Holi 2019: Here's a hand-picked list of the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers

tech2 News StaffMar 19, 2019 16:34:48 IST

With the festival of colour just around the corner, everyone is busy making plans to have some fun in the water. But what is a party without some tunes to play? We have hand-picked the best Bluetooth speakers for you to tag along to have some fun in the water and colours. Have a safe and Happy Holi everyone!

Boat Stone 200

If all you want is a small speaker which can withstand water to do the job, then Boat Stone speakers are for you. The Boat Stone 200 is small, is IPX5 certified and can play tunes up to 10 hours on a single charge. Just don’t have high hopes for the sound; it is capable but lacks the sound output for a party.

Price: It costs Rs 1200. If you have the budget to stretch to Rs 2000, then go for Boat Stone 600 which has better output.

Tip – Place Bluetooth speakers in a corner, the sound output and throw would be greater than when speakers are kept out in the open.

JBL Flip 4

If you want something that doesn’t cave under the pressure of water nor high volume; then you want JBL’s Flip 4. It is IPX7 Waterproof, has a rugged rubber housing and Siri/Google voice support to change tunes without looking at your phone.

Price: It costs just under Rs 8,000. If this is too rich for you, then grab the previous gen Flip 3 which is just as good for just Rs 5,000. Check out our full review of Flip 4 and Flip 3. Another good option around the Rs 5,000 bracket is Ultimate Ears Wonderboom Portable which scored really high in our review. Those on a budget can also go for the JBL Go 2 which is priced at Rs 2,399.

What is IPX certified? What does it mean?

This means the level of water resistance the device has after which it would not operate.

IPX 3 – Only budget devices have this rating or lower. Your device can withstand a few water sprays up to 60 degrees tilt. 61st degree and the device would not work beyond its limits.

IPX 4 – Can withstand splashing water from any direction

IPX 5 – Can withstand water jets sprayed from at any direction

IPX 6 – Can withstand powerful water jets shot from any direction. This is where the real waterproof level starts.

IPX 7 - Can withstand water up to 3 feet (1 metre) under

IPX 8 - Can withstand water over 3 feet (1 metre) under

The BIG BOYS

Forget the little sound of small speakers, like a Punjabi wedding; it is time to go really big, flashy and loud.

Ultimate Ears Megaboom

Almost echoing a religious symbol, the Megaboom (Not Boom 3 series) really has the power, the styling and the bass to rock the party. It is IPX7 rated, has an inbuilt EQ and along with another friend you can DJ via the UE App together.

Price: Rs 19,999, it began its humble beginnings with the UE Wonderboom (full review here).

JBL Boombox

As the name suggests, it is styled as a retro boom-box with a solid handle and powerfully strong bass. The JBL BoomBox has a unique outdoor mode for expansive sound, IPX7 certified and has a monstrously high battery capacity of 20,000 mAh with charging ports for smartphones.

Price: MRP is Rs 31,500 but can be found for around Rs 26,000 street price.

The Party Speaker

If you’ve had enough of playing with water and now just want to party with some psychedelic lights, music and err… substance abuse (Bhang), then the Sony’s V81D Bluetooth Speaker is just up your alley.

This speaker is the Ultimate Party Speaker; it has a DJ gesture control, drums with Taiko game mode, Karaoke, guitar-in, USB mode, DVD player, music centre with Bluetooth app control, lights show control, and can be connected to up to three smartphones simultaneously. Just keep in mind, it is an indoor speaker and isn’t waterproof. Read our full review here.

Price: Rs 51,990 but can be found for Rs 47,500 approx.

Run Lola Run

If you are the kind, who doesn’t stop his training whether rain or shine (or the Holi festival), you need earphones that can withstand water, colour particulate matter, a rigorous run or even a water balloon thrown directly at it.

Sennheiser PMX 686 Sports

PMX686 is an excellent sports activity wired earphone. It can withstand light to medium rain, can be washed under the tap and more importantly can handle sweat easily (sweat doesn’t have the same consistency as water). The only drawback, it can get uncomfortable to wear for some and do watch out for which version you buy as there’s a “G” version for Android and “i” for Apple devices. Full review here.

Price: In its prime, this used to cost Rs 8,000 but now costs around Rs 2,000 (street price) making this a real steal.

JBL Endurance Jump

These things cling on to your ear snugly with its unique ear hook design. Endurance Jump is IPX7 certified, is Bluetooth enabled, entirely touch-based, and has an elegant “PowerHook” feature that automatically turns the earphone on or off without the need to fiddle with the power button. Read the full review here.

Price: MRP Rs 5,000, expect it around Rs 4,000.

You are sure to find the best fit Bluetooth speaker or earphone for your need from this list. If we’ve missed out your favourite one here, do holler in the comments below to let us know. And as always, have a Safe and Happy Holi.