Best Back-to-School Speakers for Dorm Room

Most college students who often find themselves in the library at all hours of the night want to listen to their favourite song, podcast, or audiobook through the speakers at the end of the day. However, with loads of wireless speakers to choose from, the best speakers for college students have always been hard to choose, especially if the college students in your life are new on campus. Don’t worry, here, we’ve rounded up the best back-to-school speakers for their college dorm rooms. Celebrate the start of the school year by giving the students in your life a gift to show them you care.

5 Best Speakers for Your College Dorm Room

1. Bose Smart Speaker 500

2. Amazon Echo Studio Smart Speaker

3. Edifier MS50A Smart Wifi/Bluetooth Speaker

4. B&O Beosound A1 (2nd gen) Bluetooth Speaker

5. Anker Soundcore Flare 2 Bluetooth Speaker

Bose Smart Speaker 500

The Bose Smart Speaker 500 is a beautiful tabletop speaker that delivers fantastic stereo sound. While you can use Bluetooth with the Bose Smart Speaker 500, music streaming over WiFi gives you a pretty extended range.

On the front of the speaker is a small, full-colour screen that displays album art while you’re playing music - and the screen also automatically dims, so you won't be blinded when you’re using it in low-light conditions.

The 8 sensitive microphones make it easy to use this Wifi speaker for voice control via Google Assistant or Alexa. Plus, you also can tap the controls on the top of the speaker to play, pause or s

kip tracks. This Bose Smart Speaker 500 is thus particularly suited for listening to music while relaxing in the dorm room, during a friendly gathering, or outdoors.

Pros

• - High-quality audio quality

• - Sleek design

• - Alexa and Google Assistant built-in

• - Sensitive microphones for superior voice pickup

• - Connect other peripherals via a 3.5 mm AUX input

Cons

• - Very Expensive

• - WiFi setup doesn’t always work

• - Voice control only works with Spotify Premium

Specs: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Google Assistant and Alexa-compatible | ‎4.31 x 6.68 x 8.01 inches | 4.65lbs | 50W output | Black or silver | 3.5 mm AUX port |

Amazon Echo Studio Smart Speaker

The Echo Studio is the most advanced Echo speaker Amazon has ever released. It’s also larger than the average Echo speakers. The Amazon Echo Studio produces stereo room-filling sound and can automatically sense a room’s acoustics to adapt playback for optimal listening.

The Echo Studio has 7 microphones for voice control that do double duty when you’re calibrating for a new room. Dolby Atmos support allows it to project sound to make it seem like it’s coming from other locations.

You can choose from a variety of streaming music services to play on Echo Studio, including Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, Pandoura, SiriusXM, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn.

Pros

• - Loud, clear, and spacious sound

• - Supports a wide variety of streaming music services

• - Dolby Atmos is very nice

Cons

• - Larger footprint than your average Echo

• - Bass could be more powerful

• - Alexa doesn’t always work well

Specs: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Alexa voice control | ‎6.9-inch diameter x 8.1 inches high | 7.7lbs | Black | Up to 330W output | Streams 24-Bit/100kHz | Toslink or 3.5 mm or mini-optical line in |

Edifier MS50A Smart Wifi/Bluetooth Speaker

The Edifier MS50A is portable and can produce a really big powerful and punchy sound. It can literally fill a room when the volume is turned up above half. Unlike other smart speakers, the MS50A doesn’t have a built-in microphone, making it ideal for those concerned about privacy. But it works with Alexa, and you can control the audio playback with your voice by using the Alexa App.

This speaker works over WiFi and Bluetooth. When pairing it with WiFi, you’ll be able to use Alexa as a hub for your streaming. The Alexa app can access services such as Amazon Music, JoyFM, Spotify, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Pandoura, Deezer, Saavn, SiriusXM, Tidal, and Vevo.

The MS50A also works with AirPlay 2 for Apple setups. Plus, you can also control it via your Spotify app really quickly.

Pros

• - Affordable beautiful Smart WiFi Speaker

• - Works well with Alexa

• - Loud and punchy sound

• - Can play via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

• - No microphone means better privacy

Cons

• - No audible volume indicator

Specs: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Alexa voice control | 5.73 x 5.73 x 8.32 inches | 4.98lbs | Brown | Mid-base(25W) + treble(15W) output | 19mm silk dome tweeter | 4-inch wool woofer |

B&O Beosound A1 (2nd gen) Bluetooth Speaker

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) is a highly portable Bluetooth speaker that supports Alexa without needing to be connected to your home Wi-Fi network. With its crisp audio performance and 360-degree soundstage, the A1 is perfect for soundtracking small parties.

Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity makes it easy to pair with your smartphone.

With Microsoft Swift Pair and Google Fast Pair, you can connect to your devices faster.

Beosound A1 has been specially designed to be carried anywhere. Waterproof IP67 construction means it's tougher than it looks, suitable for outdoor use.

Pros

• - Crisp and expansive sound

• - Tough but lightweight design

• - Good build and finish

• - Waterproof

Cons

• - Not support Wifi connection

• - Flawed Alexa support

• - Buttons are hard to find

Specs: Bluetooth, competent Alexa integration |5.24 x 1.81 x 5.24 inches | 1.23lbs | IP67 certified | 24 hours battery life | 30m wireless range |

Anker Soundcore Flare 2 Bluetooth Speaker

The Anker Soundcore Flare 2 is an appealing portable Bluetooth speaker that can produce an LED light show that syncs with whatever you're listening to. That splash of colour makes this Flare 2 to be an excellent choice if you’re looking for a party speaker that's easy to chuck in a bag.

On the audio side, the drivers are loud and project a decent sense of bass depth depending on the size of the speakers.

The SoundCore Flare 2 has an IPX7 rating, which means it can withstand water pressure or be submerged up to a metre, so it can definitely withstand rain or poolside splashes.

Pros

• - Great sound quality

• - IPX7 Waterproof

Cons

• - Not support Wifi connection

• - Sound distorts at higher volumes

Specs: Bluetooth, competent Alexa integration | 3.50 x 3.50 x 6.31 inches | 1.29lbs | IPX7 rated | 12 hours battery life | 20m wireless range |

What’s the Difference Between a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Speaker?

There are several notable differences between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speakers.

Wi-Fi speakers usually output better sound because they don't compress audio files like Bluetooth playback. The downside is portability and price. Wi-Fi speakers are much more expensive. Plus, they need to be plugged in. The Bluetooth speaker can run on batteries, making it the best choice for travel and flexibility.

Bluetooth speakers can connect to devices broadcasting Bluetooth signals without being connected to an internet network. However, they tend to drain a device's battery quickly when running in Bluetooth mode.