The first one I bought was green. So... I bought the black one and even tried out the TWS feature. Which was a bit tricky to set up. I'll help with that in this review. This is one of those diamonds in the rough products. You see the price, think, eh that's borderline getting expensive, but not too expensive for an impulse buy. Also weirdly there's like 80 different listings for this speaker sold apparently by the same company with the exact same specs and appearance yet wildly different prices. So confusing. I paid less than 70 for both speakers which is a steal for what you get.Sound 4/5:This has the potential for what appears to be great sound but that metal mesh starts getting in the way of it at higher volumes. Since you can start hearing a buzzing occur as the volume maxes out which is the sound of the grill rattling.Loudness 3.5/5:Now, I KNOW, I'm a weirdo, and this will WAY MORE THAN SUFFICE most users needs, heck may be too loud for most. If you're using this in the garage at your workbench or other 20x30 space, the sound will more than overcome most things save for like a miter, even then It will be audible if slightly muffled over the miter. I wanted it to go with me while I mow the lawn. Now I sit on about 30,000sq ft of land or 2/3rds of an acre. Might be more than that, I don't know, I don't remember what they told me. IT's a lot of land and a lot of house. My house sits 100ft in from the road that runs in front of it. SO... I needed something that covers basically 100ft x 200ft. NOW I didn't expect it to do that much but even on the mower it's "Comfortably audible", like normal conversation level. So you can hear the music but eh, expected louder.Portability 3/5:This thing is big and rightfully so, not saying it doesn't justify its size. it's slightly smaller than the PK7 LG XBoom (don't worry we'll talk about that blunder in comparisons). BUT, now I'm not a tall man at 5' 5" but I'm a wide man, over weight, sturdy looking, so very wide chested as well. AND man that shoulder strap does not get long enough At its longest setting It rests around my elbow, just below my pec.ISSUES:-Loudness loss: So... maybe this is breaking in period issues that I'm not used to not being familiar with sound equipment, but the green one after a very short time with it (while I'm still pleased with my purchase) lost some loudness. My guess; due to these being Neodymium driven speakers (rare earth magnets) means when it gets hot the magnetism also weakens. Meaning volume weakens. Which for Garage users and North of Mississippi where I now reside, may not also have as much issues. BUT it gets hot down here on the southern coast of this country and SUNNY. And this is a black item. Sigh. so SADLY I think I lost some volume due to those combinations. Sound quality is still there.-Directional: Noticed that the sound is very directional. There is a HUGE drop-off in volume when you walk behind the speaker.Likes:-NFC pairing, nothing more annoying than doing the bluetooth settings dance which I had to do with another speaker. So... NFC pairing eliminates that issue.-TWS: Works well and I can't wait to give it a proper test drive next time I have to do yard work. Also, doesn't seem to have a lot of latency if any, but my set-up is having one by the first front door to my house and then the other by the garage which is on the side of the house so there's enough of a separation that when one gets out of ear-range, the other enters it.TWS Pairing (For those who bought two):WARNING: IF you have a speaker already paired to your phone, nuke it from your connection settings or disable bluetooth, since I couldn't win the battle between trying to connect my two speakers together.1) Turn off Bluetooth or remove speaker connection from list of connected2) Turn off speakers if they're on3) Turn on both speakers at the same time4) On one speaker double press the "Power Button" the LED in the power button should alternate from "Green and Blue" Where the other speaker should be steadily flashing ONLY blue. You'll know it's connected when the "Green and Blue" flashing one stays on blue.5) turn on bluetooth or connect the speaker to your phone's bluetooth will be RIGHTLY labeled as "WKING D8" This is made easier if your phone has NFC since you can tap your phone to the NFC spot and does all the annoying bits for you. You should be good to go.Comparisons:I have a lot of speakers, something absurd and not exaggerating, around 100+ speakers, and that's a conservative estimate, if I remember correctly it was like 130 or something. It's a lot. SO... I can compare them with my "LOUDEST" speakers which are just two others.LG PK7: The W-King D8 demolishes it, at literally 1/4th the price point. The W-King beats it in every metric even sound quality, and the PK7 a 250-260 USD speaker with "MERIDIAN TUNING" (OOH) sounds quieter and worse.Mifa F60: Now here's where things get spicy. The Mifa is half its size, and maybe 10% quieter than the W-King D8 and in the same price range. This becomes problematic since, I do like the W-King and think it earns its price tag, but due to the Mifa's smaller size and nearly equal volume and quality output, makes it easier to strap to the ol' mower and get it closer to my ears. Also means I don't have to annoyingly lug a giant box in with me into the house after 4hrs of mowing the lawn. Yeah, that's only one part of the front lawn, the whole property takes about 6-8 hrs to mow since I use a 21in push mower. Also the issue is the F60 is near impossible to find.Conclusion:This is worth its price easily and if the green one is expensive, then the black one is usually cheaper, and vice versa. This thing is built super durable and sounds way better than a 250 USD speaker with some fancy pants tuning lab behind it. Rare instance of you get more than what you paid for it, and the green one has already taken a decent beating riding on the mower and having chunks of tree branches assault it. This is definitely Garage and Camping ready. W-King should be proud with what they made. If you're going to use this outdoors, might I suggest going to Walmart or Lowe's or the likes and purchasing white vinyl shelf-liner and wrap the black parts with it so it doesn't absorb as much sun, and should better preserve your sound and battery life. May not look the prettiest but it will add a layer of protection and will help reflect some heat from the sun.

Build Quality and Design: Well, I wouldn’t exactly call the W-King “sleek” or “stylish”. To me, it looks more like a small portable generator or air compressor than a bluetooth speaker. I got the black one, which has the extra-large “W-King” logo in white on the front grill. The speaker has a hefty weight which is why they include a shoulder/hand strap for carrying around. This is not detachable. The build is pretty much plastic all-around and you get water resistance, but not the ability to submerge the speaker. All in all, the D8 is not going to win any design awards, so if aesthetics are REALLY important to you, this probably won't be your speaker.Set-up and Features: The W-King D8 supports both bluetooth and NFC pairing. I was, however, unable to get the NFC pairing to work with my Galaxy S20. There weren’t any instructions in the manual, so I just turned on NFC on my phone, turned on the speaker, and placed it against the NFC symbol. It was a no go for several attempts. Bluetooth pairing was thankfully very smooth. Just turn on the speaker with a long press of the power button and you’re instantly in pairing mode - no extra button to press. I quickly found the “D8” on my phone’s bluetooth, and a little tone confirms that you are connected. After the initial connection, you sync easily every time you power up and the bluetooth range was enough for me to be anywhere downstairs in my house without losing the connection.The W-King sports type-C charging, but there is a big caveat. It only supports charging via a type-a to type-c cable, not type-c to type-c, which is the more universal and current Power Delivery (PD) standard. So, using my Pixel 3 charger and my Galaxy S20 charger is a no go. I had to use their provided cable and use it with one of my Anker chargers. Hmm, this is almost as inconvenient as micro-USB.The D8 sports an auxiliary port for non-bluetooth devices and a USB port so you can charge your phone or other device in a pinch. While I’m not likely to use either of these, they are nice bonuses to have.Sound quality: This is where the W-King D8 really stands out and shines. The 50W speaker really shows its power with a deep and full sound. For the price tier (sub $100), it really is a leader in sound quality. The unit has a nice punchy bass which gives a nice thump at all volume levels. If you are a fan of this (I am!), you will be very happy with this speaker. My instrumental Lo-Fi and Trap music tracks sound fantastic on the D8. I am coming from a Megaboom 3, which was really lacking in bass compared to this speaker. The D8 absolutely destroys the Megaboom’s sound quality and I am very impressed overall. There is no noticeable distortion at higher volume levels either. One other feature is the equalizer button on top which gives a boost to volume, bass, and highs. I usually leave it on.In summary, the W-King D8 is a tremendous value proposition considering its price and sound quality. If you don’t mind the design aesthetics and just need a budget speaker with fantastic audio quality, you can’t go wrong with this speaker.

Overall I am really happy with the purchase. I wanted a simple and affordable watch, that looked professional and that also allowed me to help manage my ADHD focus using "interval timers." There are very specific (and expensive) watches that target ADHD users out there (usually kiddos), but I wanted something that looked and felt more traditional (and adult), in addition to having more robust "Smart Watch" features, and this one fits the bill for me!Pros---------------------------------------------------------------------- Small watch face: fits my wrist well and does not feel bulky- 20mm quick-release strap makes changing straps easy- Can customize the watch face background with my photos (yay for cute puppies!)- Has a screen lock feature: could be useful for children, or those who might accidentally bump the screen- Zepp App: GREAT features and you can customize almost everything. A little confusing to find where all the settings are, but if you are patient, you can find everything you need. Some of the settings reside ONLY on the watch itself, so don't forget they are there (all watch illumination settings for example are there, screen lock, changing the order of the SWIPE apps, etc). Access these settings by clicking the single button to load the App List, and scrolling to Settings.- You can schedule when you want the face of the watch to brighten on "lift", so you can wear it at night easily without the light coming on. You can set the hours during which you want this feature on/off. Similarly, you can also schedule when you want the screen to brighten in response to a notification. Again, very thoughtful features and designs.- You can customize the Vibration Pattern for different types of alerts, which is awesome! You can also adjust the strength of the vibration (low/med/high) (for the whole watch, not per notification). So if you want it to be almost silent, you can choose the low option.- You can customize the order of the SWIPE apps on the watch, and exclude some completely (for example removing Alexa) Change this on the watch settings itself.- Battery seems solid so far and full charging only took about 20 mins. I have only used it for 1 full day, so I'll update if the battery seems lacking in the long run.- Automatic Heart Rate Monitoring & HR Features: Will take HR throughout the day based on intervals of 1m to 30m intervals or you can set it to manual only. Also has a heart rate alert feature, which will alert you to a heart rate over a threshold (110 BPM - 150 BPM at 10BPM increments), or you can turn this off. Finally, when the watch detects that you're working out, it can also automatically increase the rate at which is samples HR, to give you a faster set of readings. I haven't tried that yet but seems very thoughtful.- Has a Pomodoro Timer App: however, this will stay in the foreground while you're using it- Using the To-Do List feature, notifications stay on the screen and "stack." You can customize what the message says, however only UNICODE characters render (not emojis). You need to snooze, complete, or ignore them to clear. I like this b/c I can't just blow through a notification without taking a break to do something about it. On the Zepp app side, it will show you any tasks you ignored in red, which may also be useful for some folks. You can see your whole list of tasks on the watch, and mark them complete before they pop up, but you can only add new tasks using the app.- Has a Find my Device feature for both your Phone and the Watch. The Watch doesn't produce any sound, but you can force it to vibrate using the Zepp app on your device.- Has other useful apps: Compass, countdown timer with pre-set intervals, stopwatch, world clock, remote picture taking, menstruation cycle tracking, and additional apps to add manual information you may also be collecting into the Zepp App: like body temperature, blood pressure/blood sugar, etc.Cons (very small list)---------------------------------------------------------------------- Maximum of 10 unique alarms allowed in the Alarms App (note, the To-Do List app does not appear to have this limitation and can function like a daily repeating alarm).- Getting notifications to work was difficult I believe because of translation issues in instructions. Clearer instructions would be helpful, but I did ultimately figure it out. The added support link that provides help for notifications in the Zepp app did not have an accurate description of the app's settings I need to enable. This is my first smartwatch, however, so perhaps other users would already know of this requirement and not struggle as I did.- The music controller app does not appear to work with my podcast app of choice: Overcast. Not a huge deal, and may not be Zepp's issue. It can't play/pause, but the volume adjustment works. Does work fully as expected in other music/podcast apps.Nice to haves---------------------------------------------------------------------- Please add a real "interval timer" feature! I want a feature that lets me set a repeating timer for a specific interval, like 15 mins, which will go off, without user intervention, and keep going off at each interval during a set schedule (for example between 8 am and 6 pm). As mentioned below, you CAN achieve this in multiple ways, but it takes more setup than I would want. But still very happy that I can make it work.Tips/Tricks/Hard To Find Features---------------------------------------------------------------------- iOS Notifications Troubleshooting: In my experience, for notifications to function properly on my iPhone, I needed to ensure that my iOS setting for the watch itself had "Share System Notifications" on (Bluetooth--> (i) button --> toggle to on), which was easy to find, and not the root of my issues. Ultimately the notifications would not display on the phone because I had (Settings --> Notifications --> Show Previews) set to off, this HAS to be set to "When Unlocked" or "Always" to show up on the Watch. Once I figured this out, everything started working as expected. I don't love this, because I don't like the contents of my messages being visible on the phone, but when it's locked this is not an issue, and I just changed the App-specific Notification Settings to not display Phone Banners.- Watch Face Features: If you long press your watch face on the device you are given the option to switch faces (which you can also do in the app) however, on the device, depending on the face, you can customize the widgets shown (steps/HR/etc).- Using To-Do List as Interval Timer for ADHD or even Kiddo Potty Training: Since there is no feature (that I can find) that lets you set one reminder "to go off every 15/30/60 mins." You CAN enter manually a task at every interval you want in the Zepp App, then on the item, there is an option to have it repeated every day, just on weekdays, or something custom. Simply hit the + ADD button at the bottom. Type what you want the reminder to say in the box (UNICODE only), then hit the calendar/date button, I set the time I want it to go off, hit OK, and then there is an option for "Repeat" at the bottom of the task, Once will have it only go off once, on the day and time you selected, but the option "every day" will turn this one item into a repeating reminder. Other options include week/month/year and custom for specific days, like Wednesdays, for example. This is super tedious to set up, especially if you're doing 15 min intervals, but luckily you only need to set it up once, and I have found all the other features of this watch make it worth it (for me). NOTE: Another option might be using a different app on your phone and forwarding the notifications to the watch, which may require much less tedium. Initially, my notifications were not working, so I didn't go this route, and I like the idea that the watch will still remind me if the phone is not nearby (which would be relevant for a Kid at school). However, if you're someone who always has their phone in their pocket, I imagine this could be an option as well.

Going to list the the changes compared to the previous model (Gear S3). Will reference both 46mm and 42mm models. 42mm only difference compared to 46mm is that size and battery life. Also going to re-post my original Gear S3 review at end of this review.Notes on picture reference: Galaxy Watch (42mm) is always on the right or top respectively compared to Gear S3 which is on the the opposite side. As a bonus, added comparison between Galaxy Watch (46mm) vs Gear S3 which are labeledNow onto the changes:1. No MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission), NFC only for Samsung Pay. MST in the Gear S3 mimics a swipe from a credit card, so it can work for any standard credit card reader that has a card swipe option. Now that the Galaxy Watch is only NFC, your choices may be limited depending on where you live/places that supports tap-to-pay or NFC reader.2. Gear S3 more rugged on wheel basil. Galaxy watch is less tactile if you use the border to scroll instead of the flat face. Smoother edges does prevent less snagging off objects if you are to bump into them. Navigation is the same on both.3. Battery life: For 46mm Galaxy Watch you get day to day-and-a-half longer battery (3-4 days total) compared to the Gear S3 if you have the always on display off. May last half a day longer with display always on. This is all dependent on use, but this is what I found when testing out the product.The Gear S3 and the Galaxy Watch 42mm has comparable battery life.4. Swim proof vs water resistant. Galaxy Watch is now swim proof up to 50m on both models5. More exercises, most of which will track your reps. Swimming exercises also included6. Bigsby vs S voice. Bigsby is a way better AI in my opinion as it'll listen to a command better. The S voice in my opinion always gets confused on what i'm saying and stopped using it after several misreads from the AI. Bigsby is not as good as Google Assistant, Alexa or Siri in my opinon and the voice still sounds like a robot mimicing a human 7. Screen slightly better resolution. Not a night-and-day difference. won't notice unless you have them side-by-side8. More RAM (1.5GB* vs 768MB). *46mm version only. 42mm version has same RAM as S3. Supposed to be a faster experience, but I found swiping and screen transitions the same. Probably it's the apps I'm using09. Stress tracker. Will give you breathing exercises/meditation suggestions when the watch thinks you're stressing out.10. Size is the same if you have the Galaxy 46mm, or Gear S3. But the Galaxy 46mm slightly lighter in weight. Again, like the display won't notice a difference unless you compare them side-by-side.The 42mm model has slightly smaller screen size and overall profile for women and/or those of small stature, but still large is design. Weight of 42mm is about the same as 46mm despite the slight size difference.11. Better default strap. Feels more comfortable. Doesn't squeeze your wrist as much while still providing a good grip. Note that if you have different straps for Gear S3 you can interchange them with Galaxy watch 46mm as they have the same pin/locking system.12. Galaxy Watch has this nice two tone color scheme on the 46mm modelWhat i like to see in future update:Stronger vibrate/rumbleWeek long battery lifeThinnerBring back MSTCurved 3-4 inch rectangular screen around your wristECG featureVoiced GPS/Google Maps turn-by-turn navigationHeart rate drop or stress level threshold (manual select-able) notification like they have for inactivityOverall, not really a massive overhaul, but an iterative upgrade. Great for swimmers and those who want to manage their stress levels. If you use MST often for Samsung pay, it may be a downgrade for you. Hope this helps you in your purchasing decision..====My original review of Gear S3First of all, this will not replace a smart phone even with LTE (vs bluetooth) as it doesn't have full compatibility/apps to support it as your phone can do everything this can do and more (minus maybe the SOS function). But it does make a great accessory to your smartphone making for a more convenient lifestyle (luxury over necessity).Let's go through some notable features:1. App notificationsCan get app notifications for ANY app, not just selected/popular ones. You can also hand select which app you want to notifications for.Watch will vibrate signaling an app notification. Vibration is not really strong (even at highest setting) as if you're doing intense physical activity and/or heavily focused on a task you may not notice it. This can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. But there is a light orange dot indicator on your clock face giving you a visual indicator that you do have notificationsNotification displayed is the same as one your home screen on your phone.You can interact with some such as e-mail or text. There's no full keyboard, but you can text via speech, old fashion number texting (like on flip phones), hand write/swipe in individual letters, or use suggested text response.For other notifications that doesn't require text like my security cam motion detection for example; you can double tap the notification on the watch and when you open your smart phone, the app will automatically open up.For some apps; if you have multiple notifications, you may or may not be able to see all of them at once. Some allow you to only see the most recent one. But again, there's a option to double tap on the screen to open the app on your phone.2. SOS functionHave to set this up on your phone app to activate on the watchBasically sends a SOS message with GPS loctation to a person on your emergency contact or 911 if you chooseGood if you're ever in a hostage situation or stuck in a natural disaster for exampleTo activate you have to do a quick triple tap on the home button, which then the screen promps a 5second countdown timer just in case you activate it by accident. It then dials the emergency contact where it automatically puts you on speaker phone on the lowest possible volume (have to hold up watch to your ear to hear them) just in case you're in a hostage situation and don't want anyone is close proximity to hear. The feature also can send a generic text message and GPS location to your emergency contact if you wish3. AlarmsCan have a sound and/or vibration alarm.The latter is very convenient if you have someone in the same bed and/or room with you and have to wake up before them, but don't want to wake them up.Again the rumble on the watch is not very strong, but with alarm it's continuous for maybe 30secs. If you're a heavy sleeper or your skin a not very sensitive to touch then you may want to set sound based alarm also. I recommend you test out the alarm on a day you have off (from school and/or work) or have a sound based alarm go off 5-10mins after the vibration alarm to test it.Alarm is not linked to your phone's alarm unfortunately. So they won't both go off the same time as they're considered separate apps4. Health Fitness AppHave a fully featured fitness/health application similar to Fitbit and other fitness trackers.Tracks your sleep and physical activity.Like other fitness watches, the heart rate monitor is not as accurate as the chest strap on, but does give you a rough estimate. May not accurately (down to the exact numbers) tell you your heart rate in real time, but will give you a nice trending graph to track overtime.If you have friends who also use the watch/app you can compare stats, which is a great fitness motivatorApp also gives you notifications if it notices you've been sedentary for a few hours and will prompt you to do simple stretching exercises. You can turn this off also if this bothers you.5. Phone callsGives you large contact icons to tap on once you set them up as favorites/frequently used on your watch.Very convenient as you don't have to pull out your phone.Goes directly to speaker phone on your watch. Good if you're driving, busy doing a project where you are not hands free or have place to put your phone down for speaker phone**.**Don't have to worry about misplacing your phone or carrying it around if you have to walk from place-to-place.Depending on where you pick up the call is where the phone signal will go: example phone directly, watch or bluetooth headset.6. Phone Watch FinderYou can find your phone via the watch and vice vera.Assuming both have some battery life left, bluetooth is on both devices.If phone set to vibrate will still make a sound.7. AppsApps are very limited compared to the Google Play Store and Smart Phone/Tablet apps.Most are just watch faces.There are some decent apps such as a Basic Calculator, Discount Calculator, Weather app, youtube app, music player, flash light, calendar, to-do list, yelp, news headlines, etcFor video apps it crops the videos, and drains tons of battery.You can store up to 4gb music into the watchThere's very limited support at the moment and there's no killer app except maybe the pre-installed health app at the moment. Wish there was a GPS turn-by-turn navigation appYou make purchases via Samsung Store, and not the Google Play store. So if you don't have one, you have to make an account to download even the free apps. If you have Google Play credit you can't use them to make watch app purchases. The store is also not user friendly when trying to find apps, and will take some searching to find the hidden gem or app that fits your needs8. Samsung PayVery easy to setup. Have to download multiple apps on your phone which syncs together.Have to go through this e-mail verification process with your bankSetup takes no longer than 10mins for multiple cardsIn practice makes shopping a breeze as you don't have to take anything out from your pockets. Just hold on the back button to quick access Samsung pay, select the card you wish to use, press 'pay', then tap on the console at the register.Supports MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission). It'll simulate a card swipe. Not to be confused with NFC. If the cashier says Samsung pay/Apple Pay doesn't work, it will still work. Only exception is if the card reader is insert (card) only instead of swipe.---Misc info-Build QualityVery good. Has a heft to it, but won't weigh your hand down. You will get used to it, as it is comfortable to wear throughout the dayThe watch is very large, at around 2 inches diameter.Has a rugged design. Looks better one males than females in my opinion due to the size. For those who are smaller/thinner profile, may want to look into the Gear S2. Just note that it's a previous gen model and has less RAMIf you wear long sleeve shirts, sweater, jacket, etc; it will snag at the cuffAs thick as standard smart phone nowadays with thin case on. So will protrude a bit off your wrist.It's dust, water, rain and shock resistant. The manual states it's not recommended to take showers or swim with it though. But is sturdy enough for some extreme situations if there would be any, just don't abuse it on a daily basisLove the twist navigation feature. Has a round circular basil around the watch face, Way better than using a small twist knob on the side or touch screen only.--DisplayVery vibrant. Similar quality to most high end smart phones.Very easy to view compared to other smart watches, again due to it's size.--Battery lifeVery good. Can last a couple of days depending on usages, and if you use the always on watch face display.My average with watch face not always on is about 2-2.5 daysCharges wirelessly via stand. No need to align any pins, just plop it in and it'll automatically charges. Can get full charge from 10% battery life within 2.5 hours--Less time taking things out of your pocketsDon't have to pull out my phone/wallet as much. Great for work when you want to be discrete about cell phone usage. Also good for gym use/ outdoor jogging. For commuting in a busy bus/train, don't have to worry about elbowing someone to get to your phone.Overall opinion, nice phone companion. Very good if you have a busy lifestyle and/or if shaving off seconds throughout the day is a big deal for you

Over the past decade or so, wireless speaker technology and engineering has come a long way. And along with higher quality speaker performance has come some new players introducing some really high quality speakers at much lower price points than we have been used to. Tronsmart is one of those players, so Sony, JBL, etc., you’d better be paying attention because the new speakers being released now are bringing some serious high quality sonic performance to the table without breaking the bank!So what better way to round out a nice BBQ, pool party or other outdoor gathering of friends than with some good sounding music? The Tronsmart Bang SE was just released in late November (2022), is specifically designed for such gatherings, and certainly doesn’t disappoint. Unlike its bigger brothers that I already own, the larger Tronsmart Boom and Tonsmart Boom Mini, this smaller and relatively lightweight new design makes it very portable. BUT. . . don’t let its smaller footprint fool you. This newcomer to the Tronsmart line can still bring your gathering to life like its bigger brothers, and is an outstanding value for the price point. I’ve owned/own a ridiculous number of high quality (and expensive) bluetooth speakers over the years, and I was more than impressed by the overall performance of this little sonic brick.Out of the box you’ll find the speaker, a USB charging cable, a 3.5mm auxiliary cable, a carrying strap, and the user’s guide. You’ll have to supply your own charging cube, but that seems to be the direction a lot of manufactures are headed these days as a cost saving measure, assuming almost everyone has a few of these laying around. If you don’t have a spare, your phone charger will work just fine. I had no issues pairing its Bluetooth 5.3 circuitry with my Samsung S22 Ultra and the bluetooth range is about what I would expect, around 50 feet or so before it gets flaky. It supports HSP/HFP/A2DP/AVRCP. It’s also IPX-6 rated so a little rain or a rogue splash from the pool won’t harm it, although it can’t be fully submerged. It’s also fully sealed so dust or sand shouldn’t be a problem. It weighs in at 4.75 lbs and has an incorporated handle to make it truly portable. With its smaller size, you can take this little powerhouse with you just about anywhere, and the included snap-on shoulder strap makes it even easier to take your music on the go.The Tronsmart Bang SE features two full range drivers on the front face and two passive radiators located on either end of the chassis. This combination seems well thought out as it results in a pretty big sound stage from a smaller speaker, albeit more directional than some other speaker designs. The manufacturer claims 40W of output, and even split between the two active drivers, I have to believe this based on the sheer volume and overall sonic performance. As with most bluetooth speakers these days, the Tronsmart also incorporates a boost circuit that they call SoundPulse. At lower to around 50-60% volume, this really enhances the stereo imaging of the speaker, and doesn’t allow distortion at high volume. It seems to boost the treble and mids while leaving the bass intact. I personally prefer the raw sound of the speaker enhanced with a third party EQ app (Precise Volume app), although your mileage may vary. Sound quality can be a very subjective (and touchy) topic.Tronsmart calls this a portable party speaker so a light show is in order, right? The Bang SE Portable features two different light patterns that display on either end of the speaker surrounding the passive radiators as well as on the front drivers. You can switch between circle and breathing patterns, or turn it off altogether if the light show isn’t your thing. Unlike some speakers with canned random LED pulses, the lights on the Bang SE actually flash to the beat of the music. And as with all speakers that include LED lighting, leaving the lightshow off will significantly extend the battery life per charge.All of the controls are located on the top of the speaker and are easily accessed. There is the power on/off, volume + and -, SoundPulse on/off, Pairing, and Light Mode buttons. On the rear of the speaker you’ll find a tight rubber cover sealing a panel that contains a USB-A, USB-C, microSD card slot and a 3.5mm AUX input port. The speaker can play directly from a microSD card if a streaming device isn’t available, and you can use the speaker to charge your phone or other portable device from the USB-A port. You can also use the speaker controls to skip songs, answer calls and even activate your voice assistant (Siri, Alexa). There is also the option of pairing two of these together for an even more immersive, stereo experience. The user’s manual tries to explain how all of these features work, but doesn’t do a very good job. Here’s what you need to know (in real English) in a nutshell: *Power on/off: Press and hold the power button for 2 seconds. The speaker will automatically default to pairing mode. *Switch LED Mode: Press the ‘sun’ button one time to toggle light modes or turn lights off. *Disconnect from Bluetooth: Press and hold the play/pause button for 3 seconds. *Reject a Phone Call: Press and hold the play/pause button for 2 seconds. *Answer/End a Phone Call: Press the play/pause button one time. *Redial: Double press the play/pause button. *Play/Pause Music: Press the play/pause button one time. *Reset Speaker: Press the play/pause button for 8 seconds. *Volume: Press the + or – button one time to increment up or down. *Previous/Next Track: Press the + or – button for 2 seconds.When testing the speaker, I ran it at various volume levels for the better part of a day (with the party lights off) and when I finally powered it down after about 9 hours, it was still going strong. There is no battery level indicator so I have no idea how far I discharged it during my testing. The manufacturer claims a battery life of 24 hours, but at higher volumes I wouldn’t expect more than 12-15 hours. Again, volume level and running the party lights will surely affect your mileage, but rest assured there seems to be plenty of juice to keep the party going well into the wee hours. When I finally did fully discharge the internal 8,000 mAh battery, it took just over 4.5 hours to fully recharge it using a standard Samsung charging cube.As for the sound, this speaker brings a lot of high quality audio to the table for its size and price point. It will easily fill a medium sized room with sound and performed quite admirably for me outdoors as well. Bass and treble both hold up very well at high volumes and there was very little distortion noted, even with more bass-heavy tracks. I ran it through its paces with everything from acoustic guitar to jazz to rock and hip hop. In all cases this thing really cranked out the tunes with sonic accuracy and little to no distortion at max volume. It’s a very crisp sounding speaker, with emphasis on the mids, but it certainly doesn’t lack in bass response. I used my favorite free EQ app (Precise Volume) to fine-tune the sound to my bass-forward liking, and was pleasantly surprised at how well I was able to dial in my preferred sound. And even though it only uses two full range drivers, there is plenty of volume and bass pop to this speaker, making it perfect for small outdoor parties, poolside use or even at a noisy beach. For what you pay for this speaker, it easily outperforms traditional bluetooth speakers selling at much higher price points. Having given it these accolades, because of the driver configuration, this speaker is more directional than some others. If you are in front of it, it sounds great. However, if you find yourself off to the side or behind the speaker, the sound will come across bassy, as the highs/mids only fire out of the front of the speaker. Overall this little powerhouse sounds exceptionally good for its size and low price point. It’s truly a real value!My overall take is this is a well-built, impressive sounding speaker. For under $70, I really don’t think any other speaker in this size range out there can touch the performance for the price. And everything you could want is built in. The only feature it doesn’t have is support for multi-point connectivity (so that more than one person can control the speaker). There also is no app support, but I certainly wouldn’t expect that in a $70 bluetooth speaker. If you’re like me and insist on fine-tuning your speakers with an equalizer, any EQ app out there will work for you, and this speaker responds very well to EQ tweaking. The thick ABS plastic case and mesh look like they will hold up against most wear and tear, and the IPX6 rating ensures you’re protected from rain and pool splashes for years to come. The speaker comes with a full 12 month manufacturer’s warranty, which further speaks to the quality of it. If you came across this speaker and were intrigued by the price, yet unsure about the quality and sound, rest your weary mind and go for it. I promise you will not be disappointed (unless you’re looking for SONOS 5 sound for under $70. LOL). And if you found this review helpful, please click on the [Helpful] button below. Thanks for reading and happy listening!

This Altec Lansing HydraBlast Portable Bluetooth Speaker measures 8.74" x 4.49" x 4.17" and weighs 2.27 pounds. Altec Lansing claims this speaker has a 20-hour battery life, an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, anti-microbial protection, and 11 LED lighting modes. This Altec Lansing HydraBlast Portable Bluetooth Speaker also has 2-way charge capabilities as you can charge your devices through the USB A port or via the Qi wireless charging pad. Either way, you'll get standard charging; no fast charging is available with this device.I used this item for over 6 weeks in preparation for this review. One of the first things I have to note is the version of the Altec Lansing HydraBlast Portable Bluetooth Speaker I received seems different from the one pictured in this ad. My speaker charges through a proprietary barrel connection vs USB C as is written in the description for this speaker. Also, the Qi Wireless charging pad on this speaker is located on the right side of the speaker instead of in the center of the speaker.That aside, I found this speaker to offer much more value than its $99 dollar price tag would indicate. The sound this speaker produces is good. Although Altec Lansing was founded by James Bullough Lansing, who also founded the company now known as JBL the sound signature of this speaker is much different. While JBL goes for loudness and booming bass. Altec Lansing opts for a crisp, clean sound at all frequencies. The bass is warm but punchy, not booming as you'd find on a JBL speaker. Where JBL speakers are a bit thin in the midrange with boosted highs, Altec Lansing speakers are very articulate at the midrange yet still produce airy highs. The difference between an Altec Lansing speaker and a JBL speaker is a matter of preference. If you are a person who loves hearing big, bold sounds JBL speakers are made for you. If however, you prefer an uncompromised listening experience at all frequencies Altec Lansing's speakers are likely to be tuned to your liking.In my experience, this Altec Lansing HydraBlast Portable Bluetooth Speaker sounded phenomenal for a speaker at this price. Subtle tones that are muted on other speakers in this price range shine on this speaker. While not the most agile, the bass is describable as lively and the highs are clear without being fatiguing. The midrange is the star of the show with this speaker. Vocals are forward and dialog is distinguished. Thanks to the speaker layout there's even a bit of separation. While I wouldn't call this a soundstage per se you get the sense of motion when things like footsteps, water dripping, and guns firing are happening in proximity to a character in a game or movie.What I liked most about this Altec Lansing HydraBlast Portable Bluetooth Speaker was:- Sound. Impeccable sound. If you're looking for a full range experience on a budget for a portable Bluetooth speaker this speaker competes well with my other value-per-dollar champion in this price range - the Anker SoundCore.- Features. This speaker is loaded with features. It has a rugged build, offers IP68 dust and water resistance, 11-LED lighting modes, both wired and wireless charging, and even a carrying strap.- Value. This speaker offers a single compromise in exchange for its very modest price. With great sound, a rugged build, and a rich feature set it's hard to find another speaker at this price point that sounds as good as this one.What I liked least about this Altec Lansing HydraBlast Portable Bluetooth Speaker was:- Battery capacity. I could not find the specific mAh rating for the battery on this speaker, however when I charged my Samsung S21 from 35% to 60% this speaker's battery went from 100% to 10%. That means I'd only charge my phone in an emergency situation with this speaker and opt to only charge earbuds or other small battery items with this speaker's battery.- No app support. I am not sure why this is a thing for some companies but Altec Lansing dropped the ball here.Overall, if you are in the market for a great sounding at the 100-dollar price point and want as minimal compromises as possible this Altec Lansing HydraBlast Portable Bluetooth Speaker has very few rivals. This Altec Lansing HydraBlast Portable Bluetooth Speaker is loaded with features and offers good value for the dollar. However, this Altec Lansing HydraBlast Portable Bluetooth Speaker's balanced, midrange-focused sound is what will sell this speaker for most people. If you want great sound, a premium experience, a robust feature set without sacrificing too much this Altec Lansing HydraBlast Portable Bluetooth Speaker might be exactly what you are seeking in your next Bluetooth Speaker. The only downsides of this speaker were its inability to serve as a true power bank for my phone when I am away from an outlet and Altec Lansing does not provide app support at this time. If neither of those bother you I would highly recommend this speaker to anyone who prefers good, balanced sound on a budget. 4.5 out of 5.0