Subj : This Bluetooth speakers battery life impressed me in testing, but To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Mon Nov 10 2025 15:45:08 This Bluetooth speakers battery life impressed me in testing, but its irredeemably bad in one vital respect Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2025 15:30:00 +0000 Description: The AO mini portable wireless speaker offers relentless battery life but its tinny sound lacks bass and oomph FULL STORY ======================================================================AO mini portable wireless speaker: two-minute review If you dont live in the UK, youve probably never heard of AO, so allow us a brief explainer. AO is a Bolton-based online electrical retailer that sells white goods fridges, dishwashers, ovens, TVs, hi-fi equipment and the like for a fraction of their store price. For an annual membership of 39.99, you get discounted prices when buying from its website because it cuts out the middle man and sells direct to the customer. It also has a natty advertising campaign that features the soundalike Hey, hoh lets go! refrain from The Ramones Blitzkrieg Bop . Got it? Good. What AO has never done is make the audio gear it also sells. Until now. In the summer of 2025, the AO mini portable wireless speaker (yes, this really is its does-what-it-says-on-the-tin name) was part of a suite of releases to change that and try to provide an inexpensive entry to the best portable Bluetooth speakers on the market . So, how does it fair? Well, the 29 price $40 / AU$59, but only available in the UK (and only direct from AO) at the time of writing is a strong start for a portable speaker with Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. Indeed, for AO members in the UK, it's cheaper still at 19. Better still, a 25-hour battery life dominates some of the biggest competition in the budget market such as the JBL Go 4 (seven hours), the five-star Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 (12, already four more than the first-gen model) or the Edifier ES20 (15 hours). The AO mini portable wireless speaker is also nicely built, with sturdy buttons plus appreciated answer/end/reject call options (with decent accompanying call quality) that is increasingly absent from the competition. Plus, its IP67 waterproofing means it more than does the job in the shower or down at the beach. Unfortunately, though, theres the biggest of elephants in the room the way the AO sounds. Its not good. In fact, Id rather listen to tunes coming out of my iPhone 15s speakers or even my retro MacBook Air's pretty limited sound-producing alternative. For a bit of tech whose primary purpose is to elevate sound, add depth and make it louder nope, it doesnt do that, either this is quite a big problem. Is it going to be your primary Bluetooth speaker to while away hour upon hour? Definitely not, but thats not to say it doesnt warrant a place in your lineup of listening apparatus. The AO mini portable wireless speakers flexibility, solid build and near-peerless battery life make it a decent bet to accompany a long weekend away or just be left in the shower so you can sing along to Wham! to help wake you up, before you go-go. After all, that aggressive price is pretty hard to ignore (Image credit: Future / Andy Murray) AO mini portable wireless speaker review: price and release date 29 (not on sale in US or AUS) Launched in summer 2025 The AO mini portable wireless speaker was launched in the summer of 2025 as part of the retailers debut line of self-made audio products and costs 29 (19 for AO members) in the UK. It isn't available in the US or Australia, but that equates to $40 / AU$59. Just to confirm, you havent misread that price it really is that cheap. TechRadar's review sample is black, but it also comes in white, which was the only color available to purchase on the AO website at the time of writing. Its an opposite Model T Ford, then. AO mini portable wireless speaker review: specs Drivers 1x 20mm Dimensions 82 x 47 x 98mm Connectivity Bluetooth 5.3 Battery life 25 hours Waterproofing IP67 (Image credit: Future / Andy Murray) AO mini portable wireless speaker review: features Excellent 25-hour battery life Shower-tested IP67 waterproofing Easy setup but no multi-point connectivity For what is a pretty small bit of kit, the AO mini portable wireless speaker undeniably packs plenty in. Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity isnt industry-leading and a 3.5mm line-in for wired listening wouldve been nice but its decent for a speaker as emphatically entry-level as this, while at no stage in testing did I encounter any drop outs. Its solid and reliable, the only minor gripe being its lack of multi-point connectivity option. At one point I needed to switch from music listening via Tidal on my iPhone to Match of the Day football watching on my laptop technically, thats still work, but only just and discovered that Id need to disconnect from the former to be able to connect to the latter. Sure, its not the greatest of impositions, but its nevertheless unwieldy. At least the AO is quick and easy to set up. Within minutes of turning on the AO for the first time, my partner and I were dancing around the front room to Going Places by Teenage Fanclub she effortlessly magnificent, me shufflingly dreadful, thanks for asking. Gerard Loves lilting vocal complemented his erstwhile bandmates harmonies well enough but without a clarity or depth to be expected even at this low price point. More on which later, and the fault certainly doesn't lie with the Scottish group Kurt Cobain once called the best band in the world. (Image credit: Future / Andy Murray) Better still, the AOs IP67 waterproof rating makes it borderline impervious to dust and water ingress. Short of trying to bury it at the bottom of the Atlantic, or subjecting it to extended periods in your teenagers never-cleaned dust box of a bedroom, youll do very well to stop it from working. I used the AO constantly in the shower for over a week and (much like me) it got absolutely soaked, but at no stage did the superb improv podcast Three Bean Salad featuring Taskmaster alumnus Mike Wozniak cut out or the speaker lose connection from my phone in the adjoining bedroom. A trip to my local beach also presented no issue for water ingress either from Portland Harbor or the heavens as an unexpected Dorset shower passed overhead. No less sturdy is the battery life, which is nothing short of relentless. In testing, the AOs claimed 25 hours proved plenty accurate I used the speaker throughout three full seven-hour working days, plus aforementioned trips to the beach and in the shower, and it still had half its juice remaining according to the battery indicator on my phone. Compare those figures with the as the JBL Go 3s notorious five-hour lifespan, the updated Go 4s seven and even the recent Edifier ES20s 15 hours and the AO dominates the competition for half the (already pretty insignificant) price in some cases. Stuff it in your rucksack on a camping trip and itll neither take up much space, nor will it fail you across a weeks medium use before its next charge, a vital consideration when living off-grid in a field. Just 1.5 hours charging from the included USB-C cable gets it back to full power, too. My only other issue is the lack of accompanying app, so theres no option to tweak EQs or come up with your own presets to get the sound just how you like it. But at this price point what did you expect? This little box is packed with plenty. Features score: 4/5 (Image credit: Future / Andy Murray) AO mini portable wireless speaker review: sound quality Almost no bass Lacks clarity Limited top volume Sadly, though, we can ignore the obvious no longer. The AO sounds dreadful, and you dont need me to tell that this is a bit of a problem for a speaker. No separation, very little bass, a tinny sound and generally just not loud enough. This is regardless of the quality of source device music, too I tried streaming hi-res FLAC content on Tidal but still to no avail. A level of compression for a portable Bluetooth speaker this size is to be expected it measures 82 x 47 x 98mm and though no weight is quoted, it feels lighter than the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 I used as a comparison but it is definitely possible to make a better sound than this within the dimensions. The AOs 20mm driver soon hits a ceiling that others glide beyond and, though its timing is OK and it doesnt feel too jumbled, the lack of definition and depth are immediately obvious. Rich by Yeah Yeah Yeahs comes across as one-dimensional something bordering a war crime with no separation between Nick Zinners synth promptings, lead singer Karen Os exultant, imploring vocal and Brian Chases percussive beat. Switching between the AO and the Tribit mid-song only serves to highlight the difference further the latter delivers a clearer, punchier vocal and the frequencies are more faithful to the original. The bass, hardly the thing you most associate with Yeah Yeah Yeahs, is broader, deeper and much more noticeable with the Tribit, so I switch to a band known for allowing its four-string to drive tracks. New Orders All the Way features arguably Peter Hooks most melodic and rhythmic high-fretted bassline thanks in part to the bands increasing use of sequenced synthesizers and Hooky still wanting to be heard but the AO strips all that away and it sounds tinny. Even the notoriously lo-fi band Guided By Voices, and the stellar Game Of Pricks , lacks oomph. More infuriating still, the power-down sound the AO makes when you turn the speaker off features a demonstrably bassy effect that is completely absent when listening to music. If the AO is capable of making that noise, why do we only hear it when turning it off? Heres what you couldve won. Keen to find out what the AO could do in the open air, I took the speaker on a 10-minute walk to my local beach. Sadly, its no different. The gradual 40-second jangle-guitar intro of Star Sign by Teenage Fanclub from 1991 classic album Bandwagonesque is barely audible, then Brendan OHares driving bass drum lacks attack. The AO is quiet, too I fire it up to maximum volume and it hits another ceiling all too quickly. Whack the Tribit up to a Spinal Tap-approved 11 on the same song, and two nearby seagulls take their immediate. It feels instructive. Weirdly, the spoken word is better. The Elis James and John Robins podcast on BBC Sounds, featuring the two titular comedians and producer Dave, comes through impressively and sounds true-to-life. Even the choral theme tune to regular feature Cymru Connection, in which Elis has to find a mutual acquaintance with a fellow Welsh person inside 60 seconds, sounds well-rounded. It's just a shame about, well, everything else. Sound quality score: 2.5/5 (Image credit: Future / Andy Murray) AO mini portable wireless speaker review: design Small enough to fit in a hoody pouch, but not a jeans pocket Tactile buttons Loop is small and not very versatile The AO mini portable wireless speaker certainly lives up to its name. Its 82 x 47 x 98mm dimensions make it smaller than the Edifier ES20 (90.4 x 93.7 x 49.7mm) or the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 (104 x 99 x 41mm) it's perfect to pop in a bag to enjoy on the move. You could just about fit it in a hoody pouch, but a jeans pocket is probably a stretch too far, unlike the squarer Tribit which can squeeze into a back pocket with a bit of encouragement. Simple to use, the AO has four buttons that sit on top of the speaker 'on/off', 'volume up/skip track', 'volume down/skip back track' and 'play/pause'. Unlike some headphones' on-ear controls, where a double tap skips a track instead of increasing the volume by two, theres no danger of an errant press, either. Its a single press for each volume increment you want (no matter how quickly you push), and press and hold for three seconds to skip forward and backward never once did I err, a minor miracle in itself. A much-appreciated feature was the 'answer/reject call' option, something sorely lacking from similar products such as the JBL Flip 7 and Go 4. A quick press of the 'play/pause' button answers the call, a three-second hold rejects it once on a call, the quality is good and stable. Its pretty well built, too. The AOs unobtrusive rubber feet mean it isnt going to go sliding off tables with an accidental knock, and even if you are on the clumsy side guilty as charged, your honor then its still plenty sturdy enough to cope with a few knocks on the floor. There are, though, some flaws. If youre planning on using the green plastic-covered coiled loop to hang the AO from something a pole in the roof of your tent, or from a strap on a backpack, for instance youre going to need a carabiner of some kind to attach it because theres almost no space in the loop itself. No rucksack release buckle is small enough to slide through. Theres also good reason why you wouldnt want to leave the AO suspended in midair. And, yep, it comes back to the sound. Though AO claims multi-directional audio for its mini portable wireless speaker, in testing I didnt encounter anything so aurally 360. Put the speaker next to your ear and its immediately obvious out of which side the sound emits, and it sure doesnt come out of both sides, despite the impression given from a fabric jacket that covers 80 per cent of the product. On a desk in front of you that isnt much of an issue just turn the AO to face you and youre sorted but if youre taking advantage of the speakers brilliant battery life and its accompanying your outdoorsy endeavors then the situation is different. Assuming youve got the aforementioned carabiner, the AOs sound pings off in whatever direction it happens to be hanging from a rucksack or your tent roof. Essentially, youve got three options: deal with it, try to balance the AO in an adequate position or adjust the gradient of the field in which youve pitched your tent. Design score: 4/5 (Image credit: Future / Andy Murray) AO mini portable wireless speaker review: value Astonishing price point ... at which you shouldnt expect too much You might argue its a bit unfair to rag on something that costs as little as 29 (19 if youre an AO member in the UK, the only territory it's currently on sale) but Ive done so anyway. That being said, if you can look past the AO mini portable wireless speakers shortcomings in sound representation and volume, and arent going to use it for anything other than to listen to some tunes or a podcast on-the-go, then the price makes it an attractive option nevertheless. The AO sits squarely in the gray area where cheap and good value merge. Value score: 4.5/5 (Image credit: Future / Andy Murray) Should I buy the AO mini portable wireless speaker? Attributes Notes Rating Features Unbelievable 25-hour battery life; IP67 waterproofing; Bluetooth 5.3 but no 3.5mm line-in. 4/5 Sound quality Severely lacking bass; limited top volume; compressed and tinny sound. 2.5/5 Design Well built, compact with tactile buttons; small hanging loop and no multi-directional sound. 4/5 Value Astonishing price point but in a gray area as to whether 'cheap' equates to 'value'. 4.5/5 Buy it if... You like camping The battery life is beyond excellent. Even with moderate-to-extensive use, the AO will survive a week on just one charge, especially useful if you regularly spend vacations in a field with next-to-no plug sockets. You get lots of calls Im not popular enough, but if your phone is ringing off the hook then you can answer, talk and hang up with seamless efficiency using the integrated buttons on top of the AO. And thats rarer than you think in many recent Bluetooth speakers. You like singing in the shower The AOs IP67 waterproofing makes it the perfect morning accompaniment. You can even drop it in the bath and itll survive. Don't buy it if... You appreciate sound quality The small 20mm driver can only deliver so much. Theres almost no bass (apart from the 'on/off' wake-up noise), limited separation and a general lack of attack. You want to turn it up to 11 The top volume just isnt loud enough, especially when you consider the AO will be most often listened to outdoors. You want to hang it The loop hole is too small to be used without a carabiner, and even if you do, theres no omni-directional functionality. AO mini portable wireless speaker review: also consider AO mini portable wireless speaker JBL Go 4 Edifier ES20 Price 29.99 (19 for AO members, not available in other territories) $49.95 / 39.99 / AU$59.95 $89.99 / 49.99 / AU$99.99 Drivers 20mm 45mm driver, integrated class D digital amplifier 43mm full-range driver Dimensions 82 x 47 x 98mm 94 x 78 x 42mm 90.4 x 93.7 x 49.7mm Weight Not supplied 190g 326g Connectivity Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.3 / USB-C (charging) Bluetooth 5.4 Battery life 25 hours 7 hours 15 hours Waterproofing IP67 IP67 IP67 JBL Go 4 If its an ultra-cheap Bluetooth speaker for under $50 / 50 youre after, the JBL is the one to go for. Punchy, clear audio in a tiny form, even if the aforementioned battery life could do with improvement. Read our full JBL Go 4 review . Edifier ES20 The Edifier offers punchy sound, ambient lighting and sturdy waterproofing in a perfectly styled box, all for the $50 bracket. EQ options are lacking, but it represents excellent value for money. Read our full Edifier ES20 . How I tested the AO mini portable wireless speaker (Image credit: Future / Andy Murray) Over two weeks as my primary Bluetooth speaker On my office table, in the shower, at the beach With a variety of music styles, sources and podcasts I had just over two weeks with the AO mini portable wireless speaker, listening to various different music styles and resolutions via streaming service Tidal. I also listened to podcasts downloaded from Apple Podcasts and BBC Sounds onto my iPhone 15, plus music from my Apple MacBook Air. I tested the AO indoors while writing and editing words about everything from audio to football, in the shower and at the beach. In short, in most everyday conditions possible (if youre lucky enough to live by the sea, that is). First reviewed: November 2025 Read more about how we test ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/wireless-bluetooth-speakers/ao-mini-portable-b luetooth-speaker-review --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .