We review a lot of Bluetooth speakers here at Gear Diary, in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and beyond, but none quite like the Fugoo Style XL.
At $279.99, the Fugoo Style XL is certainly not the smallest speaker on the market, but it’s certainly one of the loudest, and stylish ones. If you’ve followed any of Fugoo’s other product including their popular Sports model, you know that they are notorious for creating Bluetooth speakers that are rugged and have a long lasting battery life.
The Fugoo XL certainly means what they say in regards to XL as the 11.33 x 4.52 x 3.81-inch speaker is about twice as large as the original Fugoo Style. And while the Fugoo is portable in the case of being able to move from room to room, or even to take with you to the beach, just know the Fugoo is pretty heavy at three pounds. Fugoo luckily has thought about this though by giving you the option to separately purchase the hand strap or shoulder strap, each being $29.99 apiece. I personally wish that Fugoo would’ve just included all of this in the box, knowing that you’re spending over $250 for the speaker itself, why not just throw in the accessories in there?
Now in regards to the speakers actual audio quality, the Fugoo Style XL certainly gets that right. With four tweeters, two midwoofers, and two bass radiators all internally, the Style Xl certainly accounts for its large footprint with its sound. When listening to even podcasts, the Style XL gets loud to say the least. When listening to music, it’s the exact same way. Listening to Hip-Hop there’s more than enough bass, and since the Fugoo Style XL has enough grip at the bottom, you won’t have to worry about the speaker shaking and moving if you just so happen to have it playing on your sink in the bathroom while showering (as this has happened with a few speakers I’ve reviewed in the past).
One of the most understated things about the Fugoo but it’s certainly one of the standout features of the speaker is that the button controls all sit at the top of the Fugoo, and are large enough to not confuse. With track skip buttons, a play button, volume control, and a button to control Siri or Google Now voice commands, when you’re cooking, or simply want to change a song quickly, or even just ask Siri a question, you don’t have to find yourself lifting up the speaker to find which button to go to since it’s all right there for you.
Did I mention how durable the Style XL truly is? Well, it not only has an IP67 rating for ruggedness, it’s also waterproof for up to three feet of water for thirty minutes. Would I personally sit a three pound speaker in water for half an hour? No, but it’s great to know that I could. For the average person though, this does mean that you could lay out at the beach, or the pool, and yes, while it will float, and be able to be submerged with water, it’s technically one of those items you probably just want to leave sitting on the side of the pool, and in the event it gets a splash or two, it will hold up fine. I haven’t had the chance to test this theory out since I live on the East Coast, but summer is coming soon, and I cannot wait to be poolside with it!
To charge the device is simple however. On the lest there is a DC port for you can charge the battery, as well as a USB port where you can charge your phone through the speakers internal battery. While this is a great idea, I personally wanted the option to charge the Style Xl via Micro-USB, since I’ve already forgotten twice already to charge it.
Fugoo has themselves a really stylish and durable speaker in the Style XL, and I personally use it now while cooking, listening to my favorite podcasts, or even when entertaining friends as we attempt to turn up a bit before going out into the night. It’s slightly heavy, but the audio quality it presents as well as the fact that it can handle life’s elements makes this one of my favorite speakers so far in 2016.
If you’d like to find out more information about the Fugoo Style XL, you can check out their site today!
Source: Manufacturer supplied review unit
What I Liked: The overall weight of the Style XL is ideal and will not move on any surface unless you move it.
What Needs Improvement: USB charging
