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Recommendation for speaker with aux in (2023-2024 edition)
Hi, im looking for something with similar audio quality, freq, bass and shape/size of the speaker on the akai MPC live 2. I have the minirig 3 on my radar but wondering if theres something better in the same price range. Cheers.
Comments
I have JBL 104 BT, which you can often find for about £120 - £150 (I think I got them for just less than £120).
They have aux in, RCA in, TRS in and also Bluetooth, so connect to pretty much anything.
They get pretty good reviews and are marketed as monitors. Taking the price into consideration I think they're really good.
I use them mainly for listening to the radio and with my computer as everyday speakers, but they do sound great when i plug external gear into them, or connect my iPad via Bluetooth. I also have my mixer running into them using the TRS connection and my hi-fi via RCA!
Musicradar review: https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/jbl-one-series-104-monitors
Musictech review: https://musictech.com/reviews/studio-recording-gear/review-jbl-one-series-104/
(I think those are both reviews of the non-Bluetooth versions).
EDIT: Didn't notice you mentioned "shape/size", so maybe not applicable as these are a pair of desktop speakers. Advantage of stereo though!
I prevously used a Yamaha THR-5, which is a guitar practice amp, which runs off batteries, which is also stereo, and is usable as a speaker. Sounds good and the newer, more expensive models also have Bluetooth and work as a class compliant audio interface (old THR-5 isn't class compliant so doesn't work with iOS).
Im really happy with my Denon Envato portable speaker. Loud, good low end, lasts a long time on battery charge, and has a stereo aux in.
Note: Anything with Bluetooth may introduce noticeable latency even when wired:
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/49223/i-did-a-latency-test-again-of-portable-speakers-and-was-instantly-depressed
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/25508/i-did-a-latency-test-of-a-lot-of-small-portable-speakers-jbl-sony-ue-phillips-etc
I would assume that any speaker with built in DSP will have chance for latency, depending on the quality and implementation. So 3D sound, bass boost, app-linked changes…
Long time ago I have created topic on TGP:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/portable-bluetooth-speaker-with-zero-latency-aux-in.1792896/
I have personal experience with several small BT speakers and minority of them had zero AUX latence. But they luckily exists. I still have 40W IKM iLoud and love it.
I am reviving this discussion as I am looking for a good portable solution with minimal AUX latency and built in battery. I am aware of the following options:
Minirigs: 4 just came out recently, so they are definitely a consideration. While a bit pricey, the option to wire chain 2 units for proper studio is really tempting. Battery life seems to be on the longer end as well.
Anker Soundcore Motion+: I know this is an old recommendation that has a neutral response and almost no AUX latency.
Marshall: I have seen some units being mentioned here and there but they seem to be just as pricey as Minirigs and not as portable.
What else is out there?
Ikea Vappeby Bluetooth Speaker pictured below has an AUX-in and a swappable battery. I think they sell this model also as Eneby in other countries.
Here's a reddit thread where one user attests it no noticable latency.
@kirme>; @kirmesteggno said:
Thank you for bringing that to my attention. There were reports of the Eneby (older model?) having latency in these forums before though. I wonder if this was the super small sized one.
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/49223/i-did-a-latency-test-again-of-portable-speakers-and-was-instantly-depressed
I guess the "matchbox size" relates to the little cube like version. One guy in the reddit thread mentions that he uses the larger one in the pic for drumming which would be odd with too much latency.
I have 2 battery powered solutions, one is w-king T 9 which has a decent sound and quite powerful sound for what it is but has some latency.
The other option is 2 x Kinsman KAA 45. This is less portable and not Bluetooth but can be also used for busking and when coupled make for a decent mini PA.
While on the subject of busking I’d also consider Roland busking amps, some of which are also stereo.
I just bought a soundcore motion + for 70€ No time to try yet but no latency on aux and a 9 band eq is a big plus.
I just tried w-king T9 that I’ve mentioned before and actually the latency is less than I remember. In fact it must have been mostly the latency on my iPhone. So, I was so surprised I just bought another one to pair up.
This is not as portable as some suggested by others but the sound and battery life make up for it in spades. Decent bass and crisp highs with more than acceptable mids.
It even has sound activated led lights 🤭
£115 on Amazon
£70 just paid on eBay (new).
I’d been following this thread with casual interest previously, only to realise with alarm last month that the ‘AUX in’ is going the way of the iPhone headphone socket.
I wanted to put a small speaker on a guitar pedalboard for summer outdoor jamming (sort of typical thing I spend my time doing in the depths of winter). Happy to report I found the JBL Clip 3, which has no noticeable latency on the AUX in. It’s been superseded now by newer models without the AUX in, so I got mine used for not much.
It does make a bit of a brief ‘brush’ noise when it gets a signal from silence, but that’s not a problem for my lo-fi / looping use. Obviously it’s not very powerful, but again that’s not what I was after, does the job for a bit of jamming. Not sure if I’d ever use it for electronic stuff from my iPad (I have bigger and better options for that), maybe just drum backing tracks for guitar. Come the summer I’ll find out.
I sat down last night to mess with my PC and needed some audio out of it. Realized that, after all these years, I still haven’t found a good speaker with aux in. I always end up plugging into headphones, desk monitors, or my Honeytone practice amp but would love something portable.
Minirig remains for me the best option, no DSP on the aux in, so no latency and great sound, but mine is in use for music listening most of the time. I got the JBL clip 3 as a cheap alternative I could leave on my pedalboard or clip onto my guitar (via my phone or plug-in amp). I looked at a Minirig Mini too, but they are relatively expensive and the JBL had a better form factor for my use.
A few days ago, I got a Minirig4 for small jam sessions with friends around the table (el./acc. guitars, percussions), and my impressions have been nothing but positive.