Gallery: Gift Guide: 21 Wireless Speakers for 21 Types of People
Dreamwave Audio01speakers1
For the Kids. There's a flood of low-priced Bluetooth speakers to choose from, but one of the best-sounding cheap options is the $40 [DreamWave Bubble Pod](http://www.godreamwave.com/bubble-pods.html). They come in a selection of bright colors, and the battery lasts about five hours—not bad for something so small.
JBL02speakers2
For the Hiker. JBL's little [Clip](http://amzn.com/B00KH636V2) ($50) is a Bluetooth speaker that (yep!) clips onto a backpack or a belt. The small, carabiner-clad puck also works as a speakerphone, so you can hop on a conference call while you blaze a trail through the wilderness.
Josh Valcarcel/WIRED03speakers3
For the Sick Brah. If you know somebody who spends every day of the week getting rad in the outdoors, the fully waterproof [UE Roll](http://www.ultimateears.com/en-us/ueroll) ($100) should top your gift list. The speaker has a stretchy strap on the back, so you can clamp it to a bike, a helmet, or a SUP. Bluetooth range is an astonishing 65 feet, so even if their attempt at a footjam sends their BMX zinging down the street, the Black Sabbath will continue uninterrupted.
Soundfreaq04speakers4
For the Hotel Hopper. One of the best Bluetooth speakers for travelers is the [Soundfreaq Sound Kick 2](http://www.soundfreaq.com/products/soundkick2) ($100). The rectangular, 1.5-inch-thick design is luggage-friendly, and so is the USB port on the back where you can connect a dying phone and use the speaker's battery to juice it up. A little kickstand on the back lets you tip it skyward and fill the whole hotel room with Dre and Snoop.
Fugoo05speakers5
For the Beach Bum. When the surf's up, your loved one will need a speaker that can handle a little sand in its toes. The [Fugoo Style](http://www.fugoo.com/fugoo-style-silver/) ($180) is a mud-proof, sand-proof, and waterproof Bluetooth speaker with a handsome cloth grille that doesn't scream 'rugged' (even though it is). The 40-hour battery will last from dawn until the late-night bonfire with power to spare. And though the speaker is small, it gets loud enough to be heard over the sound of crashing waves.
Ultimate Ears06speakers6
For Absolutely Everyone. If you're simply looking for the best speaker on the market for $200, get this one. The [UE Boom 2](http://www.ultimateears.com/en-us/ueboom2) is waterproof, sounds amazing, has an insane Bluetooth range of 65 feet, and has a battery that lasts all day. The cylindrical, upright design spits sound in every direction and gives it a super-small footprint. Plus, it's pretty! This is everyone at WIRED's favorite speaker at this price.
Amazon07speakers7
For the Amazon Junkie. Does your loved one spend every dime they earn on Amazon? Get them the $200 [Echo](http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-SK705DI-Echo/dp/B00X4WHP5E). Put it on a Wi-Fi network, and it connects to Amazon's vast and powerful cloud services. The voice-activated AI (named Alexa) can read you an Audible book, speak the day's calendar, play some NPR from TuneIn, set an alarm, or play a Stevie Wonder mix from Amazon Prime Music. All that, and it does Bluetooth too.
Beats08speakers8
For the Apple Junkie. They've got an iPhone. They've got an iPod. They've got an iPad. They've got an iPad Pro. They've got an Apple TV. They've got a house full of Macs. Get them the [Beats Pill+](http://www.beatsbydre.com/beatspill.html) ($230). When Apple bought Beats last year, it set to work redesigning the company's Bluetooth speaker. This is the result: very much improved in sound, very much improved in looks, and very much Apple.
JBL09speakers9
For the Backyard DJ. Does cousin Bernie bring the BBQ the hardest and the largest? Then he's going to need a big speaker to keep the back patio dancefloor poppin' all afternoon. Get him the [JBL Xtreme](http://www.jbl.com/bluetooth-speakers/XTREME.html) ($250). The tube-shaped beast has giant woofers on each end, so it can blast plenty of bass for all of his Kool Herc MP3s.
Marshall Headphones10speakers10
For the Rocker. Yes, *that* Marshall. The compact, $300 [Kilburn](https://www.marshallheadphones.com/mh_us_en/kilburn-black) Bluetooth speaker doesn't just look like a classic Marshall amplifier, it has the soul of one too. It's loud, it's heavy (6.6 pounds), it's wrapped in real tolex, and the knobs and power switch have the same feel as the ones Marshall puts on its genre-defining guitar amps. Welcome to the jungle, Jimmy.
Jawbone11speakers11
For the Home-Office Worker. She's got the awesome desk and the sweet lamp in her home office. Get her this Bluetooth speaker. The big brother to the speaker that set this whole craze ablaze, Jawbone's [Big Jambox](https://jawbone.com/speakers/bigjambox) ($200) is both bad and beautiful. It gets crazy loud, but it sounds best at lower, more soothing volumes. It's a speakerphone too—perfect for the office.
Barry Goyette12speakers12
For the Scotch-and-Soda Guy. The vintage-inspired all-wood construction of [Audioengine's B2](http://audioengineusa.com/Store/B2-Wal-Bluetooth-Speaker) ($299) is just the visual gravy on this delicious bon-bon of sonic nirvana. Everything sounds great on this Bluetooth speaker, and its handsome good looks afford it the gravitas to work as the centerpiece in the room where your loved one hosts their classiest gatherings. Pick from walnut, zebrawood, or black ash—whatever best matches the wood paneling and the shag carpet.
Bang & Olufsen13speakers13
For the Late-Night Socialite. Do you know some one who lives for the after-party, or the after-after-party? This is the speaker for them. Sleekly designed by Danish product gurus Bang & Olufsen, the [BeoPlay A2](http://www.beoplay.com/products/beoplaya2) ($399) has a leather strap so it can be carried in a hand or on a wrist. And the sound? It's as clear and gorgeous as the design. It can connect to multiple mobiles at once, so partygoers at that late-night soiree can take turns playing DJ.
Peachtree Audio14speakers14
For the Budget Audiophile. When you start throwing around the word "audiophile," you're usually talking about something crazy-expensive. Not so with the $400 [Deepblue2](http://www.peachtreeaudio.com/deepblue2.html) from Peachtree Audio. The company's a big name in high-end audio, and it tackles the Bluetooth speaker category with an attention to sound quality on par with the rest of its products. This isn't a portable speaker (you plug it into a wall), but it has a 440-watt power amp and five drivers. Get it for the person who loves high-end audio but doesn't have the space for a giant stereo setup.
Sonos15speakers15
For the Sonos-Lover. The Sonos wireless music system really shines when you run three or four speakers in multiple rooms. So if your loved one has a few Sonos speakers in their house, they can probably find a spot for one more. The newly redesigned [Sonos Play:5](http://www.sonos.com/shop/play5) ($500) is the company's biggest and best-sounding speaker. If you want to splurge, get two—they can be run in tandem as a stereo pair.
Wren16speakers16
For the Person With Two Phones. Digital music can be piped into [Wren's V5US](http://wrensound.com/v5us/) wireless speaker using multiple methods. It connects via Apple AirPlay, Android-friendly DTS Play-Fi, and device-agnostic Bluetooth, so if your loved one has a collection of various mobile devices they use for music, this is a great option. The wood cabinet and intriguing shape are added visual highlights.
Bowers & Wilkins17speakers17
For the Design Freak. If you're looking for a speaker with a truly bold design, this is the one to get. The oval shaped, mysterious-looking [Bowers & Wilkins' Zeppelin Wireless](http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Wireless-Speakers/Wireless-Speakers/Zeppelin-Wireless) ($699) connects via AirPlay or Bluetooth, and the five drivers inside sound supremely awesome. It's our favorite sub-$1,000 speaker we reviewed at WIRED this year. And that shape—talk about a conversation starter.
Naim Audio18speakers18
For the Audiophile. Of all the high-end wireless speakers for the home, one of the most dignified is the [Naim Audio Mu-So](https://www.naimaudio.com/mu-so). It's not cheap ($1,500) but it's intricately engineered, and it delivers some very refined and forceful sound, making it worth the expense for an audiophile or a music enthusiast looking for a single compact wireless hi-fi powerful enough to rule their roost. It does Bluetooth and AirPlay, among other connection options.
Paradigm19speakers19
For the Cinemaphile. If you know somebody who loves movies and games as much as they love music, this is the ultimate wireless speaker for their home entertainment setup. [Paradigm's Soundscape](https://www.paradigm.com/products-current/collection=shift/model=soundscape/page=overview) ($1,500) is a powered soundbar that kicks out deliciously deep and wide audio. It's sized to fit beneath a 50-inch or larger television, but it's also a giant Bluetooth speaker. So when *A Clockwork Orange* is over and they want to cue up a little Ludwig Van on Spotify, the walls will shake all over again.
Devialet20speakers20
For the Art Collector. Need something a little more sculptural? The [Devialet Silver Phantom](http://en.devialet.com/phantom/#discover) ($2,390) is a wireless speaker designed in France, but its soul lies somewhere beyond Jupiter. It looks sort of like the head of the robot in Bjork's video for "All Is Full of Love," but when you crank a Bjork playlist via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, the drivers on the sides flutter outward in a blur of sound and motion. It's hot, and boy is it loud—its 3,000-watt amp can top 100dB.
Symbol Audio21speakers21
For the Vinyl-Loving Yacht Owner. When you've got a huge boat, you really need an awesome system to play all those Jimmy Buffett records (and maybe stream some Eagles via AirPlay). Symbol Audio's [Modern Record Console](http://shop.symbolaudio.com/pages/modern-record-console) is a thoroughly present-day, $16,500 stereo inspired by the old record consoles of the 1950s and '60s. Yes, it does vinyl (there's a high-end turntable in there) as well as a host of wireless connection options. The 30-watt tube amp powers a pair of 6.5-inch speakers. And of course, it's just damn beautiful.
