We’ve reviewed a lot of different Bluetooth speakers over the years. Some have been inexpensive. Some have been rugged. Some have sounded great. The Hercules WAE Outdoor 04 Plus Bluetooth Wireless Speaker brings all those qualities together for under $70! It is, “perfect for when you want to use music to pump you up during any activity or riding.”
In the box you will find: the IP66 Bluetooth speaker, a USB charging cable, a Wrist strap, a warranty certificate and a user manual.
“Designed for Riders. Perfect for experiencing all of your rides with even more intensity, accompanied by your favorite music. The ideal companion for getting psyched up or training.”
The WAE Outdoor 04 Plus Bluetooth Wireless Speaker is truly intended to be used outside in the elements. It is IP66 certified. That means that, so long as the small door on one end is properly closed and sealed shut, the speaker is totally protected against sand, mud, fine dust particles and even high-pressure water jets and snow.
The rugged physical design of the speaker speaks to its outdoor prowess.
It has solid rubber end-pieces that help protect it from bumps and drops. A protective metal grille shields the speaker inside and gives it a tough look and feel that still comes off as refined enough for inside use.
As noted, on one end there is a reinforced access cover.
This hides the connectors, including the microUSB charging port, the power indicator light, and the on/off toggle. The company explains that having these various controls behind the door helps, “to ensure excellent shock-resistance, as well as protection against extreme outdoor use conditions.” Personally I find having the on/off toggle behind this door problematic in that I have forgotten to turn it off more than once already. Volume controls are on the other end and are not covered.
Features:
- IP66-certified: resists water, and provides total protection against dust, sand and mud.
- Shock-resistant: reinforced rubber end-pieces.
- Clear, very powerful sound for optimal audio rendering in outdoor conditions (in the wind, on the street): single-unit
- 2.0 speaker + passive decompression driver.
- Bluetooth 3.0 A2DP wireless technology. Compatible with Bluetooth devices: telephones and smartphones, tablets, computers (Windows Vista/7/8, Mac OS X).
- More than 12 hours of battery life.
- Can be connected to two Bluetooth® audio sources at the same time: switch from one to the other incredibly easily.
- Control buttons: volume + and -, next and previous tracks, pause and play.
- On/off switch and auxiliary line input.
- USB charging cable included. Compatible with 5 V micro-USB chargers.
- Secure hoop for wrist strap.
- Standard-size screw thread for easy mounting (examples: bike mount, tripod, suction cup mount, etc.).
- Custom Android and iOS app for your smartphone.
I’m impressed that the speaker’s battery can provide up to 12 hours of battery life yet still only weighs 0.6 lbs. That means this is a speaker you can take with you anywhere and keep with you all the time.
And since this speaker was designed for use outside and on the go it has a standard screw mount and you can purchase optional mounting hardware for easy mounting to the top tube of a BMX bike.
In other words, this speaker is ready to help you take on the world, wherever that world might be!
Technical specifications:
- RMS power: 2 x 2.5 W RMS
- Peak power: 10 W
- Frequency response: 130 Hz – 20,000 Hz
- Speaker dimensions: 61 (H) / 151 (W) / 61 (D) mm
- Weight: 280 g
- Rechargeable 3.7 V 1500 mAh Li-ion (lithium-ion) battery
The speaker sounds quite good and gets pretty loud. It looks as if you can have any of the sides facing you but that is not the case.
No, you definitely want the side with the WAE logo embossed in the left rubber cap facing you since that is where the speakers are. This is definitely one speaker that has a specific orientation- landscape with the speakers facing the listener. I make a point of this because some outdoor speakers we have and will be reviewing are designed so that the specific orientation doesn’t much matter. With this speaker it does.
That noted, the fact that this speaker sounds good, gets good battery life, can deal with the elements, and is under $70 makes it a great option for anyone who is active outdoors and loves to have their music with them. You can learn more here!
You can order yours here for just $55.71. [Affiliate Link]
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample of the Hercules: WAE Outdoor 04 Plus Bluetooth Wireless Speaker
What I Like: Small and light; Good battery life; Connects to two devices at once; IP66 certified for use almost anywhere
What Needs Improvement: Power switch behind a door is easy to forget about and turn off; Sounds good but only with a specific orientation
