Choosing the best portable Bluetooth speaker often involves weighing price, design, battery life and brand reputation. But what happens when listeners judge a speaker on sound quality alone? To answer that question, a blind listening test involving five compact Bluetooth speakers and four participants delivered some surprising results, with Bose emerging as the overall winner rather than the more widely recognised JBL.

How the Blind Bluetooth Speaker Test Was Conducted

To remove any bias linked to branding, appearance or price, four participants were blindfolded while listening to five portable Bluetooth speakers. Each speaker played the same 30-second excerpt from five different songs spanning a variety of genres.

After hearing each speaker, listeners ranked them from one to five, with one representing the best performance and five the weakest. The process was repeated for every track before the overall rankings were calculated.

To ensure fairness:

• All speakers were set to their default EQ settings.
• Volume levels were matched and kept below 80% to minimise distortion.
• Music was streamed from a single device via Spotify.
• None of the listeners knew which speaker was playing during the test.

The speakers included:

• JBL Go 5
• IKEA Kallsup
• Bose SoundLink Micro Gen 2
• Edifier ES20
• Ultimate Ears (UE) Miniroll

Although these speakers occupy a similar compact size category, they differ considerably in power output, pricing and market positioning.

Track 1: Electronic Music Favours Bose

The opening test used “Fascinator” by Max Dean, focusing on bass performance, drum control and treble precision.

The Bose SoundLink Micro Gen 2 dominated the first round, finishing first with every participant. Listeners praised its balanced presentation, warm character, stronger bass and distortion-free performance.

The UE Miniroll secured second place, followed by the Edifier ES20. The JBL Go 5 finished fourth after some listeners noted lighter bass, while the budget IKEA Kallsup ranked last because of its thin treble and limited low-end response.

Track 2: Bose Maintains Its Lead

The second round featured “Orphans” by Japanese band Cero, highlighting vocals, guitars and percussion.

Once again, the Bose speaker impressed listeners with its natural vocals, clearer guitars and well-balanced sound.

The Edifier ES20 delivered another strong performance thanks to its detailed mid-range, narrowly beating the UE Miniroll. The JBL Go 5 remained in fourth place, while the IKEA Kallsup again finished at the bottom after criticism of its recessed vocals and weaker guitar reproduction.

Track 3: Edifier Delivers the Biggest Surprise

The softer “The Girl From Ipanema” by Stan Getz produced the biggest upset of the experiment.

This time, listeners preferred the Edifier ES20, praising its outstanding vocal clarity, textured double bass and balanced presentation. The UE Miniroll finished second, with the JBL Go 5 moving into third.

Unexpectedly, the Bose SoundLink Micro Gen 2 dropped to fourth place after several listeners felt its bass became overly prominent and its treble less refined on this style of music.

Meanwhile, the IKEA Kallsup unanimously finished last, with participants criticising its overall lack of clarity and refinement.

Track 4: Bose Returns to the Top

For the fourth test, participants listened to “Come On, Come Over” by Jaco Pastorius, a much busier recording featuring multiple instruments.

The Bose speaker recovered strongly, delivering impressive vocal clarity, impactful bass and good instrument separation.

The Edifier ES20 again performed exceptionally well, narrowly missing first place, while the UE Miniroll secured third. The JBL Go 5 struggled slightly with the complex mix, and IKEA once again occupied the final position.

Track 5: A Tight Three-Way Battle

The final song, “Black Eye” by Allie X, tested dynamics, bass control and vocal detail.

This proved to be the closest contest of the entire experiment.

Although the Edifier ES20 and UE Miniroll both attracted first-place votes from individual listeners, the Bose SoundLink Micro Gen 2 edged ahead overall thanks to its expansive soundstage, dynamic bass and convincing vocal presentation.

The IKEA Kallsup finished fifth for the fifth consecutive track.

Final Results: Bose Takes the Overall Crown

After combining scores from all five listening sessions, the final rankings were:

Performance Versus Price

While Bose secured first place for pure sound quality, its victory comes with an important caveat. At nearly £120, it costs substantially more than every other speaker in the test. Buyers in the UK can purchase larger portable speakers with additional features for a similar outlay, making value for money an important consideration.

The Edifier ES20 arguably emerged as the biggest surprise. At less than half the price of the Bose model in the UK, it consistently challenged for top honours thanks to its detailed mid-range, warm bass and composed overall presentation. For listeners prioritising audio quality without spending heavily, it represents particularly strong value.

The UE Miniroll also impressed throughout, delivering balanced sound and reliable performance that justified its mid-range pricing.

Although the JBL Go 5 finished fourth, it still performed respectably considering its lower power output and more affordable price. It struggled to match the scale and bass authority of its rivals but remained a capable compact speaker.

The IKEA Kallsup, despite finishing last overall, deserves some perspective. Costing only around £5, it is dramatically cheaper than every other speaker tested. While its performance was naturally limited, its inclusion highlighted just how much sound quality can vary across different price points.

Conclusion

The blind listening test demonstrated that brand recognition alone does not determine audio performance. Bose ultimately earned the highest overall score through its consistently balanced sound and strong bass response, but the Edifier ES20 proved that excellent audio quality can also be found at a far lower price. Meanwhile, the results underline the importance of listening with your ears rather than relying solely on reputation, appearance or price when choosing a portable Bluetooth speaker.

Graham Greene

Graham Greene is a contributor to Dealmakerz, covering news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. He focuses on clear, accurate reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current affairs and developments that matter to them. His work highlights relevant stories, emerging trends, and key issues, presenting them in a balanced, accessible, and reader-friendly way.