Gadget Weekly
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SOUNDBOKS sent me an insanely large, nearly 21-kilo package last week. This box encompassed a Bluetooth speaker of epic proportions. In fact, the speaker was so large in size and made such bold promises I decided to test it out in the field to examine its value.
I was part of a team arranging a community-centered bazaar in my town over the weekend. This presented itself as the perfect opportunity to test the SOUNDBOKS 4 speaker’s prowess. I may have overestimated its capabilities by forgoing a PA system altogether in favor of this mammoth speaker at the venue. You’ll find out in a bit if that was a smart decision.
Sure, 126 decibels sound loud enough for an outdoor event with hundreds of people buzzing around, buying food and other knickknacks from small businesses and vendors. But what looks good on paper hardly ever reflects perfectly in real life, so I was nervous going into this hands-on trial.
The beauty of a wireless outdoor speaker
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First off, the SOUNDBOKS 4 is by no means the cheapest wireless Bluetooth speaker of the sort on the market. You can find plenty of other 200W portable speakers priced well below its $999 price tag and from far more established brands like JBL and Logitech-owned sub-brand Ultimate Ears.
However, SOUNDBOKS brings something unbeatable to the table: a 40-hour battery life on the go paired with audio that gets as loud as 126 decibels thanks to its trio of 72W RMS amplifiers built-in. Even the 200W JBL Partybox 310 only manages to produce about 80 decibels of sound.
If you run out of juice, the entire battery box — or BATTERYBOKS as the brand likes to call it — slides out of the back and conveniently plugs into any USB-C cable and 65W USB-C charger for fast charging. As if that’s not enough already, you can buy more of these chunky 12.8 V LiFePO4 batteries separately to always have swappable power when needed. One BATTERYBOKS will set you back $149.
You can also charge the SOUNDBOKS 4 while the BATTERYBOKS is plugged in and hooked up to the speaker. The only drawback here is that this compromises its water-proofing in doing so.
Can you replace a PA system with a SOUNDBOKS 4?
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With a soundstage as large and capable as this, the SOUNDBOKS 4 almost sounds good enough to be a PA system replacement for outdoor events and larger parties. Not familiar with PA systems? That’s an abbreviation for a public address system that consists of mixers, amplifiers, and speakers all hooked up to create one unified sound system. This kind of system is absolutely necessary for large events and gatherings, be they festivals, bazaars, conventions, parties, concerts, or markets.
Usually, a decent PA system with wide enough coverage can cost a pretty penny, starting from $500 for incredibly basic ones and going up to $10,000 for premium setups. Instead of renting out a setup like this, I decided to use the SOUNDBOKS 4 for music and announcements at our local bazaar. Since I only had one SOUNDBOKS 4, this left me with one-directional audio, which doesn’t sound equally great from every angle of a field or area.
Still, there were many upsides to this. First of all, had I actually paid $999 for the SOUNDBOKS 4, it would be an investment. After hosting just two large events at $500 a pop per rental, you already get your money’s worth instead of renting audio equipment. From the third event onward, it’d be free if you compare it to rental fees.
The SOUNDBOKS 4 can be paired wirelessly with other SKAA-enabled speakers or other SOUNDBOKS speakers to create a wireless stereo setup, which fixes the multi-directional audio problem.
Unfortunately, Bluetooth 5.0 means that this speaker isn’t Auracast-ready, which is a shame because not everyone has an SKAA-enabled speaker lying around. I really hope the brand refreshes this gigantic rugged Bluetooth speaker once the Bluetooth Auracast standard is readily available.
Of course, if you want to connect something via cables, like a mixer, an amp, a musical instrument, or a microphone, you can do so very easily. The SOUNDBOKS 4 has one AUX in and one AUX out port, as well as dual 1/4” XLR inputs to hook up relevant audio or video equipment.
There are three connectivity modes on the speaker, and you can set up a PIN to restrict connection. This is managed through the mobile app, which is also where you can manage audio presets and access the custom equalizer.
Not to mention, the goliath has a perfectly sized hole at the bottom for mounting on a standard speaker mount. This, in effect, can help you create a wireless PA system that’s also waterproof and doesn’t need cables to connect, beating out the current systems that are widely used and rely on grounded sources of power or generators.
Admirably, the speaker’s IP65 water-resistant rating is true to its word. Believe me, did I put that to the test? In the midst of the bazaar, heavy rain came pouring down upon my crew and me. The entire venue was nearly flooded, but the SOUNDBOKS 4 kept blasting on, pumping music to lift our (literally) dampened spirits.
My biggest qualm about the SOUNDBOKS 4 was its weight and size. Although there are handles carved into both sides of the outdoor speaker, it’s way too heavy for me to carry. If you have special medical conditions that restrict you from picking up hefty loads, you’ll need an extra pair of hands or two to help you transport the darn thing.
As the rain stilled and the sun came out again at the bazaar, the SOUNDBOKS 4 continued to function. It lasted through a scorching hot day, quickly becoming a storm without any technical errors. My team of organizers had originally intended to rent a PA system, but the SOUNDBOKS 4 was sufficient for music and small announcements during the event.
If you’re someone who hosts big parties or events regularly, I highly recommend the SOUNDBOKS 4. This speaker sounds better from a distance, which is just nice for the outdoors. It can actually replace a PA system and bring extras to the table, such as portability and waterproofing. For best results, though, I suggest getting two of these bad boys to create a stereo sound system that’s loud enough for a gathering of 200 people.
Bombastic sound
The SOUNDBOKS 4 gets unbelievably loud, so much so that you can comfortably use it for a huge event with about 150 to 200 people in attendance. The battery life is a champion among portable speakers and its robust design is something to write home about.