I’ve been to some totally epic parties, and I’ve been to more than a few that were, well, kind of duds, but I have to say that I’ve never been to a karaoke party that wasn’t an absolute blast.
And not just parties, either – I have several friends who have nice karaoke speakers and karaoke machines in their homes and have so much fun singing, with their family, their friends or even just by themselves.
If you’ve been thinking about getting your own karaoke machine, finding the right one, that sounds great, works perfectly and will last, will make a huge difference, so I’ve put together a list of the best karaoke speakers you can get in 2024.
If you really just want to get clicking and then prepare your guest list and onion dip, here are my top 3 (ok, maybe 4) choices:
What Is a Karaoke Speaker?
- Best Karaoke Speaker Overall MASINGO Soprano XL Karaoke Machine
- Best Karaoke Speaker – Budget JYX JYX-66 Karaoke Machine with Wireless Mics
- My Favorite Karaoke Speaker – it’s a tie! JBL PartyBox Portable Karaoke Party Speaker // RHM Karaoke Machine with Wireless Microphones
Karaoke speakers are simply speakers that can connect and communicate with two other gadgets
- 1 or more wireless microphones, and
- A phone, PC or other Bluetooth device
Your phone or PC – or a tablet, music player or any other Bluetooth device – provides the music you’ll sing along to, and the microphone is there for you to reveal to your friends and family, or your cat, your true star potential.
I say “Bluetooth device,” but in fact the device that you use to play the music on your new karaoke speaker can either be a wireless Bluetooth phone or PC – the most popular method these days – or it can be anything that plays audio, since most karaoke speakers also have wired inputs for tape players, televisions, MP3 players and even the headphone outputs from those PCs and phones.
A Karaoke player also might have slots for a USB stick and/or an SD memory card, on which you have digital music files, and it may have other playback / connectivity options as well, like HDMI.
Karaoke systems have never been less expensive or easier to put together. Back in the day karaoke speakers needed to have a CD player as well, and you would also get special CDs with music but no vocal tracks – some super-fancy ones even had VHS tape decks!
But now you can simply search the internet, or directly search YouTube, for something like “best karaoke music from the 90s” and you’ll get scads and scads of appropriate videos, which display the lyrics of popular songs, play the music itself without the singing, and leave it to you to beautifully fill in the vocal tracks.
I use the word “beautifully,” but of course bad singing is often the best singing – as the saying goes, if you sing karaoke well, everybody will have a great time, but if you sing terribly everybody will have a much better time.
Can You Use Any Bluetooth Speaker for Karaoke?
That would be great, especially since so many people already have at least one decent Bluetooth wireless speaker in their lives.
But karaoke speakers generally have two different wireless systems – often a UHF system for the microphones and a standard Bluetooth protocol for your phone or PC, or they have Bluetooth wireless as well as a wired microphone. This way the music and the singing will be amplified and play together in all their glory on the same speaker.
And, again, I use the word “glory”…
You could, conceivably, get some sort of Bluetooth microphone, and use one speaker for it, and connect your phone or PC to another Bluetooth speaker, but the effect isn’t nearly as good, or as fun, and becomes a bit of a hassle anyway.
Fortunately even the very best karaoke speakers are really affordable, and they have everything you need to get up and running, or singing, and have a fantastically fun time.
How Can You Find the Best Karaoke Speakers?
Well, that’s why we’re here.
I’ve used a lot of karaoke speakers, and have tons of colleagues and friends who have good karaoke speaker systems, or themselves have at least tried several different brands and models, and so from my own experiences and their feedback I’ve put together a list of the 10 best karaoke speakers on the market right now.
But before we get into the list, it might be helpful to talk briefly about what makes a good karaoke speaker.
Great Sound
A Karaoke speaker should have bright, clear (and even flattering) vocal sound, bass that is strong and exciting but never overpowering, tons of energy and the ability to play really loud without strain, but still sound good at lower volumes. Mostly, the best karaoke speakers will sound fun!
Durability
I’m not saying that inevitably, at some point, drinks will be spilled on your precious new karaoke speaker, or somebody, lost in rhapsodic crooning, will trip and fall into the speaker, or a guest will drop a microphone into the onion dip. But if it does happen, the karaoke speaker and mics should just take it in stride, and still work and sound great.
Clear Microphones
Like the speaker itself, karaoke microphones should have a clear and fun sound, and should sound equally good whether you are whispering or screaming.
Good Wireless
Not only should the Bluetooth be fully up to date and work perfectly, the wireless system for the microphones should also work flawlessly, with plenty of range and no annoying drop-outs – although when aunt Edna is in the middle of her Nancy Sinatra impersonation – again – you may pray for a failed connection.
Connectivity
A good karaoke speaker will at least have Bluetooth wireless streaming, so you can play karaoke music from your phone or PC, see the lyrics on your device’s screen and listen to it and sing along using the karaoke system.
But a karaoke system might also have wired audio inputs so you can connect your phone or computer, or many other playback devices, directly, as well as a USB port and/or SD slot for digital music files like MP3, and even possibly an HDMI connection for fancy-schmancy hi-res karaoke videos with scrolling lyrics on your big-screen TV.
Reliability
There’s absolutely no doubt you’re going to love your new karaoke speaker, and so you would like it to last as long as possible, and to work just as well and sound just as good the whole time.
Flashing Lights
Ok, maybe not a must, but lots of the best karaoke machines have pretty cool light shows, which just add to the fun.
Ok, so now that we have a better idea of just what we’re looking for, let’s get this party started, as I sing the praises of the 10 best karaoke machines on the market today!
The Best Karaoke Machines in 2024: Our Top 10 Picks
Best Super-Cheap Karaoke Speaker
Singing Machine Groove Mini Karaoke System with Bluetooth and Voice Changing Effects
What I love
- Super affordable
- Surprisingly high quality
- Exciting sound
- Fun voice effects
- Great connectivity – including USB and SD cards, wired audio, HDMI and Bluetooth wireless
Downsides?
- No wireless microphones
It’s no secret that Singing Machines makes some of the best karaoke systems you can get, both home use and professional karaoke speakers, but it is a real surprise that they make such an inexpensive karaoke speaker – especially one that’s as well made and high quality as their more ‘serious’ systems.
But the Singing Machine Groove mini portable karaoke system is just that – a very good quality small karaoke speaker with microphone that has a big, fun sound, and one that is both highly advanced and extremely well made.
You can stream music to the Groove wirelessly using Bluetooth, or use wired inputs to directly connect your phone or PC, and you can plug in a USB stick for playing MP3 files – you can even record to USB in case you want to blackmail people later on. And, as a reflection of the professional focus of this great company, there is a HDMI port for high resolution video with scrolling lyrics.
But don’t let the amazingly advanced features and functionality fool you – this is a very simple and easy to use machine, with really fun sound – including silly voice effects – and really cool synchronized lights, and is, despite its quality and performance, almost unbelievably affordable.
Best Karaoke Speaker for Kids
YLL Kids Toy Karaoke Machine Bluetooth Speaker with Wireless Microphone
What I love
- Amazing quality and durability for a kids’ machine
- Great sound
- Nice light show
- Fun voice effects
- Portable
Downsides?
- No wireless microphones
There are a lot of at least decent karaoke speakers aimed at kids, with lights, colors and overall style meant to be as fun and appealing as possible to younger singers.
Some of them are not as well made as we might want, or need, considering how rambunctious kids can be, and some of them are almost a wee bit obnoxiously over-flashy, but a super-fun and nicely fancy choice is the Croove Kids’ Karaoke Machine, which I’m sure any younger kid would just flip over.
But to me a much better choice comes from the same company we just went to for our best budget karaoke machine – The Singing Machine, whose Mood karaoke speaker is incredibly well built, has fantastic sound and, if not as flashy as some, still has the flashing lights and fun style kids love.
The Singing Machine Mood karaoke speaker system has simple and easy to use controls, Bluetooth streaming for phones and PCs, a really good wired microphone, a fun echo effect for vocals and a cool light show, and just amazing little stereo speakers with surprising bass, great clarity and detail and a lot of energy.
Another inexpensive winner from the company that also makes some pretty high end home and professional karaoke systems, the Singing Machine Mood is the best made, most durable and best sounding of its type, and the perfect karaoke speaker for kids.
Quality, Value, Versatility and Superb Sound
FullLife Karaoke Machine with 2 Wireless Microphones
What I love
- Fantastic high fidelity sound for the price
- Intelligent layout and easy to use
- Superb build quality
- Premium fit and finish
- Voice-Cut Feature
Downsides?
- A bit understated for a party machine
The FullLife karaoke machine is not the most glaringly, flashingly, screamingly fun karaoke speaker in the world – in fact, it is downright understated compared to some of the bright, pulsing party machines out there.
But what the FullLife may lack in flashing lights or bright colors or bright, boomy sound, it definitely makes up for in two very important ways – it is a very well made, reliable and durable karaoke speaker, and it has fantastic sound – again, though, not the big, boomy, bright and bassy sound which can be so perfect for wilder singing soirees, but a more accurate and refined high fidelity sound than anything else even close to this affordable price range.
With two wireless speakers, Bluetooth 5 streaming, USB, SD card and wired audio inputs, the FullLife karaoke speaker is as advanced as any, and it even features a nice vocal-cut circuit, which lets you use any music for karaoke singing, as well as several nice vocal effects and mixes.
A superior quality karaoke speaker for very little money, the FullLife karaoke system is a perfect karaoke machine for serious vocal training at a low price, and still a great speaker for parties and family fun, and even professional meetings and presentations. With extremely clear, accurate sound and exceptional material and build quality, the FullLife is one of the best values on the market, and highly recommended.
Best Value Karaoke Speaker
JYX JYX-66 Karaoke Machine with 2 UHF Wireless Microphones
What I love
- The best value
- Intelligent layout and user interface
- Handy remote control
- Great sound for the money
- Really portable and tough
- Full connectivity
- Stereo pairing
Downsides?
- No light show
Around for 20 years now, JYX has become one of the true leaders in home karaoke machines, and really any one of their systems could be considered a best value karaoke speaker.
But their basic two-mic portable karaoke speaker, the JYX-66. seems to me to be one of the very best buys of them all, with really superior material, build and overall quality, flawless performance and really impressive sound – and all of this for a very low price.
Features-wise this JYX karaoke speaker is just right, with long-range and ultra-stable 5.0 Bluetooth wireless streaming for phones and PCs, as well as other music options like USB and SD card inputs and a wired audio connection, similarly stable and long-range UHF wireless microphones with clear and expressive sound, a nice and useful remote control and even a built-in FM radio.
And the sound quality is, to me at least, that perfect combination of high fidelity – with great clarity and detail, low distortion and warm musicality – and fun – with really slamming bass, tons of energy and a bright, exciting sound that is never harsh or tiring. And if you want more of a good thing, you can get two and easily stereo pair them.
I have tried karaoke systems that were twice as expensive, or more, that didn’t sound nearly as good, or as fun, as this one, and were not nearly as well made or well finished – to me, the JYX-66 karaoke speaker is an easy choice for the best value karaoke speaker, and a fantastic unit.
I should say, though, that the JYX-66 has no light show, and for a more flashy experience, and another great value, you might want to look at the JYX-S55
The Complete Kit!
Singsation Performer All-In-One Karaoke System & Party Machine
What I love
- Star Maker
- Ideal for performers and performing
- Intelligent and useful layout
- Nice, solid and adjustable microphone / music / device stand
- Fun, dynamic sound
- Nice light show
Downsides?
- Not the most powerful bass – though still more than enough for most people
The aptly named Singsation Performer all-in-one karaoke system is really the whole package, and all in a sensationally smart and clever layout that seems to encourage performers to really ham it up – American Idol, America’s Got Talent, The Voice and Your Karaoke Party!
A high quality wired microphone can be taken in hand or rested on the telescoping stand, which also has a device holder for your phone or table, so you can stand in front of your adoring audience and sing your heart out while reading the lyrics scrolling along the screen.
This nifty height-adjustable mic/music stand comes up from a super-cool, complete control center, with pods for volume control and music and mic levels, voice and sound effects, light effects and colors, all your inputs and outputs, two super-powerful, rich and dynamic stereo speakers and a bright and fun disco light ball.
The sound is just fantastic, with tons of volume and musical energy and really rich and flattering vocals. There may not be as much really deep bass as some karaoke speakers, but there is definitely enough, and is nicely boosted, detailed and impactful.
Build quality is very good, like all Singsation products, and the tech – including latest generation Bluetooth wireless and superior audio components and circuitry – is all first rate.
For a complete karaoke system that includes everything you need, and really makes you feel like a star, the Singsation all-in-one is a great product, and will make sure everybody will have the time of their lives.
Great for Older Kids
Singsation Freestyle Karaoke Party System with Light Show & Sound Effects
What I love
- Fun and attractive design
- Great sound for a smaller unit
- Small but powerful light show
- Excellent wireless microphones
- Good range of connectivity / music input options
- High levels of material and build quality
Downsides?
- Won’t play as loud as bigger units
The Freestyle is the second recommended product from Singsation on our list of best karaoke speakers – the company really does make tons of great karaoke products, and their Freestyle two-mic wireless karaoke speaker is one of their best.
I call the Freestyle a great choice for older kids, and definitely its complement of tasteful – almost understated – style and a bit of flash, as well as its balance of simplicity and sophisticated features and functions, would definitely appeal to nearly any tween or teen.
But the SingStation Freestyle is actually a great karaoke speaker for anybody – it is small and easy to put and use anywhere, but has amazingly big, full sound, with a lot more bass than you would expect and real clarity and detail, not to mention just tons of fun musical energy.
The Freestyle has all the connectivity and playback options you’d want and need, with USB, SD and wired auxiliary audio inputs as well as Bluetooth wireless streaming. It includes two excellent wireless microphones, and has nice vocal effects and sound effects, as well as a brilliant light show.
And the Freestyle is surprisingly robust and well made, and seems really built to last.
An affordable but high quality karaoke speaker with a cool design and great sound, the SingStation Freestyle is especially ideal for older kids and young adults, but actually is a great choice for anybody at any age, and would make a wonderful and really fun gift.
Best Sounding Karaoke Speaker – Mid-Priced
Ion Audio Block Rocker Plus Portable 100W Bluetooth Speaker
What I love
- Enormous sound
- Fantastic bass
- Great sounding microphone
- Tough and durable case
- Big but nicely portable
- High volume and dynamic energy without strain
Downsides?
- Wired microphone
- Limited connectivity – no USB or SD inputs
If you want the biggest, most exciting and fun sound imaginable, and for a still surprisingly affordable price, look no further than the awesome Ion Audio Block Rocker Plus!
I should say right from the onset that I am not recommending the Block Rocker Plus for its advanced technology. This beautiful, brutal beast has 100 watts peak power, a big woofer and a bright, powerful and sweetly smooth tweeter and even a bass boost button for even more slam, but, hulking monster that it is, Ion’s Block Rocker Plus is not the smartest kid on the block.
It does have Bluetooth wireless streaming, and a simple wired audio connection as well, but no special connectivity options like USB or SD card, and the microphone is wired, not wireless. That said, it does also have a built-in AM/FM radio, the audio componentry inside is pure premium, and overall the material and build quality are first rate.
And the sound is fantastic- huge, dynamic and super-powerful, with really exciting musical energy, deep, impactful bass, smooth and open mids and very clear, detailed highs without a hint of harshness. And did I mention huge?
The case is seriously strong and overbuilt – a tough, high impact plastic enclosure with a telescoping handle and heavy duty wheels – and the design and user interface is smart and simple. All in all a perfect big, powerful karaoke speaker for outdoor parties or large spaces, or for added oomph and excitement even for smaller parties.
Best Light Show
MASINGO Soprano XL Karaoke Machine Wireless Microphones Party Lights
What I love
- Beautiful light show
- The most advanced tech
- Big, clear and beautiful sound
- Great bass
- Very well built
- Five band equalizer
Downsides?
- Wired microphone
I should say that I’m not just recommending the Masingo Soprano XL karaoke machine based on its fantastic light show, on the front panel and on your walls and ceiling, but the lights might be enough for many people – bright, bold and super-fun!
But lights aside, the Soprano XL is one of the most advanced karaoke machines I’ve ever used, with 2 excellent UHF wireless microphones that have stable connection, long range and fantastic sound, as well as nicely useful controls on their handles, and can handle a bit of abuse and screaming – uhm, I mean, loud but beautiful singing…
In addition, the Masingo has a wired microphone input for a third mic, latest-generation Bluetooth wireless streaming, USB and SD card slots for digital music files, wired audio inputs, a rechargeable battery with decent life, an input for power from your car battery (!), and a fantastic and enormously useful five band graphic equalizer for fine-tuning sound.
And the Masingo Soprano X1 is also one of the best sounding karaoke speakers I’ve come across, with deep, strong and nicely boosted bass, rich and clear vocals and so much dynamic energy and excitement. From the lowest to the highest volumes – which are almost frighteningly loud, especially indoors – the Soprano X1 sounds just beautiful.
With a clean, clear, powerful and distortion-free high fidelity amplifier, a tough and easily portable rollable case and those brilliant disco lights, the Masingo Soplano X1 is absolutely everything you need for an unforgettably fun party – a nearly perfect karaoke speaker for indoor or outdoor parties, smaller gatherings and larger events, and one that sounds fantastic and is built to last.
Ok, I’ll make it official – the Masingo Soprano X1 is not just my choice for the karaoke speaker with the best light show; it’s my choice for the best karaoke machine overall!
Best Bass
Moukey MTs210-1 Karaoke Machine with, Double 10″ Subwoofer
What I love
- Bass, bass and more bass
- Amazingly well balanced sound, given the big, big bass
- Big and solid and yet easily portable
- Stereo pairing
- Fantastic sounding mics
- High volume and dynamic energy without strain
Downsides?
- Not the most finessed sound – but with bass like this, who cares?
Pretty much every single product on this list of best karaoke machines has tons of bass, and not just big bass but high quality as well, nicely boosted and still well-balanced with the rest of the musical range.
But when you hear the Moukey MTs210-1 double subwoofer karaoke speaker you realize that there’s bass, and then there’s bass.
It’s frankly astonishing to me that the bass on the Moukey is still so balanced with the mids and high frequencies, and never overwhelms the vocals or the rest of the music, because the bass on this big speaker is so strong, so deep, so fast, clear and impactful that it seems that’s all you would hear.
But no, the vocals are still rich, warm, crystal clear and lifelike, and with amazing presence, and the detail on the high end is exceptional. All the way up and down the spectrum, from the awesome deep bass to the shimmering highs, there is not a hint of distortion or harshness, and the dynamic energy is fantastic – super-engaging and so much fun – whether you’re playing at moderate levels or even fully cranked.
I’m so blown away by the sound of the Moukey, but I should at least briefly mention that it also has latest generation Bluetooth wireless streaming, USB and SD slots, a wired auxiliary audio input and an FM radio, for tons of music sing-along options. It supports stereo pairing. so if you have two (that’s 4 subwoofers!) you can have even more impressive sound, and also has a bright and beautiful disco light ball and a handy remote control – and a lot more I’m not even listing here…
But the sound – and yes, the bass, so deep and strong, so slammingly exciting – is the main reason to get this machine. Yeah, it’s well made, tough and durable, portable, very well designed overall, and highly advanced technologically, but once you hear the subwoofers you might forget all about all of that!
My Favorite Karaoke Speaker
JBL PartyBox Portable Karaoke Party Speaker with Wireless Microphone
What I love
- The most exciting, fun and powerful sound
- Extreme material and build quality and supreme durability
- Guitar Input
- Intelligent and intuitive user interface
- Bottle opener!
- The most fun karaoke machine I’ve used
Downsides?
- Not as accurate in sound as the RHM – but yeah, more fun!
- No SD or USB Inputs
I have to say that I actually have two favorite karaoke speakers – the first, and possibly the better of the two, is the sweet and absolutely superb RHM Karaoke Machine, which has unbelievably pure, rich audiophile sound, tastefully boosted bass that goes deeper than many speakers twice or more as big, the most advanced connectivity and most intelligent design and truly superior build quality, fit and finish.
If you’re living in a penthouse apartment that is a artistic showcase for minimalist decor, and having some friends up to sip Campari and sing Donizetti arias, or if you want the finest karaoke machine on the planet – really, the best in every way – there is no doubt that the RHM is it, and a piece that will last for many, many years to come.
But for a very close contender for overall quality, with street cred and fun factor both through the roof, the JBL PartyBox is the clear winner, and – though it might make me sound a bit shallow – my real favorite by a slight margin.
With a lot more bass – really, a lot – than the RHM, but still a nicely balanced overall sonic signature, the JBL sounds and feels a lot more energetic, and while the vocals may not have the same level of pure accuracy or finesse, they are much more alive, somehow, more exciting and even more flattering.
JBL PartyBox portable karaoke speakers, like all JBL portable speakers, are also nearly indestructible, with IPX4 water resistance and an unbelievably tough and durable case, frame, internal components and overall build quality.
With decent connectivity – USB audio, Bluetooth wireless, auxiliary wired audio input and a nifty guitar input – and superb quality components, engineering and performance on all fronts, the PartyBox is really recommendable on all levels, and it has a very high quality wireless microphone, decent battery life, a nice and comfortable carrying strap and, most importantly, a bottle opener.
Ok, maybe the bottle opener is not the most important feature, but it does point to what is the most important quality of the JBL PartyBox karaoke speaker – just how much fun it is.
With exciting, clear and energetic sound and tons of JBL bass, a simple and intuitive layout, build quality and durability that encourages carefree use, a guitar input and, yes, a bottle opener, this is the perfect karaoke party for home or anywhere else.
If you want the best of the best, with the purest sound, the finest tech and overall quality and a beautifully understated aesthetic, I cannot possibly recommend the RHM Karaoke Machine strongly enough, but if you want to have more fun, the JBL PartyBox is as fun as it gets – a superbly made and beautifully designed product in the grand JBL tradition and my favorite Karaoke speaker for 2024.