- With the rise of Bluetooth, portable speaker AUX inputs are on their way out.
- But many want to connect their non-Bluetooth devices like turntables, old TVs, PCs etc
- We compile nine best portable speakers on the market with AUX input
- If you’re after pure power, check out our roundup of the 7 Loudest Bluetooth Speakers
It seems like just about every speaker company has followed Apple’s lead – they’re letting go of the aux input! Yikes!
The good news is that while fewer and fewer portable speakers with aux inputs are available on the market, reputable audio manufacturers like Bose, JBL, and Ultimate Ears still offer plenty of speakers with an aux input.
Each of the wireless portable speakers with aux inputs has been chosen based on the following:
- How they sound and perform. We looked at their overall frequency response, and how well they performed when turned up loud.
- Battery life. Nobody wants a portable speaker that runs out of juice in just a couple of hours.
- Connectivity. Ensuring Bluetooth range is ample and free from connection issues.
- Other features. A mixed bag of things like IPX ratings, portability, durability and their ability to interlink with multiple speakers.
What Are The Best Portable Speakers With Aux Input?
The market’s best portable (and wireless) speakers with AUX input are:
- JBL Charge 4 (Best Overall Portable Speaker With Aux Input)
- JBL Flip 4
- UE Megaboom 2
- Sony SRS-XB43 (Best For Bass Heads)
- Anker SoundCore 2 (Best Budget Portable Speaker With Aux Input)
- JBL Xtreme 3 (Loudest Portable Speaker with AUX Input)
- Anker Soundcore Mini
1. JBL Charge 4 (Best Overall Portable Speaker)
Key Features:
- IPX7 rating for water resistance certifies it to be immersed in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes.
- Supports up to 20 hours of playtime and charges your device via a USB port
- Ability to wirelessly connect up to 100 JBL Connect plus enabled speakers.
- Wirelessly connect up to 2 smartphones or tablets to the speaker
Review
Unfortunately, JBL stopped adding aux inputs to their portable speakers a few years ago, so the newest JBL Charge 5 only carries Bluetooth.
The JBL Charge 4, however, still has an aux input, and is a great quality speaker. They’re also offered at a lower price than the Charge 5.
Overall, I chose this model as my top pick due to the extended battery life (up to 20 hours off a full charge), aux input option, and the impressive volume boost.
The frequency response is well-rounded, with an emphasis on clear, punchy midrange. This makes it great for movies and TV as well as certain styles of music. The bass is ample, however, you may want to look at the Sony SRS-XB43 below if bass is your main priority.
It’s an excellent all-around portable Bluetooth speaker with a reasonable price tag — and plenty of color options. It’s one I’ve personally taken around with me traveling, and the aux input has come in handy for connecting up to old hotel TVs.
2. JBL Flip 4
Key Features:
- Up to 12 hours of continuous playtime
- Wirelessly connect up to 2 smartphones or tablets
- Completely waterproof
- Can link over 100 JBL-approved speakers together
- Can activate Siri or Google Now
- Bluetooth 4.2
Review
Available in six different colors, the JBL Flip 4 is a small footprint and lightweight device that hasn’t given me any issues in the several years I have owned it.
While the sound may be a little lackluster compared to the newer Charge 4, I still think they are a decent bang-for-buck speaker that gets the job done, like a faithful hound.
The Flip 4 also features a built-in noise and echo-canceling speakerphone for crystal clear conference calls. Not something I ever tried, but it does sound cool.
The one negative of the JBL Flip 4, (and the JBL Charge 4) is that it features Bluetooth 4.2, which is only one-fourth the range of the new Bluetooth 5.1.
This may or may not be an issue to some people as the range still offered under 4.2 is pretty solid.
3. UE Megaboom 2 (Best Overall Sound)
Key Features:
- Waterproof (IPX7) means you can completely submerge it in water for up to 30 minutes
- Shockproof
- 100 ft. Bluetooth wireless range (Bluetooth 5)
- Up to 15 hours of battery life
- 360-degree omnidirectional sound
- PartyUp feature allows you to connect more than 50 UE speakers wirelessly
Review
Unfortunately, the UE Megaboom is a little harder to find brand new as they stopped manufacturing these after Ultimate Ears made the UE Megaboom 3. However, the fact that I’ve still included this speaker at #3 is saying something.
This one is definitely the overall best-sounding speaker in terms of frequency response and directional sound.
With omnidirectional sound, this thing is best placed in the center of a kick-back or social gathering. Its frequency response outperforms all of the others on this list, too. On top of that, it’s one of the most durable speakers on this list.
There are many things to like with the UE Megaboom, and if an aux input isn’t too much of an issue, the UE Megaboom 3 is even better.
4. Sony SRS-XB43 (Best For Bass Heads)
Key Features:
- Built-in bass boost
- The IP67 is waterproof, rustproof, and dustproof. It can be submerged in water for up to 30 minutes.
- Up to 24 hours of battery life
- Ability to stand or lay on its side
Review
The Sony SRS-XB43 comes in three colors: black, blue, and beige. While the exterior design is a little corny, this speaker gets louder than some of the top picks on this list and offers up to 24 hours of battery life off a single charge.
The SRS-XB43 has all the features of other speakers in its class, including Bluetooth capabilities, and waterproof and dustproof ratings.
It also has a “live mode”, which is meant to provide some stereo trickery to make you feel like the sound stage is wider than it appears. Honestly, I prefer leaving this off, as it does muddy the stereo imaging a bit, and the tradeoff isn’t worth it.
That said, the regular mode is a treat to listen to. While the midrange isn’t the clearest on here, the low end is absolutely solid, and if you’re in a small enough room, you can even feel the bass in your chest. If you’re the type who boosts the bass on your car stereo and leaves it that way, forget the others on this list — this is Bluetooth speaker for you.
5. Anker SoundCore 2 (Best Budget Portable Speaker)
Key Features:
- 12W of audio power
- IPX7 rating means waterproof, dustproof, snowproof, and splashproof
- Up to 24 hours of battery life
- Bass boost feature
- Bluetooth 5
- Wireless stereo pairing
Review
The Anker SoundCore 2 lacks the punch of others on this list, but for under $40, it is a great budget speaker with AUX input. It has all the capabilities as the others mentioned.
The bass leans on the lighter side, but the midrange and highs are detailed enough for light use (you won’t be using this to power any large parties).
That said, if you do want more volume — you can pair two SoundCore 2 speakers via a single device for stereo sound and (you guessed it) double the volume.
In regards to build quality, the Soundcore 2 is pretty rugged. Thick, durable silicone skin that makes it weatherproof. Good to know for any outdoor abuse that may get thrown its way.
Lastly, on connection – you can either pair this device with Bluetooth or plug it in with a 3.5mm aux cable directly to your device.
6. JBL Xtreme 3 (Loudest Portable Speaker With Aux Input)
Key Features:
- 15 Hours of playtime
- USB-C charging
- 53.5Hz-20kHz frequency response
- P67 rating meaning it is fully waterproof and dustproof
- Bluetooth 5.1
- 4 drivers and 2 bass radiators
- Comes with a carrying strap with a built-in bottle opener
Review
The JBL Xtreme is the biggest speaker on this list and offers an extremely loud sound that could easily power a kickback party.
While it isn’t your “party speaker” and can’t deliver those low party frequencies, it’s a good mix between a party speaker and a portable speaker.
PartyBoost allows you to connect multiple devices to the JBL Xtreme and multiple JBL Speakers in either stereo or party mode (twice the loudness in mono or twice the loudness in stereo).
With three different color options, two 25W woofers, and two 25W tweeters inside, this thing is a big, stylish, and the most powerful speaker on this list.
7. Anker Soundcore Mini
Key Features:
- Micro SD support and AUX capability
- Bluetooth 4.0
- 15 hours of continuous playtime on a single charge
- 18-month warranty
- 5W driver and passive subwoofer
Review
The Anker Soundcore Mini is different than all of the other speakers on this list because of its size. It’s tiny! While it only supports Bluetooth 4.0 instead of the newer 5.1, it’s got a surprising amount of battery life and loudness for its size.
This thing is a perfect addition for a car ride or a camping trip to give you that extra portability for listening to music without the hassle of carrying an expensive piece of gear.
FAQs
What Is Aux Mode On a Speaker?
Aux mode means a wired connection to your speaker. The alternative is to use Bluetooth, which is wireless.
Also called auxiliary, aux mode will use a 3.5mm cable to connect from the aux input jacks of your playback device to your speaker.
Why Don’t All Bluetooth Speakers Have Aux Input?
Budget restraints, plus shrinking consumer demand. Even though aux might be on the way out, fortunately, there are quite a number that still have them. On average, about 50% of portable speakers on the market have an aux input (at the time of writing).
Which JBL has AUX?
JBL Xtreme 3, JBL Charge 4, JBL Flip 4, JBL PartyBoxes, and JBL Pulse 4 have aux inputs.
JBL, like Apple, began moving towards exclusive wireless devices in recent years, but their PartyBoxes will always have an aux input because of their size and niche.
Can You Use The JBL Xtreme For Phone Calls?
No, the JBL Xtreme does not have a built-in microphone, so you cannot use it for a phone call.
Is Aux Quality Better Than Bluetooth?
Yes, auxiliary quality is better than Bluetooth. Wired connections are lossless and are better at recreating the sound than wireless.
Most people won’t be able to notice the difference between the two.
Do Bose Speakers Have Aux Inputs?
It depends on which Bose Speaker you buy. The SoundLink II and SoundLink Revolve II have auxiliary inputs, but many Bose portable speakers do not.
How Do I Connect My Aux To My Wireless Speaker?
You will need a 3.5mm cable to connect between your device (such as your phone) and your wireless speakers AUX INPUT. Ensure that you have the suitable cable and that your wireless speaker has a 3.5mm auxiliary input.
If you have a newer version of iPad or iPhone (past iPhone 6), you will also have to purchase a 3.5mm-to-lightning cable adapter.
Before You Go
We have a load of similar roundups and reviews of Bluetooth speakers that you might want to read before hitting purchase.
And if you intend on linking up a few of those for extra sound, consider bookmarking our guide to pairing multiple Bluetooth speakers together.
The sound core 2 has absolutely Massive latency issues when using the auxiliary port. Like noticeably worse than bluetooth. For music, that maybe doesn’t bother you. But I bought it to use as a portable speaker for my laptop for movies, videos, and games. I end up using it in bluetooth mode because the latency is much better in wireless mode. I’m returning it to get a sound core 3 since I’m using it in bluetooth anyways and would prefer a usb C charger if I’m using it wirelessly anyways. The flip 4 would be nice, but it’s quite a bit bigger and heavier and weight is a concern with my portable set up.
Thanks for the tip Matt. That’s definitely a big issue to me!
U2 megaBoom has a lot of latnecy when you go through the aux input. I tried it to practice guitar at home, but it was impossible to play.
It would be great to have a review of those with zero latency (<20ms) over the aux input, if any.
Hi Matt I don’t have a comment, but a question I do.Can a older model JBL Charge 5 that has a Auxiliary Input, or does it? Anyway is it still possible to find and buy one today in 2023? I like the the JBL Charge 5 not as big as the Extreme 3 anyway your input on this matter would be very much appreciated.
Charge 5 does not have aux in
I need a speaker that does NOT have extra bass. Am currently using a bose soundlink color in my office and because of heavy base I can’t turn it up enough to actually enjoy music at a level soft enough not to disturb my work or others in the adjoining office. Are there any portable desktop speakers (with aux) that play clear music at lower levels without competing or being drowned out with heavy bass? Reviews all seem to tout heavy bass. That’s the opposite of what will work for my needs.
Try a Minirig, or Minirig Mini!
I found a Fisher Model FBX868 bluetooth speaker at a yard sale. I can’t find it online to get a manual. Do you have any information about this thing?