The portable speaker has come along way since the rad boombox days of the ‘80s. They’ve gone from resting on your shoulder to fitting in your palm, and can now play tunes from virtually any audio source. Unfortunately, there’s one area where improvements have faltered — sound quality.
The NuForce Cube ($119) is a stylish all-in-one portable speaker that catches your eye before your ears. Available in silver, red, blue or black, its tiny size impresses the most, with dimensions measuring in at just 2.30” x 2.30” x 2.36”. But don’t let its svelte form fool you — it’s still got the power to rock.
When not belting out beats, the Cube also works as a headphone amp and USB DAC to provide rich audio detail and high-quality sound to personal listening experiences. While not wireless, a special adapter for the iPod Nano is available (making the adorable pair one the world’s smallest high-quality music systems), and the included rechargeable battery should last up to 8 hours.
It may be too small to rest on your shoulder, but go ahead and blast your jams in public. People love that.
Buy Now: $119
