STACK #189 Jul 2020

FEATURE LIFE TECH

THE HOUSE OF MARLEY GET TOGETHER

The Get Together is quite a different proposition in the portable speaker space. For starters, it’s larger than standard and the company has used as many eco- friendly materials as possible in its construction. As for the speaker itself, the design is simple; a volume up/down, Bluetooth and power buttons are situated on the top with an AUX input, a charging MicroUSB B port, and a very handy universal USB port for charging portable devices on the rear of the speaker. You get two woofers, two tweeters and a passive radiator in the back for the bass. Sound-wise, the Get Together delivers a solid performance with an ear for the bass. Better for the environment and great for the budget.

THE BOSE PORTABLE SPEAKER We’re in top shelf territory here. The Portable Speaker – with a purported 12-hour charge – can be added to an existing Bose ecosystem within the home, or taken on a road trip. A quality build, the controls are located on the top of the unit and a rubber grip at the base will keep the speaker stable on all surfaces. Voice support through Google Assistant and Alexa will allow an easy transition to your smart home ecosystem; a mute button affords instant privacy. As for the sound, you’ll be casting your eyes at its diminutive size in disbelief. The 360-degree speaker throws out a huge sound, delivering the goods across dance as much as it does metal. Throw in the Bose Music app to adjust your settings, and this premium product ticks all of the boxes.

SONOS MOVE The Sonos Move also takes the party into the VIP lounge. Untethering from Sonos’s standard Wi-Fi protocol for chaining speakers throughout the house, the Move features both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. An elegant oval shape, the Move is suitable for any environment. As you would expect from a quality brand like Sonos, Move nails the sound, operating as efficiently in a large open space as it does in a small room in the house, providing an excellent balanced output tested across a multitude of different musical genres. The Move is the ideal speaker for both indoors and out and simply adapts to an existing Sonos system, with the additional bonus of voice command supports – Google Assistant, Alexa and even Siri through AirPlay 2. It’s also worth noting that Sonos has updated its app for an all over better user experience.

ULTIMATE EARS HYPERBOOM From the Wonderboom 2 to the Boom 3 and Megaboom 3, Ultimate Ears has been evolving their acclaimed Bluetooth speakers to take on an ever expanding range of spaces and needs. This land grab heats up with the arrival of the HYPERBOOM. Weighing in at 5.9kg, and 364 mm high, it’s like a well-stocked food truck ready to cater for any party. A nice feature is the inclusion of two Bluetooth inputs for DJ collaborations. You also get customisable EQ, from extra bass to cinema sound. There is no doubting the overall bottom end response here. So much so, an optical input has been included so the HYPERBOOM can even take on the job of a soundbar if you’re after some room-shaking rumble while viewing or gaming. There’s also a 3.5mm auxiliary input plus a USB-A output for charging during playback. All these and the power service port are housed behind a tidy weather door that also doubles as a pull out strap for portability. With 24 hours of battery life, this is the Bluetooth speaker that can handle just about any space – or party!

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