Right now, I’d suggest avoiding these Gear4 speakers if you’re looking to set up a large multiroom system since the software is just too poor. It will likely improve, but by how much is anyone’s guess. Gear4 offers a diverse range of speakers that are designed to deliver an immersive audio experience. Whether you are looking for a compact portable speaker or a powerful home theater system, Gear4 has got you covered. With innovative features and advanced technologies, these speakers ensure that you can enjoy your favorite music or movies with exceptional sound quality.

Devices with Bluetooth 3.0 (A2DP / HFP / HSP) or later. Range up to 10m, depending on line of sight For detailed instructions on how to set up and use Gear4 speakers, refer to the user manual enclosed with your product. Oddly when detached the portable section of the speaker looks much better, due in a large part to being far thinner. This segment (if you will) is held in place in a recess at the sub unit’s front by a couple of tabs at the bottom and magnets at the top. Frustratingly this mechanism isn’t particularly secure and could do with some stronger magnets. Overall, the app is poorly designed, and in some parts it’s truly terrible. It weaves in Tidal and the vTuner Internet Radio services, and it makes the former an almost incomprehensible mess. There’s also a USB port, designed to let you charge a phone, but its usefulness is limited when the Stream 3 has to be plugged in anyway.Charging the speaker uses a micro USB connection from a PC or a laptop. You can even use a USB wall plug to charge the speaker too. It took an overnight charge for us to get the speaker to full battery power. The Bluetooth max range of the speaker is 10 meters. This works great if you’re outside, but indoors, this becomes a bit of a struggle due to other signals and walls being in the way. There are an abundance of portable speakers on the market now, and it feels like Gear4 have made a good percentage of them. They’ve just released their new Soundwave, a small portable Bluetooth speaker that holds a 6-hour charge. By now you’re probably wondering how the Gear4 Duo sounds and if you were hoping I was about to say “very good” then I’m afraid I have to disappoint you. That isn’t as simple a conclusion as it may seem; the problem with the Duo is that by trying to do two things pretty well, it has fallen into the age-old trap of, in fact, doing neither quite well enough. For a comprehensive guide on setting up and using your Gear4 audio streamer, refer to the user manual included with your product. If you have the patience, though, you can do a decent amount with the app. You can use Wi-Fi Direct to connect without a router, group speakers, and setup stereo pairs by manually choosing whether each speaker plays a left, right channel or stereo feed.

Life doesn't stay put and neither should your speaker-start the party anywhere, anytime with the superior sound of HouseParty Go! This high-quality, portable speaker was designed with spontaneity in mind, encouraging you to follow your instincts and bring your favourite songs along. From a spur-of-the-moment celebration in the park to an all-night party in your living room, the HouseParty Go! is there to keep the jams coming in clear. I still don’t see that as a problem because as great as that feature sounds, the menu you’re browsing is on such a small screen that you need to be right next to it anyway, negating the need for remote control. If you’re willing to memorise the button sequences needed then it works quite well though.

The Gear4 Stream 3’s software displays the same poor quality as the Stream 1 we reviewed recently, its sound is – while comparable – far less problematic. If you’re more of a Spotify fan, you can bypass the app altogether. The Gear4 Stream 3 supports Spotify Connect, allowing you to simply choose a speaker or group of speakers in the Spotify app. The Gear4 Stream 3 is a better-sounding speaker than the Stream 1. If you want an affordable everyday home speaker, you could do a lot worse. Gear4's hi-fi systems offer a superior audio experience without compromising on style and design. These systems combine powerful speakers with advanced features such as Bluetooth connectivity and multiple input options, allowing you to enjoy your favorite music from various sources. Whether you prefer streaming music wirelessly or playing from physical media, Gear4's hi-fi systems deliver exceptional sound quality.