Bluetooth speaker reviews you can trust
With so many online reviews being incentivized, it’s become challenging to identify an honest review from stealth marketing strategies. That’s why we believe it essential to perform subjective and measured testing on each speaker we review.
Here at OuterAudio, we have specific testing methods for both speakers and headphones. Here is our methodology for creating objective measurements and insight into how we approach more subjective tests.
Our Bluetooth Speaker Testing Methodology
Bluetooth speakers are our bread and butter. It’s where we have the most experience and where we put most of our measuring process to work. Here’s how we analyze these products:
Build Quality Is Tested Through Thorough Use
To test the build quality of each speaker, we make subjective analysis based on our experience using it. We prefer to use the speaker for a few days to a week before writing our review, this lets us gauge the kind of materials being used and how durable they are.
Specifically, we look at the grille design, how easy it is to damage, and how easy the plastics are to scratch or crack. We’ll also test the buttons to make sure there are no sticking controls or issues with the buttons activating correctly.
Real-Life Waterproof Tests
To ensure the speaker’s water protection ratings measure up, we do our own controlled tests on the claim. For IP67 or IPX7-rated speakers, we’ll submerge them in 30cm of water for 15 to 20 minutes and then see if any damage occurs.
For lower IPX ratings, we use a hose set to the pressure that aligns with the rating claim, and wash the entire speaker down with water, again checking afterward to ensure no damage has occurred.
Using The Speaker To Determine The Quality of Controls
Control testing is done through a combination of subjective and objective testing. We encourage our writers to be honest about how they found the speaker’s controls when using it.
- How do they feel when pressed?
- Do they ever get stuck, or not register?
- Are they easy to reach?
- Are they comprehensive enough?
- Do they feel like they’re going to last?
- Does the placement make sense for how the speaker’s used?
Sound Quality Is Assessed Mostly Objectively Using Measuring Microphone and Software
We break sound quality down into several different tests, some completely subjective to the reviewer and others carefully measured with professional measuring equipment.
Frequency Response Testing
We use the UMIK-II measuring microphone in a quiet, sealed room along with Room EQ Wizard software to measure the frequency response of each speaker. These frequency response measurements are done by playing pink noise through the speaker using an uncompressed pink noise file.
We place the speaker exactly 1 meter away from the measuring microphone when performing our measurement tests.
Using the same microphone and software, we also do a volume test which lets us create a reference line, letting us (and our readers) see which frequencies are elevated and which are recessed.
But measurements don’t always tell the full story, so we also do subjective listening tests, identifying how well the speaker performs in each frequency range, and analyzing the bass, midrange, and treble frequencies.
Soundstage
We use subjective experience to analyze soundstage. Having reviewed dozens of speakers over the years, our team is well-versed in determining the soundstage performance. However, it should be noted that the majority of speakers we test are mono, and thus majority have sub-par soundstage. Especially when compared to home stereo systems, where more objective measurements of the soundstage would be better.
Dynamic Range
Using the same UMIK-II measuring microphone, we determine the dynamic range by running a test sweep. We increase the volume gradually and make note of at which volume the speaker begins to distort, visible as a spike of harmonic distortion + noise in REW.
With a bit of quick math: Clean SPL Max – noise floor, we get our objective dynamic range measurement.
Volume Tests Using Pink Noise
We understand that having accurate volume measurements is essential for a lot of people looking to buy a new speaker. That’s why we implement measured objective testing using the UMIK-II and REW software.
To measure the decibel output of each speaker, we place the speaker 1 meter away from the measuring microphone, and with a clear line of sight play uncompressed pink noise signals through the speaker using Bluetooth.
Our setup is set to dbA measurements and the F (Fast) setting.
There are multiple ways to test volume, but we believe this approach gives the truest comparison to what owners would experience when using the speaker.
Companion Apps
When testing companion apps, we download them onto our Android phone (Samsung S22 Ultra) and use the apps as a customer would. The idea is to gauge how user-friendly it is and how comprehensive its controls are.
Testing Battery Performance
For battery testing, we do it the old-school way.
First, we fully charge the battery so we have a bassline. Then we connect it to our phones via Bluetooth and play music at 50% volume. Because it’s not reasonable to play giant party speakers at 100% volume all day, we will sometimes measure a shorter period, note the battery usage, and then extrapolate an estimated playtime.
When we do these tests, we turn off any bass boost features or lighting effects, which can drain battery life faster.
Once the speaker’s battery is completely depleted, we then recharge it and calculate the amount of time it takes to fully recharge using its standard charging method.
