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Sound and battery: 20 portable Bluetooth speakers

Music on the move

Ted Baker Fastnet

RH Numbers

Oh, Ted I tried to find something positive to say, I really did. But you didn't make it easy. If Pioneer's FreeMe effortlessly evoked the style of the Sixties, Ted Baker's Fastnet (for Shipping Forecast fans?) is trying way too hard.

Ted Baker Fastnet

My first impression was that it's going for the look of an old camera; the leather and aluminium finish; the power button placed exactly where the shutter button would be; the speaker that mimics a lens. There's even a status LED where the flash would be. The stand forces the speaker to be sat on its end, which is going back to folding cameras with bellows, so there's an odd mix of design ideas going on here.

There's a built-in mic but no button to accept calls. There's a line in socket and rotary volume dial, but the audio output is dull, muddy, and uninspiring. With only six hours of battery life, and no NFC either, you'd have to be a Ted devotee to plonk 200 quid on this.

Price £200
More info Ted Baker

Ultimate Ears Boom

RH Numbers

First impressions count, and the Ultimate Ears Boom makes a great one thanks to some lovely packaging that makes retrieving the speaker from its box a pleasure, rather than the usual exercise in unravelling hassle.

It doesn't end there, though. The Boom has NFC support, a mic for use as a speakerphone, auxiliary 3.5mm input, the option to add a second speaker for stereo sound, and a full fifteen hours of battery life. There's also a companion iOS and Android app which allows you to set an alarm so you can wake up to music on the Boom, and configure two speakers in stereo.

Ultimate Ears Boom

It's robust, too. The aluminium chassis will put up with knocks and bangs, and its weather certified to IPX4 – there's even a rubber cap in the box to place over the USB and audio sockets when you're likely to be near water or dust. A flat, lime green USB cable and USB wall charger round out the package.

Audio quality was equally impressive; guitar, vocals, and drums were well picked out in rock music tests, which sounded terrific. The classical piece was handled less well, violins sounded harsh and a tad screechy. The Ultimate Ears Boom is one of the more expensive speakers on test, but its 15-hour battery life, lovely styling and accessories, and full range of features mean its worth considering alongside the TDK Trek MAX. ®

Price £169
More info Ultimate Ears

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