The one-line version: the first digit is dust, the second is water, and an X means “not tested”. So IPX7 survives submersion but makes no dust claim, while IP67 survives both. This page explains the codes and what they’re worth in practice.
Reading The Code
An IP rating is two digits. IP68 means dust level 6, water level 8.
First digit: solids and dust. 5 is dust-protected, 6 is dust-tight. Below 5 is about fingers and tools and irrelevant here.
Second digit: water. The scale that matters:
- 4: splashing from any direction. Rain and spilled drinks. Not submersion.
- 5: low-pressure jets.
- 6: powerful jets.
- 7: immersion to 1 m for 30 minutes.
- 8: immersion deeper or longer than 7, to a depth the manufacturer specifies.
X means the manufacturer didn’t test that axis, not that it fails. IPX7 is a speaker tested for submersion and never tested for dust. It may well be dust-resistant; nobody certified it.
How The Speakers Here Are Distributed
Across the ranked speakers that publish a rating:
- IPX7: 106 speakers. The most common rating by some margin.
- IP67: 85. Submersion and dust-tight, which is the one you want for a beach or a building site.
- No rating at all: 73 speakers.
- IPX4: 35. Splash only.
- IPX6: 28, IPX5: 26.
- IP68: 8. The highest protection in this store.
What This Means When Buying
The party classes are the weak point. Most large party speakers are IPX4, splash-resistant only. A poolside party is exactly where people assume otherwise, and it’s exactly where these fail. Both JBL Partybox models in our 330 vs Stage 320 comparison are IPX4.
“No rating” is common and often invisible. 73 ranked speakers have none, including well-regarded indoor models like the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio line. See the Onyx Studio 8 vs 7 comparison. A handle does not imply weatherproofing.
IPX7 vs IP68 rarely matters. Both survive being dropped in a pool. Unless you’re diving with it, treat them as equivalent and let other factors decide.
IP67 over IPX7 if you go outdoors a lot. Sand and dust kill more speakers at beaches and festivals than water does.
Ratings are for fresh water. Salt water and chlorine are harder on seals than the test is. Rinse and dry after a beach or pool trip whatever the rating says.
Ratings degrade. Seals age, port covers get left open, and a drop can compromise a housing. A three-year-old IPX7 speaker is not making the same promise it did new.
Where To Look Next
Every speaker’s rating is in its spec table. For picks chosen with weather in mind, see best speakers for outdoor use, and the portable buyer’s guide covers where water resistance should and shouldn’t drive the decision.
Related Speaker Guides
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- USB Playback On Speakers: What It Means
- MicroSD Playback On Speakers: How It Works
- FM Tuner On Speakers: What It’s Actually For
- Built-In Microphone On Speakers: What It Does
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an IP rating mean on a Bluetooth speaker? It’s two digits: the first is dust protection, the second is water protection. IP68 means dust level 6 (dust-tight) and water level 8 (deep or extended immersion). An X in place of a digit means that axis was never tested, not that the speaker fails it.
What is the difference between IPX7 and IP67? IPX7 is tested for submersion only; IP67 is tested for both submersion and dust. IP67 is the rating to look for if you’re headed to a beach or a building site, since sand and dust kill more speakers outdoors than water does.
How common is water resistance on Bluetooth speakers? Very. Among ranked speakers that publish a rating, IPX7 is the most common at 106 speakers, followed by IP67 at 85. 73 speakers publish no rating at all, including some well-regarded indoor models.
Does an IP rating stay the same over time? No. Seals age, port covers get left open, and a drop can compromise the housing. A three-year-old IPX7 speaker isn’t making the same promise it did new, and the rating is for fresh water; salt water and chlorine are harder on seals than the test accounts for.