The Stuff Gadget Awards 2025: our dwelling audio merchandise of the 12 months

2025 has seen Bluetooth audio system proceed to evolve, lastly nailing the stability between portability, sturdiness and real sonic heft.

Sustainability turned greater than mere advertising communicate too, with a number of manufacturers embracing photo voltaic charging and recycled supplies with out compromising efficiency.

Things received harder, too: the dust- and waterproofing that was once a premium characteristic trickled right down to mid-range fashions, making adventure-ready audio system extra accessible.

On the wi-fi streaming speaker entrance, all-in-one methods turned easier whilst their capabilities received extra subtle. Setup frustrations turned a factor of the previous as manufacturers realized from previous app disasters, delivering extra intuitive experiences that permit customers give attention to the music reasonably than fighting software program. Hi-res streaming help turned commonplace reasonably than a luxurious, while the retention of phono inputs and USB playback ensured bodily media followers weren’t left behind.

From palm-sized portables to lounge centrepieces, 2025’s audio gear present you don’t want separates stacked teeteringly to the ceiling to get excellent sound. Time to disclose which audio system earned our end-of-the-year crowns.

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Bluetooth speaker of the 12 months: JBL Flip 7

Here we go once more. JBL holds Stuff’s Bluetooth speaker crown seemingly indefinitely, and that’s as a result of nothing else nails the trifecta fairly just like the Flip sequence: it’s reasonably priced, sturdy and transportable. The seventh-gen JBL Flip 7 applies enhancements the place they matter most, making this already dominant speaker even more durable to dethrone.

Despite weighing lower than its predecessor, redesigned dome tweeters serve up larger sound with significantly deeper bass response. In what feels like a gimmick however genuinely works, real-time evaluation through intelligent algorithms maximises quantity with out introducing distortion.

Auracast connectivity is the standout addition, enabling audio sharing throughout limitless appropriate gadgets from any producer, while conventional PartyBoost mode handles stereo pairing between two Flip 7s. Bluetooth 5.4 ensures dependable streaming alongside USB-C for wired playback, whereas massive, tactile buttons remove smartphone dependency for supply switching.

At $150/£130, this hits the candy spot the place correct efficiency meets wise pricing – precisely why JBL continues to rule transportable audio system while its rivals scramble for scraps.

Highly counseled

B&O Beosound A1 third Gen

As typical Bang & Olufsen’s swish styling instructions premium pricing, however there’s loads of sonic substance within the A1 third Gen. Its refinements convey enhanced bass response and prolonged battery endurance, while sustaining the impossibly elegant aesthetic that made the earlier iterations design icons.

This stays arguably the best-looking Bluetooth journey speaker out there, prioritising sophistication over ruggedness. It may be extra suited to backyard events than path mountaineering, however some actual thought has gone into its design. Take its repairability, as an illustration, which represents an enormous benefit over disposable rivals and extends its lifespan considerably.

Our award winner, the JBL Flip 7, prices roughly one-third the value and consists of extras like Auracast connectivity. However, nothing matches Bang & Olufsen’s visible enchantment or premium building high quality. If your out of doors speaker necessities lean in direction of refined entertaining over adventurous sturdiness (and your funds stretches appropriately) the most recent Beosound A1 turns into a very compelling contender.

Ultimate Ears Miniroll

Palm-sized but potent, this puck-shaped successor to the Roll sequence nestles comfortably in a key spot between portability and quantity. Cheap Bluetooth audio system usually demand some form of compromise: tiny portables lack energy, and larger fashions require appreciable lugging. But Ultimate Ears claims its $79/£69 Miniroll is each sonically adept and conveniently compact – and for as soon as, these audacious assertions are backed up by spectacular execution.

Familiar outsized quantity buttons complement sturdy stain-resistant cloth and a grippy rubber base. The stretchy rear strap wraps effortlessly round bike handlebars or backpacks, and there’s even an built-in tripod mount. At 279g, it’s genuinely pocketable with out weighing your trousers down uncomfortably. IP67 construct high quality handles mud and water confidently, and gives loads of safety towards kitchen counter tumbles onto tiled flooring.

The 12-hour battery endurance comfortably covers all-day excursions or marathon home events. The bass-heavy tuning impressed us instantly, delivering unexpectedly room-filling sound regardless of the Miniroll’s compact dimensions.

Also shortlisted

Marshall Emberton III, Marley Roots Solar

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Wireless speaker of the 12 months: Cambridge Audio Evo One

Cambridge Audio has an illustrious historical past making hi-fi separates, however the Evo One is its first foray into all-in-one wi-fi streaming territory. And what a debut! This minimalist monolith crams fourteen audio system inside its walnut-topped chassis, plus the kind of complete hi-res streaming help that befits a model obsessively centered on sonic excellence.

The Evo One’s setup is remarkably simple through the StreamMagic app – an entire world away from the struggles we’ve just lately seen with Sonos and its disastrous app replace. And the Evo One’s phono, optical and auxiliary inputs plus USB playback imply bodily media isn’t forgotten both.

Its sound high quality is a delight; there’s a punchy but nuanced supply, with heat pervading mid-range and clean high-end response. Composure falters solely at excessive volumes, the place low-end turns into barely dominant, although most house owners gained’t discover. It’s good worth too: at $1499/£1299, its pricing undercuts Cambridge’s personal Evo 75 amplifier, which required you to provide separate audio system anyway.

Highly counseled

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition

The Zeppelin has earned rock hall-of-fame credentials by means of its repeated reinventions, all whereas conserving that immediately recognisable elliptical silhouette intact. This Pro Edition represents focused refinement reasonably than wholesale reinvention, bringing throughout driver tech from Bowers & Wilkins’ acclaimed loudspeaker vary while addressing person suggestions on the earlier era. 

Subtle sonic enhancements have additional elevated what was already an excellent streaming speaker. The Zeppelin Pro Edition’s Titanium Dome tweeters (borrowed from the award-winning 600 Series speakers) add further nuance to the audio, whereas the amount not often wants pushing past midway to fill a room with sound. On the usability entrance, the speaker’s companion app makes wi-fi playback easy throughout all the key hi-res music streaming companies. 

This stays a speaker you’ll wish to discover wherever it sits, and the brand new gold end ensures precisely that. Outstanding aesthetics meet rigorously composed efficiency – and the pricing stays admirably steady regardless of these upgraded internals.

Kanto Ren

Think bookshelf audio system are only for music followers? Canadian model Kanto thinks in any other case, with its Ren audio system concentrating on film fans because of an HDMI enter that makes TV pairing a cinch. The Ren’s eye-catching aesthetics – all rounded corners and clear surfaces – and vivid color choices distinguish it from typical soundbars and encompass audio system, whereas USB-C and phono connectivity means you may hook up PCs and turntables in addition to tellies.

The Ren’s dimensions go well with bigger TVs comfortably, and the devoted Night Mode lowers bass for restrained night-time viewing. When unleashed, their wealthy particulars, clear treble and satisfying bass left us impressed, whether or not they had been sat in entrance of our TV or on our desktop.

Multi-purpose hi-fi gear not often trumps specialist alternate options, however we discovered the Ren a real versatility warrior. Its engineers have discovered the proper center floor that fits completely different genres and codecs fantastically, outperforming pricier mini methods and matching devoted desktop audio system.

Also shortlisted

Meridian Ellipse

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