Fender’s ultra-hip and classy Newport Bluetooth speaker literally stopped me in my tracks when I was walking the floor at Summer NAMM this year. This little “mini amp” speaker is the perfect marriage of technology and tone, and it is the ultimate fun accessory for Fender and guitar enthusiasts alike.
Modeled after their custom ’68 amps, this 30-watt speaker’s sound is just as impressive as its aesthetic, and much like the classic amps we’ve all come to know and love, the Newport absolutely CRANKS!
You can adjust your treble or bass settings according to the music you’re listening to using their distinguishable witch-hat knobs and enjoy classic Fender tone with two full-range speakers and one Tweeter.
The Newport also features onboard microphone echo-canceling technology (great for whenever calls come in), and a USB charge port just in case you want to power up your phone or any of your other devices. You can play songs from your phone using Bluetooth, or you can use its auxiliary input jack, allowing you to connect any device with a 1/8” (3.5mm) output—mono or stereo. It is also portable and houses a Li-ion battery big enough to keep it running for up to 12 hours.
Perhaps the coolest feature of the Newport, however, would be the little guitar lick that plays whenever you power on the speaker or pair it with your phone, or when you disconnect from Bluetooth. I also love the “on/off” toggle, which makes you feel like you’re about to play a crushing set.
While I’m partial to the more retro, more eye-popping Sonic Blue, the Newport is available in 3 other bold colors.
Priced at $149.99 in black and $159.99 for the other shades, the Newport would be my first choice over other Bluetooth speakers in the 30-watt range because of its fantastic tone and obvious cool factor. It has excellent mid-range and enough top end, and little to no distortion even when you crank it all the way up. The only complaint I have (if I really wanted to nitpick) is the weight of the speaker (perhaps it would be bothersome if you’re traveling with it a lot), but I’m more than happy to tote it around it if it means I’ll be getting a great, clean sound when streaming music.
Overall, the Newport is a reasonably priced, high-quality Bluetooth speaker that sounds every bit as good as it looks. It’s not just some whimsy accessory; this, my friends, is the real deal.