Best corded speaker for audiobooks?

[AkiraReader]

I listen to books on my iPod touch, and it sounds like the narrator is reading through a catheter tube. So I'd like a small, corded speaker that's portable but won't "fill the house with BOOMBOX SOUND".

Bluetooth is overkill, and would drain the battery pretty hard so I'd be hooking it up via cable. Standard PC speakers won't do either since those are much less portable and require an outlet.

I'm currently leaning towards the Amazon Basics:

http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-P.../dp/B00EHZYWGM

Since that's a little bigger than an iPhone, and seems to have ok sound based upon the reviews. Weather-proofed would also be overkill.

Suggestions? thanks!

[pwalker8]

While I know you say bluetooth is overkill, the jawbone mini jambox works pretty well for me. It will run off the recharge cable. I also have a small cabled portable speaker. The big issue that I have with it is that it has to be within a foot or so of the iPhone/iTouch and connected. I found the combination cumbersome.

[Catlady]

I have this GOgroove speaker. (If you change your mind about Bluetooth, there's also a Bluetooth version.)

I especially like that I can play audio from USB drives and SD cards as well as from my mp3 player.

[silverraven]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o02_s00
My son got this speaker last week. It sounds good, it is pretty loud. The only thing I would say against it is that it is kind of bass heavy. I'm not sure you would want that with strictly audio books. He had one he had picked up at Radio Shack when they were going out of business here. It is much less bass heavy so he gave it to his dad to listen to baseball games on. Hubby says that they sound better to him without so much bass. I'm not sure if audio books correlate or not.
S

[tubemonkey]

I have these three mini speakers. They were all under $20 when I bought them. My favorite is the Photive Bluetooth speaker.

• Kinivo ZX100
• Photive BT600 --> bluetooth
• X-Mini II

[AkiraReader]

Thanks everyone, I picked up two speakers. The Go Groove and a UE Boom. WOW what a difference! I cranked up Star Wars: Thrawn trilogy on my Audible, and it's like being inside a Star Wars movie.

Night and day compared to a tablet or iPhone speaker.

[silverraven]

Originally Posted by AkiraReader

Thanks everyone, I picked up two speakers. The Go Groove and a UE Boom. WOW what a difference! I cranked up Star Wars: Thrawn trilogy on my Audible, and it's like being inside a Star Wars movie.

Night and day compared to a tablet or iPhone speaker.

Which one do you like better?
S

[AkiraReader]

Originally Posted by silverraven

Which one do you like better?

The UE Boom (obtained from best buy) has a "voice" equalizer setting that fills the room with the book. Especially lightsaber duels, and anything that introduces extra bass. Gave Dune a try too, and the speaker brings new depth to the title.

The Go Groove should be here Wednesday.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by AkiraReader

Thanks everyone, I picked up two speakers. The Go Groove and a UE Boom. WOW what a difference! I cranked up Star Wars: Thrawn trilogy on my Audible, and it's like being inside a Star Wars movie.

Night and day compared to a tablet or iPhone speaker.

Quite a price difference between the two you bought!

[silverraven]

Originally Posted by AkiraReader

The UE Boom (obtained from best buy) has a "voice" equalizer setting that fills the room with the book. Especially lightsaber duels, and anything that introduces extra bass. Gave Dune a try too, and the speaker brings new depth to the title.

The Go Groove should be here Wednesday.

I'm thinking the UE Boom is a weeeee bit out of my price range!! Though next time I'm in Best Buy I will give it a listen if they have it on display. Unfortunately I do love shiny toys.
S

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by AkiraReader

Gave Dune a try too, and the speaker brings new depth to the title.

It also sounds great on my Amazon Echo.

[DaleDe]

While it may be counter intuitive with the title of this forum being issues but the intent (as read in the description) is that all hardware related topics belong in this forum while audiobooks themselves belong in the other. I have moved this tread so that future users looking for a similar solution will be able to find it.

Dale

[FizzyWater]

I've still got a couple of these that I really like. But they're pretty impossible to find any more.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-Compact.../dp/B000OQ7S0U

They're not great for music, but I love that they don't require any power source.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

I've still got a couple of these that I really like. But they're pretty impossible to find any more.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-Compact-Speaker-Players-SRS-TP1-White/dp/B000OQ7S0U

They're not great for music, but I love that they don't require any power source.

How does it affect the battery life of your player?

[FizzyWater]

I don't think the speakers draw power from the player, although I've never really known how to confirm it. The speakers don't have a volume control - they're like corded headphones.

Sony has had a few different versions - they call them "passive" (e.g., here).

The nice thing about the first one is they fold up flat, and the cord wraps around the base of the spreaker. However, that design is also (I believe) why Sony stopped making them. Given that they were intended to be "portable" - you'd figure you can lug them around. But I've broken the "cover / base" off almost every one I have. (I think I have half a dozen of these lying around if I dig). When they stopped making them I bought a handful of them.

The two I have going now (one at the office, one at home), I put a strip of duct tape on the little plastic tag that holds the (heavy) speaker to the base/cover. So they've not broken when they tipped or were knocked off the table - so far.

ETA: What do you know - still available for a measly $75 on the US site! Ridiculous.