I tested this suave Bluetooth speaker from Sweden and it left me with mixed feelings – here's why

Yahoo

02-03-2025

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The Happy Plugs Joy Speaker aims to offer good vibrations, a pleasing design and stunning, portable build. Don't worry, it's only a Bluetooth speaker. And for the most part, this diminutive portable speaker achieves what it sets out to do. It has an eye-catching shape fit for fashionistas, decent all-round audio and impressive build quality. But unfortunately for the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker, it just falls short of its competitors in a couple of crucial areas.
Before we get into that, though, let's start with a sound assessment. Due to its tiny size, the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker is pretty limited in terms of the quality and volume it can produce. It has a single 45mm, 5W full-range driver that produces typically clear, tonally-accurate audio. Some sounds can get a touch edgy at times – especially those in the treble range while listening at higher volumes.
But again, I still felt that the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker sounded fine given its intrinsic limitations. Specifically, I was surprised by the meatiness of the bass on offer. Next to the not-much-smaller JBL Go 4, I found the Joy speaker capable of dishing up superior low-end impact. You won't find the extra serving of detail that some of the best Bluetooth speakers can deliver, though, with more subtle sonic ornaments often hard to uncover. It's also worth noting that the speaker only harnesses the basic SBC Bluetooth codec, so you won't be able to enjoy higher-quality aptX files at their very best.
Perhaps unconventionally, the draw of this speaker isn't all too much to do with sound – it's about style. Happy Plugs refers to the Joy Speaker as 'fashion tech designed in Sweden', giving it a real sense of identity. Its rounded look, attractive color options and lace attachment certainly give it that je ne sais quoi, something that can often be overlooked in a cheaper, more bare bones speaker such as this.
Speaking of price, this Happy Plugs product will set you back just $49.99 / £39.99. Realistically, that's pretty standard stuff for a speaker in this weight class but still, it's a looker for the money. Competitors like the JBL Go 4 and Sony SRS-XB100 have very similar list prices. Other than its winsome design, the Happy Plugs Joy doesn't really do enough to set itself apart from some pretty fierce competition, in my view.
That predominantly comes down to its disappointing feature-set. Sure, the built-in mic works to a commendable standard and the ability to pair another Joy Speaker for stereo sound is handy, but that's about it as far as features go, bar the inclusion of an AUX port for wired listening. There's no companion app or way to adjust EQ – something I'd expect for a speaker released in 2025.
Another issue is the poor dust- and waterproofing offered by the Joy Speaker. It is only IPX4 rated, meaning it can withstand some water splashes or rainfall, but little else. Given you see a whole bunch of competitors, like the Ultimate Ears Miniroll, offering IP67-rated protection against dust and water submersion, IPX4 just feels a bit underwhelming, I'm afraid.
When you pair the fairly feeble protection against the elements with the speaker's 5W maximum power output, it's safe to say the Joy Speaker is better suited to bedroom use, rather than taking into the great outdoors or a party environment.
And if a small, personal speaker is all you're looking for, the Happy Plugs Joy is still an OK option at a reasonable price. Its stylish edge will no doubt earn its fair share of plaudits, even if there's a shortage of features and undercooked protection against the elements. Overall, I'd still say you're better off with the JBL Go 4, or even one of the best waterproof speakers like the excellent Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 – both of which offer impressive audio in a similarly mini package, but one that can also be dunked fully in a pool and survive.
$49.99 / £39.99 (about AU$80)
Launched in January 2025
The Happy Plugs Joy Speaker released at the beginning of 2025, carrying a very modest list price of $49.99 / £39.99 (about AU$80). That price applies to each of the four color variants this speaker comes in, namely: Black; Blue; Green; and Pink. The Happy Plug Joy Speaker's main competitors at this price-point include the excellent JBL Clip 5 and supremely durable LG XBoom Go XG2T – more on those in the 'Also Consider' section.
Lacks companion app and EQ adjustment
Middling battery life
Has effective built-in mic
I don't like to do this, honestly I don't – but I'm going to start on a negative note. The Happy Plugs Joy Speaker has a pretty limited set of features. For a speaker released in 2025, that's pretty disappointing – even for a small one like this.
A lot of that stems from the omission of a companion app, which instantly restricts what this thing can do. You won't find any ways to adjust EQ, view connected devices or get the visual on battery life, for example. That's a bit of a let down when you consider that small options like the JBL Go 4 offer all of this and more (we'll talk more about this little treasure later).
There are some features of note, though, like the inclusion of a built-in mic, stereo pairing and an AUX port for wired listening. Now, in fairness, the inbuilt microphone is above average – I found call quality to be slightly superior to my phone in speaker or earpiece mode. Similarly, when recording a voice note, I felt that my speech was clear at varying distances, even if there was a bit of feedback lurking in the background.
Stereo pairing is a handy inclusion, especially as this speaker can't get too loud – more on that later. AUX is cool too if you're into wired listening, but I suspect most will stick with Bluetooth. This uses version 5.3, which is plenty good enough – although some competitors are using version 5.4 as of the time of writing.
On top of this, you're getting up to eight hours of playtime with the Happy Plugs Joy. That's fairly average stuff. Sure, it's superior to the seven hours offered by the JBL Go 4, but it's vastly inferior to the fantastic 16 hours you'll get with the Sony SRS-XB100. A strong battery life would've added some much needed credit into this speaker's account, but ultimately it just feels a bit uninteresting, feature-wise.
Features score: 2.5/5
Decently clear all-round audio
Surprisingly full bass output
Fairly weak power output
Sound-wise, I was left with conflicting thoughts on the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker. Right off the bat, I can tell you that the manufacturer's claim of 'high quality audio' is stretching the meaning a bit. When tuning into That Lady Pts. 1 & 2 by The Isley Brothers, I found some percussive elements to be a touch tinny-sounding at high volumes and side-by-side with the JBL Go 4, vocals occasionally lacked control.
But overall, I still felt that sound quality was solid for both its size and price. And in some areas it outclassed the Go 4. For instance, when bumping Dasha - Tour Mauborg Remix by Fusion Affair, the bass thump running throughout hit with significantly more impact and weight when listening via the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker. Similarly, I was impressed by the depth of the drum machine in Black Eye by Allie X, even if the speaker wasn't quite dynamic enough to replicate the bouncing effect of the bass bounding throughout the intro.
In addition, I sensed that the acoustic guitar running through Come sweet death, second impact by Megumi Hayashibara was fairly expressive and tonally accurate. It was also pleasantly forward until vocals entered the fray and deservedly assumed the limelight. I will caveat that with a note that densely layered tracks, such as I Want You by Moloko, aren't expertly emulated, with synths, vocals, percussion, strings and more sometimes bunching up to create a slightly restricted-sounding result.
But much of that is down to the inherent limitations of speakers this small. You're rarely going to be smacked by a majestically broad, nuanced soundstage or massively full-sounding profile from a model this mini – I have tested enough speakers of this size to know it. I wasn't getting a huge dose of detail out of my favorite tracks either, with more granular sonic elements often left under wraps. That reminds me: this speaker only supports the basic SBC codec – no aptX or LDAC for less-compressed Bluetooth streaming this time out, I'm afraid.
Another issue that's pretty typical of tiny speakers like this is relatively low power output. And the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker doesn't look to buck that trend. It has a single 5W 45mm driver that can't get all too loud. Sure, it will have enough power for solo bedroom listening, but if you're turning up to the party with this, you're going to be left wanting more. On that note, if you're more of a party animal, it's well worth checking out our guide to the best party speakers.
So here I am, left with pretty mixed feelings. Overall, I'm leaning towards a positive outlook on the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker – and not just because of the name. It offers generally clear audio, surprisingly attention-grabbing bass output and stereo sound – if you have two paired in stereo mode. But there are some imperfections, too, including occasionally tinny output, restricted volume potential and a lack of detail.
Sound quality score: 3.5/5
Small, stunning appearance
Outdated IPX4 waterproofing
Beautiful color options
But arguably the main strength of this lil' speaker is its eye-catching design – after all, Happy Plugs itself describes the Joy Speaker as 'a statement piece'. I'm not sure if it's quite the fashion revolution that it's made out to be, but still, I really like the look of this speaker. (Is it worth mentioning that some of the TechRadar team call this review sample Grogu? I suppose I just have.)
The Joy speaker almost has a rounded trapezoid structure, with a classy-looking fabric speaker grille on its front and reverse side. It also has five small, easy-to-use button controls on the top, which subtly blend into the rubber casing that coats the edge of the device. These include play/pause, call and volume controls, as well as power on/off and Bluetooth. There's a small LED that flashes to indicate if the speaker is charging or in pairing mode, which is a useful visual prompt as well.
On the side of the Joy Speaker, you'll discover a tab, under which lies a USB-C port that can charge the speaker from 0-100% in two and a half hours, as well as an AUX port. This will let you play music via a wired connection, if you feel so inclined.
One more highlight – I'm a big fan of the color options available here. I tested out a broccoli-shade green model, but there's also a dusty pink or blue and a deep black variant available. These colorways compliment the speaker's 'fashion tech' identity to a tee and make for a nice break from the plain, single color direction a lot of rivals go in.
This is all positive stuff so far, but when it comes to practicality, this speaker is a bit of a mixed bag. First, the pros. The lace attached to the side of the speaker looks sleek and is super effective for hanging it off a backpack or nearby attachment. There are also four mini rubber feet on the speaker that keep it in an upright position, even if it gets knocked a little. But I have one major gripe: the dust and waterproof rating.
The Happy Plugs Joy Speaker is only IPX4-rated, meaning it's resistant to light rain and splashes of water, but little more. For a speaker in this age, that's simply not cutting it. Almost every major manufacturer is putting out IP67 – or at least IPX7-rated speakers, which enables them to survive submersion under water for extended periods of time. IPX4 isn't ideal for listening at the beach or in the shower, for instance, whereas a speaker like the Ultimate Ears Miniroll will easily be able to pull through.
Design score: 4/5
Price is in-line with competition
Sound is about what you'd expect in this range
But competitors offer superior feature-set and durability
At $49.99 / £39.99, the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker very much blends in with rivals including the JBL Go 4 and Sony SRS-XB100. It's by no means expensive, but not a crazy bargain either. Due to its age, you can occasionally find the Go 4 for less than $40 / £30, which is phenomenal value for money, so with time, I'd hope to see the Joy Speaker discounted to a similar level.
For a speaker of its size, the Joy Speaker does perform pretty well where it matters most – sound. Of course, you're not going to get perfectly crisp, detailed or booming audio, but for the most part it's expressive and clear enough to keep you engaged and enjoying your queued tunes. And of course, it is very easy on the eye. There's not a lot of power here and it's not so well protected against the elements, but if you're just looking for a speaker to use in your bedroom, it will do the trick, no problem.
Ultimately, there are a host of better-value options out there. I mentioned the JBL Go 4 there, which can sound a little thinner through the low-end but does have EQ adjustment options, a useful companion app and superior protection against the elements. Even the LG XBoom Go XG2T – which I marked down for limited EQ presets – still had some… and it offered superior battery life.
In its own right, the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker is fine value-wise. It gets the basics right, but just skips out on a few too many niceties to outdo its rivals. Unless you're a real lover of its design, I'd wager that you'll be tempted to consider some of those other options.
Value score: 3.5/5
You're all about styleIf the most important thing for you is stunning looks, the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker is well worth considering. It comes in four neat colorways, has a mini, curved build and dons well-sized buttons to boot.
You're on a budgetThe Happy Plugs Joy isn't outrageously cheap for a speaker of this size, but it's definitely not overly expensive either. At $49.99 / £39.99 it's a nice option if you're on a budget, although there are some small competitors, like the LG XBoom Go XG2T, that can be found at a similar pricepoint on sale, so make sure to weigh your options.
You want top-tier sound qualityGiven that it's a small-sized speaker, the Happy Plugs Joy sounds decent. But if you want a beautiful sonic experience for this size, you'll be better off with an option like the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 – more on that below.
You're looking for a speaker that's shower or beach-readyOne of my biggest gripes with this speaker is its weak dust and waterproofing. It's just IPX4 rated, meaning it can survive water splashes, but not submersion or anything. That's not great considering a lot of competitors, like the JBL Go 4, can withstand being dunked a meter underwater for 30 minutes.
JBL Go 4The JBL Go 4 is a diminutive, stylish and solid-sounding speaker that's ideal for on-the-go listening. It offers pretty controlled audio given its size and surprising levels of loudness. On top of that, it has a superior IP67 waterproof rating, in-app EQ adjustment and cool color options to match. Read our full JBL Go 4 review.
Tribit Stormbox Micro 2Tribit has been putting out some amazing value audio tech over the past two years and the Stormbox Micro 2 is no exception. With excellent sound quality, fantastic protection against the elements, an awesome 12-hour battery life and the ability to charge your phone, there's just so much to love here. Read our full Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 review.
Tested for one week
Mainly used at our music testing space at Future Labs
Predominantly tested using Tidal
I spent hours playing music on the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker. I tried it out in a handful of environments, but mainly at our music testing room at Future Labs to best judge the audio quality in a quiet, controlled space.
When blasting tunes, I mainly took to Tidal using my Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, where I streamed tracks from our carefully curated TechRadar reference playlist, as well as my personal library. I also tested the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker alongside the JBL Go 4 to compare sound quality, design elements and loudness.
First reviewed: February 2025
Read more about how we test