality THE VERDICT The Mondo+ is a versatile internet radio that offers easy access to a multitude of streaming sources, but we expected better sound quality for the price. My first thought was “clock radio” as I lifted the Mondo+ out of its box. It’s tough to gauge the heft of a product from a picture, so I guess I was expecting something a bit more substantial. Even so, the plastic-encased Mondo+ is nice and compact—about the size of a loaf of bread—and attractive with a smooth gray finish and large color display that serves as a gateway to wireless streaming options and system settings, including—you guessed it—an alarm clock.

Performance Features Ergonomics Build Quality Value PRICE $800 AT A GLANCE Plus Superb sound quality Impressive, weather-resistant build quality Bluetooth stereo pairing Minus Pricey THE VERDICT Soundcast’s new flagship outdoor Bluetooth speaker carries a substantial price tag, but if you’re headed for the backyard or a tailgate party, you’ll get what you pay for in sound quality, ease of use, and reliable operation. Ever since the introduction of the first battery-driven transistor pocket radio, we’ve been taking our music outside and on the go. (By the way, that was the Regency TR-1 in the fall of 1954; visit regencytr1.com for a retrospective maintained by Don Pies, son of Regency cofounder John Pies.) Of course, any conversation today about “outdoor audio” needs to be placed in modern context. We’ve gone from being grateful for a tinny AM broadcast of “The Roy Rogers Show” played back over a tiny, underpowered speaker to expecting potent, high-quality audio in our backyards, at the beach, or in the parking lot as we tailgate before the big game. .iframe-container{position:relative;padding-bottom:56.33%;height:0;overflow:hidden;}.iframe-container>iframe{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;}

Performance Features Build Quality Value PRICE $900 AT A GLANCE Plus Elegant design Impeccable build quality Compact form factor Terrific sound quality Minus Limited streaming options Expensive THE VERDICT The Mu-so Qb is pricey, but it’s impeccably built, offers a number of wired and wireless playback options, and is one of the best-sounding compact wireless speaker systems I’ve heard. I was trolling for high-bit-rate internet radio stations when I stumbled upon Incubus performing “Love Hurts” on Alternative Times Radio out of Prague. I’d never heard the song before but was immediately captivated by the richness of Brandon Boyd’s voice and how realistic the kick drum and snare sounded. And the stream was only 128 kilobits per second…

Performance Features Build Quality Value PRICE $1,000 ea AT A GLANCE Plus Classic McIntosh styling DTS Play-Fi compatibility Excellent sound quality Minus Quirky Play-Fi app Grille isn’t acoustically transparent No Bluetooth Pricey THE VERDICT It’s hardly cheap, but McIntosh’s wireless speaker will satisfy your inner audiophile in more ways than one. My UPS delivery guy—after having me sign for a pair of McIntosh RS100 wireless speakers, whose brand labeling was plainly evident—couldn’t resist commenting before walking off with a wink and a smile: “Have fun with those!”

Performance Features Build Quality Value PRICE $599 AT A GLANCE Plus Solid build quality Powered by AC or battery Integral handle Minus Disappointing sound quality Expensive THE VERDICT The Adcom Luna has style and pizzazz but falls short of the competition on sound quality. Luna is not your father’s Adcom. As the first speaker to bear the familiar red logo, from a relatively recent licensee of the venerable old brand, it has no common heritage with the fine power amplifiers and preamplifiers on which the original company built its name in the ’80s and ’90s, except for its dominant color—black.

When JLab Audio launched their new Party Series wireless Bluetooth speakers last month, they quickly created quite a stir. After they won a 2017 CES Innovations award and a 2017 Dealerscope IMPACT! Award, I knew I had to check them out in person. I’m certainly glad I did.

Performance Features Build Quality Value PRICE $400 AT A GLANCE Plus Great for impromptu gatherings Easy to transport Rugged build quality Plays loud and clear Water resistant Minus A bit bulky/heavy for a portable speaker Pricey THE VERDICT The Bullfrog Jump lives up to Kicker’s reputation for delivering big, bold sound that you can take with you wherever you go. “That’s an ugly speaker.” Oooh. That’s not what I was expecting to hear when I walked into the family room, Bullfrog Jump in tow. I like the way it looks. Then my son chimed in: “Well, it does sorta look like a space heater.” Hmmm…. He’s got a point, I thought to myself. OK, so it isn’t a work of art. It’s not supposed to be—it’s an outdoor speaker. And a darn good one at that.