I wake up to music, listen to it as I get ready for work, drive there, and then all day at my desk, too. I started this site to share my experience finding waterproof bluetooth headphones, so would you be surprised if I said I like to rock out in the shower, too? LOL! I was using the Ivation IVA-400 Waterproof Speakers
Pros
- Seriously rugged and fully waterproof- even submerisible!
- Wireless bluetooth connectivity, pairs easily with phones and tablets
- Good range, about 30 feet
- Aux-in for non-wireless devices
- Loud, clear sound
- Speakerphone functionality
- 10 hour battery life
Cons
- No play controls on the unit itself (the Ecorox model has them, though)
- Floats face down with speakers in water
- Uses mini-usb instead of micro-usb
Click here to read many more Ecoxgear Ecoxbt reviews or check the current price!
The Ecoxgear Ecoxbt vs Ecorox – What's The Difference?
Before I made my purchase, I wasn't sure if I should go with the Ecoxbt or newer Ecorox. The designs are very similar, both of them are ruggedized and fully waterproof and have a ton of positive reviews on Amazon. The Ecorox comes with a camera-style screw mount for mounting it somewhere, while the Ecoxbt comes with a caribiner and has handles built into the sides. The Ecoxbt has a line-in for non-bluetooth devices, while the Ecorox is strictly wireless only.
The biggest difference, though, seems to be that the Ecorox has built-in play, forward and back buttons, while Ecoxbt users will have to control these functions on their phone.
Ultimately, I decided to save a few bucks and go with the Ecoxbt. In retrospect, it may have been worth the extra few bucks to have the play buttons to make it a little more convenient to switch tracks in the shower, but it's definitely not a dealbreaker.
This Thing Is Built Like A Brick… With Nice Speakers Inside
The very first thing I noticed about this when I took it out of the box is that it looks and feels rugged as hell. The outer casing is super hard polycarbonate, which is covered largely by a layer of rubber. It's about brick size, and it certainly gives the impression that if you drop kicked it, the only damage would be to your foot.
It's called the Ecoxgear Ecoxbt rugged and waterproof wireless bluetooth speaker, which is kind of misleading because it's got two. So don't be confused- The Ecoxbt is actually stereo speakers, rather than a mono speaker. (I really think this should be more clear; I almost passed on these thinking they just had one speaker. I'm not paying to listen to half of my music!)
Ecoxgear makes a big deal about just how waterproof the Ecoxbt system is. Unlike the aforementioned Ivation speaker, these are fully waterproof to the point where they can be submerged under water. The Ivation is good for a shower, but they give specific instructions not to let it fall into puddles of any size.
During the summer I brought this out to the lake. I wanted to have it float in the water with the music blaring while we floated around it, but it turns out if you just set it in the water it has a tendency to turn over so the speakers are in the water. This seems like a design flaw, honestly, and next summer I'm going to experiment with taping some rocks to the backside so it floats like I want. In the meantime we just ended up setting it on an inner tube.
More recently, I jammed the Ecoxger Ecoxbt into a pile of snow so my friend and I could listen to music while we shoveled. I've never had any issues with it reacting negatively with any kind of moisture.
That's Great, But How Does It Actually Sound?
When I did my initial sound test, I was able to bluetooth pair it with my phone in just a few seconds and get my tunes coming out. At first I was very disappointed with the lack of volume, until I figured out I needed to turn the volume up on my phone. Then it got LOUD!
Sound is pretty damn good for speakers this size. Highs and mids are loud and crisp. Obviously, bass tends to be lacking in small speakers, but was better than I expected, and certainly better than most mobile gadgets. Bass notes rang out clearly, which is a huge upgrade from my laptop's tinny speakers that just seem to ommit these notes entirely. It also paired easily with my tablet, which made for another nice sound upgrade.
If you're using these in the shower, they sound exceptionally good, which is probably related to the acoustic properties of your shower. In other words, it sounds extra great for the same reason your singing in there sounds so good 😉
The wireless range is really nice, too, I can consistantly carry it 20-30 feet away from whatever gadget is playing the music and the Ecoxbt is able to keep going without any break ups in the sound.
I don't use it much, but the speakerphone is definitely passable, with solid clarity on both ends.
My Friends Love This Thing, Too
The Ecoxgear Ecoxbt wireless speaker is awesome when you're out with friends. It's loud enough for a bunch of people to listen to, even while everyone's talking, and since it's bluetooth anybody with a smartphone can pair it up in a few seconds and play their own music with it. Everybody's got a pocket full of music these days, so this makes a nice mobile jukebox.
One Very Minor Gripe, Though
I sort of wish this thing used micro-usb instead of mini-usb. It comes with the AC adapter you need to charge it, but so many devices use the micro these days it just seems like it'd be a little more convenient if the Ecoxbt did, too. That's one more charger I have to carry when I travel.
It may have to do with the charge, time, though. The Ecoxbt wireless speakers only take a couple hours to charge and then play for 10 hours, which seems like a significantly stronger charge than my micro-usb devices get in that amount of time. If this is the reason for using the mini, I'm definitely fine with it.
If you're in the market for a portable, wireless speaker system in a very rugged, waterproof one-piece package, the Ecoxgear Ecoxbt is a very good option. It can handle the elements better than any other bluetooth device I've encountered, and puts out a damn fine sound for something in such a small package. Overall, I'd rate this as a top-notch product, worth every penny.
Don't take my word for it- Amazon has over 500 user reviews!
