- Powerful stereo sound
Dual drivers and passive radiators deliver crystal clear sound. - BassUp technology
Our exclusive technology uses an in-house tuned digital signal processor to analyze and intesify bass in real-time. - Link 100+ speakers
Wirelessly link more than 100 speakers for synchronized music and lights using our PartyCast technology. - 20-Hour playtime
Enjoy up to 20 hours of continuous playtime from a single charge. - IPX7 waterproof
The fully waterproof casing protects Select 2’s internal components from liquids, so you can keep enjoying the music!
-36%
Soundcore – by Anker Select 2 Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker – Black
$24.00 Save:$13.00(36%)
Available in stock
Description
Additional information
| Weight | 1.12 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 2.4 × 6.9 × 2.2 in |
| Remote Control Included | No |
| Radio Tuner | No |
| Manufacturer's Warranty - Labor | 18 months |
| Manufacturer's Warranty - Parts | 18 months |
| Model Number | A3125Z11 |
| Color Category | Black |
| Product Depth | 2.4 inches |
| Wireless | Yes |
| Built-In Microphone | Yes |
| Product Width | 6.9 inches |
| Compatibility | Universal |
| Product Name | by Anker Select 2 Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker |
| Product Weight | 1.12 pounds |
| Rechargeable | Yes |
| Brand | Soundcore |
| Product Height | 2.2 inches |
| Color | Black |
| UPC | 194644047153 |
Reviews (50)
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MrGadget –
Anker Soundcore Select 2 Bluetooth speaker pumps out clear, strong sound from a small, inexpensive package. Best of all, it’s only $50 at Best Buy! It’s not just the sound. There is a companion app chock full of useful features, not the least of which is a power button IN THE APP that powers down the Soundcore Select 2.
**WHAT’S IN THE BOX**
• Anker Soundcore Select 2 6-5/8” L x 2-1/8”H x 2-3/16” D
• Charging cable – USB-C into the device to USB-A for connection to your charging source
• Wrist strap
• Simplified quick start guide and warranty
**THE SETUP**
Instructions call for powering on with a press of the raised power button, which puts Soundcore Select 2 into pairing mode. Next, pair with your device, which, for this evaluation is my iPhone. Start playing. Note that this product is Bluetooth only, there is no jack for hardwiring from a device. Pairing mode is always available with a long press on the raised Bluetooth symbol on the top of the speaker.
Next, download the Soundcore mobile app. Once finished and launched, I was able to first check for a firmware update. There was, and I did. The app interface is uncluttered. From the app there are choices of available music provided by Lüm, Soundcore’s official music streaming partner. Lots to play with here!
I chose music from my music library. My go-to music for evaluating audio products is an Eagles Live album.
Anker provides the ability to electronically link more than 100 compatible speakers in a “Partycast” chain sending single-source synchronized sound to the group. There can be a mix of LED and non-LED speakers. For those speakers with light-show LEDs, let the party begin!
Soundcore Select 2 is specified with up to 20 hours of playtime, depending upon how hard it is driven.
Exclusive BassUp technology is an in-house tuned digital signal processor that analyzes and intensifies bass in real-time, and it is quite effective, activated through the app.
Calls routed through the Select 2 can be heard clearly through the speakers.
**PUT TO THE TEST**
• Power on
• Connect to computer or phone using Bluetooth
• (Optional) Connect other Soundcore compatible speakers for seamless sound from over 100 connected devices!
• Launch the Soundcore app
• (Check for firmware update)
• PLAY music from a music app or from the Soundcore app choosing music from Lüm
• (Optional) Adjust EQ from within the Soundcore app
Custom EQ can be created and saved in the app. Note that BassUp is not available when using custom EQ settings. Several pre-set EQ settings are available.
Loud & clear, sweet stereo sound comes from dual drivers and passive radiators. IPX7 waterproof technology (which means it can even be submerged up to 1 meter in water for 30 minutes) so it can go wherever you go, even around water.
**CONCLUSION**
This reviewer is mightily impressed, not easily done. So small, yet so powerful. With plenty of power, crisp, sweet sound can be heard and understood beyond a 30-foot radius. My audience was in pleasant disbelief that the volume of quality sound came from this little speaker.
Remember, this speaker is Bluetooth only and cannot be hard-wired from a source.
**WARRANTY**
Anker Soundcore Select 2 comes with Anker’s 18-month parts and labor warranty
bzm3j81 –
I’ve amassed a small collection of wireless audio products and lately I’ve been quite impressed with the Anker brand.
This Anker Soundcore Select 2 is the right blend of features and price.
In the box, you get the speaker, wrist strap and a USB charging cable (but no charging brick). Since I already have an abundance of USB-A to USB-C cables that I’m actively using, the included USB charging cable just went into my box of extra cables. Charging is straightforward with an easy to understand LED indicator.
Once charged, I turned it on with a quick press of the power button. Turning it off is a press and hold for about 3 seconds. I recently got Anker Soundcore headphones and you need to press and wait for the power on and off and it takes way longer than I think it should. I’m thankful Anker made the power on/off quicker and easier on this speaker. Bluetooth pairing was quick and easy. Playing music on the speaker works just as expected. I’m very pleased with the audio delivered by this speaker. Since I have a Bose Soundlink Micro handy, it was easy to compare the two. The Bose narrowly edges out the Anker Soundcore Select 2 speaker in terms of clarity and bass, but it was difficult for me to discern. If I didn’t have the Bose speaker to directly compare to, I would not know the difference.
The top of the speaker has power, volume, Bluetooth and a multi-function button stylized like the Soundcore icon. On one side is the USB-C port for charging and I’m pleased that you can charge and play at the same time. The opposite side contains a loop to tie the wrist strap onto. On the back is what I assume is a bass port. The speaker has a good heft to it and makes me think it can survive a reasonable drop.
The Soundcore Select 2 has great battery life. I’ve been playing on and off for the past several days and I feel like the battery life is better than 20 hours. It’s also much better than the paltry 6 hours I get from the Bose Micro speaker.
After loading the Soundcore app for my phone, there was a firmware update ready. Firmware update was quick and easy. Within the app, I was able to switch to a different EQ preset and I was impressed that the sound is equal to the Bose. What I really like is that Anker has several curated playlists available to suit your needs. So you can just pick one and go.
While I didn’t get a chance to test it, I understand that I can chain up to 100 of these Anker Soundcore Select 2 speakers together to create a massive soundscape. This is something I’m very interested in trying out. I am very likely to pick up more of these speakers. Especially since they are half the price of the Bose speakers.
I’m genuinely impressed with the sound, features and price of this Anker speaker.
GagetGuy –
I have used and owned many Bluetooth speakers over the years from various manufactures. . Some are small and some large. This one is a nice compact size with a good build quality, great battery life, and a functional app which includes a power button to turn the unit off. That’s a nice feature. The app has 4 preset equalizer choices as well as some custom settings for your preferences.
When I first powered up the speaker it connected quickly and easily to my phone. For the first few seconds of music I thought this thing sounds great and powerful for its size. Great clear highs and some decent bass! However the more I listened, the more disappointed I became with the bass. While listening to Eric Clapton, My Father’s Eyes, I heard distorted bass. Almost like a speaker with a torn cone. At low volume is was ok, but as volume increased it became annoying. I found if I removed the bass boost on the app it went away, but so did the base and the speaker sounded like a small speaker with no bass. Some other songs from other artists did the same. If I made a custom EQ in the app I had to be careful not to raise the lower EQ curves very high or I heard the distortion again. I want to emphasize that I was not cranking this speaker really loud to get this annoying distortion on base notes. Actually the higher the volume is raised; the base decreases and the distortions are less. I will say the highs are great on this thing and you can really raise the volume for some loud music if you want. Just be aware the base in no way keeps up with the quality of the highs.
I used this speaker on a phone call that came in while I was listening to music. Voice quality and ease of using it were all great. I would recommend it for use a speakerphone.
Conclusion, It’s a small speaker and the physics of making great base in such a small package is very difficult at this price point. We need to realize that spending more money will get you better components and sound. I would like to try a larger, higher priced speaker from this manufacture to see if it will overcome some of these issues. Overall, this is not a bad speaker. The price is great, the build is great, the app is great and the battery life is great! Just don’t expect powerful clean bass on all songs and at all volumes.
lambda100 –
What’s In the Box
*Soundcore Select 2
*usb-c cable
*detachable shoestring strap
*quickstart guide
Anker doesn’t need an introduction. The company is well known in the consumer electronics world for its high quality portable phone chargers and computer peripherals. Among them are their bluetooth speakers. The latest offering from Anker, the Soundcore Select 2, shows that a good quality bluetooth speaker can be had without spending a small fortune.
You can tell that Anker didn’t spend much R&D money on aesthetic design. The Soundcore Select 2’s design is mundane, in fact rather downright unattractive. You could easily overlook it on a retail display, next to all the sexy, flashy speakers. For all intents and purposes, it is a black colored 17.8 oz. brick with a speaker grille in front to protect the 16 watt dual drivers and dual passive radiators.. The exterior is wrapped in a thick, high grade rubber material that can stand drops, scrapes, and bumps. It is well sealed to give it an IPX7 waterproof rating. The Soundcore Select 2 is well prepared to go on all your silly selfie adventures, be it the swimming pool party or a hot and humid hike through the rainforest.
Up on top of the speaker are all the buttons you’ll need. Power on/off, volume +/-, Bluetooth connection/NFC, and the multi-function button. The buttons themselves are rather large that it’s hard to miss. It has a single usb-c charge port to one side and a place to attach the shoestring strap on the other side. It sits atop a non-slip rubber base.
Enough on how it looks. You’re more interested in how it sounds, right? Well, the audio quality has exceptional presentation especially coming from a budget bluetooth speaker by a company without a well established history in audio products. Let’s start with the dual passive bass radiators. Anker’s BassUp Technology is at work here. The bass is tight and punchy; there when you need it without dragging down the audio spectrum. The dual drivers put the mids and vocals front and center, and are able to produce enough high end notes. You’ll need to download the Soundcore App to get to the 9 band equalizer which allows you to create and save different equalizer profile settings for the different types of music you listen to. Or you can simply use one of the Soundcore’s preselected audio profiles. Equipped with 16 watts of power, the Soundcore Select 2 can get loud and easily fills a room.
I also compared the audio from the Soundcore Select 2 to some of the higher end wireless bluetooth speakers (which shall remain nameless) that I own just for a comparison of audio quality. The Soundcore Select 2 came close in audio quality to those speakers costing twice as much or more. However, the Soundcore Select 2 did lack some detail and clarity that some of the more expensive bluetooth speakers are able to achieve. When listening to music, there was definitely less separation between the vocals and instruments from the Soundcore Select 2. When there are several instruments playing simultaneously on the audio track, the Soundcore Select 2 is a little muddy. I am not complaining, however. For the price point of the Soundcore Select 2, this thing sounds fantastic!
Other things I really like about the Soundcore Select 2 is that it has a usb-c connector for the charger. Type C is pretty much standard today, but you’d be amazed that some companies are still using the micro-usb for its connection. I also like that the speaker has a 20 hr playtime, which easily gets me through the day without having to anchor it to a wall outlet.
What I find gimmicky about the speaker is the Party Cast feature which allows you to link more than 100 speakers for synchronized music. I don’t think most folks would buy multiple Soundcore speakers so that they can play music in sync. I think they would rather be able to purchase one additional Soundcore speaker for a wireless stereo pair. The Soundcore Select 2 sadly does NOT have stereo pairing capability. This is where I feel the engineers at Anker missed an opportunity to capitalize, and consequently this is a major disadvantage of purchasing the speaker.
It is best to install the Soundcore app to get the most functionality out of the speaker. From the app, you’ll be able to download the latest firmware, adjust the audio with the equalizers, use the app to turn off the speaker, turn off the annoying musical jingle whenever the speaker powers on/of or makes a bluetooth connection, and set an auto timer to power off the speaker automatically when not in use.
I also tested the speaker with video content. There is imperceptible audio/video lag. Audio is in sync with the video.
The speaker has a built-in microphone enabling it to be used as a speakerphone. Folks on the other end of the call heard my voice clearly.
Should you buy this speaker? The Soundcore Select 2 pumps out excellent audio well above its price point. It is safe to say that this is a value speaker, you definitely get more audio quality than what you pay for! Apart from its mediocre design and inability to pair two speakers for stereo sound, the Soundcore Select 2 is one that you should give a try.
TheTruthRealDeal –
The Anker – Soundcore Select 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker – Black is small in size, but excellent in performance. It automatically connected to my Bluetooth, once I turned it on. The sound was fine without the Soundcore App, but with installation of the app, I then had the ability to use the BassUp function which made the music more richly sounding. I can also control volume through the app. The equalizer has three modes: Soundcore Signature, Voice, and Treble Boost. The outer material is smooth and waterproof. The sound is clear and loud enough to really enjoy the vibrations of my music. I have complete enjoyment from the Anker – Soundcore Select 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker.
NoFaceLIves –
So full disclosure – this is the first portable bluetooth speaker I’ve ever used. I’ve been wanting to grab one of these for some time, but just never liked what I saw from most manufacturers. It seems like the main selling points in this product category are RGB lighting effects, annoying levels of bass, and the ability to link hundreds of speakers together … for some reason. This caught my eye because it’s small, has a simple design (no RGB nonsense), has USB-C charging, and comes from a brand I trust. And yeah it’s awesome, easily surpassing my expectations.
So real quick aside from USB-C charging this speaker is also IPX7 water resistant, so it’s perfect for taking it outside, to the beach, or using near a pool … or even in the shower. Not like actually in the shower, but I tested it while taking a very hot shower with the speaker sitting on the sink counter – worked a charm even though it was completely covered in moisture. It’s rated for 20 hours of battery life, but as always I’m not sure about that. I haven’t used it for 20 hours, but I also haven’t had to charge it yet after 4 days of use (estimated 13ish hours so far). In any event I’m happy with the battery. Bluetooth 5.0 is a nice feature as it should also increase battery life, but it’s not really a feature that you’re actively aware of while using it. It has a built-in mic as well, which works perfectly for calls if that’s your thing. I checked it out and the sound quality is perfectly adequate for calls, but I can’t imagine any situation in which I would take calls on this thing. Still nice to have if you have a family get-together and call up someone who couldn’t make it. Oh … I guess I just did imagine a use case for this … anyway.
Pairing is quick and simple, as it should be these days, and the soundcore app gives you plenty of options for customizing your sound profile. The default setting is the “signature” sound with “bass up” enabled if I recall correctly. I’m normally not a fan of any kind of bass boost setting, but it sounds great here. I’ve been doing all my audiobook and podcast listening on this speaker and the surprisingly deep bass brings a warmth and richness to spoken word content that I wasn’t expecting. I’m impressed. Music fares just as well, but yeah that’s where I do prefer to use another profile, or at the very least disable the bass up setting. There was also a firmware update that was very easy and quick. Much faster than updates for my other BT devices actually, just a minute or so from start to finish. Love it.
So how does it sound? That’s going to be pretty subjective as everybody has different tastes, but for me this thing is outstanding. As I already said spoken word content sounds fantastic with default settings, and music sounds equally good if you do a little bit of customizing. This speaker also gets much louder than I would’ve expected, though it does start to get distorted as you creep above 70% volume. I’m not a bass-head or someone that needs to listen to at high volumes, but even below that threshold it’s plenty loud. I’m actually still surprised every time I start listening to something over the speaker. It’s just so small! But the sound isn’t. It’s great.
pros – great sound, long battery life, water resistant, USB-C charging (huzzah!), good EQ options and easy update through the app
cons – I mean … the charging cable that came with it is pretty worthless. But that’s all I can think of.
I can’t imagine getting better performance in a BT speaker of this size AND at this price. It’s incredible. Anker continues to bring their A-game to every product segment they get into. This one’s great.
AnkerSoundCoreSpeaker –
Excellent sound and great price. I would recommend
Kristof33 –
First, get the app. and there you can tweak the sound to your liking, but don’t get me wrong, the stock sound out of the box is deep. Great lows. I like the highs so I adjusted treble up on the app for crisp clarity from guitar and vocals. I love it. I updated the firmware through the app as well. Also come with a little strap to take it on the go. It feels solid too. You can tell there are quality parts inside. And bonus, I only have one currently, but you can link a bunch together and have your music in every room of your house! Definitely recommend this as a great on the go speaker or a small portable home speaker
SwigglesMilam –
The Anker Soundcore Select 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker surprised me with a strong, clear musical sound that is usually only enjoyed from much larger speakers with a lot bigger price tag. At roughly 6.75” wide by 2” tall and 2” deep and weighing 12.6 ozs, this portable speaker is very easy to move around. After carrying it with me for a few days, I have decided that this is absolutely the perfect small portable speaker. Not only does its 5.0 Bluetooth function pair instantly with my iPhone, iPad, and laptop computer, it paired instantly every time it came within close proximity to the Bluetooth of all of these devices.
The Soundcore Select 2 has and delivers on several features. Built in are two 1.6” full range speakers and two Passive Radiators. Together these dual drivers and passive radiators produce a very powerful 16 W crystal clear sound. Soundcore’s BassUp Technology is another big plus that adds to producing this incredible sound. The BassUp technology uses an in-house tuned digital signal processor that analyses and intensifies the bass in real-time. However, if one desires, the Base feature can even be toggled off through the Soundcore app.
The Soundcore app provides the opportunity to customize and create one’s sound preference by use of a digital Equalizer. Customized sounds can be created, or one of the four preset equalizer choices can be selected (Voice, Soundcore Signature, Treble Boost and Balanced). All sounded great to me. Also, through Soundcore’ s app all features of the speaker can be controlled. This includes the digital equalizer, the choice to have Bass or not, and even the firmware updates as needed.
Using the included USB-C type charging cord, on one charge the Soundcore Select 2 has played over 20 hours. This is a pretty good amount of time to receive from one quick charge. When you consider the battery’s longevity and the fact that the speaker is rated IPX7 waterproof, it instantly becomes a great speaker for outdoor entertainment. IPX7 waterproof technology is a waterproof rating given to technological products which can handle being submerged in water at a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes without creating any damage to the product. This particular speaker is also endowed with Soundcore’ s PartyCast technology. The Soundcore PartyCast technology enables up to 100 speakers to be linked together in a synchrony of music and lights. With the IPX7 body, the battery life, the ability to control the speaker by use of the app and the Soundcore PartyCast technology, there is no doubt that this is a great speaker for pool parties and other activities around water.
Included in the box is the speaker, a type “C” charging cable, and a detachable strap. I highly recommend the Soundcore 2 Speaker if you are in the market for a small portable, waterproof speaker. Its exceptional characteristics and ability to deliver such a great sound from such a small package, coupled with its very affordable price point makes this one, hands down, a great choice.
SirGalahad –
BUILD QUALITY/AESTHETICS:
I’m a basic guy which makes me a fan of simple yet practical. Which is exactly the type of look this speaker was going for. It is shaped like a brick, is trying to get some style points with a grill on the front, and tap into its crime fighting alter ego by going Batman style with the matte black finish. It is covered in a matte black rubber which picks up fingerprints like a boss. The front has minimal branding with a small Soundcore logo on the bottom of the grill, on the back you have a chamber to help with bass with a bigger Soundcore logo. On the left-hand side, you have a place to attach a strap, if that’s your jam, and on the right, you have the USB charging port. On the top you have your controls, and I almost forgot about the bottom. Where the legal information that nobody ever reads is, along with four itty bitty rubber pads. It has good weight to it without any flex. In true brick fashion, if someone needed some music in their life, you could just throw this guy through their window, and it would probably make it out unscathed. But please don’t do that. I’d rank build quality a 10/10. Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder on this one, so I’ll leave that rating up to you.
CONTROLS:
Going left to right you have the power button, volume down, multipurpose button (in the shape of the Soundcore logo), volume up, and Bluetooth with NFC tag. Each button is large, with raised rubber, and takes severe force to press with short travel, and a mild click. The buttons are the same color as the rest of the device, which makes them perfect for blending in when in low light situations, but also have a mild gloss to them to help make them pop when moving the device. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
When you press the power button it will jingle, the LED next to the power button will turn white, and the LED to the right of the Bluetooth button will start to blink blue. There will be a second jingle to tell you the Bluetooth is in pairing mode. If you have an Android phone and NFC just put this guy on the right side of the speaker near the NFC tag and you’re paired. If you have an iPhone like myself, you need to go into your Bluetooth settings. It will jingle again when it is paired. This guy really likes its jingles. If you hold down the power button for two seconds it will power off with another jingle. Since we have already paired a device when you power it on you will get the power on jingle, Bluetooth jingle, and then last the connected jingle. This takes about 10 seconds. I would have liked it if they just got rid of the power on jingle and pairing jingle and just gave me one when they connected to shorten the whole process up.
Volume down and volume up are self-explanatory.
The multifunctional button when tapped plays/pauses. There is a slight delay (about a second) with this. If you double press it will skip forward, if you triple press, it will skip backward. I found double and triple presses to be kind of difficult as actuation force is strong, with small overall travel, and a very weak click. Leaving me very unsatisfied If you hold it down, your voice assistant will come up.
Last, is the Bluetooth button. If you tap it, there will be a jingle, and then when paired it will jingle again. When held it will activate the PartyCast system which allows you to pair over 100 speakers together. They say this works on ANY speaker with PartyCast. For this guy at least this means BOTH speakers will be playing the same thing and is NOT a stereo pairing which is a bit of a bummer.
I have two Soundcore speakers and they both happen to support PartyCast, so I figured what they hey, why not try it out. Once I figured out how to correctly pair them it was simple and found that it further elevated the sound by a noticeable degree. If you adjust the volume on the master device, it will increase the volume for all speakers. If you turn off the master device, it will turn off all devices. Last, if you tried to adjust the sound on a slave device nothing would happen.
The way I did it, was I turned on my Master Device (The Select 2 in this example), paired it to my iPhone, and then held down the Bluetooth button for two seconds which switched the Bluetooth LED from a solid Blue to a flashing White. I then turned on my Slave Device (Flare 2 in this example) and held down the Bluetooth button for several seconds which changed the LED from flash Blue (as it wasn’t connected to a device) to a flashing White. They then automatically paired to each other at which point the Master Device Bluetooth LED was flashing White, but the Slave Bluetooth LED was solid. The first time I tried to do this I wasn’t doing it correctly and it wouldn’t work. But when I follow this formula, it works every time and is quick.
SOUND QUALITY:
The sound quality is excellent for the price and size and hits way above its weight class. I did go into the Soundcore App and switched it from “Soundcore Signature” to “Balanced” which improved vocal clarity without reducing the other sounds. I also left Bass Boost ON as it added to overall sound and with it off made it feel a bit anemic. When it comes to Bluetooth speakers, I break them down into two ratings. The first is for music and the second is for multimedia.
For the first, Music, I found that they sound airy, with good balance, and good detail. Highs, mids, and bass mostly equal where one doesn’t overpower the other. Mids (vocals) can come across as slightly muddy which reduced my enjoyability for multimedia but did just fine for vocals. Sounds were natural with a mild amount of processing. Soundstage was small but with the BassUp DSP it provided nice enjoyable bass while filling up the room with sound. Imaging was limited where you could tell vocals and instruments apart but not where they were located. I didn’t notice any bloat or brightness and only mild congestion, muddiness, harshness, and sibilance. I wouldn’t suggest critical listening with this but it makes a good companion for your shower, while golfing, or next to a pool.
PROS:
The design while simple works well, with simple intuitive controls, good build quality, and small shape that can fit just about anywhere. Sound quality for the size and price are great which the DSP helps with. It has good battery life with an IPX7 rating, and you can sync it to any device that has PartyCast technology. You can use the Soundcore App to adjust the EQ. Music sounded good, but I found multimedia wasn’t as strong.
CONS:
Aesthetic design is in the eye of the beholder, buttons are a bit hard to press, especially when hitting multiple times. Sound was better for music than it was for multimedia due to voices coming across as muddy. PartyCast system has a method to the madness and while it elevates overall sound also causes some issues and can be further perfected.
CONCLUSION:
Ankor Soundcore devices continue to impress me with their excellent sound quality, great build quality, DSP, battery life, and IPX7 rating. However, they could still improve on making their buttons more satisfying to press. This has a simple design that I personally like and easily blends into any environment with its basicness. But some may not like that or overlook it altogether. For me I recommend it for music listening but not so much for multimedia use as I’ve found other speakers in this price range to do it better.
TheStigenator –
The Soundcore Select 2 by Anker is the latest in the line of Anker Bluetooth Speaker audio products. This sleek speaker features two 1.6” full-range speakers, with matching passive radiators. The speaker features Bluetooth 5.0 & NFC, an IPX7 rating, 20 hours of playback, USB-C charging and what I think is its best part ‘PartyCast’.
PartyCast? Well, it is the ability to pair up to 100 speakers to create a multi-speaker environment. You pair your primary speaker via Bluetooth to your audio device source (phone/tablet/projector/computer). Once paired to the primary speaker, the pairing process for secondary speakers is quite simple. On the main primary speaker hold the Bluetooth button for two seconds, wait for it to flash white, then press the Bluetooth button on secondary speakers for 2 seconds, and it instantly pairs. Add additional speakers to the primary speaker in the same process, up to 100 speakers are supported.
Even if you do not have the use for the nifty Partycast technology, the fact that it is present and available gives you several options for the future, though the use of it for L-R channels is not possible, but creating a larger sound stage is. That said the Bluetooth pairing process is incredibly simple. From the moment you turn it on, with its jazzy tunes telling it’s now on, to the speaker connected to Bluetooth tune, the process is very intuitive and easy to do.
The overall sound quality from this diminutive speaker is amazing. While the sound is directional, the quality is good. The bass output from the passive radiators makes a significant difference to the quality of the sound, providing enough low end to make it not sound tinny. Should you need to enhance the sound further, the Soundcore app will allow you to fine-tune the experience.
The soundcore app, available in your phone or tablet’s app store allows you to upgrade the firmware, make adjustments to the equalizer settings, and even see the battery life. I found not too much difference in the various preset equalizer settings, but there is a manual setting should you feel you need to tweak it to your own tastes.
The equalizer settings include voice, treble boost, balanced and soundcore signature. For my type of listening, the default soundcore signature optimized version was sounding good to my ears. The speakers do miss a lot of the highs, and moving to the treble boost did not bring the high-hats into focus. That said, for small 1.6” full-range speakers driving the sound, the audio quality is more than adequate.
One of the nice things about the Soundcore Select 2 is the IPX7 rating, which means sounds by the pool aren’t going to affect the device life as it is waterproof. Taking it to the beach may pose a problem, as it is not ‘dust’ proof though. That said, I’d rather have waterproof over dust.
The build quality of the speaker is very good, it has a solid rubberized anti-slip coated that is a fingerprint magnet. It’s got some weight to it that helps keep the low-end rumble from rattling the cage. The on-device controls are large and easy to identify by touch even when you are not looking. The device comes with a removable wrist strap to help you hang it around the place. I found the dedicated multi-function “soundcore’ button in the centre of the button stack to be a bit of a hassle at times and quite hard to press. The difference between one press, two press or press and hold could be more distinctive. That said, one buys a speaker like this to listen to music, and likely most of the play controls would be done on the source rather than on the speaker.
So what are the use cases of such speakers? Well technically it can go anywhere you want. I took a bicycle ride and attached it to my bottle holder. I also have used this as an external speaker to my computer via Bluetooth, negating the use of my headphones. There are several uses for a Bluetooth speaker, as such, your use case may involve camping and hiking. Whatever it may be, the soundcore select 2 will provide you hours of entertainment.
Pros:
Good full-range sound & a great battery life
PartyCast is a feature worth exploring when you have a larger group
Solid build quality for a rattle-free sound.
Waterproof IPX7 rated
Cons:
None that I can find…
jsnkc28 –
This is my first time ever owning a Bluetooth speaker from Anker. I have heard good things about them so I was anxious to give it a try.
Right out of the box I could tell that it was a well built product. It was heavy and seemed very solidly built. It was covered in a rubberized coating that was horrible for fingerprints, so I might have selected something different for that. The speaker grill was metal and overall the speaker had a good look (as long as you didn’t touch it with greasy fingers).
Getting it paired up to my phone was quite easy. I turned on the speaker and was able to easily find it in a list of Bluetooth devices and connected to it very easily.
I fired up Spotify and started to play some music. I have to say I wasn’t blown away by the sound. This speaker seems to be at its best at about half volume. If you start to go much higher than that, it starts to break up and not sound good at all. It is advertised as having great bass, but I wasn’t hearing it. I have used speakers from other manufacturers of the same size that had a much better bass presence. There is a companion app that allows you to turn on the extra bass and use the EQ. The problem is if you use a custom EQ then you cant enable the bass boost. Not sure why though?
I was also notified that there was a firmware update for the speaker. To update it you had to download a program on your computer and then plug it into your computer via USB and the program would recognize the speaker and you’d be able to update it. I tried everything I could and multiple cables, but my computer and my laptop were not able to recognize it in the program to be able to update it even after following the directions to a T!
I did try getting the speaker wet and things and it still functioned as normal, so it is rugged and durable and can handle getting a little wet and bumped around a bit.
Overall I can say I have heard speakers of this size in this price range that sound better. Its not a horrible speaker by any means and will put out acceptable audio at a medium level, but there are better ones out there.
Technopackrat –
I’ve purchased a bunch of Anker products in the past. When I think Anker it’s unusally cell phone accessories, battery chargers, USB hubs, cables and the like. I really never even knew they made audio products so I was suprised to find that they came out with a whole line of products with their latest being the Soundcore Select 2 Bluetooth portable speaker. It’s an already crowded space with lots of competition so I’m not sure this little brick will be a stand out.
There is a PartyCast party mode where you can connect up to 100 or more PartyCast devices in a mesh sound and light. Unfortunately I couldn’t test this capability and this unit does not have lighting.
What I like…
+ It was easy to setup as a plain Bluetooth speaker. BT pairing was painless.
+ The small form factor is perfect to toss in a bag or backpack for a fun day at the beach
+ Battery life is advertised at 24 hours of play time on a full charge, although I haven’t tested duration yet but if published times are accurate then a full day at the beach is well in reach.
+ USB-C charging port. YES!!!! Good by micro-USB!!!
+ Rubberized exterior finish (just hoping that it doesn’t get gummy over time like many rubber coatings).
+ Waterproof!!! I’m seriously considering strapping this to my kayak for a day on the lake!
+ Sound is great. The bass boost helps some songs get past the sometimes tinny sound that some speakers have. But I do have a bit of an issue that is easily fixed. You made need to shut off the bass boost on some songs that may already have a good amount of bass. If not you will get distortion.
+ Siri integration with the Soundcore button on the speaker (assuming the same for Google and Alexa depending on your setup). Just hold down the button until the beep and tell it what you want to play and even what app you want to use. Pretty handy!
+ Soundcore app is easy to use but…
Now for what I didn’t like about this speaker. Well, really not much. It checks most of the boxes. My biggest issue and yes for me it’s a huge issue is having to create an account in the Soundcore app and then having yet another streaming service at your fingertips. Honestly… I’m buying a speaker and not another service. Between Apple, Youtube Music, Amazon Music and others, not to mention that I am old school and have a ton of music on vinyl, CD and already ripped digitally (a lot in FLAC). So I really don’t want the service and I don’t want another account to use the app. Unfortunately without an account you can’t use the equalizer or the bass boost… seriously, this is a huge problem!!!!!
In closing for the $50 range its a decent speaker that I can find lots of uses for and seriously going to toss it in my kayak next trip out. I definately need some motivation music when paddling against the wind especially when the head wind is fast than my forward paddling speed.
Giving the speaker 4 stars but the app drags it down to a 3 star experience.
Wishkid –
Let me start by saying WOW. This speaker’s sound is amazing, I couldn’t believe it. The power and the bass from this little thing left me with no words. I put it next to my phone 12 max, they are almost the same size. The quality of the sound and the bass by default are amazing. I downloaded the soundcore app and it was a game charger. The soundcore signature mode sounds even better. I tried the other 3 modes available but soundcore signatures mode was the winner. This speaker is nicely built and seems to be very durable thanks to it’s rubery construction. Paring it was very easy,I just turned it on and it was automatically on pairing mode. If you are looking for something compact that can deliver this power bass, you are safe with this product. It comes with a strap, USB type C charger cable but no brick.
kayjay104 –
The Anker Soundcore select 2 portable Bluetooth speaker lives up to the Anker quality that we are all accustomed to. The box includes the speaker, a USB C cable for charging and a detachable strap The build quality is solid yet simple, The body of the speaker looks nice in its matte black finish however the finish does show smudges and fingerprints easily. The front of the speaker is a black metal grill with some tastefully done Soundcore branding on the front. The speaker has clearly marked controls on the top. Downloading the Soundcore app allows you to adjust the equalizer settings to one of the Anker presets or to custom settings as preferred.
The sound quality is great for a speaker of this size. While trying out many different genres of music I found that tweaking the equalizer via the app really maximized the potential of the speaker. The speaker has a reported 20hr battery life and based on my usage I would say that it seems accurate. The speaker is IPX7 rated which means that it is waterproof for up to 30 minutes at a depth of 3.3 ft. This is great because you can easily take the speaker to the beach or pool without worrying about it getting water damaged. I also love that Anker decided to use USB C to charge the speaker rather than micro USB.
If you are looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker that with great sound quality then look no further than the Anker Soundcore Select 2.
RalphHenry –
This portable speaker has superior sound for its size. It was easy to pair with cell phone or laptop or TV. The build quality is solid and the rubbery-grippy feel is helpful to ensure it is easy to move even when wet. It is IPX7 waterproof, however the charging port is open which makes me hesitate to leave it unprotected in a heavy rain much less submerge it.
The controls are intuitive and these controls allow you to pause/play, adjust volume and sync Bluetooth. The pause/play button is a multifunction button and can control functions like answer/end a call, fast forward and even connect to a voice assistant. It is very handy to use the multifunction button if connected to a cell phone. You should install the Soundcore App. The app will permit equalizer settings and also allow you to power off the speaker from your cell phone.
The phone app also provides a way to update the firmware. The device was sent to me with a note saying to update the firmware to V0.11. The phone app did update the firmware. At first it did not work, however I called Anker support and they responded promptly. When I tried the app again it did work to update the firmware.
The price point is low for such a robust little speaker. You can party-cast as well to over 100 speakers – wow! I still find it easy to recommend this little marvel for its audio power. I do have a big brother to this speaker which does have more bass, but the size tradeoff is something many folks will like since it can be carried to the beach or to the garage with ease. Great product.
KYTwinsDad –
I have had a cheap JBL Bluetooth, waterproof speaker for a while now & have gotten a lot of use out of it so far. I was delighted to get a chance to try the Anker Soundcore Select 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker.
I already had the Anker software on both my iOS and Android phones. Unfortunately, they had sent me some instructions on making sure to update the firmware to the latest version but the software was not alerting me to this. I contacted Anker support, stated what my issue was & they updated my ticket in no time with things for me to try. By the following night, when I could try the troubleshooting steps, I launched Soundcore to find the new speaker’s firmware update was indeed available to me now. I performed the firmware update, which only took a few minutes, and I was playing around with the speaker doing some testing.
Wow, just WOW! This little speaker packs a punch & seriously puts my JBL to shame. My Android will do split audio so it will play to two seperate Bluetooth devices at once which I was lucky enough to have and play with for a bit so I could really hear the differences. The bass is deeper, the lows, mids & highs sound crystal clear, the vocals don’t sound washed out like with my JBL, it sounds truly amazing. It was like I took an OEM speaker system out of my car and placed in a high end system-that is the difference this made. I am truly impressed.
Even my sons, both of which love various types of music, played with the speaker for a while to test their luck with it. Each want me to get them one. One thing I liked to do is listen to Podcasts and Audiobooks while I am laying in bed, sometimes I just don’t want to wear my AirPods and want to have it on my Bluetooth speaker & since switching to this Soundcore Select 2 I have been able to understand much more vs. that old Bluetooth speaker of mine.
Whether in the shower, in the lake, out in the backyard, pretty much everywhere, this little Bluetooth speaker really packs a punch! Oh! Also, you can connect up to I think 100 of these together to have a huge array of speakers, that is pretty cool & definitely a nice feature to get people connected & talking about music, books, podcasts, etc together! Super cool!
Definitely give this portable Bluetooth speaker a shot if you need one-you won’t be disappointed that you did!
Mikepas –
One thing I have noticed in the past year or so is that Anker has really stepped up their game in speakers and this one is one of their better efforts of late. At first glance after unboxing I expected a smaller sound than what I heard at first play. I’ve been using this speaker at work and it fills a rather large space with some loud and excellent sound, especially for a speaker in this price range. I’ve only noticed distortion once and that was when I cranked up to full volume a rather bass heave EDM track. In other words you have to work to make this sound bad. Sound is decent from lows to mids to highs. It’s not an audiophiles ultimate speaker but if you want to fill a space with decent sound then this will not disappoint.
Install the app to your device and you can setup a custom equalizer or even pair it with multiple speakers to create the ultimate party, or work, experience. Range is excellent and much better than expected. Water proofing and USB-C charging complete the experience.
Overall, an excellent budget speaker!
Sean –
I reccomended this speaker if you are looking for an inconspicuous portable speaker that punches above it’s size in sound quality and volume. This little guy pumps out quite a lot of sound. Good bluetooth connectivity and simple pairing make for a pleasant first interaction. Anker has an app that allows you to change the EQ settings between a few presets or make your own custom EQ. I recommend changing from the default Signature EQ to the Balanced EQ for better sound clarity. Bass boost can also be toggled to the user’s preference. While the bass is not table rattling it is definitely more than I was expecting out of a speaker this size. I am also a fan of the subdued looks, no RGB means that I can use it in a work environment and not attract unwanted attention to it or have it out in a park setting and be less likely to grow legs. I like that it uses a usb-c for charging, you’d think that would be a given in 2021 but sadly it’s not and it’s nice to see that Anker didn’t try to save a half a cent and use old stock micro usb. Battery life has been excellent so far and I have yet to run down the battery past 50% during a normal day of use. The buttons take a bit more effort than you might expect to push but I’m actually OK with that as it means buttons won’t inadvertently be pressed while in a bag or being handled. Very surprised overall by this speaker and it will continue to see a lot of use.
runne –
So there’s a lot surprising about this speaker, not just the battery. But before that, let’s get into the regulars. Sound quality and ease of use are top notch. I would like there to have been an audible low battery warning, but I may have missed that somewhere in the app.
On to the surprising bits:
I was able to leave the room with the speaker and take my phone with me to another floor and the opposite end of the house. When I got back to the room, the bluetooth connection wasn’t lost, and that’s a first for any speaker like this I’ve used or seen.
Charging from empty to 100% took ~4 hours. However, the device has a listed battery life of ~20 hours, and I got ~43 hours before it died, so the charge time is no big deal in my mind. Yes, 43 hours of battery life. It’s pretty amazing.
Overall, great speaker.
FlightMedic –
So in the world of portable bluetooth speakers we have many choices. Should Anker’s Soundcore 2 be on the consideration list? Yes, Probably one of the best features is the solid, rugged build. This speaker is durable AND waterproof (IP17). Perfect for having poolside or lakeside, or at the backyard BBQ. No worries that if it falls to the ground or is knocked off into the water that you’ve ruined your device.
The rubber-like black outer shell is durable, but man oh man is this thing a fingerprint magnet. If you’re looking for stylish and polished this is not going to be the one for you. It picks up every smudge from being held. With that said, it really isn’t marketed for an aesthetic centerpiece. It is meant to be portable, and as such it will be handled and moved.
Battery life is great. You’ll get hours of play out of this speaker. We easily used this for two days, about 8 hours per day before charging. Even then it was still going strong. Charging is quick and easy with the included USB cable, and you can use the speaker while charging.
There is the ability to connect multiple Soundcore 2 speakers together in what Anker is calling partycast. Sounds will sync and play through all devices. I can see some use cases for this, but it is more of a gimmick for me. If I want more sound I’ll buy a bigger speaker. But – if you want to spread the same music around say the front yard and back yard, or across a large area, it does have a use case there.
Speaking of sound, I found it to be average. You’re not going to impress the audiophiles in your group. Bass boost actually produces a better sound than without it. Otherwise there is a tin-like reverb that really degrades the audio. But again, for what this is designed for, you will get decent sound, as well as significant volume output. This thing will get loud! So, I’m not overly impressed with the output, but it is far from the worst out there.
Overall, given the portability, outstanding battery life, and durability of this speaker, I think it’s worth the current price point. Would I recommend to a friend? Possibly, but it would depend on their use case. If they want the most clear, pleasing-to-the-ear, audio experience – not so much. But if they want something that puts out decent audio, that’s rugged and can be bounced around, and they don’t have to charge it every few hours then yes, I would recommend.
cw77 –
Feels solidly built, with a nice rubberized coating.
Uses USB-C, so plugging it in to charge is easy.
Has fairly decent sound, especially for a $50 speaker. You’re not going to fill a large room with quality sound, but that’s not what this is meant for. I think it would make a nice speaker for background music in a home office, or since it’s IPX7 rated, it’d make a great speaker to play tunes while you’re in the shower. Even has a detachable strap (which is surprisingly sturdy – not that thin thread junk that the connection point of most other straps are made of) so you can hang it from something.
Like every other gadget maker on the planet, Anker has an app to download. It’s not required in order to use the speaker, but you will need it if you want to adjust EQ settings, or update the speaker firmware. I will say that I appreciate that the firmware can be updated. I have a speaker from another well known electronics company (rhymes with pony) that can’t be updated, and it frequently has connectivity issues that could probably be solved with an update.
Biggest complaint would be that there’s no (apparent) easy way to tell what the battery level is. The battery life is good, as I’ve had it on for the last 8 hours trying to figure out if it will warn me the battery is about to die. My other speaker announces the approximate battery level whenever you turn it on, which is nice, so I already miss that with this one.
Overall though, for less than $50, this isn’t a bad deal.
k1zit –
For the price, this is an outstanding portable bluetooth speaker. Highs are crisp and bass is tight and punchy. Love that it’s also IPX7 waterproof. The volume gets pretty loud as well. If I were to nitpick, the only thing that is somewhat lacking is a dynamic soundstage. While the soundstage is decent, I’ve heard some soundstages by more high end speakers that make each individual instrument easily discernable. I love the massive waterproof playback buttons located on the top of the speaker. I played a lot of different genres like hip hop, techno, country, dance/electronic, and classical. In my opinion, dance/electronic and hip hop were my favorite genres to listen to due to the punchy bass and crisp mids/highs. Battery life was pretty good with close to about 20 hours of play time. For the price, it’s hard to go wrong with this outdoor speaker.
HiFiBlaster –
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much out of this speaker, and that was a big mistake considering I’ve never been let down by an Anker product. This compact speaker feels SOLID. Not heavy, just that it feels like it could take a beating and walk away virtually unscathed.
In terms of power (battery life), it went all day long and into the next. I didn’t even get to the low battery setting, but we had another event the next day, so I charged it to be safe. I think it could’ve went longer.
Sound quality was impressive, again for the price point respectively. It’s clarity was pretty solid, but turning it near max range does cause distortion. If you want a little more “umph” from the bass, back the speaker up into a corner or solid surface. It will make it a little deeper.
The application could use some work and that’s what dropped this one star for me. It’s just not as finished as it could be with clunky controls for streaming music.
All in all, this is a cool little speaker that we will pack away for our trips to the beach. I would recommend this speaker to friends and family.
Rivae –
Overall this speaker is very purpose driven. It doesn’t provide room filling sound and you won’t be dropping this on the back of a pickup bed to start up a party. What it does do, it does well which is to provide a nice personal bubble of sound. Putting it in a backpack side pocket means you can keep the volume down low enough to not overwhelm everyone you meet but still hear your music clearly. It’s perfect to attach to a bicycle and have motivational music going as you pedal. I can imagine my brother-in-law will steal it to utilize in his golf cart to listen without anyone on the next hole hearing.
The normal caveats apply in that the bass is lackluster, but it’s still audible. Fairly common for such a small form factor. Now the update from the prior version adding IPX7 is super welcome. Putting this on the side table next to the pool is a huge use case and now you don’t have to worry. Probably makes it perfect to take rafting or kayaking also. Didn’t have another Anker to try partycast, but I’m super glad it’s included nowadays as that functionality seemed to be hit or miss with older speakers. I can see myself picking up a second one and giving them out as pairs as a present with increased stereo sound.
Ultimately I’d say this is probably the best speaker I’ve encountered sub $80. Build quality is great with a rubberized surface, aforementioned water proofing, and the sound quality is definitely clear. As an added bonus, the mic when connected to bluetooth worked as a great conference tool when my earbuds died. Call quality is pretty good and they were able to hear me clearly on the other end.
TechGuy –
This is a great speaker for those that would use it in more active or rough and tough situations. Ideal for those going to the pool or beach, camping or outdoors, or other activities where you will be taking a speaker in an environment where it could be subject to the elements. Good sound, though audiophiles may be a little disappointed, my assumption is that this product is targeted to a more general user that may be a bit rougher or more liberal with its use.
Size and Weight: 6.75” wide by 2” tall and 2” deep. It weighs 12.6 Ozs
Pros:
– Waterproof up to 1 meter/ 3ft. 3in under water for 30 minutes (IPX7 rating – note this means that there is no specified protection against solid particles such as dust)
– You can link several speakers together (they say over 100) using the PartyCast technology. This only allows you to play the same audio in sync across multiple speakers, not to pair as a stereo. I think PartyCast is only a feature with Anker Soundcore speaker models.
– Long battery life (20 hours on a single charge)
– Comes with USB-C cable and detachable strap
– Customizable EQ settings (via the Soundcore app)
– Simple design (brick shape) with large buttons on the top. Build quality feels good and strong to the touch, won’t slip out of your hand.
– NFC enabled to easy pairing/connectivity
– Easy to set up/pair with device and use
– Easy to carry
– Has microphone that can be used for phone calls/conferencing. Worked just fine, no issues on either end.
Cons:
– Not as visually appealing or sleek as other speakers. Doesn’t have colorful displays or anything like that
– Audiophiles may find the sound to be not as rich
– Need to download the Soundcore app for full customizable functionality (which is probably true for most mid to high end portable bluetooth speakers)
– The PartyCast technology does not have stereo pairing capabilities.
Bestbuyguy –
This is a good sounding speaker a great price and fun.
Lindsay –
Loud and clear. I am not super techie, but I wanted
something I could use and hear through our pretty large backyard. This works great.
CurlyFryz –
Great bluetooth speaker for its size! I was pleasantly surprised by how much depth the music has, considering how small the speaker is. We were looking for something very portable and dependable – something that can be taken to and from work and get the job done. Could not be more pleased with this speaker, it’s pretty heavy and feels well made, and sounds great too. Would definitely purchase again and recommend this speaker to others!
Listen –
Works great, I listen via bluetooth daily. Better than others I’ve had.
Jaime –
Works well. Sound is good. It is waterproof. It is a nice size.
Zeroswild –
Overall good product. Was hoping for a little bit bigger sound.
App allows you to adjust EQ
Rolando –
Excelente speaker great sound and bass and app support
amhbang –
Did not expect much for the price but delivered better than expected.
DIPB –
It is a very good BT speaker for the price. Value for money. Apart from music, i use it for my Zoom and Webex calls which works perfectly. Connection is solid,audible and mic is perfect
Msantosd19 –
100 % good quality!
Recommend
Battery full
Ddcar –
This little speaker is loud, good price, usb c charging , has an app… perfect size
justauser –
No auxilary input capability. Did not use, so cannot comment about sound, volume, battery life.
BrittanyS –
I am very impressed by this little speaker. It is very portable, connects easily, and has great sound. I’m impressed by the bass and love that it can get water on it. That makes shower time more fun.
Ryan –
My wife needed a portable speaker for playing music while working out. This does a good job amplifying your songs in the room so you don’t have to be near your phkne
BriankG –
Small powerful speaker. Very satisfied. Yes, I would recommend this speaker.
user855901 –
I think for the price it performs exactly as I would expect! No complaints. Good sound.
Diggertoo –
Good sound and volume, battery lasts a long time, small enough to be put anywhere and connects fast to my Mac mini. I like being about to dictate text with the included microphone.
allthatiszen –
To me, Anker has been knocking it out of the park with speakers and earbuds that deliver great sound quality. This speaker is no exception. For the size, it really does deliver punchy bass and clear highs. I use this in my bathroom for getting ready in the morning. I only have to charge it about once every 2 weeks. It certainly gets loud. Could get like 10-15% louder to be absolutely perfect. But don’t let that deter you.
There’s definitely some lag with video, but I recommend this speaker more for listening to music than a companion for streaming video from a device. In which case, it does a really great job.
Opet98 –
Pretty good little speaker, bass not to much but enough
FrankieH –
Great speaker with cool features. The soundcore app is great
SJRom –
i love anker products so this one I needed because my older one wasn’t charging. I absolutely love this speaker! The sound is clear and I can use this for my phone in my room or outside.
Highly recommend!!!
KarenN –
Much better sound quality than my old speaker. And the price was right!
ModestaH –
Very convenient to carry every where
Small nice sound
Yeet –
I purchased this for my office so I didn’t have to sit in mind numbing silence lol. A lot of reviews complaining about the “Start up sound” it’s 2 seconds long. It’s a big “loud” yes, but no big deal to me. The app is easy to setup and connect, the sound stage, man for this little “brick” you can fill up a couple hundred square feet with this guy and the distortion is minimal. Battery life is great, I usually have it on for 5 or 6 hours a day, and easily get into the 3rd day before I need to plug in. Definitely worth your money!