OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
VS AVERAGE
REVIEWS
Scored using Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
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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

Tivoli Sphera Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£150Audio output power:?Battery life:8 hoursIP rating:?Bluetooth version:4.2Weight:1600 g

Tivoli Sphera 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.

Tivoli Sphera
6.2/10

Overall score

Score
6.2/ 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
â–¼ Worse than 80% of models
Score components

80%

6.6

Technical score

20%

4.7

User score

â–¼Worse than 80% of portable speakers
7.3

Value for money

Value for money
7.3/ 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
â–¼ Worse than 79% of models
Score components

70%

6.2

Overall score

30%

9.7

Price

â–¼Worse than 79%
6.6

Technical score

Technical score
6.6/ 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
â–² Better than 52% of models
Score components

32%

7.1

Audio

20%

6.0

Battery

18%

6.3

Durability

16%

5.7

Connectivity

8%

7.4

Controls

3%

7.7

Design

3%

8.4

Smart features

â–²Better than 52%
4.7

User score

User score
4.7/ 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
â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
Score components

70%

5.2

User ratings

30%

3.5

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
â–¼Worse than 99%
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Where to buy
    N/A~ £150
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Technical Specifications of portable speaker Tivoli Sphera

Technical score
Technical score
6.6/ 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
â–² Better than 52% of models
Score components:

32%

7.1

Audio

20%

6.0

Battery

18%

6.3

Durability

16%

5.7

Connectivity

8%

7.4

Controls

3%

7.7

Design

3%

8.4

Smart features

6.6
User score
User score
4.7/ 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
â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
Score components

70%

5.2

User ratings

30%

3.5

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
4.7
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
â–¼ Worse than 54% of models
Popularity:
Tivoli Sphera 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
7.3/ 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
â–¼ Worse than 79% of models
Score components:

70%

6.2

Overall score

30%

9.7

Price

7.3
Audio output power
?
Driver unit size
76 mm
Market range: <38 mm – >101 mm
This portable speaker has a driver unit size of 76 mm which is larger than that of 76.4% of portable speakers and equal to that of 6.5% of portable speakers.
Number of drivers
1
Market range: <0 – >5
This portable speaker has 1 drivers, which is fewer than 75.6% of portable speakers and equal to the number in 24.4% of portable speakers.
Frequency response tolerance
?
Lowest frequency
?
Show more
Bluetooth connectivity
yes
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio. 5.4% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Bluetooth version
4.2
Market range: <3 – >5.3
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth version 4.2 which is older than that of 53.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 17.8% of portable speakers.
Maximum Bluetooth range
10 m
Market range: <10 m – >30 m
This portable speaker has a maximum Bluetooth range of 10 m which is longer than that of 4.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 70.2% of portable speakers.
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
8 hours
Market range: <6 hours – >24 hours
This portable speaker has a battery life of 8 hours which is shorter than that of 68.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 11.6% of portable speakers.
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.
Show more
IP rating
?
Water resistance
no
This portable speaker is not water resistant. 61.7% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Dust resistance
no
This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant. 51.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Waterproof depth rating
?
Drop resistance
?
Show more
On-device controls placement
?
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
no
This portable speaker does not support fast pairing. 22.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
Weight
1,600 g
Market range: <200 g – >5.6k g
This portable speaker weighs 1,600 g which is heavier than that of 67% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.6% of portable speakers.
Height
?
Width
22.9 cm
Market range: <7.6 cm – >37 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 22.9 cm which is wider than that of 64.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.3% of portable speakers.
Depth
?
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
App
Voice assistant support
yes
This portable speaker supports voice assistants. 73.6% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Supports direct voice-assistant control.
Spotify Connect
yes
This portable speaker supports Spotify Connect. 89.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more

Tivoli Sphera vs the average portable speaker

246810TotalAudioConnectivityBatteryDurabilityControlsDesignSmart features
  • Supports Wi-Fi connectivity
    This portable speaker supports Wi-Fi connectivity, while the average portable speaker does not support Wi-Fi connectivity.
  • 26 mm larger main driver
    This portable speaker has a larger main driver than the average portable speaker (76 mm vs 50 mm).
    76 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 party mode
    This portable speaker supports party mode, while the average portable speaker does not support party mode.
    Supports synchronized multi-speaker party/group playback.
  • 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.
  • Has a removable battery
    This portable speaker has a removable battery, while the average portable speaker does not have a removable battery.
  • Supports Spotify Connect
    This portable speaker supports Spotify Connect, while the average portable speaker does not support Spotify Connect.
  • Includes a power adapter
    This portable speaker includes a power adapter, while the average portable speaker does not include a power adapter.
  • 26 mm larger main driver
    This portable speaker has a larger main driver than the average portable speaker (76 mm vs 50 mm).
    76 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.
  • Has a removable battery
    This portable speaker has a removable battery, while the average portable speaker does not have a removable battery.
  • Includes a power adapter
    This portable speaker includes a power adapter, while the average portable speaker does not include a power adapter.
  • Supports party mode
    This portable speaker supports party mode, while the average portable speaker does not support party mode.
    Supports synchronized multi-speaker party/group playback.
  • 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 voice assistants
    This portable speaker supports voice assistants, while the average portable speaker does not support voice assistants.
    Supports direct voice-assistant control.
  • 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.
  • Is not rated as dust resistant
    This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant, while the average portable speaker is dust resistant.
  • 4 hours shorter battery life
    This portable speaker has a shorter battery life than the average portable speaker (8 hours vs 12 hours).
    8 hours vs 12 hours
  • 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.
  • Does not include a passive radiator
    This portable speaker does not include a passive radiator, while the average portable speaker includes a passive radiator.
  • 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
  • 1 fewer speaker drivers
    This portable speaker has fewer speaker drivers than the average portable speaker (1 vs 2).
    1 vs 2
  • 1 fewer USB ports
    This portable speaker has fewer USB ports than the average portable speaker (0 vs 1).
    0 vs 1
  • 70.7% lower user score
    User score
    4.7/ 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
    Tivoli Sphera
    the average portable speaker
    Tivoli Sphera has a lower user score than the average portable speaker (4.69 vs 8).
    4.69 vs 8
  • 3.8% worse value for money
    Tivoli Sphera offers worse value for money than the average portable speaker (7.27 vs 7.5).
    7.27 vs 7.55
  • 66.7% more expensive
    Tivoli Sphera is more expensive than the average portable speaker (£150 vs £90).
    £150 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.
  • 1 fewer speaker drivers
    This portable speaker has fewer speaker drivers than the average portable speaker (1 vs 2).
    1 vs 2
  • 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
  • 1 fewer USB ports
    This portable speaker has fewer USB ports than the average portable speaker (0 vs 1).
    0 vs 1
  • 0.8 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (4.2 vs 5).
    4.2 vs 5
  • 4 hours shorter battery life
    This portable speaker has a shorter battery life than the average portable speaker (8 hours vs 12 hours).
    8 hours vs 12 hours
  • 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.
  • Is not water resistant
    This portable speaker is not water resistant, while the average portable speaker is water resistant.
  • Is not rated as dust resistant
    This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant, while the average portable speaker is dust resistant.
  • 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.
  • 800 g heavier
    This portable speaker is heavier than the average portable speaker (1,600 g vs 800 g).
    1,600 g vs 800 g
  • 4.8 cm wider
    This portable speaker is wider than the average portable speaker (22.9 cm vs 18.1 cm).
    22.9 cm vs 18.1 cm
  • 3 older
    This portable speaker was released earlier than the average portable speaker (2016 vs 2019).
    2016 vs 2019

Video reviews

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

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

C
consumerreports.org
01/06/2017
Summary of the review
Tivoli Audio Sphera Wireless & Bluetooth Speaker Review
P
pcmag.com
02/02/2017
Summary of the review
Tivoli Audio ART Speaker Review
S
sannes-block.de
16/07/2017
Summary of the review
Tivoli ORB – Art and Music Combined
(Translated)Show original
M
maisonadam.ca
03/01/2019
Summary of the review
Review of the Tivoli ART Collection ecosystem by Maison Adam
(Translated)Show original
B
bright.nl
05/12/2016
Summary of the review
First impression: Tivoli Orb and Cube speakers
(Translated)Show original
A
alpha-audio.net
08/02/2017
Summary of the review
Tivoli Art Cube & Orb Review
(Translated)Show original
T
techgirl.nl
23/02/2017
Summary of the review
Tivoli Orb review - Eye-catcher for your living room
(Translated)Show original
G
gadgetgear.nl
18/04/2017
Summary of the review
Review: Tivoli Audio Art Orb multiroom speaker
(Translated)Show original

Third-party reviews

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

What customers like about Tivoli Sphera

  • Stunning mid-century modern aesthetic that looks like a piece of art
  • Versatile placement options with an integrated rear keyhole slot for wall mounting
  • High-quality furniture-grade wood cabinet construction
  • Clean, natural mid-range performance suitable for vocals and spoken-word audio
  • Support for multi-room Wi-Fi configurations and multi-speaker stereo pairing
  • Compact and slim profile that blends seamlessly into home decor

What customers don't like about Tivoli Sphera

  • Bass lacks detail, depth, and sub-bass impact
  • High-frequency treble performance feels subdued and slightly smeared
  • Poorly positioned and non-prominent volume controls that are prone to accidental activation
  • Control layout lacks visual index markings or audible indicators for maximum volume settings
  • The required rechargeable battery pack for true portability must be purchased separately
  • Companion mobile app and Wi-Fi connectivity are prone to bugs and dropouts
  • Lacks native compatibility or direct Wi-Fi pairing with Generation 2 Tivoli ART products

Verdict

The Tivoli Sphera (also known as the ORB) is a slim, circular wireless speaker featuring a 3-inch long-throw full-range driver, 25-watt maximum power output, and dual 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, alongside a 3.5mm auxiliary input. Measuring 9 x 9 x 2 inches and weighing 3.5 pounds, it stands out for its high-end aesthetics, boasting a furniture-grade wood cabinet, an upholstery-grade fabric grille, a touch-sensitive top logo for playback control, and multi-room audio capabilities when paired with other ART Generation 1 devices via the Tivoli app. Main advantages include its highly versatile design that allows it to either sit on an included sculptural stand or hang like a painting via a built-in keyhole slot, as well as an option for a truly wireless 8-hour rechargeable battery. However, significant drawbacks include the fact that the internal rechargeable battery must be purchased separately, it defaults to mono sound unless paired with a secondary unit, the app and physical controls on the bottom rim are notoriously finicky to navigate, and it lacks Wi-Fi compatibility with newer Generation 2 Tivoli products.

Compare Tivoli Sphera with other products in the Portable Speakers category

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