
Rating 4.3 out of 5 stars with 101 reviews
4.3- Sound Quality (48)
- Battery Life (36)
- Waterproof (31)
- Durability (20)
- Volume (12)
- Bass (14)
- Charging (5)
- Bluetooth Connection (3)
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- Rated 4 out of 5 stars
A loud proud Bluetooth beast of a speaker
This is a whopper of a Bluetooth speaker and it is EXACTLY what I was hoping for! It’s a loud proud portable Bluetooth beast of a speaker that’s good enough to replace the outdated radio in my outdated car that doesn’t have Bluetooth of its own. Next car I guess… but until then the AQ11 will do to make my old car feel a bit more modern; and it’s nice that i no longer need one of those ancient cassette-tape adapters to play music from my phone in the car at a jam-worthy volume. The AQ11 uses its size to its advantage -- instead of packing one large monaural speaker it packs two drivers side-by-side on the front “Lifeproof” grill for stereo sound, and it sounds great when you’re using it at your desk or wherever else you’re pretty close to it. When you’re further away, like outdoors across the yard, the left-right channels pretty much blend together which is to be expected. I found that if I placed the AQ11 on a solid object then it sounded pretty rich and full with good bass production. But if I placed it on a shelf or something not directly conductive to the floor then the fullness of bass was noticeably lessened. If I placed it directly ON the floor then it could at times even get a bit TOO bass-ish and muddy, so just to say that placement appeared to affect the fullness of sound quite a bit. Being waterproof and weatherproof and dustproof (when properly battened down) the AQ11 is impressively rugged and durable. It floats as advertised and keeps items in the watertight compartment nice and dry. The watertight compartment is also respectably large -- large enough to hold my Nexus 6p if I take the case off. The AQ11 is suitably flexible for audio input as well -- there is Bluetooth of course, and actually TWO 3.5mm inputs; one under the outside port protector, and one inside the watertight compartment. There’s also a USB port for power in both locations as well. Neither charged my Nexus 6p at its “rapid” rate, they did manage to positively charge it even when playing music. The AQ11 battery was impressive on duration as well. I played 10 hours of non-stop background music volume and it had dropped only one-bar (25%) on the indicator, which you can check by giving the AQ11 power button a quick tap, even when it’s “off”. It’s worth noting that the AQ11 cannot be CHARGED by USB, it has to use its own included power supply, and given it’s size and power needs that’s unfortunate but probably makes. My only gripes on the AQ11, and why I mark it down one star, is that I wish it was a little louder and that the power button and external ports weren’t on completely opposite ends of box. I say this because I found it natural and convenient to often stand it on one end or the other when I was putting it down, but this meant that either the power button or the power/audio/USB ports weren’t directly accessible. Personally, I would rather them to have either been all on the same end, or at least not on total opposite ends. Of course, if I set it down “normally” then that’s not an issue, but then the AQ11 becomes very “wide”, especially with power and audio aux cables coming out of one end. I’m still very happy with it, but a better poweron/port arrangement would have earned it 5 stars in my book.
Posted by StephenS
- Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Perfect Outdoor Companion
I’ve been waiting for a portable speaker to use by the pool, at the lake, and during all of my outdoor trips here in Arizona. While there are some compromises in sound quality, LifeProof has designed a speaker that truly delivers a complete package. Here’s my take: PROS: - Lightweight and easy to handle. Don’t be fooled by the heavy box that houses the speaker. This thing feels lighter than it looks and the handles on each corner make it very easy to pick up and carry around. - Sturdy and rugged build quality. LifeProof claims that the speaker can survive drops from almost 4 feet, and I believe it. There is no flex anywhere on the speaker’s body and the buttons on top are a thick, dense rubber that won’t wear out. - I absolutely love the waterproof and buoyancy features. The drybox on the bottom easily fits my iPhone 7 Plus. I tested the buoyancy in my pool, and sure enough - it floats! During a long afternoon of being splashed and submerged in the pool, the speaker powered through it all and kept playing all of my music —- from my iPhone which was in the drybox. There’s even an auxiliary port and a USB charging port in the drybox. - Long battery life. LifeProof claims 15 hours. After 6 hours at the pool, 3 of the 4 battery indicator lights near the power button were still illuminated, indicating about 75% of battery remaining. Couldn’t ask for anything better than that. - With the built-in microphone, this speaker can act as a speakerphone if you get a phone call while connected via Bluetooth. I tried it once indoors and it seemed to work well. COULD BE BETTER: - Honestly, the sound quality isn’t perfect. It’s rather hollow-sounding at times and could use some more oomph when it comes to lows/bass. That being said, it still sounds good and the volume gets very loud. Considering that this is going to be used mainly during outdoor activities, it’s more than acceptable. - The charging cable is a proprietary wall plug. You can’t charge this via USB, so if you’re outdoors without easy access to a wall outlet, this could be a challenge. OVERALL: For anyone who wants to bring their music with them during outdoor adventures, LifeProof has delivered an excellent speaker that will survive almost anything that you throw at it. Sound quality could be better, but I didn’t get this speaker expecting studio-quality sound. The versatility and durability of the speaker more than make up for any shortcomings. Highly recommended!
Posted by ryanmcv
- Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Waterproof, Drop Proof, and it Floats....What?!?
I love this new LifeProof - AQUAPHONICS AQ11 Portable Bluetooth Speaker. It's perfect to have poolside, lakeside or just about anywhere. This unit is water proof, drop proof, easy to use, and has a dry compartment that not only fit's your phone but also has the ability to charge your phone while it is kept dry. The volume is good, it lacks a bit of punch in the bass. But ultimately has a pretty good balance with no distortion at it's highest volume setting. I didn't test it but it's specs say it floats, and it also has a 15 hour battery. A bonus, the buttons light up so you can see them at night to skip songs, or turn up the volume. The simple fact that it is waterproof, dustproof, and drop-proof, makes it a great companion to play your music, no matter where you are, or what your doing. The only thing I dislike about this device, is that the charger is proprietary, and not a standard connection like Micro Usb or Usb Type C.
Posted by bryanhill
- Rated 5 out of 5 stars
AQUAPHONICS AQ11 Great Sound
I really love the sound out of this speaker. There is a deeper bass it sounds clear. I have not had any distortion when i have had it turned up all the way. The cool thing about this speaker is you can charge your phone off of it. It does have a dry compartment under the speaker for you phone or cash. It does stay dry i dropped it in the pool it floated right back to the top. The one bad thing is the speaker portion of the unit floated face down in the pool so you could just have it floating in the pool and listen to it. It does have a 15hr battery life on it i don't know how long it will last if you charge your phone off of it. The size is nice not to heavy. There is a lock on the side so it will lock the controls on the speaker volume power. I did drop it from 3ft it still works just fine.Overall a very cool speaker good to take out and not worry about it. 15hr battery Submersible Sealed from Dirt Dust Snow and Water Survives Drops Bluetooth Built in mic Charge out---Charge your phone from speaker Floats Dry Box Keep phone Cash in box to stay dry Button Lock
Posted by BiggE
- Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Aquaphonics AQ11 is Outside Wet, Musical FUN
Over the past few days I have had immense FUN using this Aquaphonics Lifeproof AQ11, wireless, portable, waterproof speaker. I didn't have to worry if it got wet or even fell into the pool or hot tub, since it is waterproof, ruggedly-built, and is tough enough to take a 'drop' by a toddler or, Grand Child from approximately four feet height. This makes it perfect for outdoor FUN activities with my Grand Children (Grandma also loves it too). So, I want to share my experiences from this past weekend enjoying this FUN speaker. The day I received this unit my three Grand Kids were over, and, in our pool. Since it arrived mostly 'charged', I immediately Bluetooth-connected it to my Smart Phone and played toddler kinds of music through Pandora. The kids absolutely loved it. How much more FUN can it get playing and dancing in the pool enjoying FUN kids' music? The AQ11 was the heart of our pool party. Unfortunately, it soon started to rain, and, we had to go inside, but the musical party did not stop because of the rain. We found kids' sing-a-long music to go with our pizza-feast Grandma provided. It was great FUN, and we continued varieties of kids' music through indoor play, and bath time 'till it was eventually bedtime. Nice! The next morning we headed out to a local water park, where we joined a birthday celebration a of a friend's child, who just turned five years old. I took the AQ11 with us. Since I still had the kids' sing-a-long music playing, several of the older kids came over to ask me to turn UP the volume so they could sing along too over the sounds of the splashing water (see pics). The AQ11 has the volume to be heard over a large area, and interfering noises – it was fantastic. Some of the parents sang along with the music too – what FUN. AQ11 did an outstanding job of providing musical FUN and 'kid-rhythm' into the birthday party. WooHoo! Later that day, and after the party, while the Grand kids were asleep, Grandma and I enjoyed thirty minutes of relaxation in our hot tub with the AQ11, featuring Easy-Listening selections. It was quiet, bubbly, and soothing. Does it get any better then this? YooHoo! How many ways can you think of to use this AQ11 with a gathering of your family and friends? When I received this complimentary, AQ11 Aquaphonics Speaker, I was immediately impressed by its rugged-ability construction, simplistic controls, and spacious waterproof housing for personal 'stuff', ID cards, Smart Phone, Money, Keys, etc. But, as they say, “The Proof Is In The Pudding” - the AQ11 has phenomenal sound quality and clarity. What is really amazing, increasing the volume level, which this baby has plenty of, does not distort the level of delivered, mid-range sound quality. There are no 'user' adjustments, similar to an equalizer, but I found that facing this unit close to a wall or corner increases the bass level due to a reflected, 'bounce-back' resonance. The topside controls are very simple (My Grand Kids can operate them): Volume can be increased or lowered by touching the + or – button located at the very center of the controls. A Back < and Forward > is also on topside. At either end, is the Bluetooth Pairing Button. And, the Source Button, to switch from Bluetooth to whatever you connected to the 3.5mm input jack. At one end of the unit is a waterproof door containing a USB charge-out port, a 3.5 mm audio input jack, and a 'Power-In' for recharging, which includes a 120v, proprietary, wall charger. On the other side of the AQ10 is a surface mount 'On/Off' switch along with the 'Lock' and 'Unlock' switch. Just above the 'Lock' switch are four LED, charging indicator lights. Each one that is lit, represents twenty-five percent of charge left. NOTE: the 'Lock' switch must be 'Unlocked' for Bluetooth pairing and, or, switching from 3.5 mm to Bluetooth, or visa versa. Another neat feature is that you can receive phone calls through the AQ11 while it is ON. However, it must be 'Unlocked', and you have to press the 'Play' button to receive and to end your phone calls. Also, as you place your hand near the topside controls – the individual controls light-up, which is cool and helpful, especially in dark conditions. Please note that you can download the 'Owners' Guide' from the 'Inside Lifeproof' link at their product website. It is highly detailed with pics and a User's Manual with lots of functional information. The included information is not comprehensive enough. So, why do I think the AQ11 is outstanding? The sheer quality of reproduced music at much higher volumes is probably the best attribute. Being rugged and waterproof makes it Grand-Kid-Friendly, Teen-Friendly, and Senior-Friendly, IMHO. Did I mention the fifteen hour battery life? The enclosed USB port allows you to 'Charge-Out' your phone, tablet, I-Pad, E-Reader, etc.. How convenient is that? YooHoo! I highly recommend the purchase of the Aquaphonics Lifeproof AQ11, if you enjoy outdoor activities, and especially with the folks you love . . . . I love good quality sound, and the AQ11 delivers. Surely, you can find less expensive kinds of waterproof speakers, but you will be tasked to find the versatility and QUALITY of sound the AQ11 provides. You can take this baby with you on your boat, in your pool, hot tub, water park, beach, lake, river, camping, washing your car, watering your garden, anything involved with water – no fear of damage because it is waterproof following the included instructions to a depth of approximately three feet. The AQ11 is specifically made for large gatherings and large areas – it is a Party Machine.
Posted by pauldar