HANDS-ON REVIEW
Anything Speaker Surface Sound Speaker Review: Is It Worth It?
A pocket-sized puck that turns any surface — a table, a box, even a window — into a surprisingly big Bluetooth speaker.
Quick answer: The Anything Speaker is the kind of gadget that makes people go 'wait, how is that so loud?' It won't beat a premium speaker on pure fidelity, but for a pocket-sized, surface-anywhere party trick that genuinely fills a room, it's a fun, easy buy.
Set it on a surface and that surface becomes the speaker. Photo: Anything Speaker
Our verdict
The Anything Speaker is the kind of gadget that makes people go 'wait, how is that so loud?' It won't beat a premium speaker on pure fidelity, but for a pocket-sized, surface-anywhere party trick that genuinely fills a room, it's a fun, easy buy.
The short version
Instead of a cone like a normal speaker, the Anything Speaker is a little metal puck that vibrates. Connect it to your phone over Bluetooth, set it down on a table, a cardboard box, a door or a window, and that surface resonates to project the sound — often far bigger than you'd expect from something this small. It's pocket-sized, recharges over USB, and you can pair two for stereo.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Turns almost any solid surface into a speaker
- Surprisingly loud for its tiny size
- Pocket-sized and genuinely portable
- Simple Bluetooth pairing with your phone
- Rechargeable over USB
- Pair two units for stereo or extra volume
Cons
- Sound quality depends on the surface you use
- Not meant to replace a high-end audiophile speaker
- Takes a little experimenting to find the best surface
How it works
Connect over Bluetooth
Pair it with your phone, tablet or laptop like any wireless speaker.
Set it on a surface
Rest the puck on a table, box, window or door — anything solid that can resonate.
The surface plays
The puck vibrates and that surface becomes your speaker, projecting bigger sound than its size suggests.
Who it's for
- Travelers who want portable sound without the bulk
- Dorms, offices, kitchens and workshops
- Anyone who likes a fun, conversation-starting gadget
- People who want a cheap second speaker for another room
How does the Anything Speaker turn surfaces into speakers?
A normal speaker has a cone that pushes air to make sound. The Anything Speaker works completely differently — it's a vibration speaker, also called a surface transducer. Inside the little metal puck is a mechanism that vibrates, and instead of pushing air directly, it transfers those vibrations into whatever surface you set it on. That surface — a table, a cardboard box, a door, a window — then resonates and effectively becomes the speaker cone, projecting sound that's often far bigger than you'd expect from something that fits in your palm.
That's also why the surface you choose matters so much. A solid table or a hollow-ish box gives the vibrations a large area to move air, producing surprisingly room-filling volume; a thick, dense or soft surface dampens it and sounds flat. There's a bit of fun experimentation involved in finding the surface that sounds best in any given room. Connect it to your phone over Bluetooth like any wireless speaker, set the puck down, and the magic is watching people realize the table is what's playing the music.
Anything Speaker vs. a normal Bluetooth speaker
A conventional portable Bluetooth speaker gives you predictable, consistent sound wherever you put it, often with real bass and tuned drivers — it's the safe choice for fidelity. The Anything Speaker trades that predictability for a party trick and pocketability. Its sound quality genuinely depends on the surface, so it ranges from underwhelming on a soft couch to startlingly big on the right hollow box, and it's not built to compete with a premium audiophile speaker on pure clarity. What you're buying is novelty, portability and surprise.
Where it earns its place is as a fun, packable second speaker. It's pocket-sized and recharges over USB, so it disappears into a bag for travel, a dorm, an office or a workshop, and you can pair two units for stereo or extra volume. At around fifty dollars it's a cheap way to add sound to a second room or to be the person who turns a kitchen counter into a speaker at a get-together. If fidelity is your priority, buy a normal speaker; if a clever, conversation-starting gadget appeals, this is the one.
Which surfaces work best and how to set it up for the biggest sound
Hard, thin, hollow-ish surfaces resonate best. Wooden tables, cardboard boxes, hollow-core doors and windows tend to project the most volume because they have room to vibrate and move air. Dense, thick or soft surfaces — a stone countertop, a thick desk, a padded couch — soak up the vibrations and sound muffled. The honest reality is that you'll want to experiment: set the puck on a few different things in the room and you'll quickly hear which one comes alive. An empty cardboard box is a famously good and surprising performer.
Setup is simple. Charge the puck over USB, pair it with your phone, tablet or laptop over Bluetooth like any wireless speaker, then rest it flat on your chosen surface with good, solid contact — wobble or a soft pad underneath kills the effect. Make sure the vibrating face sits squarely against the surface. For a fuller sound or a bigger room, pair two units to get stereo separation or simply more volume. A few minutes of trying different spots is the difference between 'that's fine' and 'wait, how is that so loud?'
Try Anything Speaker for Yourself
Available now for $49.99.
Check Availability & Price →Ships to your doorFrequently asked questions
How does it actually work?
It's a vibration (surface-transducer) speaker. Rather than pushing air with a cone, it vibrates whatever surface you place it on, turning that surface into the speaker.
What surfaces work best?
Hard, hollow-ish surfaces — tables, cardboard boxes, doors, windows — tend to resonate best. It's worth trying a few to find your favorite.
How is it powered?
It has a built-in rechargeable battery you top up over USB.
Can I get stereo?
Yes — pair two units together for stereo sound or extra volume.
Can I use the Anything Speaker outdoors or on uneven surfaces?
It needs solid, flat contact with a surface that can resonate, so a stable picnic table or a hard cooler lid works better outdoors than soft ground or a wobbly surface. On uneven or padded surfaces the vibrations don't transfer well and the sound goes flat, so look for the hardest, most stable spot available.
How many devices can pair to it, and can I really get stereo?
You pair it to one source device — your phone, tablet or laptop — over Bluetooth like any wireless speaker. For stereo or extra volume, you pair two Anything Speaker units together so each handles a channel, which noticeably widens the sound and fills a larger room than a single puck.
When you buy through links on this page, TopCrate may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Sound output varies by surface. Prices accurate as of publish time.
