The Bottom Line
The Monster Beatbox may not deliver the most refined sonics, but if you're looking for big, aggressive sound from a small box, this is the one you want.
That in itself is an impressive feat, and the Beatbox may just be the loudest-playing iPod dock for its size. The first thing you'll notice about it when you pick it up--yes, there's a convenient carrying handle at the top--is that it's heavy, weighing in at a solid 13 pounds. Though it's not battery-powered (the power supply is in the unit, which contributes to the weight), it's designed to be portable and turn into a party box wherever you take it.
No, the unit isn't rugged per say, but it appears well built and has an attractive minimalist--yet muscular--styling to it. The dock is on the top left of the box not far from a power button, and the volume knob has been placed in the top right corner of the unit. In terms of buttons, that's it, though there is an auxiliary input for connecting other audio devices, and there's a special port for an optional wireless dongle known as the Monster Stream-cast Wireless System. Unfortunately, Monster hasn't specified the price, availability date, or features of that supposedly forthcoming add-on. We wish the Bluetooth was integrated into the unit, but so it goes.
As we said, this is all about the big sound, and we found that close range (4 feet or so) wasn't the best spot for listening to the Beatbox. Because the sound is pretty aggressive, you're better off standing back a bit and listening from longer range. That's usually not the case with these iPod stereo systems, where the speakers are right next to each other and there's very little in the way of stereo separation. But in this case, Monster has some digital trickery working to widen the sound stage (it works well enough, though not great) and the optimal listening area is probably more in the 10- to 15-foot range, rather than less than 5 feet.
To get maximum bass, Monster recommends sticking the Beatbox in the corner of a room where the walls meet (that's why the sides of the unit are tapered, so it can really fit in a corner). Alternatively, you can just stick it close to a wall so you can get some reflection for the bass. And overall, we thought the bass was big (again, there's that word) and good, thought it didn't exhibit great definition. In other words, this isn't the bass you'd get from a separate sub woofer, but the Beatbox pushes around a lot of air and we should warn you that some objects in the room can end up rattling when you crank the volume. This will cost you a pretty penny
on Amazon.com. (prices may change)
JBL Charge BoomBox
The Good
The JBL Charge is a compact portable Bluetooth speaker that sounds very good for its size and is designed to be used horizontally or vertically. It also has a built-in USB port that allows you to use the speaker's built-in 6,000mAh lithium ion battery to charge other portable devices. And it ships with a neoprene carrying case.
The Bad
No speaker-phone capabilities; can't handle heavy bass at higher volumes without distorting.
The Bottom Line
The JBL Charge is a nice compromise for those who want a better-sounding portable wireless speaker but don't want to make the jump -- both in terms of size and price -- to something like the Jawbone Big Jam-box or Bose Sound Link.
Design and features
Like the Flip, the cylindrical speaker can be placed horizontally or vertically, though one side is vented, so you need to make sure you stand it up correctly without covering the port. The speaker is 2 inches (50mm) wide by 6 inches (150mm) long, and when I held it in my hand I had a slight urge to toss around like a mini football. Luckily, at just a hair over a pound, it does weigh more than a mini football and feels pretty solid in one's hand.
The Charge, which comes in multiple color options, is technically a stereo speaker with two 1-5/8-inch (40mm) full-range drivers and a 2x5-watt amplifier. That aforementioned built-in 6,000mAh lithium ion rechargeable battery provides about 12 hours of playback from a single charge, which is about double the battery life the Flip offers (of course, battery life will vary according how high you set the volume).
As noted, on side of the speaker (the non-ported side) you'll find a USB port. You can connect any USB charging cable to it and use the speaker as an external battery pack for charging. The speaker also has an auxiliary input for connecting non Bluetooth-enabled audio devices with an optional cable. This Item will cost you $134
on Amazon.com. (prices may change)
The Good
For a compact portable Bluetooth speaker, the Jawbone Big Jambox delivers impressive sound, has good battery life, and plays loudly without distortion. It also has a built-in rechargeable battery, an auxiliary input, a rugged design, and business-grade speakerphone capabilities.
The Bad
The Big Jambox is pricey and isn't as portable as its little brother, the original Jambox.
The Bottom Line
The Jawbone Big Jambox doesn't quite measure up to the Bose Sound Link Wireless Mobile and it carries a premium price tag, but it's an impressively designed product that offers strong performance and speakerphone capabilities.
Unlike with the original Jambox, no protective cover is included, but Jawbone sells a $49 travel case as an accessory that looks like something you'd use to transport a long camera lens or a bottle of wine. The Big Jambox is easy to set up to wirelessly stream audio from any A2DP Bluetooth-enabled device (as with most Bluetooth devices, you're supposed to be within about 30 feet of the speaker to stream music, but I managed a good 50 feet without any trouble). That means nearly any smartphone or tablet will work as an audio source -- with the notable exceptions of the Kindle Fire , the Nook Tablet and Nook Color , and the first-generation iPod Touch, which are not Bluetooth-compatible.
Feature differences
Aside from the bigger size and much bigger, richer sound, Jawbone has made a couple of feature upgrades to the speaker, one small, one more significant. This model has a dedicated Bluetooth pairing button on the side, which I appreciated, as it makes the pairing process slightly easier. The Big Jambox remembers up to eight devices that it's been paired with, and you can actually pair two devices with it at the same time, though it will only accept sound from one device (I know that doesn't quite make sense, but you can pause the music on one device and immediately start playing it from another that's already paired with the speaker).
With buttons on top of the unit you can adjust volume, pause/play tracks, and skip tracks forward and back. Press the button with the letter J on it and a soothing female voice tells you how much battery life is left. As with the original Jambox, Jawbone gives you a choice of voices, though you have to upload them through its My Talk online app by connecting the speaker to your computer with the included USB cable. This will cost you $270
on Amazon.com. (prices may change)
Article by Marc Pawelczyk 9/30/14
