Image rights, clockwise from top–left: Libratone, Bose, Yamaha, Libratone.THE WINNER
Libratone Zipp Mini 2
Small stature, massive portable sound
R
ARELY HAS A selection of
hardware impressed us like this one.
In fact, this is a first: we’ve not
awarded a full five stars to every entry in
this section of the magazine before. That
should be evidence enough that if you’re
looking for an AirPlay 2 speaker, any one
of these will serve you wonderfully.
In the end we’ve put the Libratone
Zipp Mini 2 in the top spot, mainly
because we have to pick a winner, and
because of its convenience. AirPlay 2 is
really all about its multiroom experience,and scattering a few of these compact,
flexible devices around the home (or,
indeed, taking one around with you)
makes it the clear winner on that count.
But here’s the caveat: if money was no
object, we’d fill our home with Bose
Home Speaker 500s, because the sound
is really something else. And if money
was an object (let’s be more realistic
here), and we had neither any other
serious audio gear nor a huge number of
rooms to fill with audio, a MusicCast 50
would cover that niche quite nicely.> Libratone Zipp Mini 2
$229 From libratone.com
Specs Alexa enabled, 12–hour battery
Next to its bigger sister,
the Zipp 2 (a device we’ve
seen and loved before)
the Mini 2 seems like
a straightforward sibling
clone: smaller, but very
similar in appearance.
There’s the zippable cover;
perfect for a new look, the
internal battery which is great for taking
the party outdoors, the touch–activated
control panel on top, and the sound: a
brash, loud, meaty mix that suits a fun
time. Whatever it may lack compared to
the larger alternative, it makes up for in
pep. This is far more than you could
realistically expect in such a small
package — but if AirPlay 2 isn’t top of
your list, Ultimate Ears’ waterproof Boom
3 may offer a different kind of versatility.AWESOME> Bose Home 500
$399.95 From bose.com
Specs Alexa/Google Assistant,
integrated screenThis Home Speaker 500
from Bose carries a rich
soundstage that’s heavy
on the bass, and nimble
enough to cover the rest
of the audio spectrum
just as handily. Perhaps this isn’t the
premier option if you’re looking for
something pure (even after using the
in–app balance tweaks it remains
somewhat excitable), but it’s definitely an
experience speaker. Extra points for the
rather unique display, which pulls in
album art and source info, and the slick
ability to use your choice of smart
assistant. No Siri (that’s pretty much
taken for granted by now) but if you’re
into Alexa or Google Assistant you can
take your pick.AWESOME> Yamaha MusicCast 50
$499.95 From yamaha.com
Specs Alexa enabled, two-way speakers
Yamaha's
offering is
certainly the
most flexible
player here. This really feels like a
replacement for a whole hi–fi setup;
there’s a choice of auxiliary inputs, the
option to use Bluetooth or Wi–Fi for
streaming, and a whole host of wireless
niceties to extend its capabilities. Stereo
pairing (using Yamaha’s own technology)
is another of the options — though its
capable of filling a room with a
competent and clean sound all on its
own. The looks and footprint are likely
to be more than a little divisive, and it
does seem to prefer playing at the lower
end of its volume range, however this is
an excellent speaker for those with
smaller homes.AWESOMEBest AirPlay 2 speakers
The Libratone Zipp Mini 2 looks great and its
performance belies its small size.Airplay time
maclife.com DEC 2019 71