Top 5 Wireless Speakers of CES 2014

Most of the gears we’ve covered so far in this year’s CES have been laptops, smartphones and cameras. That’s not to say though that there’s no room for new speakers. And for that, we’ve compiled a list of the coolest audio boxes we’ve seen in CES 2014.

Well since our CES coverage primarily consists of Android devices, why don’t we start our list with a speaker that has one built-in to it. Enter the Vizio Portable Smart Audio Player, a wireless speaker and quad-core Android device all rolled in to one shiny piece of audio equipment.

Vizio’s revolutionary“Smart-Speaker” runs on Android KitKat and is powered by an undisclosed quad-core processor. Furthermore, it’s equipped with a USB port and wireless chips for Bluetooth and WiFi, allowing users to stream contents from an external device.

The company has yet to announce the pricing and availability of their new device.

If Vizio’s Android-powered speaker doesn’t appeal to you that much, or if you’re looking for a more serious wireless speaker, then you might fancy Sony’s new high-end speaker called the SRS-X9.

The SRS-X9 is imbued with Sony’s proprietary Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) which allows it to produce high-resolution sound output. In addition, it offers a wide range of connection including NFC, WiFi for DLNA and Apple Airplay and Bluetooth with aptX support.

Sony hasn’t announced the SRP of the SRS-X9, but it’s expected to hit the shelves starting on the second quarter of the year.

Now if you’re looking for a more portable speaker that you can bring during your hiking trip, then Cobra Electronic’s AirWave Box might just do the trick.

Don’t let that colorful exterior fool you now, ‘cause the AirWave Box is as rugged as it gets. It can survive being submerged for up to about 30 minutes in a meter-deep water and has a rubber skin to protect against minor bumps.

The AirWave Box and its little brother, AirWave Mini, will be available this quarter and will retail for USD39.99 and USD79.99 respectively.

Soundfreaq also got a chance to showcase their new line of speakers in CES 2014. But among the speaker’s they’ve unveiled this year, the new Pocket Kick was the one that got our attention.

This wireless speaker looks like a pocket-size version of the Sound Kick which we’ve reviewed in the past. But despite of its 30mm thick body, the Pocket Kick was still able to deliver quite a punch thanks to a pair of 2.5-watt drivers.

You can pair up your device to the Soundfreaq Pocket Kick either through an audio jack or Bluetooth connection. Furthermore, the company claims that it can last up to 10 hours on a single charge. It’s slated to arrive in the second quarter of the year and will be retailed for USD99.

Now here’s something for the tech-savvy ladies in the house. Acoustic Research has released set of chic wireless speakers called “AR for Her”. The collection includes speaker that looks like a lipstick (which BTW is called Zipstick) and another one that looks like a small handbag.

Users can choose to go subtle with the White and Pink Polka variants or go wild by opting for the one leopard paintjob. Both fashionable and purposeful, this AR for Her speaker is equipped with a microphone for hands-free call and provides 8 hours of mileage in a single charge.

The pricing for the AR for Her lineup is yet to be announced, but it’s expected to go on sale in Spring.