Boombotix BoomBot2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review
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Rarely do we find a pair of speakers that scream their personality at us, but the BoomBot2 by BoomBotix just might be one of them. It's unlike anything we've seen before, and it packs an unique oomph that we can't help but notice. It's Japanese urban design that set these as one of the first portable speakers with as much character as sound in a portable package. Check out how the BoomBot2 stands up against our relentless testing and if it's as good as it looks in the full review after the break.
I was surprised to find these at my door; I thought it was some Kidrobot-like figurine to set on my desk for show. Its unique o_O design is playful and eye-catching and creatively stores a 50mm driver in the big eye and a small tweeter in the smaller eye with metal speaker grills to project some loud sound. Of course, being used to companies known for their quality audio setups such as from Logitech or Bowers and Wilkins, I never expected these to hold its own in comparison. And it rightfully shouldn't.
The Boombot2 is set at an affordable $69.99, well within the reach of most people. Yet for something so comical, it's hardly the #1 pick when you want to be taken seriously. If high quality audio is what you need, these aren't for you. Constructed out of a rigid plastic with a rubberized coating for grip, the Boombot2 fits perfectly for someone looking for a portable speaker that you can toss around and not give a crap about. Heck, it even has a build-in clip that encourages you to take it out for a beating.
The entire speaker fits nicely in my palms and doesn't feel like an extra burden to carry as it is quite light. As for the belt clip, it is solidly built and doesn't show any signs of loosening if you were planning to hit the slopes this winter or taking it for a spin at the skate park. The entire body is weather resistant from rain and snow so no worries there. You can enjoy a good ride with some good tunes to share with your friends too.
As portable speakers, you can rest assured that they come with built-in rechargeable batteries so you don't have to keep swapping AAs every other week. Just plug it in to your phone's wall charger or your computer as it charges through USB to micro-USB.
Why is it the Boombot2 though? The 2 gets a Bluetooth capability upgrade from its older sibling and since these are meant to be portable, wireless is definitely the way to go. The connection is quick and easy as it took us maybe 15 seconds to have music streaming through the air waves. If you're not into the Bluetooth connection idea, Boombotix includes a nifty retractable 3.5mm cable that is easily stored without any tangled cables to worry about.
On top of the Boombot2 is all of your functionality controls which consists of the volume up and down buttons and a power/mode button in the middle. The mode button is used to switch between wired and Bluetooth connectivity. You're then able to distinguish which mode your speaker is currently in by two different colors that emit from the star-shaped LED. The greenish glow is wired while the blue glow means Bluetooth. The blue LED indicator will also flash to show that it is currently in pairing mode.
Sound quality is always important and we couldn't agree more. As we put the Boombot2 through multiple tests that range from genres from indie to techno, we found the overall experience to be just okay. These do not produce the greatest sound you'll ever hear, nor does it sound like a 50 year rusty stereo. For such a small package however, they definitely pack a punch in the volume department. Cranked all the way up to full, you won't have to worry about not hearing your music as you're speeding down the mountain. There were times when the audio quality would decrease significantly in the mids and bass if turned up too loud. This mainly came from the heavy bass drowning out everything else, making for an overall unpleasant listening experience. When the bass isn't a problem, the mids and highs come out acceptable, but nowhere near our recommendation standards.
While a grown man probably wouldn't be looking for the Boombot2 for this as his main driver, it would be much more appropriate for a teenage kid who's into the quirky aesthetics and an active lifestyle. Keep in mind though, with this on your belt, you don't look cool in the slightest. No matter how "customizable" Boombotix wants you to get with their separately purchased speaker grills, they all look pretty silly. We'd recommend to give these a try if you're that teenage kid or know someone like that, otherwise, save yourself the money and the embarrassment and check out a more serious pair of speakers such as JBL's Micro Wireless.
