Enjoying music while you splash in the pool is a summer luxury; making it happen so that you done have to deal with sand in your ports, dunking your device, or overheating your phone can be tricky. One great solution is leaving your phone in your beach bag, and using the submersible NYNE Aqua; you’ll get great sound without caveats.
- Engineered to float and features high quality rubber housings for the highest IPX-7 rating to withstand full water submersions of 3 feet (1m) for 30 minutes
- Features Bluetooth® 3.0 with an extended 33 feet of music playing range
- Equipped with 4-EQ settings to achieve perfectly tuned music for different music types
- Practical built-in microphone supports hands-free calling, exceptionally important when on water
- On-board controls mean users can leave their smart devices on dry land
- Featuring NYNE’s signature almond silhouette and mimics a three-hull boat
- Includes silicon shoulder strap for carrying or hanging
- Long-lasting 10-hour rechargeable Lithium ion battery provides extended playtime
- Features an enclosed 3.5mm AUX input connection for non-Bluetooth® devices
Inside the box you;ll find the speaker, a USB to microUSB charging cable, an auxiliary cable, a removable rubber strap, and instructions in a multitude of languages.
There’s really not much to getting set up: you lift the protective rubber port cover up and plug the speaker into a USB charger. While charging, an LED to the right of the power button will glow orange; it will stop glowing once the battery is full.
To connect the speaker to your phone via Bluetooth, you press and hold the power button until the LED to its left glows Blue. A tone will sound letting you know that the speaker is on and ready to pair. You may need to enter 0000 to complete pairing if your device asks for a code; once you’ve successfully paired, the speaker will beep and the LED on the left of the power button will glow solid blue.
Buttons in the center section include volume up, volume down, and an EQ (equalizer) button that alternates between Flat, Rock, Pop, or Jazz (pressing and holding the button for three seconds will return it to Flat). If you receive a call, you can press the Play Pause button to accept it, or you can press the button twice to reject it. During a call, pressing the button will end the call, or you can press the button twice to activate Siri. That’s pretty handy, right?
Probably the only thing that seems a little bit off or odd is that there is an auxiliary cable included in the kit. Yes, this may come in handy if you are trying to stream music from a non-BT enabled music player, but when the cable is plugged into the back of the speaker you’ll have negated its submersible features. Granted, a (likely) non-submersible music playing device will now be tethered to the speaker, but still. It’s a good idea to only use that cable when the speaker is hanging on the back of your chair above the sand and away from the splash zone.
Sound from the NYNE Aqua is surprisingly good and there is plenty of bass; it’s on par with most portable speakers in the same price range, but with the added benefit of being in a submersible package. The Aqua is definitely loud enough to enjoy at the beach or in a noisy pool, but not so loud that people will be glaring at you for disturbing the peace.
Whether you are using the speaker at the beach, by the pool, or in your shower, having the ability to listen to your music without worrying about water destroying your speakers (or your phone) is pretty awesome; being able to make and take calls from the speaker while you are flowing in the water is pretty handy, too!
I’m looking forward to having the Aqua around this summer: finally I’ve got a way to enjoy music at our pool and hot tub without worrying about any unexpected consequences!
The NYNE Aqua submersible speaker is available for $129.99 from various retailers including Amazon [affiliate link]
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Source: Manufacturer supplied review unit
What I Like: IPX-7 rating that can handle full water submersion of 3 feet for up to 30 minutes; removable strap so you can carry the speaker on your shoulder, hang it in the shower, or hang it from a hook outside; long-lasting Li-Ion battery
What Needs Improvement: If you use the included auxiliary cable, the speaker’s ports are no longer protected from water or sand
