[Closed] Kitchen speaker(s) news style one box vs old style stereo

I just changed from old stereo to a ue boom 3 (not the mega version). Connections are no longer on the bottom. More than loud enough for kitchen usage and is portable as a bonus. I only actually plug it in to charge as battery life is good. This means I can put it in a better position without cables everywhere.

Some of the new small speakers do a great job within their constraints but not as good as proper speakers IMO.

If you're an Android user then worth trying a Chromecast Audio. Think Spotify & iPlayer Radio are both supported. Bluetooth is OK but I find it fiddly and annoying to be paired to the right thing at the right time, it can drop out once you go a reasonable distance away and it cuts out as soon as you get a phone call.

I had linking problems on my Aether Cone. For some reason I have to switch phone bluetooth on, wait for it to connect and then open my music player app, works every time now but if I don't do it in that order its a near guaranteed fail.

Before figuring this out I tried a couple of cheap single box ones and they sounded rubbish. Saw some kids in the park carrying round what looked like one large normal speaker but they were powering it from their phone, it sounded immense but they we'rent interested in speaking to me so I never worked out what it was.

https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/audio-and-headphones/audio/hifi-systems-and-speakers/bose-soundlink-mini-bluetooth-wireless-speaker-ii-black-10132926-pdt.html

I've got a couple of the first gen UE Booms- their app will let you set up two speakers either in stereo or in sync, and I'm pretty sure that the more recent speakers will do the same. Sound quality is good to my untutored ears.

edit: also, they only get plugged in to charge occasionally. The jack on the bottom doesn't really cause any problems- most of the time I have them lying on their side anyway.

Cheers folks. Lots off good ideas

Less urgent now. New firmware installed on aether cone. It now links to tablet. On the second go I got Spotify onto the tablet

I might try and find cheap used mini HiFi for the kitchen

Stereo speakers will offer a better soundstage and thus better quality assuming other things are equal. Not familiar with the Edifiers you listed but know their bigger actives are well regarded for the money.

The AudioPro ones you listed are some of the best single speaker setups.

If you want a portable speaker look at the Minirigs V2 or Minirigs Mini. Both better than anything of comparable size and some much bigger. I prefer them to the other stuff listed. Also made in Bristol and extremely well built if that makes any difference to you.

mate at work has minirigs. i'd like to like them, but....

another mate bought an aukey unit for about 50 quid. anker do a similar one with a slightly different feature set. have to say i was very impressed with the aukey, particular for the size and cost, it was nicely finished and had a great sound with a decent, room filling volume. having had other anker stuff i imagine that theirs is pretty good too.

You can buy a red minirig off me for £50 posted if you want. I barely use it.

If it was the v2 & black I'd have taken it.

Cheers If I wanted really portable I'd go for the minirigs. They look awasome and I love that you can buy a sub..

on the basis of recommending what you have...

These, from Cambridge

Proper stereo, battery (last at least 24 hours), quality sound (really excellent), and can go loud!

Similarly, I like our Bose Soundtouch 10. The sound is good regardless and astonishing from such a small box. Preset buttons mean that you don't have to use a phone to start it playing something. Will stream internet radio, local media files, Spotify & other such services, has a 3.5mm aux in. £144 from a few places incl. John Lewis, Currys.

Ok so I can use the aether cone with my phone. I just linked from within spotify......

Hmmmm. In my kitchen I have a Sony/Technics/Mission separates system total cost around £55 off eBay.

I’ve added a Bluetooth module hooked up to the Technics amp so if I really have an odd urge to listen to crap quality music then I can connect my phone to it. 😂

Ok but it's now linked by wifi. Which is rubbish as its shuffle play only

I do fancy an old style micro system. But the shelf i want to use is a touch too shallow. They are mainly over 30cm deep

I've got a Roberts Blutune, which I've had for about 5 years, IIRC.  It's a FM/DAB radio with Bluetooth streaming.

It sounds good enough for the quality of DAB and Bluetooth streams, is a nice compact but sturdy unit, has two speakers (close together though) and has never failed to link to my Android phone, or my Mac.

As above, there's no point in buying a super high quality hifi to play a Bluetooth stream through, as the quality is pretty low even for the AptX ("high quality") codec.  I bought Bluetooth headphones and then sent them back as I was appalled at the sound quality, both with FLACs and MP3s.  In fact for MP3s it was even worse at is was degrading something that is already degraded!  Anyway, rant over. 🙂

Not blue tooth but I’ve put sonos play ones in the rooms we want some music in, they work well.

The AudioPro ones you listed are some of the best single speaker setups.

They are great speakers with a decent number of inputs. I swapped from Sonos to AudioPro. Few years ago and much prefer the sound and aesthetics. Only downside is the clunky controller, but you can run through Spotify instead.