Top 5 Portable Speakers

iMainGo X

The iMainGo X is teeny, powerful, playing loudly for such a compact speaker. Protecting your MP3 player from knocks and bumps with its zip-up case, it can play continuously for up to 12 hours. That’s almost long enough to keep user entertained. The price of this speaker is 3,595.

The user gets the same volume boost, audio quality, and case enclosure too. The iMainGo X features dual-headphone jacks, so in addition to letting you share tunes loud on the go. User can also chain several units together using headphone port, as plugging into that jack will not silence the speakers.

In addition, there's a mic input, which can presumably turn the unit into a portable karaoke system. The user get access to his music controls on whatever device he has attached. Most MP3 players and music phones will fit into the case compartment, which features a clear, plastic window for operating playback and it does work for touch screens as well as tactile controls.

There are a couple foam pieces to help with a snug fit, and an integrated 3.5mm plug serves to pipe tunes from the audio player to the speakers. Sound quality is decent for a unit this size; it's clear of any background. Audio is solid enough for portable use.

It's kind of heavy overall, so even though it's compact, user will probably notice the difference. In addition to the iMainGoX unit, the package includes a removable strap and soft pouch for travel purposes. There's also an AC adapter for charging the internal battery.

Speaker Boombox

The original music culture icon is back to life combining dynamic sound performance, premium surfaces and features that let you customize the music your way. The 2 Speaker Boombox Audio System is designed to play music out loud. Inspired by the social art of sharing music and the boombox heritage, the 2 Speaker Boombox is a catalyst, a center for shared moments for those who still care about the music. It is priced at 20,507.

Like the music itself, the TDK Boombox is an out-loud expression of your musical identity. It is the perfect combination of digital precision and analog ideals. With dynamic sound performance, premium surfaces and advanced features, it recalls a time when music was tactile, warm and vibrant. The 2 Speaker Boombox is made to move, not to gather dust and the Speaker Boombox is the expression of the best of now and then, out loud.

It has salient features of two powerful 6-inch coaxial drivers that deliver full range sound, can play your iPod/iPhone music while charging using the USB to 30 pin cable. Using the rotary dial and front facing screen, play and control music directly from storage devices including USB flash and external hard drives.

Shoulder strap and soft-touch handle let you take your music along. Input options let you connect most audio devices and mix with an instrument.

Eco Extreme

Eco Extreme used excellent materials throughout, using a nice textured plastic for the front and back, and wrapping the edges in durable rubber. The bottom of the case has some feet to stand the Eco speakers upright, as well as a carabiner clip hooked onto the top with a rubber strap to hang it on your backpack. The volume knob and a pressure outlet are located on the front of the case, with the 3″ speaker positioned on the top half of the case. The price of this speaker is 2,569.

The sound comes out very well rounded throughout the whole spectrum. There is actually real bass output. The rest of the sound spectrum is well represented and there is a warm feel to the sound, giving solid performance.

X-Mini II

The X-Mini II mini speakers just offer a compromise of compactness versus quality and power. The X-Mini II is a self-powered speaker, which means it can pump out far more decibels than your phone’s loudspeaker. It has a tiny 340mAh battery, but because it’s only driving a small speaker, it lasts for days of moderate use. It comes at the price of 922.

In fact, it only takes a couple of hours to recharge. However, there is an on/off switch and a very bright LED indicator to remind user that it is switched on. It can take both power and audio input through its USB socket. It can be continually run on external power when used with a laptop. The LED indicator displays red while charging and changes back to blue when it’s fully charged.

The speaker has a self-contained 3 inch cable with 3.5mm audio jack. It’s actually just a concertinaed plastic tube, but its size is right to let the bass frequencies resonate, creating a much heavier booming sound. In fact, these speakers pump out such powerful bass, that they can bounce themselves around.

iHome iDM12

The iHome iDM12 Portable Rechargeable Speaker System is a portable wireless speaker system for your iPad, iPhone, and iPod and other devices too. The cylinder shaped iDM12 is more than 7" long. The single Micro-USB connector in the back takes either power or music. There is a small clip cover in the back that is actually a stand to keep the speakers upright. The price of this speaker is 3,597.

The rechargeable batteries are not designed to be replaced. The iDM12 recommended mode of operation is to stream music from your iPad over Bluetooth within 30 feet, and charge the speaker battery via USB. It does not have power adapter, but uses a combination USB/audio cable to charge.

The iDM12 sound suffers from its size; there is not that much space inside the speakers. It uses two active speaker drivers and one passive radiator. The overall sound quality is decent.