Scored using Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
Explore Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0

Boston Acoustics MC200 Air Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£180Audio output power:?Battery life:?IP rating:?Bluetooth version:?Weight:2100 g

Boston Acoustics MC200 Air Review: Compare 130 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Portable Speakers category and whether it is worth buying.

Boston Acoustics MC200 Air
6.8/10

Overall score

Score
6.8/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of products in the Portable Speakers category, based on technical analysis and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference for identifying the best products in the Portable Speakers category.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

80%

7.0

Technical score

20%

6.2

User score

â–²Better than 57% of portable speakers
7.6

Value for money

Value for money
7.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

6.8

Overall score

30%

9.6

Price

â–²Better than 50%
7.0

Technical score

Technical score
7.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

32%

7.6

Audio

20%

6.9

Battery

18%

6.7

Durability

16%

6.6

Connectivity

8%

5.7

Controls

3%

6.6

Design

3%

7.4

Smart features

â–²Better than 74%
6.2

User score

User score
6.2/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

7.4

User ratings

30%

3.5

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
â–¼Worse than 96%
  • boston-acoustics-mc200-air
  • boston-acoustics-mc200-air
boston-acoustics-mc200-air
boston-acoustics-mc200-air
Where to buy
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
Loading...
Loading category ranking...

Technical Specifications of portable speaker Boston Acoustics MC200 Air

Technical score
Technical score
7.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

32%

7.6

Audio

20%

6.9

Battery

18%

6.7

Durability

16%

6.6

Connectivity

8%

5.7

Controls

3%

6.6

Design

3%

7.4

Smart features

7.0
User score
User score
6.2/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

7.4

User ratings

30%

3.5

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
6.2
Popularity
Popularity
3.5/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you prefer products in the Portable Speakers category that have been chosen and reviewed by many other buyers.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Popularity:
Boston Acoustics MC200 Air has a popularity score of 3.5 points, which is lower than 53% of products in this category.
3.5
Value for money
Value for money
7.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

70%

6.8

Overall score

30%

9.6

Price

7.6
Audio output power
?
Driver unit size
89 mm
This portable speaker has a driver unit size of 89 mm which is larger than that of 86% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.9% of portable speakers.
Number of drivers
2
This portable speaker has 2 drivers, which is more than 24.5% of portable speakers and equal to the number in 45.5% of portable speakers.
Frequency response tolerance
3 dB
This portable speaker has a frequency response tolerance of 3 dB which is lower than that of 23.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 69.2% of portable speakers.
Lowest frequency
70 Hz
This portable speaker has a lowest frequency of 70 Hz which is higher than that of 61% of portable speakers and equal to that of 4.6% of portable speakers.
Show more
Bluetooth connectivity
no
This portable speaker does not support Bluetooth audio. 94.7% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Bluetooth version
?
Maximum Bluetooth range
?
Bluetooth profiles supported
?
Bluetooth LE Audio
no
This portable speaker does not support Bluetooth LE Audio. 2.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
Battery life
?
Battery capacity
?
Charging time
?
Maximum charging input power
?
Built-in rechargeable battery
no
This portable speaker does not have a built-in rechargeable battery. 81.4% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Requires wired mains power and has no built-in rechargeable operating battery.
Show more
IP rating
?
Water resistance
no
This portable speaker is not water resistant. 61.7% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Dust resistance
?
Waterproof depth rating
?
Drop resistance
?
Show more
On-device controls placement
top
Touchscreen
no
This portable speaker does not have a touchscreen. 0.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Smartphone app control
yes
This portable speaker supports smartphone app control. 46.1% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Compatible mobile app provides speaker control or settings.
Remote control
yes
This portable speaker includes a remote control. 85.1% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Fast pairing
yes
This portable speaker supports fast pairing. 77.6% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
Weight
2100 g
This portable speaker weighs 2100 g which is heavier than that of 73% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.5% of portable speakers.
Height
15.2 cm
This portable speaker has a height of 15.2 cm which is taller than that of 58.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.8% of portable speakers.
Width
40 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 40 cm which is wider than that of 91.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.7% of portable speakers.
Depth
13.4 cm
This portable speaker has a depth of 13.4 cm which is deeper than that of 73.4% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.3% of portable speakers.
Carry options
none
Show more
Companion app name
?
Firmware updates
yes
This portable speaker supports firmware updates. 52.9% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Supports user-accessible firmware updates.
Firmware update method
?
Voice assistant support
no
This portable speaker does not support voice assistants. 26.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Spotify Connect
yes
This portable speaker supports Spotify Connect. 89.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more

Boston Acoustics MC200 Air vs the average portable speaker

246810TotalAudioConnectivityBatteryDurabilityControlsDesignSmart features
  • 39 mm larger main driver
    This portable speaker has a larger main driver than the average portable speaker (89 mm vs 50 mm).
    89 mm vs 50 mm
  • Supports Wi-Fi connectivity
    This portable speaker supports Wi-Fi connectivity, while the average portable speaker does not support Wi-Fi connectivity.
  • Supports AirPlay
    This portable speaker supports AirPlay, while the average portable speaker does not support AirPlay.
  • Has built-in stereo speakers
    This portable speaker has built-in stereo speakers, while the average portable speaker does not have built-in stereo speakers.
    Provides true stereo output within the unit.
  • Supports fast pairing
    This portable speaker supports fast pairing, while the average portable speaker does not support fast pairing.
  • Supports multi-room audio
    This portable speaker supports multi-room audio, while the average portable speaker does not support multi-room audio.
    Supports synchronized multi-room playback.
  • Supports Spotify Connect
    This portable speaker supports Spotify Connect, while the average portable speaker does not support Spotify Connect.
  • Supports DLNA media sharing
    This portable speaker supports DLNA media sharing, while the average portable speaker does not support DLNA media sharing.
  • 39 mm larger main driver
    This portable speaker has a larger main driver than the average portable speaker (89 mm vs 50 mm).
    89 mm vs 50 mm
  • Has built-in stereo speakers
    This portable speaker has built-in stereo speakers, while the average portable speaker does not have built-in stereo speakers.
    Provides true stereo output within the unit.
  • Supports Wi-Fi connectivity
    This portable speaker supports Wi-Fi connectivity, while the average portable speaker does not support Wi-Fi connectivity.
  • Supports AirPlay
    This portable speaker supports AirPlay, while the average portable speaker does not support AirPlay.
  • Supports DLNA media sharing
    This portable speaker supports DLNA media sharing, while the average portable speaker does not support DLNA media sharing.
  • Has Ethernet support
    This portable speaker has Ethernet support, while the average portable speaker does not have Ethernet support.
  • Includes a power adapter
    This portable speaker includes a power adapter, while the average portable speaker does not include a power adapter.
  • Supports fast pairing
    This portable speaker supports fast pairing, while the average portable speaker does not support fast pairing.
  • Includes a remote control
    This portable speaker includes a remote control, while the average portable speaker does not include a remote control.
  • Supports playback mute
    This portable speaker supports playback mute, while the average portable speaker does not support playback mute.
    Speaker playback audio can be directly muted.
  • Supports multi-room audio
    This portable speaker supports multi-room audio, while the average portable speaker does not support multi-room audio.
    Supports synchronized multi-room playback.
  • Supports Spotify Connect
    This portable speaker supports Spotify Connect, while the average portable speaker does not support Spotify Connect.
  • Supports firmware updates
    This portable speaker supports firmware updates, while the average portable speaker does not support firmware updates.
    Supports user-accessible firmware updates.
  • Is not water resistant
    This portable speaker is not water resistant, while the average portable speaker is water resistant.
  • Does not support Bluetooth audio
    This portable speaker does not support Bluetooth audio, while the average portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio.
  • Does not have a built-in rechargeable battery
    This portable speaker does not have a built-in rechargeable battery, while the average portable speaker has a built-in rechargeable battery.
    Requires wired mains power and has no built-in rechargeable operating battery.
  • Does not include a passive radiator
    This portable speaker does not include a passive radiator, while the average portable speaker includes a passive radiator.
  • Does not support stereo pairing
    This portable speaker does not support stereo pairing, while the average portable speaker supports stereo pairing.
  • Does not support True Wireless Stereo
    This portable speaker does not support True Wireless Stereo, while the average portable speaker supports True Wireless Stereo.
  • Fewer Wi-Fi band options
    This portable speaker lists 2.4 GHz for Wi-Fi bands, while the average portable speaker lists 2.4 GHz/5 GHz.
    2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz/5 GHz
  • Does not have a battery level indicator
    This portable speaker does not have a battery level indicator, while the average portable speaker has a battery level indicator.
  • 28.5% lower user score
    User score
    6.2/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
    When it matters
    When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    Boston Acoustics MC200 Air
    the average portable speaker
    Boston Acoustics MC200 Air has a lower user score than the average portable speaker (6.23 vs 8).
    6.23 vs 8
  • 2x more expensive
    Boston Acoustics MC200 Air is more expensive than the average portable speaker (£180 vs £90).
    £180 vs £90
  • Does not include a passive radiator
    This portable speaker does not include a passive radiator, while the average portable speaker includes a passive radiator.
  • 10 Hz less deep bass extension
    This portable speaker has less deep bass extension than the average portable speaker (70 Hz vs 60 Hz).
    70 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • Does not support Bluetooth audio
    This portable speaker does not support Bluetooth audio, while the average portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio.
  • Fewer Wi-Fi band options
    This portable speaker lists 2.4 GHz for Wi-Fi bands, while the average portable speaker lists 2.4 GHz/5 GHz.
    2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz/5 GHz
  • Alternative Wi-Fi standard
    This portable speaker supports Wi-Fi 1 (802.11b), while the average portable speaker supports Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n).
    Wi-Fi 1 (802.11b) vs Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
  • Does not have a built-in rechargeable battery
    This portable speaker does not have a built-in rechargeable battery, while the average portable speaker has a built-in rechargeable battery.
    Requires wired mains power and has no built-in rechargeable operating battery.
  • Does not have a battery level indicator
    This portable speaker does not have a battery level indicator, while the average portable speaker has a battery level indicator.
  • Is not water resistant
    This portable speaker is not water resistant, while the average portable speaker is water resistant.
  • Does not support stereo pairing
    This portable speaker does not support stereo pairing, while the average portable speaker supports stereo pairing.
  • Does not support True Wireless Stereo
    This portable speaker does not support True Wireless Stereo, while the average portable speaker supports True Wireless Stereo.
  • Does not provide voice prompts
    This portable speaker does not provide voice prompts, while the average portable speaker provides voice prompts.
    No spoken status prompts; feedback is absent, visual, or tone-based.
  • 1,300 g heavier
    This portable speaker is heavier than the average portable speaker (2100 g vs 800 g).
    2,100 g vs 800 g
  • 21.9 cm wider
    This portable speaker is wider than the average portable speaker (40 cm vs 18.1 cm).
    40 cm vs 18.1 cm
  • 5.1 cm deeper
    This portable speaker is deeper than the average portable speaker (13.4 cm vs 8.3 cm).
    13.4 cm vs 8.3 cm
  • 7 older
    This portable speaker was released earlier than the average portable speaker (2012 vs 2019).
    2012 vs 2019

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

P
pcmag.com
25/02/2013
Summary of the review
U
uk.pcmag.com
25/02/2013
Summary of the review
A
au.pcmag.com
26/02/2013
Summary of the review
D
digitaltrends.com
11/02/2013
Summary of the review
U
uk.pcmag.com
16/05/2014
Summary of the review
D
digitaltrends.com
23/08/2019
Summary of the review
P
pcmag.com
25/02/2013
Summary of the review
U
uk.pcmag.com
25/02/2013
Summary of the review

Third-party reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
Reviews last updated: August 2026 · How we calculate this

What customers like about Boston Acoustics MC200 Air

  • Clean, crisp, and bright audio output
  • No audio distortion at high volume levels
  • Seamless streaming via Apple AirPlay and DLNA
  • Elegant, sleek, and compact minimalist design
  • Multi-room playback capabilities when synchronized
  • Versatile physical inputs including USB, AUX, and Ethernet ports
  • Convenient physical top-panel controls and included remote
  • Wall-mountable via integrated keyhole mounts

What customers don't like about Boston Acoustics MC200 Air

  • Weak and basic sub-bass presence
  • Digital signal processing limits bass at high volumes, making it sound thin
  • Clumsy and pesky initial wireless network configuration process
  • No built-in Bluetooth connectivity
  • Auxiliary 3.5mm cable is not included in the box
  • Requires manual remote authorization inside iTunes preferences

Verdict

The Boston Acoustics MC200 Air is a wireless music system measuring 6 by 15.8 by 5.3 inches, housing dual 3.5-inch full-range drivers inside a bass-reflex cabinet with dual rear-firing ports that deliver a frequency response of 70 to 20,000 Hz. Main characteristics include both Apple AirPlay and DLNA-certified Wi-Fi connectivity, alongside an Ethernet port, a 3.5mm auxiliary input, and a rear USB Type-A port that plays and charges connected iOS devices. The speaker's primary pros are its integrated BassTrac digital signal processing circuitry that prevents audio distortion at higher levels, its clear performance on vocal-heavy tracks, and a versatile, wall-mountable design. However, notable cons include limited deep sub-bass presence, digital signal processing that can thin out the lower frequencies at high volumes, and a somewhat tedious initial network setup process.

Compare Boston Acoustics MC200 Air with other products in the Portable Speakers category

1Product to compare no. 1
VS
2Product to compare no. 2
VS
3Product to compare no. 3 (optional)

Graphic comparison of Boston Acoustics MC200 Air and other products in the Portable Speakers category

No results found