The 16 finest transportable Bluetooth audio system for 2025

Moveable Bluetooth audio system are a straightforward approach to carry your music anyplace with out worrying about cables or energy retailers. Whether or not you need one thing compact for enjoyable at dwelling, a troublesome waterproof mannequin for the seaside or a celebration speaker that fills the room, there’s an choice for each want. One of the best transportable audio system provide you with stable battery life, easy pairing and dependable sound regardless of the place you’re.

Some fashions deal with balanced audio for the informal listener whereas others purpose for the perfect sound doable to please an audiophile. You’ll find audio system with further bass for out of doors gatherings, built-in lights for an added vibe or rugged designs that may deal with tough situations.

With so many decisions out there, it helps to know what options matter most to your listening model. Right here’s a take a look at a few of the prime picks price contemplating proper now.

Fast Overview

Desk of contents

Finest transportable Bluetooth audio system: $50 to $200

Soundcore

In the event you’re trying to spend as little as doable and get a speaker that can free you from utilizing your smartphone to blast out tunes, the Soundcore Select 4 Go is an effective choice. It has first rate sound high quality for a speaker its measurement, and it is loud sufficient to fill a standard-sized front room, bed room or desk space exterior. You’ll be able to even pair two of them collectively to get greater sound, too. It is IP67 water- and dustproof, and it is designed to drift so it could possibly deal with an unintentional dunk within the pool with none challenge. And with a battery lifetime of 20 hours, it will present music for everything of your subsequent celebration with out breaking a sweat. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor

$35 at Amazon

JBL

JBL made a useful, handy little speaker within the Go 4. It will get decently loud and would not sound too distorted at these larger volumes. Will it stand as much as costlier audio system on this checklist by way of sound high quality? No, but it surely sound good for its measurement, which is sufficiently small to slot in the palm of your hand. Made partly with recycled supplies, the Go 4 is IP67 water- and dustproof, and you’ll pair two of those audio system collectively to get a fair wider sounstage. — V.P.

$45 at Amazon

Photograph by Jon Turi / Engadget

In the event you’re simply on the lookout for a small Bluetooth speaker that may kick out some first rate quantity, the Tribit StormBox Micro 2 suits the invoice. The audio high quality right here is okay; it doesn’t stand out by way of constancy, however the quantity you get from this inexpensive little speaker is what makes it a sensible choice. In the event you’re bopping about open air in your bike or chilling within the park, it’s normally extra about portability and quantity anyway. The rubbery rear strap works effectively on comparatively skinny issues like belts, backpacks and bike handlebars.

Whereas it’s small and inexpensive, this mini speaker incorporates a USB-C charging port to your gadgets in a pinch and you’ll wirelessly join two of them for celebration mode or stereo sound. It additionally helps voice assistants for each iOS and Android customers, and if you wish to take calls in your telephone through speakerphone, that’s simple to do as effectively.

$70 at Amazon

Soundcore

Soundcore has been releasing some very ready audio system these days and one among its latest is a top quality private transportable. The Motion 300 is of the pint-sized selection, however gives 30-watts of punchy and brilliant output. It’s IPX7 rated so it could possibly deal with a little bit of water, and it really works with the Anker Soundcore app that enables a good quantity of customization from EQ settings to button brightness. It additionally helps hi-res audio utilizing the LDAC codec for Android customers with a appropriate gadget.

The Movement 300’s measurement and frequency vary don’t fairly permit for a ton of bass, but it surely’s comparatively loud and thumpy, particularly when it has surfaces to replicate off of. Soundcore has even prolonged its high-frequency vary to 40kHz, and whereas its utility is debatable, the Movement 300 does sound crisp within the high-end spectrum. It’s also possible to allow adaptive audio, which helps optimize its sound supply relying on the speaker orientation (on its again, standing up or hanging from its detachable button-fastened strap).

The speaker’s design merges a cool model with office-machine stylish, from the playfully speckled gentle contact exterior to the metallic, logo-emblazoned grille. Its 1.7-pound weight and clutch-purse measurement makes it higher as a handheld or stowed in your bag slightly than hanging from a backpack or bike handlebars. Finally, you get nice sound in a small bundle with options you may tweak to your liking, all at an approachable $80 price ticket.

$80 at Amazon

Final Ears

The most recent model of a earlier decide (the Wonderboom 3), the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is a tiny but highly effective transportable that may ship huge sound. It’s nonetheless a cute, barrel-shaped small speaker with a nubby little strap that in all probability wants a carabiner to assist connect it to most issues. It gives as much as 14 hours on a single change, and beneath, you may simply entry the protected USB-C port at any time when you have to refill. With an IP67 ranking on prime of the corporate’s five-foot drop check sturdiness, it could possibly go together with you virtually anyplace and survive to inform the story.

Though there’s no app help or connectivity with the remainder of the Final Ears speaker lineup, you may simply pair it with different UE audio system for stereo sound. There’s additionally an out of doors mode button on the underside that reinforces the mid and excessive vary to assist the audio carry over a higher distance — good for while you want a compact celebration speaker that also delivers the perfect sound doable in its class.

$80 at Amazon

Photograph by Jon Turi / Engadget

This nondescript wedge of a wi-fi speaker might simply slip underneath your radar, but it surely’s price a pay attention. It has a brilliant and bassy output, which is helped alongside by Qualcomm aptX help for hi-res audio. This Anker Soundcore gadget has a stable, barely heavy construct with a metallic entrance speaker grille, a soft-touch rubberized exterior (that loves your greasy fingerprints) and IPX7 water resistance. Whereas it’s not the lightest or most transportable, it has good sound, particularly for the value. Plus the app gives EQ customization, so you may advantageous tune to your liking.

There’s additionally a 3.5mm aux enter for wired connections. You need to use it as a speakerphone when taking calls as effectively, or simply play music out of your gadgets. That’s fortuitous, as we discovered that this small speaker works effectively as a mini soundbar different and the wired enter gives a foolproof connection. Except for that, you may simply cost the Movement+ because of its customary USB-C charging port and it ought to last as long as 12 hours on a single cost.

$90 at Amazon

JBL

We thought-about the JBL Flip 6 the perfect JBL speaker for most individuals (you may nonetheless discover it out there on-line), and the JBL Flip 7 solely improves upon the earlier mannequin. Sound high quality is stable from lows to highs, even with the quantity up at excessive registers. The cylindrical form works effectively on its facet and even standing on its finish to save lots of desk house. It has a succesful carrying (or hanging) strap and raised buttons you may discern in the dead of night.

The JBL Moveable app provides you a 3-band EQ to customise the sound profile if desired and if in case you have two Flip 7 audio system, you may run them as a stereo pair. In the event you occur to have a mix-and-match assortment of various PartyBoost-enabled JBL gadgets, you may join a number of audio system for an even bigger sound. And with a USB-C charging port, it’s a flexible gadget that’s simple to take with you on the transfer.

$130 at Macy’s

Bose

Whereas the $119 Bose SoundLink Micro is half the scale, we discovered that it is positively price the additional $30 if you happen to commerce as much as the SoundLink Flex. Whereas it’s nonetheless not a room filler, the speaker gives some brilliant, dynamic finesse to your tunes, together with a big quantity of bass for its measurement. It’s just like the dimensions of a small clutch bag, with a really small strap for carabiner-type hanging. A lot of the outside is sheathed in soft-touch silicone, aside from the powder-coated metal speaker grilles. Like others on this vary, the speaker is IP67 rated so it could possibly deal with the weather and sound good doing it.

Setup and connecting to the speaker ought to be achieved from throughout the aptly named Bose Join app. It’s also possible to flip off voice prompts (which may turn out to be annoying) and pair with related audio system for both celebration mode or stereo.

$129 at Adorama

Photograph by Billy Steele / Engadget

Learn our full Beats Pill review

The brand new Tablet has spectacular bass efficiency as a result of firm’s choice to extend the scale of the woofer slightly than hold its earlier association that included two smaller ones. The speaker struggles at its loudest volumes, but it surely’s a lot loud sufficient effectively beneath that. The IP67 ranking is extra rugged than the Tablet+ and over 24 hours of battery life will hold the tunes going for a very long time. Plus, there’s lossless audio over USB-C and the power to prime off your telephone or earbuds with the speaker’s battery.

It is a stable selection for anybody in search of crisp readability with true low-end thump if a monitor calls for it. The addition of lossless can be good for instances you’d like a bit of extra high quality in your tunes. And you can even put two Tablets collectively for greater sound or use them as a stereo pair. — Billy Steele, Senior Reporter

$100 at Amazon

Marshall

The Emberton III Bluetooth transportable from Marshall continues to iterate on a design we have cherished for some time. This clutchable rectangular slab has a max output of 20 watts to ship the model’s signature sound. It might not be the loudest in its measurement vary, but it surely focuses extra on balanced output than uncooked energy. There’s nonetheless 360 sound as effectively, making it a superb companion for small get togethers.

The most recent mannequin has greater than 32 hours of battery life and a rugged IP67 ranking. There’s additionally a built-in microphone, so you should utilize it to take calls when you’re preparing for the day or chilling out within the yard.

$150 at Amazon

JBL

Options: Constructed-in energy financial institution to cost different gadgets, IP68-rated design, help for stereo pairing | Battery life: As much as 28 hours | Assistant help: None | Weight: 2.2 kilos | USB charging: Sure | Waterproof: Water‑resistant (IP68)

In the event you’re keen to spend a bit of extra for greater sound and extra hours of battery life, the midrange JBL Charge 6 is a superb improve over the Flip 6 or Flip 7. It has the identical brilliant output and succesful low finish, however in a barely bigger bundle. In the event you’re on the lookout for a smallish transportable speaker, however one thing succesful sufficient to entertain a couple of friends, this works.

$180 at Target

Finest transportable Bluetooth audio system: $200 to $450

Final Ears

Learn our full UE Everboom review

The Everboom is a good mid-range choice within the Final Ears lineup. One of the best options are its excessive sturdiness and Out of doors Enhance for higher sound exterior. You’ll get loud, 360-degree audio, however like quite a lot of UE audio system, there’s a scarcity of general constancy resulting from subdued mid-range tone. There’s a lot to love right here, particularly if you happen to’re on the lookout for one thing to tackle an journey that gained’t weigh you down an excessive amount of. The value is, nonetheless, a bit on the excessive facet with the restricted suite of options. However, the entire fundamentals, and barely extra, are coated. Plus, it floats! — B.S.

$270 at Amazon

Photograph by Jon Turi / Engadget

Marshall launched the Middleton in January 2023 and positioned it as the brand new flagship for its transportable Bluetooth speaker line. It’s the biggest of the corporate’s IP67 rugged portables (measuring 4.3 x 9 x 3.75 inches) and gives a considerably louder output, with 50-watts of 360-degree sound. There are twin woofers and tweeters for the back and front, with passive radiators alongside both sides. It additionally gives Stack Mode, which helps you to pair with another Middleton, Emberton II or Willen audio system close by to increase your listening expertise.

The Middleton will be managed via the Marshall Bluetooth app, but it surely additionally contains most of those self same controls on the highest. There’s a Bluetooth button (which doubles because the Stack Mode management) and a multi-use joystick for energy on/off, quantity management and monitor choice (ahead or again). You additionally get bass and treble controls, that are a welcome addition and a primary for one among Marshall’s audio system with out bodily knobs.

It has that conventional Marshall look, made with a soft-touch exterior composed of 55-percent post-consumer recycled plastic and is 100-percent PVC free. It additionally has a carry strap you may simply suit your hand via. Any mud, dust or prints on the skin will be scrubbed off with a humid fabric, and even the uncovered USB-C and three.5mm enter port elements are waterproofed. That USB-C port can be utilized to recharge the speaker, or energy up your different gadgets with its 9,600mAh battery.

In fact audio purists ought to know that it solely helps SBC, however the sound high quality continues to be prime notch for most individuals. And whereas Marshall gadgets are normally priced at a slight premium, the great sound high quality and first rate low-end functionality positively makes this mannequin price testing.

$249 at Amazon

JBL

In the event you’ve loved any of the smaller JBL audio system on the market and are keen to spend a bit extra, the Xtreme 4 is an effective all-around selection. It’s sufficiently big to warrant a shoulder strap, however nonetheless solely in regards to the measurement of a soccer. Once we examined the earlier model, the Xtreme 3, we discovered it to have nice dynamic sound, with hefty lows and a energetic excessive finish that appears barely higher balanced at this measurement than the smaller choices from JBL on this vary.

That is simply a favourite if you need one thing underneath $400 with a bit of extra gusto than your common transportable, however nonetheless being IP67 weatherproof. It has sufficient output to breathe life right into a small soiree or yard hold, though whereas it’s fairly loud, it’s finest when it’s shut by or indoors the place the bass can resonate to its fullest.

$380 at Amazon

Finest transportable Bluetooth audio system: $450 and better

Photograph by Jon Turi / Engadget

In the event you didn’t learn about Marshall’s historical past in amplifiers and rock music, the design ought to clue you in. The Tufton is the biggest transportable Bluetooth speaker from the corporate, wanting very similar to an amp itself (as do most of them). It has bodily knobs on the prime and a carry strap to assist transfer it about. Whereas it might seem as rugged as live performance gear, it’s much less impervious to the weather as some with simply an IPX2 ranking, so it’s shielded from mild splashes from above.

Whether or not or not you’re a fan of the model, the wealthy and distinctly thumping output might make you one. We felt pulled into the sound whereas listening to the Tufton, a bit greater than most different audio system we examined at this scale. It’s dynamic, heat and, dare we are saying, analog in its audio presence. It’s additionally multi-directional with a supplemental driver on the again together with a bass port.

There’s no app to regulate the EQ, simply the bodily controls together with a Bluetooth join button, an influence/quantity knob and two for bass and treble. As soon as powered on, you should utilize the quantity knob to set a max headroom and modify quantity on the fly out of your supply. The bass and treble knobs enable you select the tone of your journey, from a purely flat soundscape to an enhanced one. We simply want you may see the dial indicators in the dead of night. Different options embody aptX help and quick-charge capabilities that present 4 hours of listening time in simply 20 minutes, plus nice standby battery life.

$472 at Amazon

Photograph by Jon Turi / Engadget

The UE Hyperboom is an all-arounder with beauty, portability, loads of connectivity choices and a loud and punchy (albeit compressed) output. The technical cloth exterior (which now features a white choice) lets it dwell amongst your furnishings with out screaming “celebration field,” whereas the optical enter gives a doable TV speaker different. The massive capacitive buttons on prime let anybody modify the quantity, pause or play the music and choose from two concurrent Bluetooth connections or a hardwired enter (3.5mm or optical). On the sting with the silicone carrying deal with there are the wired ports, plus one for charging USB gadgets and one other for energy. You’ll be able to count on to stand up to 24 hours of battery life, and the Hyperboom is nice at holding a cost on standby.

This succesful and loud (roughly 100dB) speaker will please most individuals so long as the celebration is of main concern over constancy. The power to remotely energy your gadget on or off utilizing the UE app can be a welcome characteristic. Plus you may simply increase the sound to different Final Ears Increase audio system (besides Wonderboom) utilizing the PartyUp characteristic. The IPX4 ranking means a couple of spilled drinks gained’t problem it, but it surely’s not the perfect Bluetooth speaker selection for all-weather adventures.

$300 at Amazon

Components to contemplate in a transportable Bluetooth speaker

Climate-proofing

IP ratings (Ingress Safety) are the alphanumeric indicators you usually see in a product’s spec sheet that outline water and dirt resistance. It’s normally a combo of two numbers with the primary indicating stable object ingress and the second being water. The previous goes from 0 (no safety) to six (dustproof). The water-resistance ranking goes from 0 (no safety) to 9 (protected towards immersion and excessive strain jets). When an X is used as an alternative of a quantity, which means the product wasn’t examined for resistance. If it’s a water-resistant speaker, it might have some innate resistance to solids, however there’s no assure.

IP67 is a typical ranking today indicating extremely resistant and probably rugged audio system usually featured in audio merchandise like out of doors audio system. These are protected for fast dunks within the pool or tub and ought to be greater than OK within the rain or within the bathe. They’re additionally good choices for the seaside, playground and different tough environs.

Moreover, audio system with ports and a excessive ranking will usually embody a tight-fitting cowl over the charging or auxiliary ports. In the event you plan on utilizing the ports, which will restrict the product’s rated capability to fend off the weather.

When on the lookout for the perfect transportable Bluetooth speaker, contemplate the IP ranking and likewise how you propose to make use of your Bluetooth speaker when making your choice. It could be price splurging on a greater sounding mannequin with a decrease IP ranking if you happen to’ll largely be utilizing it indoors, for example.

Battery life

The main focus of this information is on the perfect transportable audio system, and whereas “transportable” is usually a relative time period, these gadgets are usually for people who find themselves more likely to discover themselves removed from an influence outlet. Today, round 12 hours of playtime appears to be the baseline however clearly, the extra battery life you will get out of a speaker, the higher, particularly if you happen to plan to hearken to podcasts or music on the go.

That stated, watch out when battery specs, as they often checklist a most runtime (“as much as” x quantity of hours). This normally means they examined at a low to mid quantity. In the event you like your tunes loud with punchy bass, it could possibly usually find yourself chopping the anticipated utilization time in half or extra. Fortunately, some producers additionally checklist the anticipated hours of battery life when used at full quantity and that transparency is appreciated. Keep in mind, nonetheless, that not the entire finest Bluetooth audio system use the identical charging port. Some help USB-C charging, whereas others use micro-USB, and a few might even include an adapter for added comfort.

Moreover, in case your audio system or mini Bluetooth speaker additionally occurs to have Wi-Fi connectivity, they’re normally designed for always-on performance. Not like regular Bluetooth audio system that fall asleep after a brief interval with out use, these will normally keep awake (to pay attention to your instructions) and slowly run down the battery. In the event you’re out and about, you may wish to bear in mind to show these audio system off manually when not in use to maximise battery life.

Vary

Bluetooth 5 gives higher vary and extra dependable connectivity than its predecessors, making it an incredible characteristic to search for in the perfect Bluetooth speaker. That stated, Bluetooth vary can nonetheless be tough. Some corporations checklist their product’s longest doable vary, normally open air and in an unobstructed line-of-sight check atmosphere. Different corporations follow a 30-foot vary on the spec sheet and depart it at that, regardless that they could be working Bluetooth 4.x or 5.x. That’s seemingly underselling the speaker’s potential, however unpredictable environments can have an effect on vary and there’s little level in promising the moon solely to get complaints.

I’ve seen sign drop points when crouching down, with my telephone within the entrance pocket of my denims, and barely 30 toes away from a speaker inside my condo. I bumped into this challenge throughout a number of gadgets no matter their listed Bluetooth connectivity vary.

In the event you’re internet hosting a patio celebration and duck inside, it’s clever to maintain any wi-fi Bluetooth audio system comparatively shut by simply in case. It’s arduous to gauge what elements of any atmosphere might intervene with a Bluetooth sign. Usually, take vary specs round 100 toes or extra as a perfect-world situation.

Latency

It is a minor point out for these on the market who use a speaker for his or her pc output, or as a mini Bluetooth soundbar answer for setups like a monitor and streaming field. It’s annoying to seek out that your speaker’s latency isn’t low sufficient to keep away from lip sync points. Fortunately, it appears that evidently most audio system today don’t usually have these issues. Solely a handful of the few dozen audio system I attempted had persistent, noticeable lip-sync points. Except for occasional blips, all of our picks labored effectively on this regard.

In the event you plan to often use a speaker for video playback, search for gadgets with the newest Bluetooth 5 know-how and decrease latency codecs like aptX. Additionally make certain the speaker is near the supply gadget as distance is usually a issue. To keep away from the difficulty altogether, although, contemplate getting one with a wired auxiliary enter.

Further options

Some audio system don’t simply play music — they convey the celebration to life with built-in LED mild results and a full-on mild present that syncs to your music. In the event you love a little bit of visible aptitude along with your tunes, it’s price testing fashions that supply LED mild customization choices.

Sound high quality additionally performs an enormous function in choosing the right speaker. One of the best Bluetooth speaker ought to ship a balanced mixture of punchy bass, clear highs and powerful vocals. Many fashions additionally embody customizable sound modes that allow you to tweak the EQ to raised swimsuit completely different genres — whether or not you’re blasting EDM, listening to a podcast, or simply desire a extra immersive expertise that might impress even an audiophile.

If aesthetics matter, many fashions are available in a tiny measurement that makes them further transportable, with loads of coloration choices to match your private model. Whether or not you desire a modern black speaker or a vibrant eye-catching design, there are many decisions to suit your vibe.

Different transportable Bluetooth audio system we examined

Sonos Roam

Whereas there’s loads to love in regards to the Sonos Roam, there are many different Bluetooth audio system with extra options and higher battery life. In our review, we gave the Roam a rating of 87, praising it for its good sound high quality, sturdy waterproof design and talent to work effectively inside an current Sonos speaker ecosystem. However the worth is simply advantageous at $180, and we discovered Bluetooth audio system that supply extra at lower cost factors. Plus, the Roam faucets out at 10 hours of battery life, and all of our prime picks can run for longer than that on a single cost.

Monoprice Soundstage3

The Monoprice Soundstage3 gives comparatively huge sound at a midrange $250 worth, with quite a lot of inputs not often discovered on a transportable Bluetooth speaker. The boxy, minimalist design isn’t any nonsense, even when it is extra of a less-rugged, bookshelf-styled homebody. Whereas the speaker places out crisp highs alongside booming lows, we discovered the bass can overpower the remainder of the output, so it is not for everybody. And after utilizing the speaker for a lot of months, we additionally discovered the low-slung, poorly labeled button panel alongside the highest is usually a bit annoying to make use of. If you need a speaker for street journeys, favor mids and highs, and plan on utilizing bodily buttons for quantity management and enter alternatives, there are higher choices on the market.

JBL Boombox 3

Followers of JBL’s bluetooth speaker sound profile who wish to crank up the quantity, but additionally desire a rugged and transportable choice, might benefit from the JBL Boombox 3. It’s a good grab-and-go speaker with a really loud output, though it is not so good as a few of the loud-speaker styled choices for long-throw sound and large out of doors areas. Nonetheless, the value for this speaker line stays prohibitively costly in comparison with different choices with huge sound that cowl a bit extra floor. If the JBL model is your factor and also you just like the rugged, transportable kind issue, we advocate on the lookout for reductions, or buying round and exploring the out there choices together with the (much less transportable) JBL PartyBox collection.

Soundcore Movement X500

Soundcore audio system have usually been good and sometimes fairly priced. The Motion X500 loosely falls into that class. It has a tall, metallic lunchbox vibe with a hard and fast deal with and pumps out a good 40 watts of crisp, clear sound for its measurement. It may well get fairly loud and serves up a superb dose of bass, though its primarily a front-facing speaker.

There’s LDAC hi-res audio help for Android customers, however the primary promoting level on that is spatial audio. That is achieved via an EQ change and the activation of a small, up-firing driver. There’s a slight profit from this if you happen to’re up shut and immediately in entrance of it, but it surely’s not a complete sport changer to your listening expertise. The unique pre-order worth of $130 made it a good choice by way of bang to your buck. However it went as much as $170 at launch, making it much less interesting even when it’s nonetheless a superb middle-of-the-road choice if you need small-ish, clear and loud. If you’ll find one on sale for the lower price, it’s positively price contemplating. There’s additionally the bigger and louder X600 ($200) if the general idea is working for you.

Moveable Bluetooth speaker FAQs

How does a Bluetooth speaker work?

Bluetooth know-how lets gadgets join and trade knowledge over quick distances utilizing extremely excessive frequency (UHF) radio waves. It’s the frequency vary that’s carved out for industrial, scientific and medical functions, known as the two.4GHz ISM spectrum band. This vary is on the market worldwide, making it simple for corporations to make use of with gadgets for international markets.

Bluetooth audio system embody this tech, which lets them talk with supply gadgets like smartphones, tablets or computer systems with a purpose to trade knowledge. The 2 gadgets pair by sharing a singular code and can work throughout the proscribed vary for the gadget and Bluetooth model.

Ever since Bluetooth 4.0 was launched over a decade in the past, new iterations normally enhance on vary, use much less energy and provide expanded connectivity with options like multipoint (permitting multiple gadget to be linked on the identical time, for example).

Who can purchase a Moveable Bluetooth speaker?

If you wish to play music when you’re out-and-about on one thing apart from headphones, a transportable Bluetooth speaker might be what you need. There’s a broad vary of gadgets for every type of circumstances. Many adventurous folks will desire a comparatively light-weight transportable that’s rugged sufficient to deal with the weather whereas additionally packing sufficient cost to play for hours on finish. Others might merely want a speaker they’ll transfer round the home or use within the yard. On this case, you may select bigger much less rugged fashions which will provide higher sound.

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