This week we get ready for springtime excursions with three portable speakers that shrug off splashes and are happy to be used in the shower. Which one will you take to the lake, pool or beach? Let’s take a look.
The Candidates
The Braven 710, a candybar Bluetooth Jambox-alike which is light enough for your purse but loud enough for a pool party. It can also pair wirelessly with another 710 to make a stereo pair, and charge your iPhone from its own battery.
The ECOXPRO combines a speaker with a waterproof case for your iPhone or iPod, and runs on AA batteries. You can even use it with headphones. This iOS perfect if you’re willing to sacrifice volume for protection.
Braven again, this time with the BRV–1 ruggedized speaker. This one is bigger, can be submerged (the 710 is only “weatherproof”) and is loud enough to make itself heard outside.
Weatherproof Braven 710 Is Loud But Lacking [Review]
The 710 is fine. That sounds like damning with faint praise, and it is. But everything about it is top notch, apart from the sound quality. Or rather, the bass quality. The speaker is solid, super well built, has a bundle of neat features, but the sound just isn’t up there with the rest of Braven’s range.
Buy it $170
Waterproof ECOXPRO Speaker Holds iPhone Safe Inside [Review]
I’d buy this if I spent a lot of time at the beach. You could use it as a shower radio, too, but the effort of loading it up and then removing the phone/MP3 player or whatever after each shower makes a dedicated model seem better (or you could just slip your JamBox into a ziploc bag).
But if you treat it as a waterproof safety box for your gear, one which has the bonus of a built-in speaker, then you’ll love it. And it only costs $80.
Buy it $80
The Little Braven BRV–1 Speaker Is Tough Enough To Follow You Everywhere [Review]
Is this speaker worth the $180 asking price? If you just want something rugged, go for the Braven 650. I have been using one for a long time now and its aluminum body is happy to get bumped around. It also sounds better than the BRV–1. But not by much. If you are planning on spending a lot of time outdoors, then the BRV–1 is probably the best-sounding shower speaker I have tried.
Buy it $180
The Winner
The ECOXPRO is fiddly, and the BRV–1 is impressive but bulky. For trips to the beach as well as just using around the house, my pick is the new Braven 710. It’s tough, and while it’s nothing like a hi-fi speaker, your music comes through loud and clear.
