REVIEW – What, another Bluetooth speaker review, you ask.  How many of these things exist, you ask.  What makes this one different, you ask.  Your answers, in order: Yes, Infinity plus one, and read on…

What is it?

The Flare Mini from Soundcore (an Anker brand) is a smaller, lighter version of the Flare Bluetooth speaker.  While it shares a lot of the same features as its bigger brother, there are also some trade-offs that help this speaker to come in at a lower price.

What’s in the box?

• The Flare Mini speaker
• Charging cable
• Instruction booklet

Design and Features

The Flare Mini is an attractive and attractively small Bluetooth speaker.  It claims to have a full 360 degree sound so that you can place it anywhere and still hear as if you were standing in front of a traditional speaker.  Soundcore says that it is IPX7-rated so you could drop it in your pool and not have to run out and buy a new speaker.  And it says it has a light show that keeps time with the music.  We’ll take on these claims, but first a comparison in size:

Only slightly bigger than your average soda can and weighs about the same, too.

The first question to ask in a crowded market like this is “how does it sound?”  In a word, spectacular.  The claim to 360 degree sound is accurate – I placed the speaker in the middle of our large open floor plan, cranked up the volume and wandered around.  No matter where I was in the space, the sound followed me as if someone was pointing the speaker in my direction as I moved.  This is thanks to twin speaker arrays that cover 180 degrees each and pump out 5 watts of sound per array, the music pours out in every direction.  Nice touch, and one that guarantees you’ll hear everything no matter where you are.

Getting the sound there is only half the battle, though.  When the music (or podcast or Gregorian chants) hits your earspace, it has to sound good as well.  This is where the Flare Mini really shines.  Thanks to the Bass-Up technology built-in, the lows are vibrant – you can feel them at volume, and it isn’t a muddy thumping like the low-cost cousins.  The mids are clear and bright, and the highs are anything but shrill.  To put the speaker through its paces, I played a bunch of reggaeton music because it has everything – great bass lines, guitar riffs, and vocals in all ranges.  So, for an hour we had a Latin dance party on our back patio: Gente de Zona, Enrique Iglesias, Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi, CNCO/Meghan Trainor.  Each song came through perfectly, giving the impression we were listening to a much more expensive sound system.

One of the tricks the Flare Mini has up its sleeve is the ability to “pair” with another Flare Mini.  Although this is called stereo, it is really a way to have two Bluetooth devices consume a single source and keep the sound synchronized between the two speakers.  Instead of a true left/right split, you get the same sound from both devices.  I wish I had a second speaker to test this as it sounds like a great feature.

Our dance party came to an abrupt end when the massive rain storm moved in.  In a matter of seconds we were drenched – and so was the Flare Mini.  The music never stopped, though.  And the speaker was not in any way adversely affected by the sudden storm.

On to the design.  Other than the branding on the “front” of the speaker, the nice fabric cover is only disrupted by the charging port on the “back”.  This uses a mini USB cable to charge.  Using an Anker wall charger, I was able to get just shy of 13 hours playtime at half volume from a 2 hour charge.  As you can see in the picture, though, this is a Bluetooth-only speaker.  There is no line-in jack, most likely to squeeze in more speaker and battery.  Still, be aware of this omission if you are old school on your connections.

The Flare Mini uses the Bluetooth 4.2 standard, so theoretically you can have your sound source up to 66 feet from the speaker.  In practice, a lot will depend on the material between your phone and the speaker.  For example, I could leave the Flare Mini on the patio in the backyard, go into the house to the opposite end of our “great room” the music would not miss a beat. That’s about 30 feet with a brick wall in between, a scenario you would think would be terrible.  On the other hand, I left the speaker in the master bedroom and went into my office – in between there is an open bathroom and a walk-in closet but no brick walls.  The connection to the speaker was flaky at best – the connection would drop and then almost immediately reconnect.  To be expected for sure, and not an ordinary example by any means.  Just remember that the connection is only as good as the stuff trying to stop the connection is bad, and open space is always the best for distance.

All of the controls for the speaker are on the top.  There is no microphone so you can’t take/make calls from the speaker.  But then, why would you want to?

You have the usual set – on/off, Bluetooth pairing, volume up/down, play/pause/next/previous control.  The last two are not lit up, but they are raised so you can find them easily.  If you have 2 Flare Minis, pressing the Bluetooth button on both simultaneously “pairs” the two speakers – only 1 is connected to your device, the other is connected to the “anchor” speaker.   The last button on the right side controls the light show – you can turn the lights on/off, leave on a single color, or allow the bass to drive a light show.

The room has to be pretty dark for the light show to be effective.  While this might be a great feature for kids, it represents a battery drain to me – more light equals less music, so pass.

The most important question you asked: what makes this different than all the rest?  There isn’t a single thing, but rather the sum of all things.  Build quality is amazing at this price point – it feels substantial and looks smart.  Long battery life means fewer interruptions to the music.  The 360 degree sound lets you worry less about where the speaker has to go.  And the sound in those 360 degrees is akin to a speaker that costs much more.

What I like

• The sound – all around, this is the best-sounding budget speaker I have ever seen
• The design – small, smart-looking and waterproof for any environment (even my backyard)
• Battery life

What I’d change

• This speaker is not supported by the Soundcore app – probably a cost-saving measure, but something to be aware of if you are familiar with their app
• The lights – gimmicky and unnecessary

Final Thoughts

Full stop, at this price point you are just not going to find a better built, better performing or better sounding speaker than the Soundcore Flare Mini.

Price: $49.99
Where to buy: Amazon

Source: The review unit was provided by Soundcore.  For more info, visit the Flare Mini product page.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth speaker

Soundcore Flare Mini Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 2, 2019 at 9:31 am.

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REVIEW – In my years of reviewing portable Bluetooth speakers, one of my all-time favorites is the Creative iRoar speaker. It’s becoming a cliché, but that little desktop monster sounds way bigger than its size. The iRoar is that rare Bluetooth speaker you can listen to all day without wishing you had something bigger or louder. It’s really good! But what if you just want a small speaker that can be used outdoors where it might be splashed with mud, dropped into a pool or just plain mistreated? Creative makes that too—the Creative MUVO Play portable and waterproof Bluetooth speaker for outdoors. Is the MUVO Play a mini iRoar or is it just a me-too speaker?

What is it?

The Creative MUVO Play is a small and lightweight (12.6 oz.) portable Bluetooth speaker that can be taken almost anywhere. It comes with two micro-speaker drivers with two dual bass passive radiators at each end. It’s available in black, orange or blue. It’s also waterproof. 

Specs

• Dimensions: 3.14 x 3.14 x 4.33 inches
• Weight: 12.6 oz
• Power peak output: 20W
• Battery type: 2000 mAh lithium-ion
• Battery Life: Up to 10 hours at moderate volume
• Charging: USB Type-C

In the box

• Creative MUVO Play
• USB Type-C Cable
• Quick Start Guide

Design and features

Let’s get this out of the way: The Creative Muvo Play is one cheap portable Bluetooth speaker. For 40 bucks, you get a solidly-built and decent sounding speaker that feels like it will last, no matter how it’s treated. 

The MUVO Play is a bulbous shape and size similar to the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom speaker—but at half their price. I can’t say if it sounds as good because I don’t have a Wonderboom speaker to compare. However, even if the MUVO Play’s style is derivative, it’s a nicely designed speaker that looks more expensive than it is. It’s round shape and speaker placements provide almost 360° audio.

The small size makes the MUVO Play good for carrying to the beach, pool or picnic. Up to10-hour battery life means the music will be available for the entire event. There’s an embedded slot for an included lanyard for easy carrying, hanging from a nail or tree branch or wherever.

The MUVO Play is covered in a rugged speaker cloth material that’s capped off with rubberized, ridged ends. The ridges serve a necessary purpose of creating open gaps that allow bass to be clearly heard no matter which end is face-down. Rubber seals hold passive aluminum bass radiators that vibrate to the music. This design provides a bigger bass sound than expected with this size speaker. 

A vertical rubberized strip houses power, volume, and play/pause buttons as well as USB-C and AUX ports. Pressing and holding the power button turns on the speaker and begins the Bluetooth pairing process. Speaking of turning the MUVO Play on—no matter what the volume setting is, a LOUD musical tone plays to let you know the speaker has successfully turned on. This alone prevented me from continually using the speaker in my office because everyone could hear it when it was turned on. After emailing Creative’s speedy tech support about this issue, I was told that the power-on prompt could be disabled, but that this would also disable all prompts. So it’s all or nothing.

The MUVO Play has Bluetooth 5.0. Not bad when you consider some more expensive wireless speakers still use Bluetooth 4. Pairing was easy—my iPhone immediately connected and was ready to play. 

The MUVO Play has a certified waterproof rating of IPX7. This means that the speaker can be submerged in 3.3 ft of water for up to 30 minutes. Not that you have to worry about it being underwater for that long because it floats! 

A cool feature with the MUVO Play is that you can pair two of them in true left/right stereo. While this can be done with other Bluetooth speakers, the price can be prohibitive because the cost doubles. Since the MUVO Play speakers are affordable, two can be paired for well under a hundred bucks. Interestingly, two speakers paired in stereo mode sound much better and fuller than two not paired together and playing independently.

I tried stereo mode on a couple of songs that feature extreme stereo; “Welcome to the Machine” by Pink Floyd and “Moving in Stereo” by The Cars. Stereo from both these songs was projected distinctly with good separation. Keep in mind that stereo mode works best if placed near the listener directly in front. You’re not going to get this kind of left/right effect if listening outdoors or walking around in a room. The audio will meld into a single source.

As good as stereo pairing is, it’s not without its quirks. Stereo mode appears to be in a left speaker (master) and right speaker (slave) arrangement. If I turn off the right speaker, the left maintains the Bluetooth connection. Once the right speaker is turned back on, stereo mode kicks back in—neat! However, if the left speaker is turned off, then the right speaker will lose the connection and not regain it unless it’s deleted from Bluetooth settings and then re-connected as a single speaker. So if you wish to take one speaker with you and they are paired in stereo, always take the left speaker and leave the right. 

Another quirk I discovered sis that if paired in stereo, turning off one speaker will turn off the other, But when one speaker is turned back on, the other one will not come on. Weird.

Creative provides an easy-to-follow video on how to pair in stereo mode. That’s a good thing because the icon-driven printed manual is as clear as mud explaining this procedure.

Overall audio quality is darn good for small speakers. Of course, I’ve head better, but that comes at a usually much higher price. But for what the MUVO Play was designed for—its small size, handy lanyard and decent audio should provide a fun and easy way to fit music into your daily routine—whether as a single speaker or paired with a second speaker for stereo.

What I like

• Convenient size
• True stereo pairing
• Quality audio for the size
• Good looking design
• USB-C charging
• Price

What I’d change

• Ability to retain stereo pairing no matter how speakers are disconnected

Final Thoughts

I asked at the beginning of this review; “Has Creative created a mini-iRoar speaker?” Not really—the MUVO Play didn’t blow my socks off like the iRoar. But it’s not a “me-too” speaker either. The MUVO Play is a rare, affordable speaker that sounds good at a decent volume and pairs with a second MUVO Play speaker for true stereo that won’t bust your budget. That’s saying something.

Price: $39.99 each
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this product was provided by Creative.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth speaker

Creative MUVO Play portable and waterproof Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 24, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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REVIEW – Over the past 2 years, I have tested and reviewed a few Bluetooth speakers. I love the portability and convenience they provide. The previous Bluetooth speaker that I reviewed was made by JBL, and I really like it. However, I wanted a speaker from JBL that is lighter to be portable and waterproof so that I could take it to the beach and not worry about it getting wet and therefore damaged by the water. I was very thrilled when JBL sent me their Xtreme 2 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker to test and review.

What is it?

The JBL Xtreme 2 is a portable IPX7 rated waterproof Bluetooth speaker that uses four drivers and two JBL Bass Radiators to produce a dynamic sound. It also has a built-in rechargeable 10,000mAh Li-ion battery that provides up to 15 hours of playtime. It features a USB charge out port, integrated hooks and a detachable strap with a bottle opener. There is an accompanying JBL Connect+ app and feature that allows you to connect more than 100 JBL Connect+ enabled speakers for additional volume.

What’s in the box

1 x JBL Xtreme 2 Speaker
1 x AC Power Adapter
1 x Carrying Strap
1 x User Guide

Design and features

Specifications
Output power: 2 x 20 Watts
Music playing time: 15 Hours
Bluetooth version: 4.2
Battery capacity: 10,000 mAh
Charging time: 3.5 Hours
Waterproof: Yes
Power Bank: Yes
Voice Assistant Integration: Yes
JBL Connect+: Yes
Speakerphone: Yes
Audio Input: 3.5 mm
Auto Power Off: Yes
Dimensions: 5.35” x 11.33” x 5.19”
Weight: 5.27 lbs., 2.39 kg

This JBL speaker is sort of oval-shaped and wrapped in a waterproof speaker grille. There is a prominent JBL branding plate in red on one side.

On another side of the speaker, there are 2 built-in metal bars on each side that allow you to attach the carrying strap. In between the metal bars, are the touch controls. As shown in the following picture from the top down there is the play/pause/forward/answer/hangup control, the volume up control, the JBL Connect + control, the on/off power control, the volume down control and the Bluetooth control.

On the side of the speaker opposite to the controls, there is a waterproof rubber door/cover that protects the ports. The ports as shown below from left to right are the 1/8″ auxiliary jack, a non-user service port, a USB output port for charging accessories and the power port.


On each of the two ends of the speaker body, there is a speaker covered by a flexible waterproof membrane. These areas should not be handled and should be protected from sharp objects and/or impact.

Performance

This JBL Bluetooth speaker is attractive right out of the box. It is wrapped in a black hard waterproof grille with speakers on each end. Once I took it out of the box, I plugged in the included AC adapter to charge it. One of the first things I noticed is that there is no charging indicator light to let you know that the speaker is charging and when the charging is completed. I let it charge for a few hours and then I was ready to start testing. Once you power it on and press the Bluetooth button, it is the usual simple process tho connect to your mobile device, and it does so easily. After that, playing music is straightforward. Indoors it sounds like the volume is adequate, but outdoors like on the beach, it is only loud enough for people within approximately 10 feet of the speaker to easily hear the music. The regular ambient sounds on the beach drown it out after that distance. The speakers on the side are covered in a waterproof material, but not a hard grille. This is a major concern for me since they are vulnerable to being accidentally punctured/damaged.

JBL also includes the JBL Connect+ feature on this speaker. This feature allows you to connect to 100 plus additional JBL speakers that have a similar built-in feature. You have the option of adding them in stereo or party mode. In stereo mode, one speaker is added as the left channel and the other as the right. See more about the JBL Connect+ functions in the following app screenshots:

Here is a short video all about this speaker:

What I like

• Build quality
• Waterproof feature
• Overall sound produced
• Connectivity
• Carry strap option

What I’d change

• Needs a charging indicator LED
• Needs more volume
• Hard grill protection over the speakers
• Better user guide

Final thoughts

I am a fan of JBL Bluetooth speakers and the sound they produce as well as the build quality. In terms of build quality, this speaker is well built with the exception of the vulnerable speakers on each end that are covered by a soft membrane.

I have used it on multiple occasions at the beach, and the battery was still going strong after over 7 hours of non-stop playing. I have also had water splash on it with no problem.

In terms of sound, it produces quality sound but lacks the expected power, especially based on its size and weight. Indoors the sound is adequate, and on a quiet day outdoors, it would likely be loud enough. However, any place where there is relatively normal ambient noise, it lacks the power to be the “life of the party”. Don’t get me wrong, I like the speaker, and if I had 2 of them and used them together with the JBL Connect +, they would likely be adequate. But as a stand-alone speaker, its versatility is limited.

Price: $299
Where to buy: Amazon, JBL Website
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by JBL

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth speaker

JBL Xtreme 2 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 31, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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REVIEW – I am an Audiophile! And while I love to sit in my listening environment and enjoy my main stereo, I love to listen to music even if it is not exquisitely reproduced via class A equipment. One way to always have access to music is via portable Bluetooth speakers. In most cases, I use one in a room without a music system, and while I do enjoy most of the Bluetooth speakers I own, I have always felt that they are small and lack the kind of presence in sound that I am looking for. I also find that when I want to use them beyond listening to music via my smartphone or tablet, they lack any really useful connectivity options. Enter the JBL PartyBox 300 Bluetooth speaker!!

What is it?

The JBL PartyBox 300 Bluetooth speaker is a music streaming speaker with reactive party lighting included. It features Bluetooth connectivity that also allows you to pair two compatible speakers together, or you can daisy-chain multiple speakers and systems with the RCA audio output. It provides connectivity that includes RCA and 1/8″ audio inputs, a USB input for playback from compatible drives, and dedicated 1/4″ microphone and 1/4″ guitar jacks. The speaker driver design includes two 6.5″ woofers and three 2.25″ tweeters that deliver up to 120W of RMS power. It has built-in handles, an included 12V car adapter and a built-in 18-hour 10,400 mAh battery.

What’s in the box

1 x JBL PartyBox 300 Bluetooth Speaker
1 x Quick User Guide
1 x AC Power Cord
1 x DC Cable

Design and features

Specifications
Power Output: 120 W
Drivers: 2 x 6.5″ Woofers; 3 x 2.25″ Tweeters
Frequency Response: 45 Hz to 18 kHz
Signal to Noise Ratio: 65 dB
Impedance: 4 Ohms
Bluetooth Version: 4.2
Supported Bluetooth Profiles: A2DP, AVRCP
Bluetooth Transmitter Power: 8 dBm
Bluetooth Transmitter Modulation: π/4 DQPSK, 8DPSK, GFSK
Wireless Range: 33′ / 10.1 m
Inputs: 1 x Stereo 2RCA (Audio); 1 x 1/8″ (3.5 mm) Stereo (Audio); 2 x 1/4″ TS (Audio); 1 x USB Type-A (Audio)
Outputs: 1 x 2RCA Stereo (Audio)
USB Power Output: 5 VDC at 2.1 A
Battery Capacity: 10,400 mAh
Battery Chemistry: Lithium-Ion
Battery Voltage: 7.2 V
Expected Battery Life: 18 Hours
AC Input Power: 100 to 240 VAC, 50 / 60 Hz
DC Input Power: 12 VDC at 8 A
Power Consumption: <2 W
Dimensions (W x H x D): 12.2 x 27.2 x 12.6″
Weight: 34.8 lb

Features

• Powerbank
• Lightshow
• Bluetooth
• 3.5 mm audio cable Input
• Auto-power off
• Karaoke function

Through the front grille of the speaker, you can see the drivers, and there is a JBL logo badge in the middle of the grille.

On both the top and bottom of the speaker, there is a handle that makes it easy to lift and carry the speaker. On the top back of the speaker, there is a cluster of ports that represent all of the physical connectivity that is available on the speaker.
Top row (left to right): DC port, USB input port, Auxillary port, L/R Channel Selector, L&R Volume Controls
Second row (left to right): AC power jack, RCA input jacks, RCA output jacks, MIC input, Guitar input

Both sides of the speaker are the same, with a carbon fiber look and rubberized feet that allow you to safely place the speaker on either side.

Performance

This speaker is impressive to look at right out of the box. Removing it from the box was my first surprise since while it is not very heavy, it does have quite a bit of weight to it. It is solidly built. Using the included AC cord, I plugged it in and it started to charge. Since it has an AC cable, you can play the speaker while it is charging. On top of the speaker, as shown below, there are touch buttons that represent the main controls. The pictures and charts below show the layout of the buttons, their functions, and the LED status indicators and values.

On top of the back of the speaker, the connection options are clustered into one panel. They offer more connectivity than I have ever seen on any Bluetooth speaker, and they make this speaker versatile enough to be the go-to device that would fit many needs.

You can also plug in a USB drive to this speaker to play music. The following chart shows the compatible music formats:

Important Note:
The video below shows the speaker’s display lights in action:

I have been using this speaker almost every day and listening to various genres such as easy listening, reggae, etc and of course my primary favorite – smooth contemporary jazz. This speaker handles any genre pretty well, and I love connectivity options that even have me hooking it up to my projector at times.

I plan to take it to some of the BBQs that I will attend this summer so that we can finally enjoy music without worrying about power sources or running out of power. And, even though playing the speaker for a long time at a high volume may reduce the amount of time the battery lasts, I am very sure that it will still have power way after the BBQ is over. Its size and power allow it to provide adequate sound for a noisy large gathering, and it is not so heavy that I can’t grab it and run if the skies open up and “rain on our parade”.

Since it has so many connectivity options, I think some Karaoke is in order for this year’s events.

What I like

• The build quality
• The sound
• The built-in battery for complete portability
• The included DC cable
• The light display options
• The rock solid Bluetooth connectivity
• The built-in handles
• The connectivity options

What can be improved

• For me, absolutely nothing – Maybe some waterproofing for my mischievous kids

Final thoughts

When I first saw the JBL PartyBox 300 Bluetooth speaker, I was very eager to try it. From the first time I saw the pictures, I kept looking at them over and over again. I did see it in my mind as a bit smaller than it is. I preferred a larger speaker, so I was pleasantly surprised that it is a great size. The speaker is built like a tank and the sound is great. I especially like how it handles my favorite music genre – smooth jazz. The battery seems to last forever and the option to choose between various light displays or to turn it off completely is a plus. Then there is the connectivity that allows you to use this speaker for so many different scenarios. While I have not yet hooked it up to my electric guitar, I am expecting it to shine just as it has in every other way. And to think that I can add a MIC and complete my performance, or host a Karaoke session, is something I am really looking forward to. I absolutely love this speaker, and I highly recommend it and give it two thumbs way up!!

Price: $449.95
Where to buy: JBL Website and Amazon
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by JBL.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth speaker

JBL PartyBox 300 Bluetooth Speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 18, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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REVIEW – Recently I reviewed the Bunktrunk footlocker for my daughter.  It came with a cute, little Bluetooth speaker about which I wrote, “It may not be loud enough to fill my house with sound, but it will be plenty loud in a dorm room.”  Looking back, I think this is how I thought about all Bluetooth speakers.  They are nice, and they are cute, but there’s nothing earth-shattering about their sound.  And then a box from Soundcast arrived, and my perspective has changed.

What is it?

The VG5 is a large, portable Bluetooth speaker intended for outdoor use.  It’s very little about quiet, introspective moments alone, but very much about thumping, rocking parties with your friends!

What’s in the box?

• The speaker
• A wall charger with 5 outlet adapters
• Two battery packs, one smaller and one larger
• 3.5 mm audio cable
• An instruction manual with 3 pages of English instructions

Hardware specs

• One 6″ long-throw woofer, two 3″ full-range drivers
• 50-watt bi-amp amplifier
• Rechargeable internal battery pack
• Bluetooth 4.2 and Qualcomm® TrueWireless Stereo
• Capacitive touch keypad

Design and features

When the box first arrived, I didn’t know what it was.  It was so huge!  It took me a second to realize that this was a Bluetooth speaker.  Pulling it out of the box did nothing to diminish its massive size.  The VG5 is 17 inches tall and weighs over 11 pounds; it even comes with a built-in handle for carrying, a feature that is very much needed.

Installation and setup

The first step in the setup process was to install a battery.  I unscrewed a panel on the base—this requires a medium-sized Philips screwdriver, which is not included—plugged in one of the battery packs, and then tucked in the wires.

The second step was to select the appropriate wall adapter and put in into the wall charger.  I used the typical North America adapter, but it’s pretty cool that the VG5 is ready for wherever you want to take it, whether nationally or internationally.

The third step was to plug it into the wall and just let it charge.  The manual recommends that you give it 5 hours, so I let it charge for the full duration.

One interesting item of note is this threaded hole in the bottom of the speaker.  I couldn’t find any explanation for it on the manual or Soundcast’s website.  It looks a lot like the mount point on the bottom of my DSLR camera, so I’m going to assume that this is for mounting the speaker onto a tripod.  If you plan to do this, make sure you get a hefty tripod.

The final setup step was to connect the VG5 to a music source.  Although it comes with an audio cable for a wired connection, I chose to use Bluetooth and pair it to my iPhone, which was easy to do.  I simply turned the speaker on, pressed the Bluetooth icon, enabled Bluetooth on my phone, and then selected “VG5 by SoundCast” from the menu.

Performance

The main question is certainly, “How does it sound?”  Unsurprisingly, it sounds loud!  The VG5 can put out a lot of volume.  When I first turned it on and played a rocking song, it shook the kitchen table!  When I took it outside, it shook the porch!  When I put it out in the garage, I could still hear the bass thumping from my living room.  Much of this can be attributed to its 6″ long-throw woofer that can really move some air.  When I put my hands in front of the 4 openings along the bottom, I can feel the air it’s pushing.

As this is an outdoor speaker, I took it outside every chance I got, washing the car, grilling steaks for dinner, woodworking in the garage, and enjoying homemade ice cream on the back porch.  I was never disappointed by the amount of sound.

The quality of the sound is, perhaps, a little bit of a different story.  Overall, the sound is very good.  The mids are solid, and the highs are clear; however, as one might expect for an outdoor, party speaker, Soundcast has cranked the bass on the VG5 way up.  This results in a sound that “thumps you good” but tends to be muddy and distorted.  I listened to a variety of music genres, and the distortion is most noticeable with techno/electronica, pop, rock, or anything with a pulsing beat and a heavy bass.  Just to make sure that I wasn’t imagining the excessive bass, I listened to the same music in my Mustang, cranked up to ear-splitting levels.  It sounded very different; the bass was present, but not overpowering.  There’s no doubt that the VG5 significantly alters the sound of your music.  Whether or not you consider this to be a good thing is largely dependent upon your personal tastes.  If you’re an audiophile or a musical purist, you probably won’t care for this speaker.  If, however, you just want to party, I think you will absolutely love this design choice.  Go ahead and drop the beat!  Personally, I wish that Soundcast had added an equalizer or a few presets for various music genres; this would make it more flexible by accommodating a variety of musical tastes.

The VG5 comes with a pair of rechargeable, lithium-ion battery packs.  At first glance, it’s not obvious why there are two packs.  The manual only mentions the smaller one, and the larger one comes with a slip of paper saying that it’s a bonus battery.  The Gadgeteer did confirm that everyone gets two batteries; it’s not a perk for reviewers.  The manual says that the play time varies depending upon the volume, so I ran a couple of tests to see how long the battery packs last.  On one-fourth volume, the smaller pack lasted 5.5 hours with continuous play over Bluetooth and the larger pack lasted 10 hours.  The Amazon website says it should last 10 hours, so my guess is that Soundcast added the larger pack because the smaller one wasn’t lasting long enough.  Whatever the reason, hey, it’s a free battery and a welcome addition!  If you’re going to spend all day at the beach, start with the larger battery and bring the smaller one (and a screwdriver) for a spare.

I’m really glad that Soundcast designed the VG5’s battery pack to be replaced; however, this feature is only helpful if you can procure another pack once you wear out the ones that come with it.  Unfortunately, Soundcast does not appear to sell spare packs for the VG5; there’s no mention of them on the Soundcast website (though they do sell them for the VG7) or on Amazon.  I sent a request to Soundcast via their contact page, asking where I could purchase a spare battery pack.  The replies that I got were prompt and courteous but didn’t actually answer my question.  Unless Soundcast clarifies, I can only assume that there’s no way to purchase a replacement battery pack; that’s a tough pill to swallow for a speaker that costs $400.  Hopefully, Soundcast will fix this soon by offering the larger size battery packs on their website.

Extra Features

Soundcast’s website notes that the VG5 has a “weather-resistant exterior.”  Looking on the bottom of the speaker, I found that it has an IP64 rating.  This means that it provides complete protection against dust and is protected from water that is splashed against it.  Feel free to take this speaker to the beach, onto your boat, or to the pool; just don’t throw it in!

The VG5 doesn’t really have any buttons in the traditional sense; instead, it has what Soundcast calls a “capacitive touch interface.”  This means that I simply have to touch the surface in order to activate a feature.  It’s a slick-looking interface and undoubtedly contributes to its IP64 rating.  It does take a bit of getting used to, as you have touch and hold the interface for a couple of seconds in order to activate each feature.

The VG5 supports NFC, so if your mobile device also supports it, you can just put it near the top of the speaker and it should instantly sync.  The good news is that NFC takes less power than Bluetooth; the bad news is that it has a very short range (about 4 inches), so you’ll need to leave your mobile device on top of the VG5.

If you want even more volume, you can buy a second VG5 and pair them together using Qualcomm’s TrueWireless Stereo (TWS) pairing.  This allows one VG5 to connect to a mobile source and to another VG5, effectively doubling the sound.  Additionally, you can configure them so that one VG5 acts as a left speaker and the other as a right, thus giving you true stereo sound.

The VG5 also has a couple of lock features that prevent “un-intended or accidental operation.”  I suppose if your party is getting a bit too crazy, or if you have mischievous friends (or little kids), this might help keep the music going without interruptions.

What I like

• Booming sound
• Easy Bluetooth connectivity

What needs to be improved

• An equalizer or some presets
• The option to purchase additional battery packs

Final thoughts

I like this speaker.  I really like it.  I listen to it all the time.  It has completely opened my eyes (or my ears?) to what is possible with a portable, Bluetooth speaker.  Summer is here; it’s the right time of year for pool parties, grilling burgers, and picnicking at the park.  Whatever your plans are, the Soundcast VG5 is a great choice for filling your event with loud, thumping music.

Price: $399.97
Where to buy: Amazon

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Soundcast.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth speaker

Soundcast VG5 weather resistant Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 9, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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