Let’s begin by defining exactly what we mean. You’re right, cars and vehicles possess stereo systems, and increasingly good ones. But on a road trip, you tend to want to take your music away from the car and around the campsite, or beach, or wherever it is you have ended up.
This applies to campervans too, though. Just like our campervan gadget article, this is aimed at the simpler, more budget type of campervan. Often a DIY job. While we enjoy the fancy Volkswagen California (read our full review) as much as the next person, we also get giddy about going simplistic too.
Additionally, your campervan donor vehicle such as an aged Ford Transit (read our full review) or Toyota Hiace is unlikely to have desirable audio, if any at all. What we wish to do here is provide you with a range of audio options for your road trip or campervan, from tiny Bluetooth speakers to proper vehicle stereos.
The best audio options for road trips and campervans
Editor's pick
And that's just the start. Sound is projected 360 degrees and the speaker is IP67 rated (also dust and sand-proof). You get, realistically, 15-20 hours of run time. All this culminates to make the MEGABOOM 3 our foremost recommendation.
Best campervan stereo upgrade
This unit keeps the Sony reputation for quality intact. The touchscreen is easy to use and responsive. It's probably the one high-tech concession you may want to make when creating a more simplistic campervan.
Best small speaker
Rrp: £55.00
Rrp: £55.00
Dashboard, camping table, log - the SRS-XB13 can be popped wherever. And like the MEGABOOM 3, this is hardy and IP67 rated. There are a handful of colours to choose from too.
Best looking portable speaker
Rrp: £89.99
Rrp: £89.99
It's the largest portable speaker here at 34.5 x 14.7 x 20cm but the handle aids portability and the run time of up to 24 hours is better than the others.
Best old-school audio
It's certainly not as robust as the other portable speakers here and nor does it project as nice a sound. But the bar is set high by the others and the Little Shelford performs well in its own right, in addition to serving as a piece of décor too. At 10 x 13 x17cm, it's also very portable.
Best basic car stereo
Rrp: £98.99
Rrp: £98.99
In terms of sound quality, Pioneer's Advanced Sound Retriever technology and other software collectively produce crisp and pleasant audio.
Powering your portable speaker
If it is a portable speaker you opt for, charging it is rather essential in the same way fuel is for your car or campervan.
One option is to have a USB charger in your car or campervan. These are very easy to get hold of but we express the need for caution here. We know that the cheap, tacky options are not worth the time or money. Spend a couple of extra pounds, and it is only a couple of extra pounds – £5 maybe, to get a quality one that has current, voltage, temperature, and short circuit protection. Our suggestion is below.
Best USB car charger
Another alternative is solar. Where the USB car charger is faster, the solar charger is more portable, allowing you to charge your speaker or other devices away from the car or campervan.
Best small solar charger
For car stereos
If you wish to kit your campervan out with the Sony or Pioneer stereos, speakers are the natural and important next step. If you want the best in sound quality, you will want component speakers where the subwoofer and tweeter speakers are separate units. The alternative is coaxial speakers that have the subwoofer and tweeters in one speaker.
A component setup is more expensive and takes up more space but the improvement in sound quality is considerable.
In terms of installation, you can do it yourself or with a mate if either of you knows what you’re doing and/or wish to save on installation costs. It’s not difficult and there are plenty of excellent YouTube videos on the subject. Alternatively, places like Halfords offer excellent installation services for a fee and also have stereo advice if you need it.
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