Here at GravaStar, we understand the importance of setting the right vibe in your home gym. Music can be a crucial motivator during workouts, and having the perfect speakers can make all the difference, so we wanted to write a guide to help break things down.
Selecting the right speakers for your home gym is not just about blasting music; it's about enhancing your workout experience and keeping you motivated. The wrong choice can lead to poor sound quality, inadequate volume, and an overly complicated setup process.
Our team has spent considerable time testing various speakers in different home gym environments. Based on this real-world application and many hours in the gym, the best option is the Sonos One SL.
How We Picked
When choosing speakers for your home gym, consider the following factors. We ran through all of these during testing to make our top selections.
Sound Quality
This is the most critical factor, in our opinion. Your speakers should deliver clear, rich sound at all volumes. Look for options with a wide frequency range (meaning quality audio across all tonal spectrums) and excellent bass response to keep you energized.
Connectivity
Easy connectivity lets you quickly pair your device with your speakers, while wired setups deliver improved audio quality in more permanent home gym setups. Bluetooth compatibility is a modern must-have here for wireless streaming.
Durability
Your home gym speakers might be exposed to sweat or get knocked around a bit. Durable speakers are always nice, so look for well-built options from materials that won't wear out quickly. Water-resistant designs can also be nice.
Size and Portability
Depending on the size of your home gym, you might need compact speakers that pack a punch or larger ones for a more permanent (and louder) setup. Portability can also be a factor if you plan to use the speakers in multiple locations, but it isn't as crucial if they stay put.
Price
While not necessarily the primary concern, value for your money is essential. There is a wide range of speaker options available these days, and it's fairly easy to find something that will work with any budget while still delivering value and performance.
Best Overall: Sonos One SL
In our exploration of the best speakers for home gyms, the Sonos One SL emerged as the champ for creating an invigorating and reliable workout atmosphere. We found this option to be excellent all-around for sound quality, value, performance, and connectivity.
You can set up the One SL really easily as a stand-alone speaker, but it also features seamless integration with the broader Sonos ecosystem, so it's simple to expand your home gym or home audio setup at any point. WiFi connectivity also provides reliable connectivity.
The speaker also has humidity resistance built-in, which is notable for a home gym. It means it will keep performing well even when sweat is dripping in a stuffy workout room. The One SL also sounds great, no matter what type of music is played through it.
The One SL is on the pricier side, which can be a downside if you're on a budget. But we found this value is justified through its solid build and exceptional audio experience. This one also doesn't have Bluetooth connectivity, which is important to note.
Best Portable Option: Bose SoundLink Flex
The Bose SoundLink Flex is our pick for the best portable speaker for home gyms. If you work out in multiple rooms or want a reliable speaker that you can take almost anywhere, this is the model to choose.
This speaker will sound great no matter where you set it up. It has clear, balanced audio quality that keeps the bass bumping despite its compact size. This consistency in audio quality was key in our ranking and a big reason we like this option so much.
Another impressive feature of the SoundLink Flex is its rugged design, which makes it essentially waterproof and dustproof. This speaker will hold up in any humid indoor room and can handle a rainy workout out on the lawn as well.
There are some concerns about the extended battery life of the SoundLink Flex. It should get you through most workouts, but depending on the environment as a Reddit user says, the battery life can start to dwindle once you've put it through many training sessions.
Best Audio Quality: KRK Rokit 5
If you're like us, audio quality is huge for home workouts. The more volume and bump you have coming out of the speakers, the better you'll be able to work out. And the KRK Rockit 5 speakers deliver some of the best audio quality we found with that in mind.
These are studio-quality speakers that many musicians and engineers use in their recording projects. Their design and build quality are equally effective in the home gym. These are some of the best sound speakers you can find for the money.
Another reason we think these hold up to the rigors of being work-out-caliber speakers is their rugged and reliable design. They aren't quite waterproof, but they are well-constructed with high-end materials that will easily last for years under steady use.
There are a few potential downsides to the Rockit 5, mainly that they cost quite a bit and require a wired connection. Those are easy to justify for pro-level audio quality, but they do make the setup process less straightforward and require some technical know-how.
Best Durability: Monster Rockin' Roller
In our opinion, the Monster Rockin' Roller is tough enough for any fitness situation, making it the most durable speaker for home gyms. This thing is a beast and impressed us with the solid construction and tank-like build.
This speaker features a wheeled design and looks like a hand truck – giving you a good idea of how tough it is based on looks alone. But this impressiveness spreads into its performance as well, and the speaker sounds great with powerful and dynamic audio characteristics.
The Rockin' Roller has an impressive battery life of up to 100 hours and strong Bluetooth connectivity for a quick setup in any home gym. It's also weather-resistant with an IP4X waterproof rating, so don't worry about getting sweat on it.
This is a large and heavy speaker, so it is the opposite of a small footprint. It remains relatively portable with the wheeled design, but don't expect this one to fit on a weight bench or in your gym bag. It's also on the expensive side, but still a solid overall value.
Budget Pick: JBL Flip 6
The JBL Flip 6 is a budget-minded option that will still get the job done in your home gym. This is a small, affordable, and still mighty option that we think delivers good sound and makes for one of the best values for any portable speaker.
We really like the Flip 6's small footprint, and it will easily stay put wherever you want to set it up in the home gym. And for being such a compact option, the bass was robust, and the overall sound quality was clear and true.
Another thing we like about the Flip 6 is that it's durable. Some cheaper speakers won't last long, but we haven't had any performance issues with this one at all. It boasts a solid construction with an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating to prove our point.
We did find that the speaker doesn't quite reach a top volume that compares to a larger speaker. This can be a negative if you are lifting heavy and really need that musical boost to get and stay in the zone. For the money, though, this is still a great choice.
The Competition
Several other speakers are worth mentioning here, even though they didn't quite make the top of our list.
The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 is another top performer that is portable, affordable, and sounds great. This is also a very durable option that is super waterproof and can even work well for a poolside workout. It pairs easily with similar models for surround sound performance.
For loud and in-your-face sound accompanied by classic looks, the Marshall Action III is an awesome option we like a lot. This one looks like an old-school guitar amp and sounds like it too, making it an easy fit and nice aesthetic in any home gym.
If you're worried about damaging your speaker in the gym, the BUGANI ShockW should ease your mind. It's one of the most durable options we looked at. Don't drop your weight on this one on purpose, but don't worry about kicking it around a little bit.
FAQs
Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about speakers for your home gym.
Do you need a sound system for your home gym?
With so many portable speakers now available, you don't need an entire sound system to get music in your home gym. A proper system can deliver better audio quality and an immersive experience, but a simple Bluetooth speaker can still get the job done with an easier setup.
How do I get loud speakers in a home gym?
If you want the loudest speakers possible in your home gym, you'll want to use a set of wired cabinet speakers and possibly a subwoofer. Some Bluetooth speakers are fairly loud, but they can't match the volume and power of a wired connection.
Final Thoughts
If you use a portable Bluetooth speaker for your home gym, always make sure you charge it up before starting your work. There's nothing worse than the music cutting out mid-rep or needing to work out in silence.
Any music is better than no music in the home gym. It's easy to find a perfect match when you figure out your top choice for a speaker based on audio preferences, budget, and connectivity. The options here are some of the best with all that in mind.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
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