It’s BBQ time!
Make sure you’re aural entertainment is right so you can enjoy BBQs in the great outdoors.
Getting a BBQ right is all about the atmosphere. And weather!
Now the Olympics are sadly over – and the Paralympics are yet to start on August 29th – it’s the ideal time to make sure that you get yourself outside to enjoy the last gasp of the summer sun.
Something that always helps a sunny day roll by is a great British BBQ, and to really make that great you need to make sure the atmosphere is right, and that means your audio has to be spot on.
There’s two main choices to consider right now, the decision for which depends entirely on your preference; speaker docks or portable radios.
Speaker docks
These are proving to be the most popular solution for playing music loud enough that you can share it with friends.
With a wide-ranging selection available, every level of aural ability is covered – and every wallet size too.
So, where to start?
Firstly, don’t be put off by the oddly complicated name – this is one popular speaker dock, due to a satisfying blend of price, quality and style.
It’s one of the most conveniently sized, pick-up-and-take-with-you docks that you can get hold of.
You can fold away the actual dock portion of the speaker unit, and then easily carry it around with you – if you’re off to a friend’s BBQ, this would fit neatly into your Hessian shopper for example.
You can either run it from the mains or use it with 4 AA batteries (not included), and it charges your iPod or iPhone as it plays – or you can connect other MP3 players via the line in port too.
Stepping it up a gear, this is sure to really get your BBQ party started right.
Docking an iPod or pairing easily with any smartphone, tablet, or other Bluetooth enabled device, the Mini Boombox comes with a specially designed acoustic chamber that delivers great sound with enhanced bass.
A nice touch, which doesn’t feature on many speaker docks, is the handy speakerphone with built-in microphone, so that you can take calls from your late or lost party guests while still carbon coating the sausages.
Sitting at the top of our pile in this brief rundown, the S751i is much more a choice for the sound connoisseur.
Featuring eight custom-designed drivers – the bits in speakers that move to create the sound – this has a rich mid range and deep bass that will surround your BBQ party with a bold, crystal clear sound.
It’s also a winner of the coveted Best iPod Dock up to £150 at the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2011.
If your budget can stretch to it, this will be a noticeable improvement in sound quality at your hazy days BBQ get-together.
Portable Radios
If you’d rather let someone else concern themselves with the actual programming of music at your BBQ – say, a professional radio DJ – then portable radios are a great option.
With the advent of Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB for short) radio listening became cool again, and since then so too have the devices through which to play the content.
Here’s three that have piqued our interest…
This compact digital and FM radio offers an impressive 20 hours of battery life, it also has a convenient line-in socket so that you can easily connect your iPod or MP3 player.
Plus, the textSCAN enables you to pause and control scrolling text, and you can save up to 16 radio stations.
If it’s old school style cool that you’re after, then this portable retro style unit combines a sleek leather design with versatility.
You’ll get to enjoy crystal clear DAB programming, as well as FM, and 10 stations already preset.
But it the styling touches that will really win you over, with the leather harking back to more simple times, while the juxtaposition of the LCD display waves a flag for your 21st century leanings.
However, if you’re after something so stylish that you can really crow about it in the company of your BBQ guests, then you can’t really go wrong with the Austin Powers stylings of this leather portable patriot.
The docking station itself – which pops out in a really neat way – is compatible with an iPhone or iPod, and there’s an AUX-in port that allows you to connect to an Android phone or MP3 device.
With a battery life of 15 hours, this will keep your BBQs in full swing until the autumn showers come to wash your guests away.
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