New Year’s Eve is coming up and you’re looking for a speaker to party all night long. With family or friends, music is essential for having a good time on December 31. From small portable Bluetooth speakers to party speakers with microphones and light effects, there are many solutions to celebrate the arrival of the new year. We have selected the best speakers to celebrate 2023 with a bang.
Portable Bluetooth speakers
Portable Bluetooth speakers are the easiest way to listen to music on New Year’s Eve. Thanks to their integrated battery, you can easily carry them from the kitchen into the garden to watch the fireworks, or to your friends’ house. A small model like the Sonos Roam or the Sony SRS-XB13 is ideal for playing background music in the living room without disturbing the neighbors. At low volumes, these speakers set the mood for the party while allowing you to have conversations without raising your voice. To get your guests dancing, opt for more powerful models, ideally with large drivers like the Audio Pro Addon T3+, Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20, Elipson Lenny and SoundCast VG7.
Connected speakers
Connected speakers also offer a convenient and simple solution to set the mood on New Year’s Eve. In addition to Bluetooth, these speakers can usually receive music via AirPlay 2 or Chromecast and access streaming services like Spotify, Qobuz, Tidal and Deezer. Many models are multi-room compatible for multiple listening areas in your home. Some speakers like the Sonos One and Denon Home 150 integrate Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri. Each of your guests will be able to play their favorite song simply by asking your speaker. Once again, the most powerful models such as the Sonos Five, Yamaha MusicCast 50 and Elipson W35 + are more suitable for large spaces.
Party speakers
Party speakers are specifically designed for the biggest celebrations. They differ from portable Bluetooth speakers and connected speakers in that they have a larger format, bigger drivers and more powerful amplification. These speakers are ideal for playing music in a large room and getting the whole crowd dancing. These speakers, also known as PA speakers, also offer extensive connectivity for all your sources, such as a microphone or guitar, for example. Finally, they are often accompanied by lighting effects to set the mood on the dance floor. The best party speakers for New Year’s Eve are the Escape P9, JBL PartyBox 1000 and Eltax Voyager BT 10.
Chaining and multi-room
Some models can be combined to create a stereo system or to play the same music through several speakers. With portable and party Bluetooth speakers, this is usually done via Bluetooth transmission, which requires that all speakers be placed within a range of 10 meters max. Choosing a connected speaker with WiFi allows you to extend this transmission distance throughout your home. This is the case of the Elipson W35 + and Devialet Mania 95 dB speakers, for example. This makes multiroom speakers ideal for partying throughout the house.
Bass for partying
Scientific studies agree that low frequencies are essential to get the audience on the dance floor. The desire to dance increases by 12% when the bass is properly reproduced. This implies opting for a speaker equipped with large drivers and a very generous amplification. Some manufacturers also boost their speakers with DSP systems to extend the bass response. This is the case with Sony speakers, which offer an Extra Bass mode.
Speaker resistance
With the crowd going wild on the dance floor, accidents can happen. To party with peace of mind, it’s best to choose a sturdy, waterproof speaker that can withstand splashes of both water and cocktails, as well as possible bumps from dancers. The waterproof rating of a speaker is certified by the international IP standard. The IP rating is always followed by two numbers and/or a letter. The first number defines the degree of protection against foreign bodies and dust. The second defines the degree of watertightness. For example, the Escape P6 BT speaker is IPX4 certified, meaning it is protected against splashes of water. That way, you can party at the poolside or by the jacuzzi!
Read: Understanding IP standards.
What’s the best speaker for New Year’s Eve?
The best speaker for New Year’s Eve depends on your needs and the type of party you are planning. To play background music, a portable Bluetooth speaker like the Sonos Roam or the Sony SRS-XB13 is sufficient. If you want to be able to turn up the volume, opt for a larger speaker like the SoundCast VG7 or create a multi-room system with connected speakers like the Elipson W35+ and Sonos Five. Finally, the biggest party-goers will be better off with a party speaker like the Sony MHC-V83D to go wild all night on the dance floor. To make sure you make the best choice, check out our picks for the best speakers in each category:
- Comparison of the best portable Bluetooth speakers
- Comparison of the best party speakers
- Comparison of the best connected speakers
