Cleer Audio aiming to make a splash with its cheapest Bluetooth speaker yet

Cleer Audio aiming to make a splash with its cheapest Bluetooth speaker yet
(Image credit: Cleer Audio)

Cleer Audio – the San Diego audio outfit known for its affordable headphones – has taken the wraps off its most wallet-friendly Bluetooth speaker yet.

At £99 (around $120 / AU$180), the Scene appears to have plenty going for it, including dual 48mm neodymium drivers and two passive bass radiators. Cleer reckons the device a new standard for "hi-fi quality audio on the move".

If the design looks familiar, it's probably because the Scene follows the blueprint set by the Stage, the company's first smart speaker with built-in Alexa. Like its pricier sibling, the Scene is shockproof and IPX7 waterproof, meaning it can survive a dunk in 1m-deep water for 30 minutes.

Battery life is a claimed 12 hours per (USB-C) charge, so you should be able to party heartily until dawn. That compares well to some of the best Bluetooth speakers, including the class-leading JBL Flip 6, which also conks out after 12 hours of jamming. 

Digger deeper into the specs, Cleer confirms the presence of Bluetooth 5.0 – but doesn't mention higher quality streaming codecs such as aptX HD, which supports high-definition audio up to 24-bit/48kHz. Perhaps that's wishful thinking at this price point.

Like to combine business with pleasure? The Scene is kitted out for conference calls with an echo and noise-cancelling microphone that aims to prevent users from sounding like they're trapped in an elevator.

At £99, the Scene won't be short of competition, with JBL's range of portable Bluetooth speakers and Ultimate Ears' Wonderboom 3 leading the charge. Still, Cleer has form here: three years ago, the company launched the hefty Crescent wireless speaker, complete with no fewer than eight 40mm full-range drivers. Let's hope the Scene has some of that punch.

Available in red or grey, the Cleer Audio Scene is available now in the UK.

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Tom is a journalist, copywriter and content designer based in the UK. He has written articles for T3, ShortList, The Sun, The Mail on Sunday, The Daily Telegraph, Elle Deco, The Sunday Times, Men's Health, Mr Porter, Oracle and many more (including What Hi-Fi?). His specialities include mobile technology, electric vehicles and video streaming.