Wireless Boombox just what the Dr. ordered

Beats by Dr. Dre Beatbox Bluetooth speaker by Monster Cable Products Inc.
$449.95 at monstercable.com

I’m no fan of the musical stylings of Dr. Dre, but he puts together a mighty nice speaker. The hip-hop impresario has teamed up with audio equipment maker Monster Cable to create the best Bluetooth speaker I’ve tested so far. And yes, I said the same thing last week about the Geneva XS. But I can’t help it if Monster and the good Dr. have raised the bar once more.

At $450, the Beatbox is for well-heeled music buffs only, but they’ll get a lot for their money. It features a dock for hooking up Apple audio products like the iPhone and iPod. There’s a remote control unit for changing tracks and albums at a distance. You can plug in six D batteries and run the Beatbox anywhere, or just plug it into the wall.

And of course, there’s the joy of Bluetooth listening. As with other wireless speakers I’ve tested, setup was a snap. My Android phone instantly identified the Beatbox and locked on, and within about a minute I was dancing--well, hobbling--to Michael Jackson’s “PYT.” The sound was excellent, particularly the fine, resonant bass.

I’ve never bought a Dr. Dre album and likely never will. But I’m going to hate to part with this exceptional speaker.