Although Fender Audio isn’t immersed in the world of Bluetooth audio, the Elie 12 makes a statement as part of the brand’s entry-level lineup. It’s a do-it-all speaker that somehow combines minimalist design with maximalist function and sound.
Fender Audio is technically a licensee of the larger Fender brand. That company has been around for decades and remains a staple name in the music industry. Some of Fender Audio’s equipment comes from the larger brand, but its focus remains on consumer audio outside of musical equipment.
The Elie 12 was debuted at CES 2026 when I originally showed it. At the time, I was blown away by how good Fender Audio’s new speakers could sound, and it’s been one of the products I’ve been looking forward to the most.
Much of that hasn’t changed. The only difference is that I’ve now had a good time with the larger release of the two speakers.
Build and design
Fender’s Elie 12 and Elie 6, in fact, will almost immediately stand out among many Bluetooth speakers. Both speakers come in black or white and feature a distinctive solid maple top to accentuate the overall modern look. A hinged faux leather handle sits atop the maple rim, contributing to the overall look.
The boxy look is slightly reminiscent of Marshall’s design language, but different enough to carry its own identity. In the same way that Marshall uses cues from its line of musical equipment, Fender Audio ties much of Fender’s history to the appearance of these chunky speakers.
Along the top are knobs and buttons that really define the “amp” feel. The general Bluetooth controls are on the left and many of the extras are on the right. That includes tone dials for bass and treble, and input selection.
The touchpoints feel good, although I would have liked to see metal knobs and buttons instead of matte plastic. They still provide good feedback and the knobs have plenty of resistance without wobble. Every touch point feels very tactile.
One of the best design decisions made was turning on the power by turning the volume knob. You don’t have to hold down a button and wait for the lights to flash to let you know you’re ready to go.
A small red “Fender” logo appears at the bottom of the speaker grille, giving the Elie 12 a nice little raised touch. That grille extends across the entire front face and gives the speaker a very clean look. The back is just as clean, with a small USB-C charging port on the bottom and several input selections on the back.
Fender Audio decided to market this not only to listeners, but also to creators to some extent. The Elie 12 supports up to two wireless microphones and a combo jack for XLR and 1/4″ connections. With the input selection at the top, you can choose between microphones (XLR), instruments (1/4″ TS), and stereo line audio (1/4″ TRS). For a little more power, the speaker supports 48V phantom power. A 3.5mm jack for combo output to a recording device is also available.
This speaker has some weight to it. That’s to be expected, since good speakers don’t tend to be lighter. Fender’s Elie 6 is a better option for those who want something lighter. In my use case, I don’t expect to carry this everywhere. The handle makes it more than convenient to carry from point A to point B without much trouble.
Fender’s Elie 12 takes on a look that probably not everyone will like, but I think it’s one of the best-looking speakers available. It looks like a small guitar amplifier and even plays its role.
Of course, design isn’t everything. It has to sound great.
Audio quality and performance
If you want to delve into the technical details, Fender Audio has a full list of specifications available on their site. The summary is quite simple; It has a maximum output of 120W with support for Bluetooth 5.3 and SBC, AAC and LC3 codecs. In essence, you get very loud and supports spatial audio, with the ability to link multiple Fender Audio speakers for stereo or group playback.
On my Pixel 10, I have the option to play with LE Audio to improve performance a bit.
What I discovered is that the volume knob works in an exponential increase, not a linear one. From 0% to around 50%, the volume increases moderately to comfortable listening levels if you are right next to it. From 50% to 100%, there is a bigger difference. At 65%, it gets very loud and approaches that 120W power rating.
Fender puts you in charge of the Elie 12’s signature sound with bass and treble controls on top. The bass is strong at almost any level, but can be turned down a bit. Doing so clears up the audio a bit and can reintroduce more high quality. It still seems like the bass tends to dominate even at minimal levels, so the sound tends to lean a bit towards the bass.
When balanced, the speaker sounds really good. There seems to be some headroom lost compared to wired audio, but that’s to be expected. I tested many of my tracks with Spotify lossless on Bluetooth and using a USB-C DAC connected via the rear 1/4″ TRS jack. Obviously the wired method sounded much better.
Using that as a reference for its full potential, the Elie 12 sounds great. Details are present even if the bass seems a little heavy at all volumes. For a battery-powered speaker, it does a fantastic job of projecting sound and recreating it well.
Even using Bluetooth, the speaker punches above its weight. And truth be told, most users will use the Fender Audio Bluetooth speaker for Bluetooth. Still, the option to introduce instruments, microphones, and line audio is a big plus.
The quality of life details are there too. Whenever the speaker is turned on, a quick guitar strumming effect plays. When connected, you hear a different tone. I love that little detail.
As far as the battery goes, the Elie 12 is rated for around 15 hours of playback. For its size, I’d say it’s reasonable. If that’s close to your use case, keep in mind that it has fast charging and you can get another 2 hours of power from a 15-minute charge. You can always know how much you have left with a set of battery indicator lights above the play button. If all four are lit, you are almost fully charged.
Final thoughts
With that product positioning towards audiophiles and creators, the Elie 12 is priced at $399.99. The best comparison for something like this would be the JBL Boombox 4. For $150 more, it offers a little more raw power but doesn’t offer the same functionality.
For those like me who would love a very simple portable guitar amp solution, as well as a powered Bluetooth speaker that you can move around as you please, the Elie 12 delivers. On top of that, it looks incredibly clean while offering real function. I really can’t complain about much other than the high price.
Fender Audio’s Elie 12 is currently available for preorderalthough it is expected to be available at any time.
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