We’ve tested our fair share of Bluetooth speakers here at Techaeris over the past few months. Some set themselves apart with sound quality, others with design. Our Scosche boomBOTTLE H2O speaker review takes a look at a portable Bluetooth speaker that doesn’t mind getting wet either.
Specs
The Scosche boomBOTTLE H2O Bluetooth speaker features the following specifications:
- integrated music controls
- 2200mAh rechargeable battery with up to 11 hours of playback
- IP67 waterproof rating
- 3.5mm AUX input
- Bluetooth 4.0 Class 2
- A2DP, AVRCP, BT profiles
- 33′ wireless range
- 1 x 5W 50mm speaker
- passive subwoofer
- floating design
- fits into water bottle cages and cup holders
In the box
- Scosche boomBOTTLE H2O Bluetooth speaker
- microUSB cable
- carabiner
- instruction manual
Design
Scosche’s boomBOTTLE H2O speaker sports a pretty rugged looking design with the speaker sitting on top of device. Cylindrical in shape, the top and bottom are black and the middle section is grey. The speaker is also available in other colours including blue, yellow, and black. The power and volume buttons sit near the middle of the speaker on the front, and the other side houses a sealing flap which keeps the micro USB and AUX port covered and dry in case the speaker gets wet.
The speaker connects easily to a Bluetooth device like a smartphone or tablet, and the volume controls on the speaker are a bonus as you can control the volume without having to worry about getting your media device wet. Unfortunately the speaker doesn’t have playback controls which would have been nice to have on the unit as well, especially considering it’s meant to be used poolside or around water.
In addition to being waterproof, the speaker also floats in case it does fall in the pool or overboard (if you’re on a boat). Interestingly enough, the speaker portion angles down into the water which makes it difficult to hear above water but I suspect the speaker isn’t actually intended for use in the water.
The compact size of the speaker also means it fits nicely into your water bottle holder on your bike. One of the things I did notice though was having to place it just right in the holder I use so the bars aren’t pressing against the volume controls. This would be something that I suspect would depend on your style of water bottle holder but it might have been better to have the volume controls moved just a bit closer together to accommodate more styles of holders.
Speakers
Even though the speaker only contains a single 5W speaker with a passive subwoofer, the sound is pretty decent. I tested a variety of music styles and was fairly impressed with the sound output. The one area it does struggle with though is songs which are heavier on the bass and at higher volumes there is some obvious distortion. It’s nothing that can’t be adjusted using the equalizer on your music app or device, but it will result in a softer bass effect as well.
When used in a water bottle holder while cycling the sound wasn’t quite as audible due to various factors like the wind or traffic. If you’re cycling through a quieter residential or wooded path the sound is easier to hear so results will indeed vary based on where you are cycling if you plan to use it in that capacity.
Battery Life
Scosche claims a battery life of up to 11 hours on a single charge and I suspect the boomBOTTLE H2O comes pretty close as we used it over quite a few weekends without having to recharge it over the course of a couple days.
Price/Value
The Scosche boomBOTTLE H2O will run you $100USD on Scosche’s website and can be found slightly cheaper on Amazon. While this is a bit more expensive than other portable Bluetooth speakers on the market, the fact that it is not only waterproof but also floats definitely adds value.
Wrap Up
The Scosche boomBOTTLE H2O Bluetooth speaker is a great speaker for the beach, by the pool, on the boat, or even cycling. It has decent sound and great battery life, fits nicely into a cycling water bottle holder, and is 100% waterproof so you don’t have to worry about it falling into the water and getting wrecked.
[rwp-review id=”0″]*We were sent a demo unit of the Scosche boomBOTTLE H2O speaker for the purposes of this review.
Last Updated on November 27, 2018.
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