Seven Portable Bluetooth Speaker Systems, Tested And Reviewed

Arctic S113BT

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Arctic is still a relative newcomer to the audio industry, and it's stepping out with a clear focus on value.

Bundle And First Impression

This is the least expensive product in the round-up, and although you don't get many bundled accessories, the S113BT comes with everything you need, really. There's a USB-to-micro-USB charging cable (not shown), a 3.5 mm male-to-male input cable, a carrying case, and a manual. We'd like to see the company include an AC charger, but none of the competing ultra-portable alternatives include one either, so it's likely deemed too great of a cost-adder.

The speaker is wrapped in a soft silicone shell, and it's available in orange, blue, pink, black, and white. The padding seems like it would protect Arctic's speaker from a fair amount of abuse, though we also suspect that the finish gets dirty and scuffs fairly easily.

The front and rear are covered in a metal grille. Two 1.5" drivers output sound in the front, while two passive bass radiators face the rear. At 2.3" x 6.2" x 1.8" and 0.6 lbs (290 g), this is also the lightest offering in our round-up, and it's small enough to carry around in a purse or small backpack.

Connectivity And Controls

There's a power switch and micro-USB power on the side. Music is either fed into the speaker through Bluetooth or an analog 3.5 mm jack. Despite a low price, the S113BT is one of the few contenders with Bluetooth Smart (4.0) support, though it's not clear if Arctic enables the classic, high-speed, or low-energy protocols. This is also the only speaker in our round-up with near-field communication (NFC), and in that respect is easier to pair than the competition. A pop-up appeared on my smartphone alerting me to the speaker's presence; I didn't have to actively seek it out on a list of available Bluetooth-capable devices.

There are only three buttons for controlling the speaker, and all of them serve multiple functions. The plus and minus buttons affect volume. They also switch to the next or previous track if you press down longer. The center button has more responsibilities. It can play and pause music. Moreover, it's tasked with phone functionality like answering and ending calls, voice recognition, transferring calls between the speaker and handset, redialing, and, oddly enough, reducing volume with the 3.5 mm input connected.

Subjective Sound Analysis

Portability is largely dependent on dimensions, and a small size means the S113BT needs diminutive speakers. Regardless of price, physics cannot be defeated, so it's not surprising that the tiny drivers do not impress with their low-frequency response. The S113BT doesn't make its presence known until you get to the mid-range. Arctic fares well when its low price is considered, and most music sounds fine, even if it's limited to the middle- and upper-end of the frequency spectrum.

Because the S113BT includes a speakerphone, we also compared its mic response during a phone call. This speaker boasts the loudest volume of any other product in our round-up. It might not be the clearest, but plenty of volume makes conversations easier to understand.

Livability And Subjective Conclusion

Arctic's S113BT won't knock your socks off with its sound quality. But none of the ultra-portables in our comparison can overcome their handheld nature. Considering Arctic's significantly lower price, it's hard to dismiss otherwise compelling value. Nice features like Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, NFC support, and a loud built-in mic make this system an affordable option. Less-than-ideal audio reproduction keep us from granting a clear recommendation, though.