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Tom's Guide
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I put this $40 waterproof Bluetooth speaker to the test in my shower and here's what happened
Growing up, there was nothing I loved more than my cheap, rubbish-sound-quality, gimmicky speaker. It would come with me and my friends everywhere and pretty much soundtracked my youth in real time. But technology has advanced since I was young, and the best cheap speakers now come with good sound quality and without the gimmicks. The Tozo PE1 combines compact convenience with great sound quality, with help from the companion app. It's completely waterproof, making it great to take a shower with, and has multipoint connection to handle two of your devices at once. The battery life drains pretty fast if you listen at full volume, and the sound is tinny at those volumes too. But I have to say, these aren't deal breakers for me. You can find out more about how I got on in my full Tozo PE1 review. The Tozo PE1 Bluetooth speaker is a real budget steal. It's available for purchase at Amazon U.S, but the price differs depending on which colour you get. You get the choice of black for $36, blue for $39, or red for $34. The speaker is available for £29 at Amazon U.K., where it's only available in black. This super-cheap budget speaker performs very well. You'd pay $59 for its nearest competitor, the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2, , which is obviously still very cheap. But when the Tozo performs as well as it does, why spend $20 more? The Tozo PE1 speaker is super compact and easy to transport. Measuring just 5.7 x 4.2 x 1.8 inches, it fits almost perfectly in the palm of my hand. Its small stature also means it only weighs 8.9 ounces, so wherever it comes with me I'm never weighed down by it. Comparatively, the Ultimate Ears Miniroll Bluetooth speaker is also palm-sized, but costs a lot more at $79. I recently tested the Tribit Stormbox Lava, and while I love it, it's pretty big and can sometimes prove cumbersome. I prefer the tiny size and big noise of the Tozo PE1 — I can throw it in any bag, or clip it to the outside using the built-in flexible carabiner. On the carabiner, while it's rubber, there is metal inside, so it takes a good squeeze to get it to flex and is very secure. While the Tozo PE1 hasn't been specifically tested for dust protection (so be wary not to get it sandy at the beach), it's completely waterproof. The waterproof rating of IPX8 means it can be submerged in water and still come out good as new. So, if you're anything like me, you can perform a mean shower cover of Carrie Underwood's 'Before He Cheats' to your shampoo bottles. The speaker has a mesh front which gives a textured look, and you can actually see this vibrate from the power of the drivers at higher volumes. The 43.5mm dynamic drivers produce a huge sound despite the tiny size of the speaker. They are better at lower volumes, but for the price point, even the high volume performance is great; but more on that later. There is a USB-C charging port on the bottom of the speaker, located next to the built-in microphone. There is a 20-inch charging cable included with the speaker too. The controls on the Tozo PE1 speaker are all located on the right-hand side, making it really easy to change the song or alter the volume while holding it in one hand. The buttons are also dual-purpose to save space on the speaker. The power button also plays and pauses the music, while the volume buttons also control the song skips. The only issue I have with these buttons is that they are indented, so you have to press quite hard to get them to respond. However, you can also control the music easily from your phone — especially handy if you're not right next to the speaker. The Tozo PE1 speaker uses Bluetooth 5.4 to give a total range of 15 meters. I found this great for when I was moving around the garden but wanted to stay connected to keep playing my music. The signal stayed stable wherever I was in the garden, and then in between rooms when I was using it in the house. There is also dual device connection, which is easy to use as the speaker is automatically discoverable without needing any button pushes. I connected to my laptop to play music and to my phone at the same time, so I was alerted to calls and notifications. The switch between the two was seamless with no delay. There is a built-in microphone at the bottom of the speaker so you can even use it to take calls. I tested this by calling my brother. He isn't one to mince his words, so I know he was being honest when saying he could hear me clearly, albeit with a little crackling. The speaker is compatible with the Tozo Signature Sound app, where I was able to alter EQ settings and use presets to get the most out of my music. And for a studio sound experience, Tozo says you can get two of the speakers and connect to them at the same time. This is also a feature of the Tribit Stormbox Lava, although I don't recommend forking out close to $300 for two of those speakers. However, since the Tozo PE1 is very affordable, buying two is definitely something to consider. Unfortunately, Tozo only sent me one unit, so I haven't had the chance to test it out for myself. When testing the sound quality of the Tozo PE1 speaker, what stood out to me was that it sounds so much better when hanging from the carabiner, although it does have contouring on its body to lie flat too. I began testing with 'Guns for Hands' by Twenty One Pilots. This is a song that uses electronic beats, so it's a great way to pick out any trouble areas with tinniness. Given the price and size of the speaker, I was expecting this to be far worse than it was. The speaker sounded pretty good until it reached about 70% volume, and then the song started to become tinny. This is also because the song is high-pitched, so the sound of the electronic beat becomes pretty much unbearable. I always like to test audio gear with some metal songs as it gives me a good idea of how the mids are performing. I went for 'Oh No' by Bring Me The Horizon, which (dare I say) is one of their more pop-y songs, so it felt like a fair test for a small speaker. I tried this with the Pop EQ preset and it balanced the vocals on the track really well, even at high volumes. The bass certainly carried the song here and sounded punchy, but the cymbals came across as very tinny. I wanted to see what else I could do with the EQ settings in the app and turned to 'She's American' by The 1975. I decided to create a custom EQ from one of the existing presets. I used the Deep EQ preset and raised the lower frequencies and highest frequencies to get a crisper sound on the rhythm guitar. I love this song and this gave it a super full sound, so I played it a few times on repeat. To test the Vocal EQ setting, I played 'The Last Man on Earth' by Wolf Alice. The vocals on the recording of this track are very raw, and accentuating this only made the experience better. There was still the tinny sound at high volumes, but this was by far my favorite song to listen to on the speaker, so slower, vocal-first songs are definitely the way to go. While the PE1 wasn't the definition of great sound quality, it's important to remember that this is a sub-$40 speaker. Being peaky at high volumes can usually be expected with smaller Bluetooth speakers. The Ultimate Ears Miniroll has the same issue as the Toxo PE1 of getting tinny at higher volumes — it just comes with the territory. The Tozo PE1 has a surprisingly good rated battery life of 32 hours, but when I listened to it at full volume, it drained much more quickly. Listening at moderate volumes, though, the speaker will last you around 15 hours based on my testing, and at low volumes you get closer to that 32 hour mark… but then isn't the point of a speaker to be loud? The battery life is certainly oversold here. It will probably come as no surprise that if you're looking for something with a more realistic battery life, you will need to fork out a little extra cash — and lower your expectations. An arguably better speaker with similar battery life to the high volume settings is the Sonos Roam 2, but it is $179 so you're obviously leaving the realm of budget speakers here. I've been very impressed by the Tozo PE1. Though it may be small, it has heart. Because of the small size there is inevitable tinniness at high volumes and the battery runs out pretty quick, but that's where my qualms end. The speaker is great to use anywhere — even in the shower, since it's completely waterproof — while its compact size means it can come with me everywhere I go. The flexible carabiner is also awesome for hooking onto the outside of bags. My favorite feature is the Tozo Signature Sound app, as this gave me more freedom to play around with the speaker and get the sound I wanted. If you're in the market for the cheapest speaker you can get your hands on that still has decent sound quality and a sleek yet convenient look, clip this to your bag.
Engadget
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
The best Prime Day speaker deals are still up to 47 percent off on JBL, Bose, Sonos and others
For the first time ever, the July Amazon Prime Day sale is running for four straight days, so you've still got a chance to at enjoying sharp discounts on some of the best speakers money can buy. Whether you're after a bluetooth speaker you can take on an adventure, a soundbar to anchor your home theater or a smart speaker that'll save time around the house, there's a high chance something just dropped into your price range. Our audiophiles have combed through the sales and put together a list of discounted speakers that stand out from the herd, including top brands like JBL, Bose, Sonos, Beats and Ultimate Ears. So whether you're sick of missing dialogue in your shows, or you want music at near-live quality for your pool party, the list below is for you. Our portable bluetooth speaker picks are some of the best all-around mobile music devices to ever hit the shelves: smaller and lighter than a boombox, better audio than an iPod, and way easier in the long run than learning to play guitar. We've sifted through Prime Day offerings to find the best portable speakers in all shapes and sizes. Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 for $56 (20 percent off): This tiny portable speaker packs a wallop — you won't believe how high you can crank the volume on such a small, light device. Weighing in at about one pound, it includes a rubber strap for attaching it to your backpack or bike, and comes with a USB charging port. Beats Pill for $98 (35 percent off): The Beats Pill is one of the few portable bluetooth speakers we liked enough to give it a full review. Those of you who love the classic Beats bluetooth speakers will be happy to know they're back in fine form. Nobody can beat the Pill for bass, and its sound is crisp and lossless at almost any frequency and volume. For some reason, only the Kim Kardashian branded version is on sale, but it's the exact same speaker. Soundcore Motion 300 for $53 (34 percent off): The Motion 300 is that rare portable speaker that outperforms at both high and low frequencies. Its upper range goes into 40 kHz, while its bass can deliver bone-shaking thumps even outdoors. All that in 1.7 pounds with 13 hours of battery life — and it's even partially waterproof. Anker Soundcore Motion+ for $75 (24 percent off): Tough, sturdy construction makes this speaker an excellent choice for home bluetooth. Its battery lasts for 12 hours in the wild, and it always sounds great, but it's a bit heavy for pedaling through the park. There's also an option for wired connections, and it even works as a backup soundbar. Anker Soundcore 2 for $28 (38 percent off): The Soundcore 2 is an older bluetooth speaker, but it holds up — fully waterproof, with 24 hours of battery life and bass you can hear on the other side of a pool. It's on sale for less than $30. Soundcore Select 4 for $19 (46 percent off): This 9.3-ounce speaker is a massive improvement over built-in smartphone audio. It can fill a room at a decent range of frequencies, and works well in room-sized outdoor spaces — plus, with IP67 waterproofing, it can survive a dip in the pool. It's currently almost half off. UE Everboom for $190 ($80 off): If you want something stronger than the Wonderboom but the Hyperboom isn't portable enough, the Everboom is a great middle ground. Its ideal range is a little narrow, but it makes up for that with 360-degree sound and extreme durability (i.e. so waterproof it literally floats). JBL Go 3 for $30 (25 percent off): The JBL Go 3 improves on its predecessor with a carabiner-friendly design, five hours of battery life, and IP67-rated waterproofing and dustproofing. It's not exactly powerful, but it's way better than a phone speaker for driving, trekking or camping. JBL Pulse 5 for $200 ($50 off): The Pulse 5 is JBL's latest and greatest party speaker, throwing out 360-degree light bursts that sync up to the music. There's substance behind the flash, too, with speakers designed around the bass frequencies and 12 hours of battery life. Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen for $99 (33 percent off): This mini speaker from Bose is one of our favorites on the list for hands-free phone calls. It supports both Google Assistant and Siri and runs up to 12 hours on one charge, all while being smaller than a clutch purse. It also kills as a portable music player, though the sound doesn't stretch far enough to fill a room. Bose Soundlink Revolve+ Series II for $179 ($120 off): The Revolve series was Bose's first line of 360-degree outdoor speakers, and they're still a strong choice today. The Revolve+ weighs about two pounds and can run for 17 hours without recharging. Bose Soundlink Max for $299 ($100 off): Bose's Soundlink Max marries a classic carrying-case design with audio that sounds like it's coming from a much bigger unit. It comes with a 20-hour battery and IP67-rated protection against the elements. Marshall Emberton II for $95 (47 percent off): Marshall has been making audio equipment for more than 60 years, and still has a thing or two to teach the young'ns. The Emberton II looks like a classic amp, but weighs a quarter of a pound and provides balanced sound for more than 30 hours per charge. Marshall Acton III for $200 ($100 off): All right, so a six-pound speaker isn't exactly portable — but if you can stand lugging it around, the Acton III can be a highly versatile device. From music to outdoor parties to pulling double duty as a soundbar, this is a low-setup, low-overhead option for nearly all audio tasks. Ortizan X10 for $30 (41 percent off): Ortizan is a newer brand from China, but we like what we've seen from them so far. The X10 is the size of the Beats Pill but comes at the price of a belt-clip speaker like the JBL Go 3. If you do have a problem, Ortizan's customer service is highly responsive. Smart speakers aren't just about getting a disembodied voice to do your bidding (or at least as much of your bidding as Alexa can do without hands). On top of assistant support, the picks below serve up legitimately great audio quality alongside useful extra features. The only downside is that they're often overpriced, but that's what Prime Day is for. Amazon Echo Dot for $32 (36 percent off): Amazon may not have updated the Echo Dot since 2022, but that just goes to show how well this spherical smart speaker serves as the perfect host for Alexa. Both music and speech sound clear, and it's easy to integrate with other smart home devices. Right now, it's marked down more than a third. Amazon Echo Pop for $22 (45 percent off): The latest Echo Pop release continues the trend of making Alexa's best features available on a mini-sized, reasonably priced device. Its half-spherical design fits on any desk or shelf, and its sound output is consistently clear — and gets louder than you might believe. Sonos Era 100 for $179 ($20 off): Smart speakers from the Amazon Echo line play perfectly good music, but true audiophiles in need of assistant support should look to Sonos. The Era 100 has tweeters and woofers precisely arranged for clear, full-room sound, and it's easy to hook up to your other audio gear. Just be warned it only supports Alexa, not Google Assistant. JBL Authentics 200 for $200 ($180 off): JBL's Authentics line is modeled after a product it sold in the 70s. Its old-school bookshelf-friendly design belies its advanced feat of running Google Assistant and Alexa simultaneously (as opposed to other smart speakers where you have to pick just one). JBL Authentics 300 for $300 ($150 off): The JBL Authentics 300 can host both Alexa and Google Assistant at the same time, which impressed us enough that we gave it a full review. While we had some issues — namely its tendency to over-emphasize vocals — we can't quibble with its high-range performance or retro design. Flatter, lighter and larger TV screens are nice for visuals, but often sacrifice sound quality to lose weight. If you've found yourself turning on the subtitles for your shows more often lately, you might need a soundbar to augment your TV's built-in speakers. We found a few of the best on sale for Prime Day — Sonos leads this space, but it's not without competitors. Bose Smart for $400 (20 percent off): In our full review of the Bose Smart, we noted that two drivers in the center make its sound feel directional without any other speakers needed — simply cranking up those makes any audio more immersive. You can also link it to a pair of Ultra Open Earbuds (not included) for a private surround sound experience. Bose Smart Ultra for $700 ($200 off): The Smart Ultra upgrades the Bose Smart with a more sophisticated calibration system which adjusts sound settings to fill whatever room it's in. If you want the Smart's personal surround experience for more than one person, the Smart Ultra is for you. Sonos Beam for $369 (26 percent off): The Sonos Beam is a fantastic choice for a mid-budget soundbar. It's one of the most accessible Dolby Atmos systems, and uses careful audio alterations to achieve a much more immersive sound than other bars of its size. Sonos Ray for $169 (15 percent off): If you're looking to pay a bit less, go with the Sonos Ray to maximize sound quality on a budget. The audio won't wrap around your room like it might from a more premium model, but it's still a vast improvement on nearly all built-in TV speakers. Sony HT-S400 for $178 (41 percent off): Sony built the HT-S400 for everyone who wants a soundbar but not an entire home theater. It's a 2.1-channel system that still manages immersive surround sound and is easy to integrate with Sony TVs. Right now, it's 40 percent off, one of the best prices we've seen on any soundbar. Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 for $448 ($200 off): One of Sony's newest audio products, the Bravia Theater Bar 6 is a 3.1.2 soundbar that can bend audio in more directions to fill your theater space. It can handle Dolby Atmos, and has an integrated AI feature that recognizes and clarifies human voices. VIZIO 2.0 for $78 (22 percent off): Vizio's budget soundbar makes a worthy alternative to the Sonos Ray. It punches above its weight and gets as close as possible to Dolby Atmos surround sound as a single unit can manage. For less than $100, you'll never mishear a line of dialogue again. JBL Bar 9.1 for $760 ($440 off): The 9.1 is JBL's first sound bar to be compatible with Dolby Atmos, and it doesn't disappoint. Each unit comes with two wireless speakers you can move around your viewing room, and there's even a 4K passthrough input to ensure your sound system doesn't mess with image quality. Sennheiser Ambeo Mini for $600 ($200 off): We recommend the Sennheiser Ambeo Mini for a relatively cheap premium soundbar. It excels in smaller spaces (though it needs an extra subwoofer to fill larger ones), and its connected app includes several sound presets you can use to optimize its virtual speakers.
Tom's Guide
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I just tested this $68 Bluetooth speaker — and for its tiny size, it's actually impressive
Have you ever put your smartphone in a glass or mug to amplify its speaker's volume and sound? I have, and I just tested a speaker that utilizes that very idea. Three Norwegian friends ran with it and came up with the Sodapop Bluetooth speaker. It's unlike any other speaker I've seen, featuring a screw-on design and a plastic bottle which makes the speaker much louder and delivers better bass. While I found the bass to be hit-or-miss in my testing as it varied from song to song, I did find the vocals to be clear and detailed. The Sodapop's also got a long battery life and it's extremely portable, but it's let down by its IPX5 rating which makes it less waterproof than most of its rivals. If you're wondering if this is the best Bluetooth speaker for you, read my full Sodapop review to find out. Specs Sodapop Bluetooth speaker Price $68 / £59 Colors Black, Sunburn (orange), Skinny Dip (blue), Green Size 6.1 x 2.87 x 2.87 inches Weight 10.58oz Battery life (rated) 30 hours Connectivity Bluetooth 5.0 Waterproofing IPX5 Sodapop is a brand new company, based in the beautiful country of Norway, and the Sodapop Bluetooth speaker is their first-ever product. The Sodapop costs $68 / £59 directly from the brand's e-store. It comes in a few colorways: Black, Sunburn (orange), Skinny Dip (blue), and Green. Given its price, the Sodapop faces fierce competition from the likes of the Tribit StormBox 2 ($67), the Tribit XSound Plus 2 ($69) and the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 ($59). It's slightly pricier than the (also) Scandinavian Happy Plugs Joy ($49), but I believe it offers better value for money as it sounds way better. I'm not exaggerating when I say the Sodapop Bluetooth speaker is unlike any other speaker I've seen before. It's made of two units: a hard plastic bottle and the speaker itself. The speaker, measuring 3.81 x 2.36 x 2.36 inches, is enclosed within the bottle, measuring 6.1 x 2.87 x 2.87 inches, so it's very portable. I was able to slip it into my cargo pants' pocket and carry it around with ease. Neither did it feel like it was weighing me down, as it weighs just 10.58oz. It's half the weight of the EarFun UBoom L (22.92oz, $79) and the Tribit StormBox 2 (20oz), and it's even lighter than the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 (16oz). Now, onto the setup. To access the speaker, you need to twist off the base at the bottom of the bottle. The base includes a passive radiator to enhance the Sodapop's bass response (and it's also fun to watch when listening to a bass-heavy track). Then, you need to unscrew the cap at the top of the bottle — as you would while opening a bottle of soda — and remove the rubber flap on the speaker. Then, you need to screw the speaker onto the bottle. I know it sounds complicated when I put it into words, but in use, it really isn't. This is the way the manufacturer intended for the Sodapop to be used, as it delivers punchier bass (or 'double the bass and an overall superior sound' according to Sodapop) by increasing it by 10 decibels. You can use the speaker without the bottle too. With the rubber flap covering the screw-on chamber, bass response is weaker but it still works, as I'll discuss in more detail later in the review. Also, thanks to the screw-on chamber, Sodapop says that you can attach the speaker to any regular-sized bottle, so that's what I did. I bought a bottle of Coca Cola and screwed the speaker on, as you can see in the photo above, and it worked like a charm. It didn't create a seal as strong as the OG bottle, but it still sounded good. Controls are fairly straightforward and minimal too, which you'll find located around the back. The power button doubles as the Bluetooth pairing button when kept pressed, and it's accompanied by volume up and down buttons. That's it. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. The Sodapop Bluetooth speaker features stereo mode, so you can synchronize two Sodapops together if you're at a social gathering or party. I, unfortunately, was sent only one sample unit so I couldn't test this feature. One of the Sodapop's cons is that it's IPX5-rated only. This means that the speaker is protected against powerful jetting water from any direction. This is a rather disappointing rating as it means you'll need to be careful if you're using it poolside, at the beach or in the shower — which I'd advise against. Also, on a personal note, I really wanted to fill the bottle with water. Both the Tribit StormBox 2 and the Tribit XSound Plus 2 have higher durability ratings of IPX7, which means they can be submerged in a meter of water for 30 minutes. If you want a dustproof speaker, it's worth spending extra on the EarFun UBoom L or the JBL Clip 5 ($79), both of which are IP67-rated, making them dustproof and waterproof down to 3 feet. The Sodapop Bluetooth speaker utilizes Bluetooth 5.0 to seamlessly connect to your smartphone, laptop or any other Bluetooth-enabled device — but not simultaneously as there's no multipoint connectivity. It's surprising that the Sodapop uses an older Bluetooth version, considering Tribit's speakers utilize Bluetooth 5.3 which ensures a more reliable connection — but still, I didn't experience any connectivity issues with the Sodapop. Hey, at least it doesn't use the outdated Bluetooth 4.2 like the (much pricier) Bose SoundLink Flex ($149)! There's also a 3.5mm aux port located near the controls, as well as a USB-C port for charging, both of which are protected by a rubber flap that keeps dust out. At the time of writing, though, the Sodapop's companion app is currently in development, so I will update this review when I have access to it. For its tiny size, the Sodapop Bluetooth speaker is loud and impressive, with vocals sounding clear and detailed, making it great for acoustic music — but audiophiles may be left feeling shortchanged as it isn't ideal for bass-heavy or electronic tracks. To test the speaker, I listened to an array of genres — indie, pop, rock, metal, etc. — on Qobuz which is one the best music streaming services for hi-res audio. Let's talk about the positives first. When the Sodapop is screwed onto the accompanying bottle, it makes music sound much louder and clearer, and I love how acoustic/vocal-heavy tracks sound. Listening to 'Labour' by Paris Paloma and 'Henry, Come On' by Lana Del Rey was a treat. In both songs, vocals sounded clear, and I especially loved how I could hear the vibrato in Paris Paloma's voice in the first track. As multiple voices kicked in on the bridge, I could distinctly hear each individual vocalist. Similarly, in 'Henry, Come On,' Lana's high notes in the chorus never sounded piercing or too high-pitched. Her voice also had a lovely warmth to it throughout the song. The Sodapop is also good at making a percussion/string instrument like the piano sound detailed. 'Piano Man' by Billy Joel sounded fantastic through the speaker, with every piano note clearly discernible throughout the track, and well-balanced with the other instruments. No one instrument overpowered the others, and neither did the vocals. Bass through the Sodapop is hit or miss, really. If you want punchier lows and mids regardless of the genre playing, I'd recommend the EarFun UBoom L or the JBL Clip 5, both of which deliver jaw-shaking bass. The issue arises when playing heavy rock, metal or electronic tracks through the Sodapop. Iron Maiden's 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' didn't stand a chance here. All the instruments and voices seemed to blend together, resulting in an overall muddy sound. I also noticed this in many other tracks, including 'Mean Girls' and 'Von Dutch' by Charli XCX, which sounded unpleasant. The electronic instruments sounded like they were piercing my ears. As I mentioned up top, the brand says that the Sodapop's screw-on bottle design helps double the bass, which is true, as without the bottle, bass sounds — no offence — downright terrible. The bottle is its saving grace. Basslines aren't always the cleanest, as the bass in Alt-J's 'Every Other Freckle' sounded too distorted (more than the band intended). In 070 Shake's 'Elephant' though, the bass sounded powerful and, in a way, how it did when I saw her at an indoor gig. Bass through the Sodapop is hit or miss, really. If you want punchier lows and mids regardless of the genre playing, I'd recommend the EarFun UBoom L or the JBL Clip 5, both of which deliver jaw-shaking bass. One thing to also note is that the speaker can go very loud, volume-wise, which is the opposite of the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2, whose highest volume was too low. For a speaker that costs less than $70, the Sodapop Bluetooth speaker boasts phenomenal battery life, rated at 30 hours on a single charge. For context, this is better than the Tribit StormBox 2 (24 hours), the Tribit XSound Plus 2 (24 hours), the EarFun UBoom L (16 hours), and the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 (12 hours). I was skeptical about the Sodapop's battery life when I read how long it lasts according to the manufacturer, so I put it to the test by leaving it playing music at 50% volume for 18 hours, combined with seven hours of actively listening to music, so 25 hours in total, and the speaker died after that — so not too bad! For the brand's first speaker, the Sodapop isn't a bad starting point at all. If anything, it's a triumph. The speaker's unique design sets it apart from other speakers in the market which, let's be honest, look alike (more often than not). I think the screw-on design is clever as it makes the speaker much louder and you can use it with any regular-sized bottle. Vocals sound clear and detailed through the Sodapop, and its long battery life means you can keep listening for hours. However, the Sodapop lacks punchy and consistent bass response, and metal, electronic and rock tracks tend to sound tinny, which may be disappointing for many listeners. And when it comes to durability, the Sodapop is outdone by its rivals, like the EarFun UBoom L or the JBL Clip 5, which are more waterproof and dustproof. If you don't mind these shortcomings, or you're primarily a country, pop or acoustic listener, then you'll be happy with the Sodapop. If nothing else, you'll sure as hell have people coming up to you, asking why your water bottle sounds so good.
