We’ve reviewed our fair share of Bluetooth speakers here on Techaeris, but most of those speakers aren’t going to perform quite so well when they’re wet. The iClever Waterproof Outdoor/Shower speaker shouldn’t have any problems in that regard. Keep reading to see how this waterproof speaker handled some light splashing.
Specifications
- Bluetooth profile: A2DP, HFP, HSP, AVRCP
- Transmission distance: 10m
- Working time: 8-10 hours
- Charging time: 3-4 hours
- Water resistant: IP65
- Dimension: 98 x 90 x 50 mm
- Size: 286g
- 30-Day Money Back Guarantee
- 12 Month Replacement Warranty
- Lifetime Support Guarantee
What’s in the Box
- 1 x iClever IC-BTS03 Bluetooth Speaker
- 1 x Micro USB Charging Cable
- 1 x 3.5mm Aux-in Audio Cable
- 1 x User Manual
- 1 x Warranty Card
Design
The iClever Waterproof Outdoor/Shower Bluetooth speaker is relatively small, measuring in at 3.9 x 2 x 3.5 inches. The entire speaker is rather rugged looking, with a thick rubberized textured outer coating, and exposed screws. The majority of the front of the speaker is taken up by, well, the speaker grill. The grill itself is slightly convex, the iClever logo sits just above the grill on the case, and the power indicator light is just above the logo on the front of the device.. There is an orange decorative ring around the outside of the speaker grill, as well as some orange hard plastic ornamentation on the case itself. The back of the speaker looks remarkably like the front, though without the iClever branding and indicator light.
The top of the speaker includes the four control buttons. From left to right you’ll have power, volume down (-), play/pause/answer call, and volume up (+). The upper right corner includes a wrist strap that also works nicely for hanging the speaker on a hook, shower curtain rod, or other hanging implement.
On the left side of the speaker is a moveable flap, under which you’ll find the Micro-USB input for charging and the 3.5mm audio input. When the flap is open you aren’t going to want to get the device wet, so wired use and (obviously) charging should only be done when the device is completely dry. The bottom of the speaker includes a threaded port for mounting the speaker if you’d like. The right side of the speaker is relatively ordinary by comparison, only including the same textured rubber construction as the rest of the speaker.
Ease of Use
If you’ve ever connected your phone or tablet to a Bluetooth speaker, you should be pretty comfortable with the operation and pairing to this speaker. If you want to drop the connection to the current device and connect to a different device, you can enter pairing mode by holding down the + and – buttons, otherwise if you’re only connecting one device you should be ready to go after the initial pairing. Hitting the Play button after the speaker has connected to your device will automatically start playing the last audio source you’ve used in almost all instances. I did have a few times where the play button did not resume, but nine times out of ten you could start playing music directly from the speaker. In my testing it connected to my last played song on Google Play Music, and continued through whichever album or playlist I was listening to at the time. This is helpful since the speaker is meant to be used in places like the shower where you won’t really want to take your phone.
The speaker is IP65 rated, meaning it is dust-tight, and can handle normal water jets from any direction without harmful effects. I hung the speaker from a hook on the caddy hanging from my shower head and have had no issues, even when the speaker has gotten wet. You won’t be able to dunk the speaker in your bathtub, but normal shower operation won’t have any ill effects on operation.
Sound
For a speaker of this size, I was honestly very impressed with the sound that the iClever Waterproof Outdoor/Shower speaker put out. Mids and highs were clear and strong, with enough bass to keep everything nicely mixed. The speaker gets pretty loud too. Even on the middle volume levels you won’t have any problem hearing this speaker over the water of your shower, or outside in the rain. Since it’s a relatively small speaker, this isn’t going to be the best option for a big party or anything like that, but for its purposes it is quite good.
Reception/Call Quality
As silly as it might seem to take a call while you’re in the shower, you can do just that with this speaker. The conversation comes through very clearly, and you are able to hear callers without issue. Even more impressive, callers were able to hear me clearly and without issue. Even with the shower running, and spraying water between my face and the speaker, callers were able to hear and understand me perfectly, even saying that they weren’t able to tell that I was in the shower. You might not take many calls while you’re in the shower, but it’s good to know that the call quality will be there if you need it.
Battery Life
This speaker is said to get 8-10 hours on a single charge. If you’re using it in the shower (as I have been) those 8-10 hours will take quite some time to exhaust. I’ve been using the speaker every day for over a month and it has yet to die on me. Granted, it’s usually only on for around 5 – 10 minutes per day, but you shouldn’t have any trouble keeping this speaker going for extended listening.
Price/Value
Currently priced at $19.99 on Amazon, the iClever Waterproof Outdoor/Shower speaker really is a pretty fantastic deal. For the price you’re getting a rugged speaker with good sound that works without issue when wet.
Wrap Up
If you’re looking for a soundtrack while you sing in the shower, the iClever Waterproof Outdoor/Shower speaker is a reasonably priced option. It sounds good, and will hold up under normal use.
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