The Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2 portable Bluetooth speaker looks as good as it sounds. Which isn’t surprising considering it’s a collaboration of two iconic brands.
Two aluminum full-range drivers and one passive bass radiator pump out great stereo sound. Plus, the speaker is waterproof and comes with a carrying strap so it’s ready to go where you go.
I listened to the Rockster Go 2 at home and on a beach vacation. Here’s how it performed . Spoiler alert: I love it.
Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2 review
An external speaker can transform the iPhone listening experience, turning a personal playlist into something everyone can enjoy. Whether it’s a backyard barbecue, a day at the beach or a family gathering, a portable speaker lets users share their favorite songs, podcasts and playlists with friends instead of everyone on their own AirPods.
I was glad to have one on my recent beach trip. One day it stormed, and we were stuck inside. I was glad I had the Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2 with me. I played music for everyone while we entertained ourselves inside waiting for the rain to stop.
Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2 is a rugged, waterproof Bluetooth speaker with long-lasting battery and enormous stereo sound that can stand up to whatever outdoor adventures you throw its way.
- Amazing sound for an affordable portable speaker
- Long battery life
- Waterproof
- Bluetooth only
Table of contents: Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2 review
- Portable speaker ready for fun on the go
- Outsized performance for a portable speaker
- Ready to rock and roll all night
- Bluetooth flexibility
- Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2 review: Final thoughts
- Pricing
Portable speaker ready for fun on the go
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The Rockster Go 2 is styled to look like a Fender amp, and my friends were impressed by the design. And it’s much easier to carry this speaker around than a guitar amp.
Larger speakers can produce better sound. But not many of us want to lug a huge speaker to sit by the pool. The designers at Fender and Teufel found a good middle ground.
Their latest measures 8.3 inches wide by 4.3 inches tall by 2.4 inches thick. The weight comes in at 1.7 pounds. The device fits easily in my suitcase and isn’t too bulky for a backpack.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
There’s a carrying strap for additional portability. This also makes it easier to mount the Rockster Go 2. The strap is simply clipped on one side, so wrapping it around a pole takes only a few seconds. Or there’s a standard-size threaded trip mount on the bottom.
Because life happens, the portable speaker is IP67 certified with dust- and waterproofing. That means you don’t have to worry about dirt or sand, and rain is no problem. Heck, you can accidentally drop the speaker in shallow water without ill effects.
The control buttons are large and easy to see and press, including the special Dynamore mode button. There aren’t many buttons, so I need to, for example, press play and volume up simultaneously just to skip ahead a song.
Outsized performance for a portable speaker
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Given the “Fender” name, you should expect exceptional audio quality from the Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2. I’m happy to say, it delivers. For the TL;DR, it’s got it all: loads of volume, and solid bass, mid and treble.
If my friends had wanted to dance at the beach, this portable speaker would have been ready because it can really put out some sound. It’s quite loud for such a portable device, and can easily fill a room.
Smaller speakers are traditionally weak on bass — not this one. The passive radiator delivers surprisingly deep low-end performance. It’s ready for rock, jazz and pop.
And bass is only the start. The dual aluminum drivers do an outstanding job handling both mids and treble, so vocals come through clearly.
A standout feature is Teufel’s Dynamore processing, which helps create an impressively wide, room-filling soundstage, making the Rockster Go 2 seem larger and more immersive than many rival portable speakers.
That’s not to say the speaker is perfect. Turn the volume up to 11 (ha!) and the mids and highs start to become muddy while bass distorts. But the speaker can still get quite loud before that happens.
Plus, the speaker doesn’t include EQ controls — there’s no adjusting treble or bass. That means I’m largely stuck with the factory audio tuning. That said, the default sound is good.
It’s possible to connect two of these speakers and set them to left and right channel. I only have one, so I cannot test this feature.
Ready to rock and roll all night
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Battery life is one of the Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2’s biggest strengths. The speaker is rated for up to 15 hours of use at medium volume, or a whopping 28 hours of playback in Eco Mode.
Simultaneously press the Dynamore button and volume down for a couple of seconds to go into that Eco Mode, though this mostly just limits the speaker to medium volume and below.
In my regular use, I never ran the battery down. I charged it whenever it was convenient, like I do with any portable speaker, and that was enough to keep it going and going.
Four LEDs on the back indicate remaining power.
I juice the accessory up via its USB-C port, which means it can use the same travel charger I use for my iPhone and iPad.
Bluetooth flexibility
Fender x Teufel doesn’t say which version of Bluetooth the Rockster Go 2 uses, but I had no problems connecting it to my iPhone, iPad or Roku. The accessory maker also promises compatibility with Windows, Android and Linux.
Which is good because Bluetooth is your only option. There is no 3.5 mm audio jack on this device.
Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2 review: Final thoughts
Anyone looking for a rugged, portable speaker with a wide soundstage, energetic bass and a cool retro amp vibe could be happy with the Rockster Go 2. Just don’t expect the sound to stay perfectly clean if you crank it to the absolute max.
★★★★★
Pricing
The Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2 costs $99.99, but sounds like it should cost more.
Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2 is a rugged, waterproof Bluetooth speaker with long-lasting battery and enormous stereo sound that can stand up to whatever outdoor adventures you throw its way.
- Amazing sound for an affordable portable speaker
- Long battery life
- Waterproof
- Bluetooth only
Fender provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out more in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 26 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh SE/30 (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer.
That’s because he’s a “tablet first” type of guy. Rather than use a Macbook, he connects a keyboard case to the iPad. And instead of a desktop Mac, he connects his tablet to a 27-inch display and full-size keyboard. (So don’t try to tell him that everyone has to use a Mac to be productive.)
Before coming to Cult of Mac, Ed wrote for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
