Reviewed: Victrola’s New Music Edition 2 Bluetooth Speaker Has a Hidden Wireless Phone Charger
Our editors independently select the products we recommend. We may earn a commission on items bought through our links.
Victrola’s reputation comes from its fantastic turntables, but the company’s foray into Bluetooth speakers is a splashy one. We wrote about Victrola’s new speakers when they first debuted in October 2022, and even though the portable speaker market is absolutely saturated with products, we were intrigued. Now that we’ve had the chance to test out these speakers for ourselves, we’re ready to render a verdict.
Today's Top Deals
Get DIY-Ready With Dewalt's 20V Max Cordless Drill Driver Kit, Over $100 Off
Brave The Elements With This Rechargeable Hand Warmer, 20% Off
With two new speakers poised to enter a crowded market, how will the brand fare? Victrola faces steep competition from Sony, Marshall, Sonos, Anker and tons more brands. We were sent units to test for ourselves and were eager to dive into both. How do they stack up to the many party speakers for sale in 2022?
The Music Edition 1 impressed us, but how does its more expensive sibling do? Find out in SPY’s Victrola Music Edition 2 review below.
Victrola Music Edition 2 Bluetooth Speaker
Buy Now On Amazon
Buy Now on Victrola
The Verdict: This powerful and impressive Bluetooth speaker is worth the money, especially if you already own Victrola turntables. With cool features like wireless charging, it justifies the high cost.
Pros
Really impressive sound
Fantastic battery life
Great extra features
Cons
Might be too expensive for some
Design might not be to everyone’s taste
Dimensions | 8.98 x 3.54 x 4.41 inches |
Coolest Feature | Built-in wireless charging pad |
Battery | -Up to 20 hours |
Waterproof Rating | IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating |
Setting Up the Victrola Music Edition 2 Bluetooth Speaker
Like most Bluetooth speakers, setting up the Music Edition 2 is straightforward and easy. Upon powering up the device, I made sure the speaker was in Bluetooth pairing mode and then selected the Music Edition 2 from the list. Once there, the device was all set and ready to go. Upon powering it up on subsequent uses, the speaker paired pretty quickly. So there’s no need to fret about it taking too long to boot up and get to the music.
Victrola Music Edition 2 Bluetooth Speaker Design
We have to be honest: we think both the name and the design of the Music Edition 2 leave something to be desired, although there is a lot we love about this new speaker.
While the Music Edition 1 is a vertical speaker, the Music Edition 2 is decidedly horizontal and almost twice as thick as the 1. The increased size isn’t just for show, as the speaker contains passive bass radiators for increased output and moves its controls to the upper portion, where they’re easy to get to. And, critically, the top portion of the speaker contains a charging pad for wireless-charging-enabled devices. While the 2 is portable, it’s not quite as easy to grab and go as its cheaper sibling, but won’t require a whole audio team to move it around either. The 2 can fit easily in a tote bag if you don’t mind having it be slightly on the heavier side.
Overall, the design is similar to the Music Edition 1, full of little triangular designs overlayed on top of the interior speaker mesh to add a strong level of durability to the heft speaker. The Music Edition has an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating should you want to use it outdoors, but it definitely is meant to function as a tabletop speaker at the centerpiece of your coffee table or media console.
Victrola Music Edition 2 Review: Speaker Performance
The Music Edition 2 is really impressive on all counts when it comes to its overall performance. I think the best example of its power is something I discovered by accident. I forgot to turn off the device before crawling into bed one night, leaving it on my kitchen table downstairs. As I fired up Marvel SNAP for a few quick rounds before I went to bed, the sound from the Music Edition 2 was loud enough on full blast that I thought the speaker was in the room across the hallway. That’s an impressive range, both on the Bluetooth connection itself and the power of the audio too. The Music Edition 2 can easily be the go-to speaker for a party without feeling like you’d need to invest in an additional unit, as it can fill a large space with ease.
As for the sound quality itself, the Music Edition 2 is slightly bass-forward but not in an overwhelming way. The drums on Band of Horses’ “Ice Night We’re Having” felt punchy, percussive, and vibrant. “VIRGO’S GROOVE” from Beyoncé felt appropriately dancy and definitely caused me to attempt a body roll through the kitchen, much to the disgust of my dog and fiancé. I really enjoy listening to music and podcasts on the Music Edition 2, and it’s certainly become my go-to speaker for listening to something while I’m cooking or even working on other random tasks.
The 20 hours of suggested battery life is accurate, as I’ve used the unit for quite a while and only needed to charge it a handful of times over the course of a month. That’s super helpful to know so that you can host gatherings for a few nights in a row and not need to fret about recharging. Speaking of recharging: the charging pad on the top really works and is definitely a handy feature to have if you’re about out of juice at a party. However, I did notice the speaker did not charge my iPhone through its case when I placed it there but had no issue with the AirPods Pro 2.
The one that may stick out about the Music Edition 2 is its price. However, that tag is about standard across the industry for a speaker of this. Hell, I’d go a step further and say that Victrola may be slightly undercharging for this speaker.
The Verdict: Victrola’s Music Edition 2 Bluetooth Speaker is Worth Taking for a Spin
We’re really, really impressed by both of Victrola’s speakers, but the Music Edition 2 is definitely the crown jewel of the two. If you somehow don’t have a great home speaker, this one is well worth taking for a spin.
Victrola Music Edition 2 Bluetooth Speaker
Buy Now On Amazon
More Top Deals from SPY
Best of SPY
Click here to see more up-to-date holiday deals!
