Audioengine 512 portable wireless speaker review

REVIEW – As I’ve reviewed a few Audioengine speakers over the years, one thing stands out as much as the audio quality, and that’s integrity. Audioengine doesn’t BS the customer with hyperbole or inflated specs. They are honest and deliver good to great audio products for a fair price. Even if I find fault with anything they make, it’s not because they cut corners or used some off-brand part. Which brings us to their first portable Bluetooth speaker—the Audioengine 512 Portable Wireless Speaker.

What is it?

The 512 is Audioengine’s first portable speaker. It’s relatively small, easy to carry and is built tough. Two custom 2″ transducers with advanced voice coils on one side and a 3″ x 1.75″ passive radiator on the other side provide a 360° soundstage with plenty of bass—especially when you consider its size. The shell is a combination of a tough, thick plastic band that wraps two rounded-metal perforated grills. The 512 is a speaker that is as tough as it looks—as long as it doesn’t get wet. More on that later.

 

Specs

  • Amplifier type: Class D
  • Power output: 20 watts total (10 watts per channel)
  • Drivers: 2” full-range transducers, 3″ x 1.75″ passive radiator
  • Inputs: Wireless Bluetooth, 3.5mm stereo mini plug
  • Battery life: (up to) 12 Hours
  • Charge time: 5 hours to 100%
  • Frequency response: 60Hz-20kHz
  • Protection: Output current limiting, thermal over-temperature, power on/off transient protection
  • Bluetooth 5.0 audio
    Wireless operation range: (up to) 100ft (30m)
  • Weight: 2.5lbs
  • Dimensions: 3”(H) x 7.75”(W) x 3”(D)

What’s in the box?

  • Micro USB – USB charging cable, 2.67 feet
  • Quickstart guide

Design and features

Audioengine has stated that they waited on making a portable speaker until they could get it right. I don’t doubt that because they got many things right with the 512. The speaker looks like a large pill—similar to Beats “Pill” speakers, but shorter and higher. It comes in two color choices—black or forest green. There’s no handle, but it’s not needed. It’s easy to grip for carrying. Beware of dropping it because the protective metal grill can dent, although the speakers underneath should still be protected. Four small rubber tabs help keep the speaker in place and upright so it won’t roll around on its tubular shape.

 

There are a series of straight-line buttons along the top of the 512 speaker. From left to right are Play/pause; AUX (bypassing Bluetooth), Volume down, Volume up, Bluetooth pairing and finally the On/off button. There are tiny LED lights on top that indicate how much battery power is left.

The 512 speaker uses Bluetooth 5.0 which gives the best Bluetooth audio quality possible. Bluetooth has come a long way in just a few years and the 512 takes advantage of that. Plus the Bluetooth range is 100 ft.—three times the average range of 32 ft. 

At one end is a rubberized cover that protects the AUX and charging ports. At the other is a place for looping a strap. However there is no strap included, so you’re on your own if you want to hang the speaker anywhere.

I’m conflicted about the design of the 512 speaker. The speaker is rugged and looks like it’s built for the outdoors. However, it’s not water resistant. In other words, don’t get it wet. It just looks like it can survive a rainstorm. Even the ports are covered with a waterproof seal. So, if the 512 is technically an indoor (or outdoor good-weather) speaker, why not design it as a classy indoor portable speaker and save the rugged look for a future speaker that can fall into a pool? 

To be fair, Audioengine has said that they can easily make a waterproof speaker, but to do so compromises the audio, so they made the hard decision to forgo a waterproof rating. Here is their statement, “This is something we struggled with when developing the 512. Our engineers choose materials based on what will provide a high quality sound, and using water-resistant materials would have a negative effect on that. It was a tough decision to make, but if we have to compromise on something, sound quality is not going to be it.” I get that—it just looks waterproof.

Enough nitpicking. What’s most important is how the 512 speaker sounds. Good news: it sounds really, really good. There are specific things you listen for when reviewing any audio product. Portable Bluetooth speakers require some compromises, but the 512 hasn’t compromised at all in a couple of areas. One is stereo separation. When the 512 is centered in front, there is definite left and right stereo going on. True, this is heard in many dual driver Bluetooth speakers, but it’s much more pronounced on the 512. 

Which brings us to soundstage—that feeling of being in the music rather than off to one side of the stage. This is something almost no portable Bluetooth speaker has. It’s just not there. It’s shocking how “spread out” music on the 512 sounds. Sometimes it seems that there is more than one speaker playing. It can be eerie. This may sound like hyperbole, but it’s not. The 512 speaker’s soundstage is flat out amazing! You have to hear it to appreciate it.

Audioengine states that they voiced the 512 speaker to sound like, well—an Audioengine speaker. To my ears, this means that the speaker leans a bit to the warm side with slightly boosted bass. The advantage of this audio approach is that a speaker can be listened to for hours with no aural fatigue. The 512 does exactly this. Any style of music I want to hear sounds warm and full with no harshness in the upper frequencies. That goes for classic rock, jazz, modern music and even audiophile recordings that may contain more upper range than people may be used to.

I discovered one interesting advantage while listening to the 512 speaker. I play music all day while at work and it can never be played loud (NO one I work with likes my taste in music). So, the volume has to be set quite low. I discovered that the 512 still sounds great—even at a lower volume. Many portable speakers tend to just disappear if the volume is set too low. Not the 512. Plus, when centered between my keyboard and monitor, the magic of the 512’s soundstage becomes quite apparent.

Of course, the 512 can get loud, but it’s never loud to the point of distortion. I have other portable speakers that can get louder, but they cost 3 times what the 512 speaker costs. For its price, the 512 holds its own, thank you very much.

What I like

  • Heft and build quality
  • Easy on the ears audio
  • Clear and easy button layout
  • Easy Bluetooth pairing with extended range
  • That soundstage!

What needs to be improved

  • It looks waterproof, but isn’t

Final Thoughts

The Audioengine 512 Portable Wireless Speaker has a lot going for it. It’s easy on the ears at any volume and worth its price on soundstage alone.

If you’re wondering why the 512 speaker is called the 512, it’s simple. Audioengine is located in Austin, TX and the area code is … 512.

Price: $169 US
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this product was provided by Audioengine.

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Audioengine 512 portable wireless speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 28, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Ultimate Ears MegaBlast Portable WiFi/Bluetooth speaker review

REVIEW – It’s been a while since I reviewed a wireless speaker. I’ve heard good things about Ultimate Ears speakers, and I wanted a speaker that was portable, waterproof and could replace the Echo Dot that I currently use in my living room. The UE MegaBlast meets all these criteria so I decided to give it a listen.

What is it?

Ultimate Ears MegaBlast is a portable WiFi/Bluetooth speaker with 360º sound and built-in Amazon Alexa. 

What’s in the box?

  • MegaBlast speaker
  • Micro-USB charging cable
  • Power adaptor
  • Removable D-ring
  • Quick start guide

Power Up

  • Power Up base
  • Charging D-ring
  • Quick start guide

Hardware specs

  • Maximum Sound Level: 93 dBC
  • Frequency Range: 60Hz – 20kHz
  • Drivers: Two 25mm tweeters, two 55mm active drivers and two 85mm x 50mm passive radiators
  • Wi-Fi range: 100m / 330ft
  • Bluetooth range: 45m / 150ft

Design and features

The MegaBlast’s design is similar to other offerings from UE. Cylindrical with rubberized surfaces wrapped in acoustic fabric with those signature oversized volume control buttons on the front. It stands vertically, so it takes up less space.  It’s aesthetically pleasing without being obnoxious, and it comes in cool colors. I choose to review the Merlot Red, it’s also available in Graphite, Bluesteel, and Blizzard.

MegaBlast is UE’s biggest speaker to date coming in at just under 91/2-inches tall. It has a little heft to it but is still extremely portable.

The on/off button, Bluetooth indicator LED, and LED power/Alexa indicator are located on the top of the speaker.

On the bottom, there’s a D-ring that when removed reveals a standard tripod mount insert. The Micro-USB charging port is located under the rubber weather door. There’s also a charge LED.

Connection

MegaBlast can be connected using both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Using WiFi, you can control your music with your voice. Or control Wi-Fi quality streams directly from music services such as Spotify and Amazon Music. When you’re away from Wi-Fi, you can use your smartphone or other Bluetooth devices, minus the voice control of course.

MegaBlast can be paired with other MegaBlast or Blast speakers for louder, more immersive sound. Using the app, you can instantly connect up to eight speakers in total.

Durability

The speaker has an impressive IP67 waterproof and dust-proof rating, which means it can be totally submerged in water for up to 30 minutes.

It’s also drop-proof, something I put to the test within my first hour of use. I accidentally knocked the speaker off of a countertop, it fell about six feet to the ground and came away with only a small scuff mark. Whew!

I also like the fact that if it gets dirty, you can just rinse it off and let it air dry.

Battery life

MegaBlast also boasts an equally impressive 16-hour battery life. I can’t speak on the 16 hours, but listening to music using Wi-Fi for over 2 hours at a medium volume it went from 100% to 90%. Not bad. However, when using Bluetooth, the battery went from 100% to 50% over the same time span. That’s not so good.

To check the battery percentage of the speaker, you can use the app or simultaneously press the + – buttons.

Power Up wireless charger

Speaking of battery life, UE also sent me one of their Power Up wireless chargers. The small white disk is the same size as MegaBlast’s base and it can be used anywhere it can be plugged in.

It comes with a charging D-ring that replaces the MegaBlast’s standard D-ring. To charge simply place the speaker onto the Power Up.

A small LED indicator on the front will blink to let you know that the speaker is charging. When the battery is charged, the light will remain solid. You can also use the speaker while it’s charging.

The Power Up allows me to keep the speaker on 24/7 so I have access to Alexa without having to worry about running down the battery. And when I grab the MegaBlast to take it into another room or outside I know that it’s fully charged.

It also means no more remembering to plug or unplug the speaker.

IMO if you plan on getting a MegaBlast, the Power Up is a must-have accessory and worth the $39 price tag.

Setup and Blast app

To set up the speaker, download and launch the Blast app then follow the instructions. With the Blast app, you can control volume, EQ settings, add and create speaker groups, and check the speaker’s battery and connection status. The app has a nice interface and is easy to navigate.

Say hello to Alexa

One of the MegaBlasts biggest features is that it comes with Amazon Alexa built-in. To enable Alexa, all you have to do is sign into your Amazon account using the Blast app during setup.

When you say the wake word “Alexa”, the indicator light on top of the speaker glows brightly indicating that she’s listening.

The only problem with that is if the speaker is across the room, it’s hard to know if Alexa is hearing you, might be nice if there was an audible tone indicating Alexa is listening.

Otherwise, it works pretty much like my Echo Dot. I can use Alexa to control my lights and smart lock, set a timer,  control my music or access one of Alexa’s growing range of skills.

The best thing is being able to do all these things wirelessly as long as your connected to WiFi or a mobile hotspot (Alexa does not work using Bluetooth).

I like being able to take Alexa with me from room to room. And being able to control my music without having to fumble with my phone is a definite plus.

Here’s a link to all the music services you can control using Alexa.

I did run into one issue. When playing music at a high volume, Alexa had trouble hearing me even at close range. Hopefully, this is something that can be addressed with a firmware update.

If you don’t want Alexa listening to you, you can enable Alexa Privacy Mode either through the Blast app or by simultaneously pressing the volume down and Bluetooth buttons.

Sound performance

With a name like MegaBlast, you would expect this speaker to get plenty loud, and it does. But it does so without losing any of the music’s clarity. What you get is a rich, vibrant sound that is well balanced.

MegaBlast also delivers that bass but in a way that’s not over manufactured or fake sounding.

The design of the speaker allows it to radiate music 360º, and it fills the room with sound. You feel like the music is surrounding you instead of coming directly at you.

You can use the Blast app to choose from 5 different preset EQ settings. The Standard, Custom, Voices, Cramped Spaces, and Bass Jump. I recommend using either The Standard or Custom to get the best sound.

I’ll be the first to say I’m not a music snob or audio aficionado. But to me, the overall listening experience with the MegaBlast is excellent.

What I like

  • Cool design
  • Portable
  • IP67 waterproof
  • Durable
  • Built-in Alexa
  • Works with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
  • Very good room filling sound
  • Power Up wireless charger (sold separately)

What needs to be improved

  • It’s hard to tell if Alexa is activated
  • Alexa has trouble hearing you over loud music

Final thoughts

The UE MegaBlast is the best sounding wireless speaker I’ve ever used. The built-in Alexa feature, while not perfect, is still very good and it sure beats my Echo dot for sound and of course portability. The only major issue I have is Alexa not being able to hear me when I listen to music at a high volume.

Price: $199 w/o Power Up – $239.98 w/Power Up
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Ultimate Ears.

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Ultimate Ears MegaBlast Portable WiFi/Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 25, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Roland’s BTM-1 speaker lets your phone and guitar take center stage

NEWS – When Roland releases a new product, it’s always worth checking out. Just announced is their BTM-1 speaker, tuned for Bluetooth playback from your phone and direct guitar input. Roland takes their audio quality seriously so we’re looking forward to hearing this in action.

Controls on the top look to be; Power, Bluetooth and volume buttons along with knobs for Gain, Tone and Level. Analog overdrive tone and a rich echo effect should allow for customizing your guitar sound.

On the side, you’ll find a micro-USB charging port, 1/8″ headphone jack, 1/4″ guitar input and an 1/8″ aux input that can also support an instrument. A built-in rechargeable battery and compact, lightweight design should let you take and create your music anywhere.

Streaming services have put music discovery in the palm of your hand, so when that song you’ve just found literally has you grabbing your guitar, you can just plug in and play along. How cool is that?

Visually, this speaker is a creme color with gold accents and feels new and nostalgic at the same time, channeling the classic jazz amp colors. The speaker has a full grill on both sides so very interested to see how sound is directed within.

We’re hoping to review this one soon. Stay tuned and visit Roland.com.

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Roland’s BTM-1 speaker lets your phone and guitar take center stage originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 25, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Tronsmart Element Force Bluetooth speaker review

REVIEW – It seems that every few days, there’s an announcement about yet another new Bluetooth speaker.  Today’s entry is the Tronsmart Element Force.  Is it worthy of your consideration?  Read on!

What is it?

The Element Force is a Bluetooth 4.2 speaker with up to 15-hour battery life. It is relatively small and portable and is IPX7 water resistant (complete submersion up to one meter for up to 30 minutes). It also has a built-in microphone for hands-free calling.

What’s in the box?

The speaker comes well packaged with a soft cover and foam all around for shipping protection.

  • Tronsmart Element Force speaker
  • USB-A to USB-C charging cable
  • 3.5mm AUX cable
  • User manual (in six languages)
  • Warranty card

Hardware specs

  • Bluetooth version: 4.2 + EDR
  • Bluetooth transmission distance: 20m/66ft (open area)
  • Frequency: 80Hz-18KHz
  • Water resistance: IPX7
  • Power supply: DC 5V/3A (max) USB-C
  • Battery capacity: 3300mAh x 2
  • Charging time: about 3 hours
  • Play time: up to 15 hours (medium volume)
  • Charge time: 3 hours
  • Output: 2 x 20W max
  • Driver unit: 53mm
  • Distortion: ≤1.0%
  • Connectors: USB-C charging port, 3.5mm aux-in port, TF/Micro SD card slot with support for WAV, FLAC, APE, MP3 formats
  • Dimensions: 204 x 64 x 80mm / 8.03 x 2.51 x 3.14in
  • Net weight: 780±5g / 27.51±0.2 o
  • Hanging loop on side

Design and features

Let’s get into how well the Element Force does its job.

Setup

The first thing I did was to charge the speaker.

On the back of the speaker, we find a rubber cover embossed with labels for the connection ports underneath.

After plugging in the USB-C cord, the speaker started charging.  There is a small red LED above the power button.

The LED goes out when charging is complete.  This happened in just a few minutes, so the speaker shipped nearly fully charged – a nice touch. Expected time for a full charge is three hours. That same LED also lights blue and doubles as the Bluetooth pairing and paired indicator as well as the AUX-in indicator.

All the control buttons are located under a rubber layer with raised markers indicating button function.

From left to right:

  • Power – press on / press off
  • M – mode – changes inputs from Bluetooth to SD card to AUX-in; also, hold for 6-8 seconds to factory reset and unpair all devices
  • Minus – click lowers volume; long-press skips back one track
  • Play/pause – clicking plays or pauses the music; answer/hangup for phone calls; 2-second press to reject a call; 6-8 second press to force a power down
  • Plus – click raises volume; long-press skips forward one track
  • EQ – change audio effects from extra bass, 3D sound, and standard
  • NFC – the small symbol on the right is the NFC pad – more on that below

The rubber covering offers some impact resistance, and are nice to touch, but…any small dust or debris sticks to it like glue. If you take a look at any of the photos, you will see dust all over.  If that stuff bothers you, you can clean it with a damp cloth – no cleaners or detergents – but, it will be dusty again almost immediately.

There are two methods to pairing the speaker to your device.  For this review, I used my Samsung Galaxy S9+ as the sound source.

Bluetooth pairing

Make sure your device has Bluetooth on and turn on the speaker. The LED above the power button will flash blue. Go into your device’s Bluetooth pairing screen and look for the Tronsmart Element Force and click on it. The pairing worked perfectly and the LED indicator turned solid blue.

NFC pairing

I also tried NFC (near field communication) pairing. On your device, make sure that both Bluetooth and NFC are turned on.  Then, hold the back of your device over the small NFC label on the right side of the speaker’s function buttons. Pairing was almost instant, and like the Bluetooth method, worked perfectly.

I don’t know that one method or the other is better or faster. They both worked well. Now that it is paired, how does it work and sound?

Performance

I fired up music on my phone and went to it. Immediately, I was impressed with the sound quality.  Let’s get this out there right now, I am not an audiophile. I like music, and know what I think sounds good, but I can’t discern minute differences in frequency.  Having said that, this isn’t a speaker that folks will use in an audiophile-type setting.  It is a waterproof, portable speaker that should be where the party is, whether that’s on the beach, by the pool, or out on the hiking trail.

There are three audio modes: extra bass (default), 3D sound, and standard. To move between modes, press the EQ button.  The LED above the EQ button will show the current mode:

  • Off: extra bass (default)
  • Blue: 3D sound
  • White: standard sound

The extra bass mode sounds pretty good. The standard mode sounded a little flat for my tastes.  I preferred the 3D sound.  It was a more full and rich sound and I felt it added some depth to the music.  Given that I will use this as the primary sound source for my golf cart, having the 3D sound enabled adds a lot of presence to the music.  That’s important as you’re zipping along at 20+ MPH with no side curtains.

I like the size of this speaker.  It has some heft and feels quite sturdy. It is sized perfectly to fit up in my rear overhead tray on the golf cart.  That space was occupied by a Braven BRV-X speaker.  It was always a little tight getting it in or out when I had to charge it. The Element Force slips right in there perfectly.

Here is a size comparison between the Braven (top) and Tronsmart (bottom).

Since I was already comparing the Tronsmart to the Braven, I figured I would continue. I connected to the Braven and cranked up the volume.  It was loud and sounded good.  Then I did the same with the Tronsmart. Wow. It was so much louder, I was amazed.  And, to my less than perfect ears, it sounded pretty darn good. But, was I really hearing the volume difference correctly?  Let’s get science to help!

I have a sound meter app on my phone.  First, a disclaimer – this app has never been calibrated. This means that the specific decibel readings should be taken with some skepticism. Since I used the same app to measure the sound from both speakers, the relative difference still stands as accurate.

I fired up Fleetwood Mac’s Rhiannon on Amazon Music, turned up the volume as high as it would go and put the phone about 24 inches from the speaker.

The Braven is on the left, the Tronsmart Element Force on the right:

Without getting into the science of volume, sound pressure, and energy, which gets a little dry and science-y, the general consensus is a 6-10 dB increase results in a perceived doubling of the volume. I think it’s safe to say that the little Element Force is at least twice as loud as the Braven. For anyone planning to use this outdoors, in open spaces, that extra volume will be welcome.

Other niceties:

  • 15-minute auto power off when not playing or connected
  • TWS (true wireless sound) capable – you can pair two Element Force speakers as a stereo pair

I put a handful of MP3 files on an SD card and popped in in the back of the speaker.  It was a little tricky getting the SD card in place as the slot is recessed in the back of the speaker.  It clicked into place with a little wiggling.  Getting it back out was another story and ultimately required tweezers to grab the SD card.  The channel that contains all the ports is way too narrow for fingers to actually fit into. My wife tried and even with her smaller fingers, failed to retrieve the SD card.  Tweezers prevailed.

The MP3s played as expected and sounded great.  One complaint – they only play in order.  For those of a certain age, like me, this harkens back to the days when we made our own mix tapes.  Tapes only played in order, so you got super used to the order the songs played in.  Then, once CDs arrived on the scene and Walkmans were everywhere, shuffle play was a revolution, making the next song a pleasant surprise, since you never knew what song was coming next.  That trend continued with iPods and other MP3 players. For some reason, Tronsmart left a shuffle option off the Element Force, so using an SD card will be a lot like the old cassette tape days, in terms of song order.

Battery life is a claimed 15 hours on medium volume.  I had the volume all over the place over several days.  While I don’t have an exact runtime, since it was in bits and pieces at varying volumes, the 15-hour claim seems pretty plausible.

Finally, I tested the Bluetooth connection distance.  Per the specs, it should be 20m or 66ft in open spaces.  I put the speaker on the patio wall and walked out onto the golf course.  I kept my phone between me and the speaker, so my unfortunately thick middle section wouldn’t affect signal transmission.  At my roughly 3ft stride, I got 60 strides out before the speaker started breaking up consistently.  That put the open space distance at somewhere around 180 feet.  Of course, as soon as I got between the speaker and phone, the cut-outs increased, but still, I was impressed.

What I like

  • Great size
  • Solid build quality
  • Terrific volume
  • Good sound quality
  • Good battery life
  • Good Bluetooth distance
  • Multiple input sources
  • USB-C charging so it doesn’t need a special power adapter

What needs to be improved

  • When playing from the SD card, songs play in order – it would be nice to have a shuffle option
  • You can’t get the SD card easily out without tweezers or plyers
  • If you watch your device when the Bluetooth connects, you get a pop-up with the remaining battery life as a percentage – a battery meter would be much easier

Final thoughts

The Tronsmart Element Force is a capable Bluetooth speaker.  Its water resistance is a great plus for outdoor use.  It is small enough to toss in a backpack and take with you. The fact that it also sounds great rounds this out as a great choice when shopping for your next Bluetooth speaker.  If they added shuffle play, it would be almost perfect. This will be a permanent fixture for my golf cart.

Price: $59.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Tronsmart.

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Tronsmart Element Force Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 13, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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AOMAIS Go Bluetooth Speaker review

REVIEW – We have all seen countless Bluetooth speakers reviewed on sites like The-Gadgeteer.com. Most are boxy or have clips or loops to hang them from. Few have an actual handle. Not so the AOMAIS Go Bluetooth Speaker.

What is it?

A basic speaker/speakerphone that has an integrated handle that allows you to tote this along like the boom-boxes of yore. It’s sleek, with a slightly nappy grip, and has IP-x7 weatherproofing, so your trip to the beach or out on the boat may not end in musical disaster. (We have no control over your relationships, Gary. If she doesn’t like that Alt-Country playlist you chose, that’s on you!) I was sent the Black model, but it’s also available in Blue and Red.

Hardware specs

From the company website
  • Booming Bass and Full Volume – Get 30W sound with AOMAIS Go’s two 15 watt full-range drivers and two passive radiators. TWS function lets you pair two speakers for a powerful 60W stereo surround sound. Super bass booms with less than 1% total harmonic distortion.
  • Long Play Time, Fast Charge – Get the play time you want with an 8800mAh rechargeable battery that can go for up to 30-Hour (At 50% volume, playtime varies according to volume level and audio content).
  • IPX7 Waterproof – top-level waterproof able to withstand full immersion of up to 33 feet for 30 minutes. it’s dustproof, snowproof, mudproof, waterproof or even being dropped.
  • Support hands-free calling, Tablets, cellphones sync in a snap with Bluetooth 4.2 – Works great with mobile phones, Wired connection with PC, TV and other non-Bluetooth devices with a 3.5mm audio jack.
  • Clear, rich sound that fills the room indoors and performs outdoors – Easily connect any device with a playlist to have continuous sound for any occasion.

Design and features

The sound from this unit seemed fine with just one unit. (Apparently, with two, you can pair them for twice the watts per channel, or to fill a larger space. We were not sent a second unit with which to test this.) There are two front-facing speakers with rear- and front-facing passive vents to equalize pressure and give more space to the sound.
With the buttons right under the study, built-in handle, you can easily power on/off, lower volume, pause playback or answer a call, and increase volume. Pairing with another AOMAIS Go requires holding the vol + and vol – together. At 13″ x 7″ x 3″, this is not a huge package to tote along.

Under a water-resistant side panel, there is a microUSB charging port, a USB-A output port to charge your device and an AUX input port. I was never able to run the unit down to where it would not play or charge my iPhone. This makes the AOMAIS Go a great companion on a multi-day trip to the beach or day-long bike ride where you’d like some music and a good source of power at hand.

Setup

Standard Bluetooth pairing. If you don’t know how to do this in 2019, turn in your Gadgeteer membership card.

What I like

  • Good grippy handle
  • Buttons are easy to see and find
  • IPx7 means freedom from worry about splashes and sudden showers
  • Can charge your device from the USB out port if needed

What needs to be improved

  • Can’t really think of anything

Final thoughts

The Bluetooth speaker market is a crowded place. The AOMAIS Go brings clear advantages with IP-X7 weatherproofing, 30-hour battery life, and the ability to charge your phones or tablets from its 8800 mAh battery. If you have a large group, having someone else get a second one will enable the whole group to enjoy the same jams together. But there are always warnings to heed:

Price: $69.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by AOMAIS.

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AOMAIS Go Bluetooth Speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 7, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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