April 2024 ertonline.co.uk


In addition to the usual on-body controls,


there’s proprietary PositionIQ technology that uses built-in sensors to detect the orientation of the speaker, and adjusts its audio presentation accordingly. Battery life is good for 12 hours. Those looking for a fashion forward portable will find their interest piqued by the Bang & Olufsen A1 2nd Gen. Available in four colourways, this Bluetooth beauty features a fashionable pill form factor, with striking pearl-blasted aluminium chassis and premium leather strap.


Marshall Middleton cream & black


at 1.8kg, and it plays loud and rather cleverly, multiple Middletons can be stacked, in true Marshall amplifier style. And the rubberised outer case inspires confidence too. The Middleton comes in black or cream, and has all the usual Marshall niceties, including on-body controls including a multi-function knob for power, volume and track navigation, plus bass and treble adjustment.


Inside there’s a 9cm woofer and 2cm tweeter – monophonic but still musical. The A1 2nd Gen also has a fully integrated Alexa voice assistant. Using Far Field mics, Alexa can be activated from up to 5m away depending on the ambient noise conditions. The voice assistant will also remain responsive for up to three hours after being turned off. The A1 is water and dust-proof rated to IP67, and has a formidable 18 hour battery life. Buy two and you can pair them to create stereo, via the B&O app.


Those shoppers looking for a rather more


robust solution, perhaps to take to festivals, should be pointed in the direction of Marshall – specifically its Middleton model. A heavyweight


The JBL Party Box Ultimate


The sound output is described as multi-


directional stereo, and we can confirm it puts in an excellent mid-range/bass performance. Battery life impresses at 20 hours. The speaker can also be used as a power bank to charge smartphones.


Bring the party


Of course, not all outdoor speakers are made portable. Consider the XParty Street Beat PS- 949 from Sharp. Jumping onto the popular party speaker Bluetooth bandwagon, it can be rolled poolside on animated LED wheel lights that strobe with the music. Subtle it is not, but it’s exactly what the market seems to be lapping up right now.


The XParty Street Beat comes with a carry handle plus phone holder slot up top. For convenient recharging there’s also a USB port, along with two microphone/guitar inputs, and an Aux port. Two PS-949s can also be put into Duo Mode for stereo listening. For club-style beats, there’s a Super Bass


effect, plus six onboard DJ effects, including air horn and laser. If you use the speaker with the Sharp Life app, you can unlock six extra DJ FX. The equaliser has six presets which allow for a personalised sound profile. Splash-proof with an IPX4, and a 12 hour battery, it should keep any party swinging long into the night. “The XParty Street Beat is not just any speaker,” says Matt Sienko, European Product Director for Audio at Sharp Consumer Electronics. “It’s a go-to party device. Sharp has a great track record in manufacturing party speakers that consumers really love.” Of course, for something even more grunty,


there’s the formidable JBL Party Box Ultimate. This 1,100W outdoor behemoth is too beefy to run off batteries, so buyers will need a convenient power point, but it is splashproof and delivers a pyrotechnic light show any headline act would be proud of. This towering Party Box features two mid-range drivers, dual tweeters, plus a pair of nine-inch subwoofers. A novel addition is Dolby Atmos decoding for immersive music streams. Control is via the interactive PartyPad on the top panel, it’s here you’ll find the various DJ effects. There’s also guitar and dual mic inputs for karaoke.


TV on-the-go


If a next-gen portable TV is more the order of the day, then LG is the brand with a plan. Eyeing up the outdoor lifestyle market as an avenue for unconventional TV sales, the StanbyME Go briefcase style TV allows you to pop a flatscreen in the boot of the car, and is ideal for use on beaches or picnics in the park. >>


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