The best party speakers of 2024

For the ultimate party experience, look no further than the JBL PartyBox 310 - one of the most powerful speakers on the market at its price. With an astounding 240 W of pure audio output power, the JBL PartyBox 310 is ideal for massive gatherings, whether inside or outdoors.

With exciting options for guitars and microphones - you can step up your party to the next level with some ear-blasting live music, or even link your fantastic JBL speakers together for a surround sound effect.

As for the overall sound of the PartyBox 310 - it certainly doesn't disappoint. There's a thrilling bass and booming rumble to accompany the great-sounding vocals and sharp treble, and needless to say, it's very, very loud. Despite its seriously demanding 65 mm tweeters and 176 mm subwoofers - the PartyBox 310 still is quite capable of getting up to 18 hours of playtime, which in itself is a miracle that makes it absolutely delightful for outdoor parties.

The price of the PartyBox 310, however, is far from delightful. Nearing the £500 threshold, it's without question the most expensive choice on our list, and yet for the sheer sound and versatility of the speaker itself - we're inclined to believe that it's absolutely worth it.

It's fairly difficult to fathom just how a speaker of such great quality is so affordable - and yet the Soundcore Anker Motion Boom Plus simply is. Brimming with sublime features and quality of life aspects that make this speaker a joy to use, especially at parties, Anker's Motion Boom Plus steals the show at almost half the price of even some midrange speakers on the market, and yet rarely fails to impress.

With a staggering 80W audio output - the Soundcore Anker Motion Boom Plus is an absolute force to be reckoned with. Possessing enough bass to pulse through your very core, whether you're listening at home or you're outdoors - the Motion Boom Plus is perfect for parties, it's almost certain to leave your guests shaken from its sheer power.

Soundcore, in a stroke of brilliance, has designed the Anker Motion Boom Plus with versatility in mind - from its portability to its ability to link with several speakers, and its vast battery life, the Motion Boom Plus is made to keep the night going. Perhaps one of its most impressive features, however, is the Soundcore Motion Boom Plus's whopping 24-hour battery life - giving you plenty of power away without needing a socket for a good while.

As for the Motion Boom Plus's sound - it certainly delivers in body and volume, with plenty of bass to boot - but of course, it isn't all perfect. The speaker itself struggles to avoid distortion at higher volumes, so you lose some of the absolute precision that the speaker possesses at lower volumes. This isn't a constant issue, some songs suffer more than others, but it certainly is noticeable with bass-heavier songs.

For the most part, however, the Soundcore Anker Motion Boom Plus is an excellent party speaker and one of the best outdoor speakers on the market by a long shot at its price.

If a house party or outdoor gathering is more your speed this year, then we've got just the speaker for you. soundcore's Anker Motion Boom is the essential budget party speaker for great bass, and plenty of bang for your buck.

Perhaps our most waterproof selection of the list, the Motion Boom is fully floatable in water, making it perfectly ideal for pool parties (or maybe paddling pool parties if you're like us). As for sound - if bass is what you seek, then you shall have it. The Anker Motion Boom has huge titanium drivers housed within, giving plenty of bassy rumble and some high note nice clarity especially with punchy electronic music.

As for its range, the Motion Boom shows its colours as a budget speaker in this department. Mid-range tones become swept away in the flood of bass (which is to be expected with such a low-price speaker), but there is some tweaking you can do with Anker's Customizable EQ app - giving you some freedom to stretch the performance of the Motion Boom to its very limits.

The design itself also doesn't quite excite us, with a chunky, unmoving handle that doesn't scream elegant, but at its price, you can be thankful for that extra sturdiness.

For those looking for a little more convenience with their speakers - with plenty of portability, great sound and multi-room pairing, but aren't looking to spend hundreds on a speaker, the Sonos Roam is the speaker for you.

This simple, elegant little speaker truly packs a punch for its size - despite not having the sheer power of much more party-oriented speakers. The sound of the Sonos Roam is full and quite capably creates a wide soundstage that draws in the ear with ease. Queueing music has never been easier thanks to its voice-smart functionality, something that is a rarity amongst portable speakers.

The Sonos Roam, while having great sound - isn't quite perfect for a larger gathering in the way that a heftier speaker might be - but it's certainly perfect for a gathering of friends, whether indoors or outdoors to enjoy some cracking rock anthems, or to even chill out and relax with a much more sophisticated atmosphere - something which a giant, flashing party speaker might struggle to do.

Among the best smart speakers and portable options for your party, there are few that do it better than the Sonos Roam, and for its price - it's more than worth the investment.

A great, bass-blasting mega speaker doesn't always have to cost over £500 - and with the Sony SRS-XP500 being so affordable, the proof is in the pudding.

Bold, brilliant and bass-rich, Sony's SRS-XP500 delivers enough rumble to entertain up to 40 guests, whether you're inside or out. From its design to its array of flashing lights, options for karaoke, and smartphone charging capabilities (not to mention the phenomenal amount of speakers that can connect with the SRS-XP500 simultaneously), Sony has created what is one of the finest party speakers at its price.

As with plenty of party speakers, the SRS-XP500 is understandably bassy - and therein lies its first major flaw. At higher volumes, there certainly seems to be a pattern of sound muddying and compression as a result of the sheer demand of its bass.

The result? Music genres such as hip-hop and electronic work amazingly and manage to retain their clarity, but subtler sounds and songs that should sound far more balanced, become quickly oversaturated with bass, which is somewhat disappointing.

As for the design of the speaker itself, it's certainly impressive from the get-go - the monolithic size of it is something to behold, and the flashing lights are without question, a lovely touch - but it isn't quite perfect. Not accounting for the 11.2 kg speaker's weight and size - the SRS-XP500 lacks any wheels or pull handle for easy transport, instead, it has a single handle on the top, making lugging this speaker to a party quite the hassle.

Despite some criticism, the Sony SRS-XP500 is a fantastic value party speaker and is perfect for hosting enormous gatherings of friends and family, you won't be disappointed.

Certainly one of our more expensive choices, but all the more worth it for audiophiles - Marshall's Woburn III is a showstopping powerhouse of a party speaker - with plenty of input versatility for a range of tech compatibility. Marshall has dominated the niche audiophile speaker scene for decades, you'll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't recognise its iconic brass logo, and this handsome speaker certainly wears it with pride.

As thoroughly discussed in our review of the Marshall Woburn III - the Woburn III is loud, loud, loud. Not lacking in bass, crisp-sounding highs and warm, natural mid-tones, the Woburn III delivers true sound for those lucky enough to hear it.

And lucky, you certainly must be - because this speaker is nothing if not expensive at over £500, but does it justify this price? Certainly.

With most party speakers, out of a myriad of amazing, intriguing tech features takes precedence over the one truly important quality of a great speaker - sound. Marshall's Woburn III may not have a 20-hour battery life (or a battery at all for that matter), flashing lights, and the ability to connect to hundreds of speakers, but its sound is unquestionably brilliant.

What's more - you're not just getting a great party speaker for the price of the Woburn III Bluetooth speaker, you're also getting a wonderful TV speaker thanks to its HDMI and RCA inputs - giving you plenty of freedom in just how you plan to use this incredible speaker.