Buying Guides
Buying Speakers
Which speakers do I need?
Portable Bluetooth speakers
If you need speakers for portability…
Our portable bluetooth speakers are not only wireless and lightweight, but powerful and well designed.
Look out for features such as:
- Waterproofing
- Voice recognition
- Built-in handles
- NFC (Near Field Communication)
- Pairing (where you can pair two of the same speaker brand together for a super stereo sound)
Plug them into the mains or charge them via a USB cable.
Multiroom speakers
If you need speakers for your home…
Our multiroom speakers allow you to create a seamless audio experience throughout your home, using your Wi-Fi network.
A multiroom system can begin as small as you like, with one compact speaker for example. As time goes on, you may wish to extend the reach of your music to other areas of the house - simply pair up additional speakers of the same brand.
With a multiroom system you can enjoy:
- Your favourite streaming services such as Spotify and Google Cast
- Playing different songs from different speakers, so every room has its own sound
- Total unity with your music - play the same song across multiple speakers in your house
- The freedom to arrange and rearrange your music setup, optimising for the best quality sound
- Control of your music from your device or even your voice, anywhere in the house
- An easy set-up
Home cinema & multiroom listening
You can group selected sound bars and speakers to create your own 2.1, 5.1 or 7.1 cinematic sound system, and personalised listening experience throughout your home.
Technology explained
Bluetooth
- Short-range wireless connection
- Allows digital audio to be played wirelessly between connected devices
- Send or stream data between connected devices instantly
- Provides the flexibility of being able to listen to the music whenever you want to
- Seamless and very high quality
Airplay
- Apple’s Wi-Fi dependant platform enables users to stream digital audio or video content to other AirPlay supported devices
- For example, share digital files on your HDTV and your wireless speakers
DAB
- Digital Audio Broadcasting and is a digital radio standard for broadcasting digital audio radio services
- Works on a wider band, which means stations can send out attitional information like the name of the song currently playing or the name of the show
- Opens you up to a huge choice of stations
- DAB will automatically tune to stations
- In 2007, an upgraded version of the system was released called DAB+ which is twice as efficent and more robust than DAB
CD Players
- CD players offer high-quality audio that occasionally surpasses a lot of the streaming services available in the market
- Factors to take into account are ease of use, controls and performance as well as overall size of the unit
- Size can range from a one box unit for smaller spaces to a micro Hi-Fi system, usually comprising of 3 boxes
- Offer vinyl-like sound quality
- Portable discs are if not indestructible, easier to care for than vinyl
Colour Screens
- Offers a bright and clear display that's brightness adjustable
- Features a slide show setting in DAB mode
- Increasingly, digital stations are broadcasting programme information and artwork
Near-Field Communication (NFC)
- Allows portable devices to establish peer-to-peer radio communications
- Passes small amounts of data from one device to another by touching them or placing them a few centimetres apart
- NFC enabled speakers have a ‘touch-point’ whereby you simply ‘tap’ your enabled device to establish a connection
- Quicker than Bluetooth, NFC has the ability to sync multiple speakers to create a stereo sound
FM transmitter
- Wireless speakers and docking stations can be enabled with FM radio so you have the ability to listen to live broadcasts
- Most devices with this functionality can broadcast on any FM frequency from 76.0 to 108.0 MHz
Voice recognition
- Hands-free, voice-controlled devices - great for when you can’t get to your app or speaker
- Voice control for your favourite music services, such as Amazon Music, Prime Music, Spotify and TuneIn
Waterproof protection
- When shopping for a speaker that's more likely to come into contact with water or high levels or dust or sand, it’s important to look for the IPX rating, which determines the level of waterproofing and protection
- The other rating to note is the Protection (IP number). The number can range from 0, meaning no protection to dust or sand, to 6 meaning 100% coverage
- The second part of the IP number is for protection against liquids. It ranges from 0-8
Power
- Total speaker output is measured in watts (W)
- The capacity indicates the maximum sound signal that a speaker can accept
- The higher the wattage, the louder the speaker is
- Feeding a higher wattage than the speaker specifies can damage it by distorting the sound and overheat the speaker
- Speakers with a higher power capacity may require an amplifier to sound their best
- Opt for a speaker or a set of speakers which can handle the maximum output of your device (this information is displayed on the speaker product pages)
What are my delivery options?
Free Standard Delivery
FREE Standard delivery on orders over £50.
£3.50 for orders under £50.
We also offer next and named day delivery for an additional fee.
Click & Collect
Click & collect is free for orders of £30 and over, or £2 if you spend less.
Guarantee
Individual Product Guarantee
Some products come with a guarantee; check individual product pages for details.
Added Care
Protect your speakers from accidental damage with 2 years Added Care.