6 Portable Bluetooth Speakers With Powerful, Deep Bass

For many of us, a speaker system is only worth using if you can't just hear the music but feel it as well, vibrating through the floor and maybe even through your very bones. That's often made possible by the inclusion of subwoofers, but that doesn't mean you can't still get powerful, deep bass from much smaller speakers — even portable ones.

These practical, portable speakers that you can carry one-handed, or perhaps even in your back pocket are great, and use Bluetooth to receive the audio from your smartphone or other devices. If you're hanging out at the beach or even just in your backyard, they can be invaluable. However, they vary widely in shapes, sizes, specifications, connectivity, special features, and — of course — audio fidelity. It can be hard to produce deep bass without distortion, and sometimes it comes at the expense of other elements such as vocals or treble.

If you're particular to lower frequencies when rocking out, you'll want a portable speaker that's capable of handling booming bass lines. Based on hands-on testing conducted by SlashGear and other reputable publications, here are six portable Bluetooth speakers with powerful, deep bass. More information on how these devices were selected can be found at the end of this list.

After comparing many options, the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential was named the "Best Upper Mid-Range Bluetooth Speaker For Bass" by RTINGS.com in its list of the best Bluetooth speakers for bass. In its more in-depth review, the publication reported that the Encore Essential "can produce quite a deep bass for its size" that is especially appreciated in dance and hip-hop genres, among others.

On top of that, the Encore Essential is equipped with a Bass Boost feature you can set to "Punchy" to pump even more power to lower frequencies provided by the speaker's 100W JBL Original Pro Sound. Granted, the Encore Essential is not as powerful as its larger sibling, the JBL PartyBox 310 — but that speaker is nearly twice the price and starts to stretch the definition of "portable." If you're looking for something that's more reasonably priced, easier to carry around, and still has a thumping bass, you'll want to opt for the former.

Other features include a dynamic ring light that can flash and strobe in sync with the music, and a mic input that allows you to throw karaoke parties. It can also be paired with another speaker for true stereo sound. The medium-sized Encore Essential has a neat cube design with a top handle and weighs 13 pounds, so while you can't fit it in your back pocket, it's still pretty portable. It can play for up to six hours per charge. The JBL speaker is also IPX4 splash proof, so you can bring it near — but not into — your pool.

The JBL PartyBox Encore Essential retails for $299.95 on Amazon.

You might know Soundcore better by its umbrella brand's name — Anker, which is known for its high-quality power banks and other portable products. While not as compact as the Soundcore 3 speaker, the Soundcore Motion X500 is still very portable and its larger speaker allows you to really pump up the bass. In SlashGear's hands-on review of the Soundcore Motion X500, we gave the speaker a near-perfect 9 out of 10 score, praising advanced features, simple controls, long battery life, and volume that is "loud, very loud." Our reviewer also mentioned that "there's also a surprising amount of bass from something so small," enough "to handle bass-heavy tasks in a contained environment."

The X500 produces its deep bass and high-quality spatial audio from three drivers for a more immersive listening experience. It's also rated IPX7 — fully waterproof — so you can even leave it out in the rain. The speaker can last several hours and up to 12 hours at lower volumes. You can use a companion app to fully customize the EQ settings or just select a preset using the straightforward buttons on the top of the speaker.

You might think with all these impressive specs that the Motion X500 would have an exorbitant price tag, but it's affordable enough to buy as a budget-friendly gadget for Father's Day or as a holiday gift. The speaker comes in black, blue, or pink, and integrates a large handle directly into its body for easy portability. It would be nice if the speaker had 3.5 mm and AUX ports so you could hook it up to more audio sources, but that's apparently the price of progress with many devices these days.

Amazon normally sells the Soundcore Motion X500 for $169.99, but it's currently discounted.

If it's not clear from its name, the Tribit Stormbox Blast outputs a powerful sound for a portable speaker. It incorporates two 30W mid-woofers and two 15W tweeters. The 12-pound device has the same full-body speaker design as many similar products, but it stands out by evoking more of a retro-styled boom box shape — it wouldn't look out of place resting on your shoulder as you stroll down the boardwalk.

That old-school vibe may be why TechRadar chose "Poison" by Bel Biv DeVoe as one of the songs to test the speaker's sound. In its very positive review, the publication found it was capable of "a wide soundfield, where everything from the percussive riff to the walking bass is given enough space to be impactful." That bass can be turned up further by either using an EQ preset in the Stormbox Blast's companion app, or a designated XBass button located right on top of the speaker. However, CNET — which included the Stormbox Blast on its list of "best wireless Bluetooth boom boxes" — notes that the XBass setting can drown out vocals and that adjusting the EQ in the app may be the better way to go.

The Tribit Stormbox Blast also has a hefty battery that can last up to 30 hours, and it includes AUX and USB ports, which many portable Bluetooth speakers eschew these days. It's a great speaker for a party, as the Stormbox Blast is also IPX7 waterproof and sports 32 multi-colored LEDs that will pulse in sync to the beat. It can also be paired with a second Stormbox Blast for a fuller stereo sound.

The Tribit Stormbox Blast retails on Amazon for $199.99.

One of the best portable Bluetooth speakers you can buy right now is Ultimate Ears' Megaboom 3, and that's partly because of its powerful bass. After testing it with various different songs by artists like Cardi B and The 1975, Tom's Guide gave the UE Megaboom 3 a very strong review and highlighted that it could project a "throbbing base line" without drowning out the lyrics. This positive review also noted that the speaker — which weighs just two pounds and is less than a foot tall — can get "seriously loud." However, at its max volume, Tom's Guide says "the sound gets fairly distorted."

Even without volume pumped up to 11 though, you can enjoy the deep bass of the UE Megaboom 3, which allows you to customize the EQ and conveniently choose from four different presets. The speaker also allows you to pair up to eight different devices via Bluetooth, including smartphones and tablets, so you and your friends can seamlessly take turns playing DJ. Its range of play is up to 150 feet — far enough to use a device in the house for backyard jams.

The UE Megaboom 3 can play up to 20 hours before needing to be recharged. One word of caution, though: the speaker is actually several years old at this point, so unfortunately it uses a Micro USB rather than USB-C. Its old age doesn't make the Megaboom 3 look dated — it has a stylish, modern design with playfully large volume buttons and a 360-degree speaker. The cost of the device varies depending on which color you opt for — it comes in black, red, blue, and purple.

The UE Megaboom 3 in sunset red is available from Amazon for $154.99.

The Sony ULT Field 1 is one of those small Bluetooth speakers that you can take pretty much anywhere, though its compact size doesn't diminish its sound. Sony incorporates a Sound Diffusion Processor to allow the music to fill the room, as well as a (relatively) large bass-midrange driver, two bass-boosting passive diaphragms, and an ULT button is included that will give an extra boost to the bass. Stereo Guide gave the ULT Field 1 a strong review, calling it an "excellent small Bluetooth speaker in terms of naturalness and bass." The publication does note, however, that using the bass boost button will diminish the precision of the sound at high volumes. 

A free companion app offers additional functions, and you can further tune the sound to your liking with a simple-to-use three-way equalizer. The app also allows you to pair another ULT Field 1 for a stereo setup. Stereo Guide does say there's more to be desired when it comes to battery life. The Sony ULT Field 1 can last up to 12 hours in Stamina Mode, which unfortunately will come at the expense of the bass and volume.

If portability is a higher priority for you, Sony's speaker is a solid choice. It's designed to be shockproof and is rated IP67 waterproof and dustproof. It also comes with a detachable strap to make the compact device even easier to carry. It includes an Echo Canceling feature to make it a practical option for taking calls when it's paired to your phone. The Sony ULT Field 1 comes in four colors: black, gray, off-white, and orange.

The Sony ULT Field 1 has a list price of $129.99, but is currently only $99.99 on Amazon.

If you're into the Sonos ecosystem and are looking to create an affordable multi-room Sonos setup, the portable, relatively inexpensive, Roam 2 can help achieve that goal. The Bluetooth speaker is less than 7-inches long and weighs less than a pound, but has — as Wired said in its hands-on review — a "great sound for its size." More specifically, the publication points out the speaker's "beefy bass and balanced treble and midrange" and reported that it's capable of being "surprisingly loud."

The review also notes that it integrates very well into your larger Sonos setup and pairs easily with its designated Bluetooth button. It's also compatible with Apple AirPlay 2 and features both button and voice controls — it can also perform double duty as a smart speaker with its built-in Alexa integration. Despite its compact size, it's durably built and rated IP67 waterproof and dustproof, so you don't need to be afraid of taking it outdoors with you. It charges quickly via USB-C, though you won't get more than 10 hours of playback on a single charge.

The Sonos Roam 2 comes in five different color options, including white, black, olive green, wave blue, and sunset orange. While it has got a solid sound and deep bass for a compact speaker, if you're happy with a larger portable Bluetooth option that will last you longer and provide even deeper bass, then you'll want to opt for the much pricier Sonos Move 2. In SlashGear's review of the Sonos Move 2, we rated it a 9 out of 10 and praised its "powerful sound" and extended battery life.

Amazon sells the Sonos Roam 2 for $179.

To ensure that the portable Bluetooth speakers included in this list reliably work as advertised and provide a deep, powerful bass for their size, several reviews from reputable publications were sourced. All of these reviews included hands-on testing with the device in question — and often with many other speakers in its class for comparison — and all of the reviews were positive overall. After all, what good is a thumpy bass if the rest of the speaker is garbage. These publications are all known for their expert reviews on the latest tech products, or in the case of Stereo Guide — audio players, specifically. The other publications referenced for this list included Wired, CNET, TechRadar, RTINGS, and Tom's Guide, as well as hands-on reviews from colleagues at SlashGear.

As for which speakers were considered, an emphasis was put on small, compact products. While there are full-sized Bluetooth speakers that can technically be considered "portable" because they're battery-powered and come with wheels, or are light enough to be carried, these larger devices were left off the list so that "portable" will ring true to everyone.