Review: Turtlebox – Excellent Gift for the Audiophile on the Go - Crank It Up!

Made for the Outdoors

I like music, whether indoors on my old stereo rack system or outdoors with speakers featuring portable Bluetooth technology. I even have one of those small speakers for the shower, the ones with the suction cup that fixes it to walls. For a couple of years, my main portable, outdoor speaker was an Exogear model. It was very portable, serviceable with decent but not great battery life, and it put out okay sound, albeit not with very much guts.

Then I experienced Turtlebox. This newer brand was promoted heavily at the ICAST sportfishing trade show in Orlando last summer. You can crank things up only so much on a show floor, but the Turtlebox audio performance seemed incredible and two units paired together created a beautiful stereo experience. I got one to try out. There is no going back. This IS my portable music product of choice now.

Before I describe the features, I will note that the unit is pricey – around $390, more than some of the other brands touted as comparable. But if you’re shopping for yourself or gift shopping for someone, don’t let the price scare you because this is a unit that will pay for itself in top-quality audio and resilience that should have it lasting for years.

For starters, let’s look at the dimensions and audio specs.  This Gen 2 unit is compact, just 8.75 inches tall, 12 inches wide and 7 inches deep. But it weighs 10 freaking pounds! Why? Because it is loaded with a Class D digital amplifier, a 1-inch Titanium tweeter and a 6 x 9 woofer. The folks at Turtlebox say the unit has a sound frequency curve designed for outdoor listening. And it does sound impeccable outdoors.

The unit is totally waterproof (just make sure the latch is completely closed). It is also crush proof with stainless steel hardware. It has an IP67 Water Ingress Protection Rating. You can take it on a boat, canoe or kayak, a dock, under a waterfall, etc., and it’ll keep playing. The only thing you have to do is give it a freshwater rinse if it has been exposed to saltwater.

Powering the unit is an 85Wh Lithium-ion battery. My unit at full charge plays all afternoon and evening and the next day. The advertised play time on a single charge is up to 25 hours. A completely drained battery takes 3 or 4 hours to fully recharge.

As to connectivity, Bluetooth 5.0 is the technology.  It features a USB-C port for charging and a 3.5 microphone input if you want to use a plug-in mike. The basic controls include play/pause, next, and volume. Lights indicate the quality of your connection and the remaining battery life.

Crank It Up - If You're Inclined!

This is one powerful, portable music machine, capable of delivering great sound for intimate setting or blasting tunes across considerable distances, although I’d advise being respectful of neighbors and, if you’re on the water, others out recreating.

If you have an opportunity to listen to a Turtlebox before buying, do so. I think you’ll be as impressed as I was. Or, just take my word for it. Get one under your Christmas tree – or just because.

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