Aren’t we getting spoiled by all of the portable Bluetooth speakers that are waterproof? The days of having to jealously protect your portable speaker while outdoors or at the pool are gone! If you still don’t have a speaker that you can bring along without second guessing yourself, take a look at the Braven 405 Wireless Waterproof Speaker.
The Braven 405 Wireless Waterproof Speaker comes with a microUSB charging cable and a user manual.
The speaker measures ~5.9″ long by 3.5″ wide by 1″ thick, and it weighs 10.2 ounces. Available in black, white, pink, blue, yellow, purple, and orange, the Braven 405 is covered in a grippy rubber and plastic shell that seems pretty durable, though not necessarily ruggedized.
- BRAVEN 405 is IP67 certified waterproof, meaning it can be fully submerged in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes.
- The impressive 24-hour playtime rocks all day with enhanced acoustics and Braven’s proprietary Bass Optimization technology.
- The built-in 2100mAh power bank keeps your mobile device charged when they’re running low and tnoise-cancelinging microphone enables hands-free speakerphone calls.
There are four gray rubber feet on the bottom, as well as a plastic kickstand with two rubber feet to help keep it in place when it is standing in this manner.
On the right side, there is a long rubber plug that pulls out to reveal a rest button, a battery level button, the microUSB-in charging port, a USB-out charging port, and an Aux-In plug.
The Braven 405 has nicely curved edges that make it easy to hold and carry; it can also stand on either end if you’d like them to. When it is lying flat on its back like this, the Braven gives a 360º listening experience.
The built-in kickstand is great for setting the speaker on a table or shelf and directing the music (or spoken word) in a particular direction.
On the left side, there is a power button, a play/pause/music-pairing/answer/end call button, a button that runs the volume up with a quick press or advances the track with a long press, and a button that turns the volume down or skips back a track when you press and hold it.
There are built-in LEDs which not only indicate battery life, they also flash when you are trying to pair to a transmitting device.
Pairing is accomplished in a slightly round-about way: You must first turn on the speaker (you’ll hear a tone), then you press and hold the play button until you hear a pairing tone. At that point, Braven 405 should show in your list of other devices, and you can select it for pairing.
The sound produced by the Braven 405 is surprisingly robust in that it will fill a standard room or back deck well, but it’s not going to be quite loud enough for a backyard barbecue with a crowd of people and impromptu dancing. Even so, it would be perfect sitting next to you at the beach or by the pool. The music is bright, clear, and not bass heavy. There is distortion on the highs and lows when it is being played at maximum volume, but that’s not surprising given the size of the speaker.
If you want a small, waterproof speaker that holds a long battery charge and that sounds great at mid-volume, this is a good option.
The Braven 405 retails for $79.99, and it is available directly from the manufacturer and from other retailers including Amazon (where it’s as low as $65 with free shipping) [affiliate link]. You can read the user manual here.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: The Braven 405 will remember the last 6 devices it was paired with; Compact size makes it easy to bring along; Waterproof features mean it is safe for all outdoors activities; Can be used as a speakerphone; Can be used to top off the battery on your phone or other transmitting device; Battery lasts up to 24 hours; 360º listening experience when you lay the Braven 405 flat on its back
What Needs Improvement: At max volume sound will distort