FreePlay Stereo Portable Hi-Fi Speaker

This is exactly what I've been waiting for. An incredibly durable, well designed Bluetooth speaker that sounds as clean as it looks. Plenty of volume if needed, but not obnoxious. In the few weeks that I've had it, I have already used it for: backyard BBQs, trips to the beach, dining on my deck and yard work. Each time a wonderful experience with FreePlay. I can't recommend this enough. Great job Andover!

The Freeplay Kicks Serious Ass!!!! I received my Freeplay just in time to use it on set. It turns out we needed a playback device with some depth and volume, and the Freeplay was up to the challenge... It's durable, rugged, handsome and fits into the film tools aesthetic perfectly.. I recommend you pick one up and enjoy the frequency, sound and vibration it brings..

As a Head of Marketing for a Record Label in 2026 and being constantly on the move, the most important need is to have a high quality sound system at all times. The FreePlay provides that and then some! Whether it's previewing music for Industry partners at remote meetings, vetting new music coming in during a hectic weekend, or simply putting on favorite tunes for a family beach day or backyard bbq, The FreePlay checks all the boxes with convenience, sound quality and portability. Oh and the wireless charger is a really nice touch :).

Let’s start with the fun stuff! Of course it has the latest Bluetooth, waterproof, has a 3.5mm input, rugged as hell, can charge your phone wirelessly or charge the bike computer you forgot to charge before you left via a USB-C in the back. As for the sound, it has two mid bass drivers, a set of tweeters AND a passive driver in the back to give room filling sound. Lastly (and my favorite) it has a Loud(ness) button which delivers an incredible fullness of sound at conversation levels. Andover thought of everything on this one!

I got one of the early versions of FreePlay by Andover Audio and I am truly blown away by the full experience. From the minute the box arrived to my very first listen, I was amazed. It's sleek, it's light, it's durable, it's EXTREMELY portable, and it sounds crystal clear. My first thought when I was researching "high fidelity" audio was that it *might* be a little better than the next speaker, but no this is leaps and bounds greater in terms of loudness, crispness, and true fidelity.

I have been raving about this non-stop, it was a MAJOR hit at my summer party, and I'm going to have my FreePlay with me everywhere I go from this point onwards.

I'm very very serious when I say this is worth every last penny spent.

I use the FreePlay with me while I am working in my personal garage and while I am at the track. Very quick connection via bluetooth, rich sound that does not distort with volume, and a battery that lasts an incredibly long time. The color is very cool and the performance is awesome. This is now as much a part of my garage set up as any of my other tools.

what an amazing bluetooth speaker! Great stereo sound, bilateral charging for phone, extremely well built and easy to carry. Charges quickly and charge lasts for up to 24 hours. Connects seamlessly to my iPhone upon start up. Please keep making portable products as I have never had a better experience with any bluetooth speaker and is now my favourite go to speaker. Simply amazing!

As a self proclaimed audiophile since the 70s, I have truly missed the depth and clarity of music while streaming on portable speakers. I have tried bose,jbl and numerous others over the years to no avail. I can honestly say that to my ears the freeplay provides what I have been missing! It has plenty of volume and bass you can feel. I have been using both inside and out for streaming. Great for both! I can add that if I want to crank some Black Sabbath, my neighbors get to enjoy it as well. Kudos to all the good folks at Andover. Thank you!

I truly wanted to like the Andover FreePlay. I came into it with higher expectations than the average Bluetooth speaker buyer, given my experience with higher-end audio including the Focal Solo6 ST6, Adam D3V, KEF LS50 Wireless, and DALI IO-12. My goal was to bring a more HiFi-oriented listening experience to camping, kayaking, the backyard, beach, kitchen, etc.

Unfortunately, the FreePlay falls short of what I expected from its HiFi positioning, particularly at its current price.

My biggest issue is the low end. The speaker feels noticeably constrained in the bass, and music with substantial low-frequency content can sound thin and compressed as a result. This is especially apparent with electronic, hip-hop, and other full-range recordings. I actually find the JBL Boombox 3/4 more enjoyable for this type of listening. Their tuning is certainly more consumer-oriented, but they provide a much stronger sense of scale, bass impact, and dynamics.

The FreePlay performs better with acoustic music, vocals, pop, and softer rock, particularly at moderate or lower volumes. However, I don't feel it provides enough additional resolution, refinement, or tonal sophistication to offset its limitations. At higher volumes, the presentation can also become somewhat forward and harsh.

Build quality is generally good, and I really like the aesthetic. It looks at home in a variety of environments and feels thoughtfully designed. My particular unit did have a few minor finish blemishes that I wouldn't expect at this price, however.

For a future V2, I'd love to see Andover focus on four areas:

More cabinet volume and effortless low end. I'd happily accept a somewhat larger enclosure if it allowed deeper, more convincing bass while staying under roughly 18 lbs.
A more refined driver/tweeter system. A smoother, more effortless presentation would better support the HiFi positioning, especially at higher volumes.
Better fit and finish/QC. The construction is solid, but the overall design and finishing currently fall a little short of what I'd expect at this price.
Modern high-quality connectivity. USB-C lossless and/or LDAC would be welcome, although driver refinement is by far the bigger priority for me.

Ultimately, I don't think the FreePlay is a bad speaker. I think it's caught in an awkward middle ground: it's priced and positioned for listeners who may expect a genuinely HiFi-oriented experience, while some of its fundamental limitations feel more typical of a conventional portable Bluetooth speaker.

For me, SQ is the priority, and I'm not particularly brand-loyal. The FreePlay simply leaves me wanting more in bass extension, dynamics, tonality, and overall refinement.

At around $260, I'd find the proposition considerably more compelling. Even then, I'd primarily recommend it to listeners who value its aesthetic and mostly listen to conventional music at moderate volumes. For listeners who prioritize full-range impact, dynamics, transient performance, and a wide variety of music, there are limitations here that are difficult to overlook.

2 stars for me—not because the FreePlay is a terrible speaker, but because I don't think its performance justifies its current price or HiFi-oriented positioning. I'd genuinely love to see Andover make the jump with a V2.

Portability is great. Hoped for better sound quality however overall good value.

I am very happy with the amount of sound this puts out. I use it to play my old school Ipod Classic, but simply plugging it into the aux input. Some songs sound better than others, but you can adjust the equalization on your Ipod. For the most part, when playing outside, the louder the better and FreePlay is plenty loud.

Impressive sound and looks cool.

Very nice speaker..sounds good,nice options..

Great quality sound, easy to use and very conveniently moved around to different locations.

I LIKED THE SIZE AND BATTERY STRENGTH.
BUT THE BASE SOUND IS TO STRONG FOR ME, IT OVER POWERS EVERYTHING AND NO ADJUSTMENT AVAILABLE

Love my Freeplay. Just because nothing is perfect I've give it one negative critique. I don't care that it defaults to the lowest volume when you turn it on. Other than that it is perfect!

Used this for a new deck dinner party for 16. It worked very well and we had several great comments.

I have a portable speaker fetish, and the FreePlay blows everything else away.

Best portable speaker I've ever seen or heard! Beautiful, durable, sounds great. So easy to use and love. Doesn't tire my ears or irritate me like a lot of the cheap ones.

Very nice, sleek, easy to operate and the sound speaks for itself! The practicality of the FreePlay makes it the perfect Bluetooth to either pick up and carry somewhere, leave it on the back porch and chill, or a nice workout speaker. Looking forward to having it in the greenhouse during gardening season as well!

Support *, AirPlay **, Sound ***, Build ****
I bought this expecting solid hi-fi quality from a pair of small monitors, since the marketing really emphasized the sound. It fell well short of that. Compared to my Adam AX3 mini monitors, these sounded harsh and metallic, and the Adams were clearly superior in imaging and overall sound quality. That said, it did perform better than typical outdoor boom boxes like JBL, with clearer sound and less distortion. Still, it didn’t live up to what I was hoping for.

We like it, but it is heavy on the base.