As a critic, I naturally judge every product harshly, and Anker seems to win most of the time; this case is no exception. This portable speaker is pretty much everything you would want in a compact Bluetooth speaker. Until a few days ago, I did not realize I needed this portable speaker, though it has recently become a part of my life. I find myself using it for my showers (IPX5 rating – water resistant), and the kids love to jam with it around the house and it has withstood quite a few drops already. Though, I found it funny that the kids kept yelling at it “Alexa,” as I kept explaining to them that it does not have any voice control; perhaps, that is a feature to consider adding. The sound quality is great, though the bass can sound muffled when the volume is maxed out. The range as well is quite decent, as I can walk quite a distance from my phone before the Bluetooth disconnects. I also noticed the battery lasts quite a while, as I have used it multiple days without charging it. I am glad the speaker is offered in various colors, such as black, blue and red, as I have grown tired of being restricted to black or white options. My only negatives would be, 1- the built-in microphone, as it seems to reverberate my surroundings, though, I did not personally get the speaker for its microphone, 2- there is no button to click to the previous or next track, which I believe is a design flaw, and 3- the bass gets muffled when maxed out, though remains crisp at 60-70%, so this is not a deal breaker for me. Despite such, after owning this speaker for several days, this speaker is worth it and I strongly recommend it, especially at its $40 price tag, and I know Anker always stands by their products whenever I have any issues. Pros: - Quality and durability: the speaker is built well, seems quite rugged and has an IPX5 rating. - Ease-of-use: the Bluetooth button on the speaker makes pairing a breeze, and the additional buttons on the speaker, which include a play and volume increase and decrease button make controlling tracks easier, though not to perfection; I would have liked to see a next/previous track button. - Performance: the Bluetooth pairs well with my phone and does not stutter, and its range is exceptional. - Sound quality: the sound reproduction is great, though the bass seems to suffer when you surpass 60-70% volume. - Battery life: the speaker lasts multiple days without the need to charge it. - Color availability: the speaker is offered in black, blue and red. - Warranty: like all Anker products, this speaker is backed by an 18-month warranty, and in my experience, Anker has always stood by their products with amazing support. Cons: - Microphone quality - Anker advertises a built-in microphone to make calling a breeze, yet per my testing, I found the microphone quality to be subpar. However, I would not even deduct a star for this, as I only intended to use this speaker to play music. - Missing essential controls – I find the lack of previous/next track buttons to be a major design flaw, as I am required to grab my phone (or device) to switch songs. - Sound quality when max volume – I find when the volume surpasses 60-70% the bass begins to sound muffled. Though, this is not a deal breaker for me.

A really nice portable speaker and consistent with Anker's quality. I am using it as a bathroom speaker due to its water resistance. The sound is loud enough for use while the shower is on without any distortion both with music and podcasts. This is not a speaker for audiophiles but it is very good at what it does as a reliable, waterproof, and sporty portable speaker. I would feel very safe taking this to the beach or leaving it out by a pool without worrying about it too much. It doesn't take up a lot of room (see picture) and it definitely has better sound than any speaker you would stick to your shower wall. The range and connection is reliable enough for me to leave my phone outside of the wet environment without worrying about sound distortion. The bluetooth also connects quickly and is very straightforward to set up. I wish it had come with a carrying case for travel but it seems pretty sturdy so I don’t think it would be much of an issue without it. Anker has been getting better about including cases with products so hopefully they will do that with this speaker in the future.

Firstly I have used Anker Bluetooth speakers in the past and was always satisfied with their overall quality and battery life ….the Soundcore 2 is no exception and continues the long line of quality sounding Bluetooth speakers from Anker. Its smaller than my last one with better overall room filling sound (not 360) bass is a little less deep than my older model but it punches better and has little to no distortion at full volume. Battery life for mine is about 8 hrs at full volume, I imagine at a modest listening level it will last the full advertised 24hrs …I like the new waterproofing (splash proof) it helps with my constant outdoor use on the jobsite or at the pool even with the kids in a water balloon fight. Overall best bang for your buck and you would be hard pressed to find a better Bluetooth speaker for the price!

This thing really blows my mind with how loud it gets! Small size but big sound, water resistant and easy to use controls. Connection was a breeze , can’t go wrong with Anker!

Waterproof, I use it in my shower and it works great has good sound quality with amazing battery backup.