August has just begun, and that means there’s still plenty of outside time left before the cold arrives. If you want to bring your music with you into the great outdoors, you owe it to yourself to check out the weather-ready Braven BRV-X Bluetooth speaker. It’s designed to serve up great music no matter where you are, inside or out.
Braven offers a host of different Bluetooth speaks in a wide range of sizes and at various price-points. The Braven BRV-X comes in at just under $200, comes in black, blue, black gray, red and black and offers lots of great features. It gets loud, it offers plentiful playback time, and can be paired with another BRV-X for true stereo sound. And that’s just the beginning.
Its powerful 5200mAh battery not only provides twelve hours or more of music enjoyment, but the speaker can also serve as a powerbank to charge other devices. That means neither the speaker not the audio source will crap out mid-picnic or beach party.
Here’s what Brave has to say about it:
Designed for outdoor enthusiasts, the Braven BRV-X booms with 12 hours of music playtime, which is perfect for rocky canyons, powdered slopes, raging rapids, sandy dunes or even backyard barbecues. The BRV-X is designed with an IPX7 certified waterproof, shock absorbent, portable body and features a powerful 5200mAh power bank to charge external devices. Customize your listening experience for any environment by choosing indoor or outdoor mode. For an immersive left and right stereo experience, pair two similarly-equipped Braven speakers together using TrueWireless.
The Braven BRV-X has a bold design that screams, “I’m tough and built for your next adventure!” The visible rivets, angular design and rugged good looks will let you grab the speaker and take it pretty much anywhere with confidence. And the included hand strap makes carrying the speaker a breeze.
Because the Braven BRV-X outdoor wireless speaker is designed to go with you it is waterproof. And when I say waterproof I mean it is waterPROOF. This speaker can be fully submerged and still rock your day!
IPX7 Waterproof: With an IPX7 certified waterproof rating, the BRV-X is protected from rainfall, splashing and can be fully submersed in water one meter deep for up to 30 minutes. Its rugged exterior and impact-resistant frame make it ready for any adventure.
But this speaker isn’t just for indoor use. No, it offers what Brave refers to as “Dual Audio Modes” so you can adjust the sound coming from the speaker based on your current location.
Optimized playback modes can be adjusted for indoor or outdoor listening environments. Outdoor mode provides bright, long-range audio, while indoor mode creates rich sound with deep, full bass.
The Braven BRV-X outdoor wireless speaker is advertised as wireless the company knows there may be times when you prefer to use it in wired modes. That’s why it also includes an aux-in option. Simply plug in a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable and your get wired sound from your audio source.
If, on the other hand, you want bigger wireless sound you can quickly and easily pair the speaker with a second Braven speaker and have a stereo pair with true stereo separation thanks to the “TrueWireless Technology.”
Take your outdoor listening experience further with the BRV-X Speaker’s ability to wirelessly pair to a second speaker. Once paired, rock out in left and right stereo sound.
Technical specs include:
- Connections: 33ft (10m) wireless range, 3.5mm stereo input, Micro-USB-to-USB data ports, Wireless pairing
- Audio: Indoor and Outdoor mode, Built-in microphone & speakerphone
- Power: 12 hr playtime thanks to a 5200 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Size: 9.06in x 3.63in x 2.94in
- Weight: 1.5lbs
- Profiles Supported: IOPT/HFP 1.5, A2DP1.0, AVRCP1.4, GAVDP1.0, HSP1.2
- Waterproof: IPX7 certified waterproof
We’ve seen Bluetooth speakers that get fat more than the 33m Bluetooth connectivity. The fact that it sticks with the older 33m standard is a bit of a bummer but, let’s face it, how often do you actually need to have the speaker and the audio source THAT far apart?
The top of the speaker has the Braven name embossed across the middle.
The front left corner has the volume down button while the rear left corner has the “Get Louder” button.
On the rear right corner you’ll find the power button. Push and hold it and the speaker goes into pairing mode. The right front button controls the music with Play/Pause.
The sides have attachments for the handstrap.
The tricks don’t stop there. On the back there’s an NFC pairing spot for those devices supporting this feature. This makes it even easier to pair the speaker to an audio source… so long as you don’t use Apple products.
The center of the speaker’s back has a round cap that adds to the rugged look of the device. This is not simply an aesthetic feature however.
Behind it are some of the key ports and controls. The cap gives the speaker its IPX7 certification. Unscrew the cap and you’ll find a host of important ports and controls. There’s the toggle that lets you select the indoor/outdoor modes. The indoor mode is fuller and offers more bass. The outdoor mode gets louder, has a bit less bass and sounds a bit tinny. You won’t want to use this mode inside but it actually makes a huge difference if you are using the speaker outside.
The button with the battery icon activates the power indicator. This way you’ll always know how much charge is left. Below it is the USB port that supplies power to charge your mobile device. You will, however, need to supply your own cable.
Rounding thing out are the AUX-In port, the AC power in port for charging and the reset button.
The cap doesn’t have a safety strap so you will want to make sure you don’t lose it lest you lose the waterproof quality that makes this speaker a standout in a crowded market.
The bottom corners of the speaker have soft material that provides a bit of tackiness that will keep the speaker from sliding around if you are, for example, using it on your boat.
Perhaps most importantly, the Braven BRV-X sounds great. This isn’t some indoor/outdoor speaker that compromises on sound in order to offer rugged good looks and durability. No, this is a speaker you will be just as happy using in your bedroom or dorm-room as you will at your next picnic. I’m a fan of Braven speakers and this is no exception.
In the market for a decently sized and priced Bluetooth speaker with the versatility to go anywhere you do? Check out this $199.99 audio device here!
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Excellent sound from a fairly small speaker; Good runtime; Charges devices on the go; Settings for indoor and outdoor use; Waterproof
What Needs Improvement: I would love to see greater wireless range and a 3.5mm to 3.5mm Aux In cable included; Rugged looks may not be for everyone