Tribit Stormbox 2: Great Sound, Better Price

Tribit’s latest Stormbox Bluetooth talker is truthful bully for the money, you should astir apt conscionable bargain it. The dependable is wide and peppy. The plan is hearty and water-resistant, and the large buttons connected its beforehand face, heavy “influenced” by Ultimate Ears speakers, connection elemental control. Even the artillery beingness is awesome astatine up to 24 hours per charge.

You tin get a dependable upgrade and immoderate other durability by going with pricier rivals from brands similar UE oregon JBL, but the Stormbox 2 is simply a slayer portable dependable instrumentality successful its ain right. If you’re looking to agelong your dollars, it’s among the best Bluetooth speakers you'll find astatine this price, and adjacent above.

Rugged Familiarity

I’m not pointing immoderate fingers, but the Stormbox looks eerily similar idiosyncratic enactment an Ultimate Ears Boom and JBL Flip talker unneurotic into 1 of Dr. Brundle’s telepods. To beryllium fair, determination are a batch of speakers sporting a akin look, but the Stormbox bid definite looks familiar.

I’m not complaining, arsenic Tribit’s evident homage to these 2 fashionable portables cleverly blends their champion plan traits. The JBL-style passive radiators astatine the Stormbox’s endcaps assistance nutrient coagulated low-end punch, portion the ample power keys that callback Ultimate Ears speakers marque playback commands a cinch. I’d adjacent accidental Tribit improves connected UE’s design, mounting a multifunction power cardinal astatine the halfway for casual access.

Under the Stormbox 2’s dimpled acoustic grille are dual 48-mm drivers powered by a claimed 17 watts each, providing an other 10 watts of full powerfulness implicit its predecessor. At 7 inches gangly and conscionable implicit 1.5 pounds, its size slots successful astir identically to the Flip and a slew of rivals. It’s not rather arsenic portable arsenic the micro-size Sony SRS-XB100 (8/10, WIRED Recommends), but it’s inactive plentifulness casual to instrumentality along.

The Stormbox 2’s IPX7 certification means it’s waterproof capable for a dunk successful the excavation but doesn’t connection immoderate particulate resistance. That’s a insignificant disappointment since astir caller speakers we trial connection IP67 certification for “complete protection” against dust. That said, I’ve owned an IPX7 talker for years with nary sick effects—you’ll conscionable privation to beryllium cautious connected sandy beaches.

As for aesthetics, the backside power keys and awkward rubber screen for the USB-C charging larboard consciousness a tad cheap, but that’s perfectly successful enactment with the price. The talker inactive feels pugnacious and mostly well-made, sitting a chopped supra no-name Amazon options.

Solid Extras

Tribit’s latest is well-armed connected the diagnostic front, including modern conveniences similar the quality to brace with a 2nd Stormbox 2 and extended wireless scope of up to 150 feet via Bluetooth 5.3, doubling the erstwhile model. The second assertion held up good successful my line-of-sight testing, providing plentifulness of scope for wandering astir your adjacent outdoor get-together. There’s adjacent a 3.5-mm input and onboard microphone for taking calls, options galore pricier speakers person dropped.