STACK #213 July 2022

SPEAKER SMARTS continued

LIFE TECH FEATURE

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PORTABLE BLUETOOTH SPEAKERS

TOP SHELF

Ultimate Ears Hyperboom The atomic bomb of Bluetooth speakers, the Hyperboom is the ultimate entertainer. It‘s big enough to lead any celebration and, with 24 hours of battery life, will go the distance – and the neighbours will hate it! The 360-degree soundstage is huge, and heavy on the bass, and can be customised using the adjustable EQ. It also has multi-pairing, so different DJs can trade songs on different playlists. There’s an optical connection port and AUX input, plus a USB-A output for

Sony SRS-RA3000 360 Wireless Speaker The RA3000 replicates a live music experience using 360 Reality Audio, beam tweeters for upward audio, and dual passive radiators for deep bass. Or choose an ambient, room-filling soundscape of unobtrusive background music. There is auto sound calibration for wherever you are, and the speaker will auto adjust for consistent volume level. The suite of seamless connectivity options includes built-in Chromecast for

Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II Portable Bluetooth Speaker The Revolve+ II delivers 360-degree sound using a down-facing transducer coupled with an omnidirectional acoustic deflector to distribute music evenly. Dual-passive radiators give bass extra punch. Encased in soft material to absorb shocks and leave no marks, the Revolve+ II is built for the outdoors, with IP55 dust and splash protection and a fabric handle for toting it to

your next picnic. It can also be integrated into a home sound ecosystem – a Bose Home speaker and SoundLink speaker can be paired using Bose SimpleSynch. There’s multipairing for two devices and in-built Google Assistant and call taking. At a glance Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.1 Battery life: 17 hours IP rating: 55 Charging: Micro-B USB

charging devices during playback. A speaker for folk looking to take the party wherever they are. At a glance

streaming online radio and podcasts from a connected device, voice control using a Google or Alexa supported device, and you can add it to an existing speaker group using the Google Home or Alexa app. At a glance Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Battery life: N/A IPX rating: Humidity resistant Charging: USB

Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 Battery life: 24 hours IPX rating: 4 Charging: AC adaptor

PARTY SPEAKERS

Whether it’s a celebration or just a rowdy get-together, music is the life of a party and a dedicated party speaker will set the mood and have the crowd moving and grooving.

JBL Partybox 1000 Portable Wireless Bluetooth Party Speaker

Monster Blaster 3.0 Boom Box Speaker

This 1100W music machine is a sonic tower of power that can be wheeled to wherever you designate the dancefloor and connected via Bluetooth. The Partybox 1000 is as powerful as it looks, boasting two 7-inch mid-frequency drivers, a high-frequency tweeter and a 12-inch subwoofer with a bass boost you can feel – anticipate noise complaints from the neighbours. Packed with interactive features like a DJ Launchpad that adds drums, keyboard and piano to the mix, plus mic and guitar inputs for a live session, the Partybox 1000 doesn’t just pump out great sound, it will also dazzle with a dynamic, customisable lightshow to accompany the beats and ignite a disco inferno. Playlists can be streamed from devices using Bluetooth or loaded onto a USB drive for plug in-and-play convenience. A panel on the top of the speaker is the control centre and, in keeping with the party spirit, an air gesture wristband synchs with the speaker and provides hands-free control of lighting and sound effects with a wave or a clap. The Partybox isn’t waterproofed, so exercise caution when throwing a pool party and keep it out of direct sunlight. At a glance Connectivity: Bluetooth IPX rating: No Charging: AC

The boom box, or ghetto blaster, was a ubiquitous bit of audio tech in the 1980s, pumping pure stereo while perched on the shoulders of head-banging youngsters. It has since evolved into the Monster Blaster 3.0 Boom Box – a mighty, portable Bluetooth speaker that packs the boom its name suggests, with dual 60W speakers, two passive radiators and an integrated 60W subwoofer for dynamic power bass. LED volume level indicators add a nice old school touch to the design, and the sound pumps from both sides of the box, so don’t set it flush to a wall. The Monster Blaster connects via Bluetooth, with NFC (Near Field Communication) pairing when supported devices are in close range. Sound can be tailored using the built-in EQ modes (there is no companion app) that include an environment optimiser for the best possible sound wherever you are. The battery life is a generous 12 hours per charge and the built-in USB-C port doubles as a power source to charge devices. It also features an AUX input and microphone jack. The Monster Blaster 3.0 is the perfect

party machine for indoors and out – or over the shoulder when on the move. At a glance Connectivity: Bluetooth, NFC Battery life: 12 hours IPX rating: 5 Charging: USB-C

24 JULY 2022

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