By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla
There are various Bluetooth speakers in the market catering to smartphones and tablets. Most of these do a good job of playing back music, acting as speakerphones and mic as well as carrying a charge for various hours. Braven's BRV-1 has the added advantage of being ultra-rugged, has the ability to be used as a secondary battery for smartphones and is water resistant to boot.
The Braven BRV-1 ($179) looks unlike any other speaker we've seen. Designed and built to be tough, it actually resemble's Darth Maul's binoculars. Completely covered in tough rubber and constructed to take anything the harsh outdoors, the BRV-1 is surprisingly lightweight and compact.
The BRV-1 is designed to be protected from rainfall, water jets and splashing and should last a long time provided you don't dunk it in water. The 6W stereo speaker output, 3W per channel, is ample for most conditions. I used the BRV-1 as the speakers for various devices in a week at the cottage and they performed very well. Sound is loud enough to fill a room but not bombastic. It won't be as bass heavy as something like a Jawbone Jambox.
With apps like TuneIn and RDIO, streaming music via any mobile device was easy. We also plugged in an iPod Classic via the audio-in port with the included cable and were able to play back hundreds of songs as well. The BRV-1 worked seamlessly with iPhones and various Android devices.
The Braven BRV-1 has the added convenience of being able to charge various devices via a USB port. This means that it can be relied on in situations where your smartphone runs out of juice and you want to get a fresh charge.
The 1400 mAh battery is good for 12-hours of music playback. There are integrated volume buttons and way to move to the next track. While these are convenient and work well, I had a bit of a hard time telling them apart in low light. Since they're etched in the black rubber casing, it's a bit of a challenge to know which button you are pressing.
The Braven BRV-1 are ideal for any user but specifically useful for those that want multi-functional speakers for any type of situation. There may be cheaper options and even louder ones but there aren't any that have the rugged and water resistant rating or the ability to charge other devices. For the frequent traveler, the Braven BRV-1 is a no brainer. Here's a speakerphone, Bluetooth speaker, an extra device charger all-in-one.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5