We put the new, no-nonsense Audio Pro BT5 Bluetooth speaker to the test

Output: 10W tweeter, 30W woofer

Frequency: 50 Hz - 20 kHz

Weight: 2.75kg

Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0, 3.5mm aux input

Buy now £129, Currys PC World

The BT5 is the speaker that your tabletop yearns for. Its subtle design – choose between driftwood, walnut and black finishes, all with an attractive grey fabric grille – provides a sleek, confident look that holds its own among the clutter (or lack thereof) of your home. You won’t be surprised to hear that Audio Pro is a Scandinavian company: the speaker is a classic bit of Scandi output, and would look at home in pretty much any setting with which you could challenge it.

The BT5 is mains-powered, so there’s no chance of garden parties without an extension cord (we wouldn’t recommend it), but that’s not what it’s for. This is a speaker to keep in one place, a fixed feature of your living room, and it looks more than good enough for that job. It’s also very simple to use. The buttons are a slight disappointment, feeling a little on the cheap side, but once you’ve set up your Bluetooth connections, you’ll hardly use them, and they still look the part. There’s no remote control either, which means you’ll be using the controls on your smartphone – but you already do that anyway.

Audio Pro labels itself “Sound of Scandinavia”. Note that it doesn’t quite say the brand is the sound of Scandinavia, but they’re big words nonetheless. Luckily, the BT5 backs this up, with no risk of the tinniness sometimes heard in speakers of this size. The sound is strong and rich, especially in the higher register, which also lends itself well to radio and podcasts. The bass is, again, very good for the BT5’s place in the market, producing a proper thump on a number of bass-heavy tracks.

The 40W overall output (30W woofer and 10W tweeter) fills most rooms easily, not losing any of its power. Its dynamic audio also shines through when listening to more complicated tracks – almost everything is picked up, an impressive level of consideration for the speaker’s price. We had no issues with Bluetooth connection, with sound remaining clear and uninterrupted throughout testing, but there is an option for wired listening, too, which performs similarly well. The high-tech audio set up does a great job for a compact speaker.