A portable Bluetooth speaker is a must-have bit of kit - if you have one, you can literally take your music anywhere, to the bathroom, out to the garden, to the park, the beach - anywhere. These wireless battery-powered devices come in all shapes and sizes, but they're often a lot smaller than your standard smart home hub or speaker, so you can fit them in your backpack for top portability.
The only downside is that they're unlikely to deliver the same amount of power as a home speaker, although that's not to say they can't pump out the tunes, some of the best Bluetooth speakers are very powerful. One way to boost the sound is stereo pairing, connecting two or more speakers together wirelessly to double up (or triple up, or more) the sound providing louder audio with a lot more depth to cover the whole room. Everyone from Marshall, UE, to B&O, and Sonos have Bluetooth speakers with stereo pairing, but which is best?
Best Bluetooth speakers for stereo pairing: Our top choices
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
Crisp sound encased in a waterproof speaker
The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 is a rugged portable speaker with plenty of power - the sound can be made even bigger with stereo pairing. If you're looking for a party, then this will get things started.
- Waterproof and it can float
- Loud crisp sound
- 20-hour battery life
- You can't pair in stereo with the first Megaboom
- 'Power Up' charging dock not included
If you're hoping to find a few other people to pair your speaker with, the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 will be a great choice. The best UE speakers are super popular and affordable. You can pair this one with lots of other models, including Boom, Boom 2, Boom 3, Megaboom, and Hyperboom speakers, although unfortunately not with the Wonderboom, Blast, or Megablast speakers.
You get the option to play music from the speakers in stereo or all together, and you can actually wirelessly connect as many of them together as you want using the Boom smartphone app (up to 150 speakers). UE calls this feature PartyUp - if you manage to find enough other devices, it could without a doubt be a pretty crazy party. Besides stereo pairing, the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 is both water and dustproof with excellent battery life and fantastic sound quality even when used on its own.
Bang and Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen speaker
Small and stylish
If money is no object then the Bang and Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen is an amazing little speaker that can be hooked up to others of its kind to boost the sound. Not only that but it looks stunning and will fit into even small bags.
- Tiny and seriously sleek
- 18-hour battery life
- The sound is impressive
- Quite pricey
- You can't stereo pair with the original model
If you're not so focused on bagging a bargain, then the Bang and Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) is one of the top choice of portable Bluetooth speaker with stereo pairing. Alone, this speaker can certainly hold its own, especially when you consider its tiny size, but pair it with another, and you'll easily be able to entertain a room.
Bang and Olufsen recommend placing two of these devices within 3 meters of each other for the best experience. Once paired, you can use the B&O app to set up which device is the master speaker. It's worth knowing that B&O's stereo pairing only works with another of the same speaker.
JBL Flip 6
Affordable, but impressive
For those on a budget, the JBL Flip 6 is a solid choice that won't cost the earth. One thing that makes it so good is that you can stereo-pair it with a few different JBL devices, not just this same model.
- Waterproof and dustproof
- Manual EQ in the app
- Good sound for something so small
- Only 12 hours of battery life
- No speakerphone function
The JBL Flip 6 is one of the best Bluetooth speakers right now, combining excellent value with solid sound, a bag-friendly size, and a respectable 12 hours of battery life. Plus, it's waterproof, so you'll be able to take it just about anywhere.
What's really great about this speaker is that you can connect it to two or more PartyBoost-compatible JBL speakers like the JBL Charge 5, the JBL Pulse 4, or the JBL Flip 5. You aren't limited to stereo pairing, you can also choose Party mode, which plays your music from all of them at once in mono.
Sonos Roam
A portable home speaker
Anyone who already has Sonos set up at home should choose the Sonos Roam - it can be integrated into your current system and used independently outside the house.
- Google Assistant and Alexa
- Impressive sound quality
- Sonos integration
- A little expensive
- Can't be used as surrounds in Sonos setup
Sonos might not be your first port of call when it comes to portable Bluetooth speakers, but if you already own some of their devices, or you plan to, then the Sonos Roam is a no-brainer. Like all other Sonos kits, you can connect the Roam to your Wi-Fi network and play music across all of your devices simultaneously.
What sets the Sonos Roam apart is the fact that it has voice control through Google Assistant or Alexa, whichever you use at home. You can use it just like a smart speaker to choose songs, turn your lights on or off, ask questions, and so on.
Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II Bluetooth Speaker
Bigger size means bigger sound
The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II is bigger than the other devices on this list, but that means it also has a lot more power. The 360-degree design means you'll get the same experience no matter where you stand in relation to it, and you can pair it with other SoundLink speakers.
- Pair with other SoundLink speakers
- IP55 water-resistant
- Fantastic sound quality
- Weighs 900g
- Quite pricey
If you're on the hunt for an already powerful Bluetooth speaker to make it even more powerful with stereo pairing, then the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II could be worth a look. Granted, it is quite expensive and bigger than the other devices listed, but the sound is massive.
If you want something that will soundtrack a small party on its own, and a big party when paired with another of its kind, then this is it. As well as stereo pairing, you get 360-degree sound, 17 hours of battery life, and it's water-resistant too.
The bottom line: What's the best Bluetooth speaker for pairing?
Most people will find that the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 does everything you could need a portable speaker to do, and it does it well. The sound is fantastic, even without pairing it with other UE speakers, but the fact that you can connect it to as many of them as you want is a huge plus point.
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
Those who don't mind spending a bit more money, and who want something super bag-friendly should buy the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Generation). This small, stylish device has a surprisingly powerful sound with the potential to make it even louder if you pair it with another of the same kind. On a budget? No problem - the JBL Flip 6 is great value for money and can be used alongside other JBL PartyBoost-compatible kit.
How did I choose these Bluetooth speakers for stereo pairing?
Every one of the devices listed above has been tried and tested by the experienced team at Pocket-lint who have in-depth knowledge of all things' audio. To compile this list, I used a combination of those reviews and my own in-depth knowledge of the subject and these products, all of which I have tried out myself.
What is Bluetooth stereo pairing?
Stereo pairing essentially uses one speaker for the left channel, while the other speaker plays the right channel, creating a louder, more in-depth experience. Not all portable speakers are made equal, however, and not all come with the stereo pairing feature.
Do all speakers with stereo pairing work the same?
Overall, no. For those that have this feature, some will need to be paired with another of the exact same device, some will be able to pair with older models, and some can be paired with other speakers from the same manufacturer. Of course, that means you'll either need to own a couple of them or find someone else to bring theirs along.
