LifeProof - AQUAPHONICS AQ10 Portable Bluetooth Speaker - Obsidian sand
Model: 77-53865
SKU: 5580419
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Customers often highlight the exceptional sound quality and excellent battery life of the AQUAPHONICS AQ10 Portable Bluetooth Speaker. Its waterproof and durable design, along with convenient features like storage for small items, also receive positive feedback. However, some users mention that the bass could be improved and that the lack of USB charging is a drawback. The price point is also considered high by some customers.
The purpose of this speaker is to have a Bluetooth speaker that will survive drops, falls, spills, being dropped into water, sand at the beach, etc. With that purpose in mind, this is a good speaker. Is the sound quality as good as some other Bluetooth speakers in this price range? No, it's not. But that's not the point. The sound is decent, albeit heavy on the treble with very little bass. Using the equalizer feature on my phone to add some bass only created distortion. Rock, Country, etc will sound good. Anything that's heavy on bass will be lacking. It can get loud but it starts to distort at higher levels. But again, that's not the point. When it comes to having a Bluetooth speaker that gives you a worry free experience, this is great. I have taken this outside and dropped it onto concrete from a few feet in the air. I filled up the sink and submerged the speaker, while it was playing music, for a few minutes. Unless you hold it down, it floats. Again, a great thing for people who camp, have a lake house or a boat, or just go to the beach a lot. Dirt doesn't get in and any dirt you get on it can just be washed off by running it under the sink or with a hose. That my friends, is THE POINT of this speaker. It can take a beating and still come back for more. I have another brand that has much better sound quality, but if I take it into the garage while I'm doing work or outside, I always have to carefully place it and make sure it doesn't fall or get wet. This speaker has good enough sound quality and alleviates all of those concerns with having it outside. Also, with the way it's designed, you can stand it on end or even use the handles on the ends to hang it from a ladder or wherever if you're working and don't have a place to set it. I gave it 4 stars for decent sound quality, number of ports and options for playing music, ease of Bluetooth connectivity and overall design and ruggedness. I did mark one star off because in my water test, I notice that while the water was mostly kept out of the dry box compartment, there were some drops pretty close to making it in (see pictures). The only concern there is the usb and aux jacks that don't have covers. Honestly you wouldn't be able to put much in the drybox outside of some credit cards, cash, keys, etc. Maybe an ipod shuffle or nano for listening to music, but it is a very small compartment. I'm also not a huge fan of the proprietary charger but I have other's that have the same issue so I can't take a star away. Just be aware of it. For someone looking for a speaker for in the house or at the office, I wouldn't recommend this. For someone who wants to give this to a young child, or someone who does construction or just works outside a lot, I would highly recommend this. If you are near the water or go to the beach a lot and need a speaker, this is for you. There is a larger version that might have a little more kick to it but I think this is a good travel size. Battery life was a little over 12 hours in my test...oh, and it has 2 USB power out ports so you can charge your phone from the speaker. In a pinch, that could end up being the best feature! So if you're the type who likes stuff to just work out of the box and stand up to your abuse, I recommend.
Posted by cusedice
I need to update my previous product review. I discovered, quite accidentally, how to enable external device charging on the Aquaphonics AQ10. Note that this is 1) not described in the user manual and 2) was not communicated to me on my call to Aquaphonics tech support. To enable external charging. 1. Turn off the device by pressing the power button. 2. Plug in the USB cable, and connect the device to be charged to the cable. Have the device on and drawing power. 3. Press the power button on the AQ10 once. The power button will illuminate briefly and power will begin flowin from the USB power port(s). The AQ10 will NOT itself power on when it is providing power. One star deduction for having to figure this out myself. Aquaphonics should disclose this and it should be known by tech support. The attached photo shows the illuminated USB power cord active.
Posted by AQ10BTSPKRNOPE
Very nice waterproof speaker for its size. This speaker came in very high end packaging, nice first impression (think of a high end smart phone presentation). The unit was easy to pair and begin using. It appears this speaker is designed in a way that you can put a strap around it to secure it to something like a boat, dock, ATV etc. I will point out that once strapped down you may have a hard time getting to the controls on the top. Speaking of the controls, they are pretty interactive. As soon as your fingers get close to them they light up. Nice touch. The dry storage on the bottom is a nice touch as well. You could fit multiple credit cards, key card, chap stick etc. It looks like it is even designed to fit a small MP3 player within this storage compartment as it contains a USB changing port and 3.5mm AUX IN within this compartment. (Source button on top would allow you to select this port) There is a USB POWER OUT on the side to charge your phone/MP3 along with another 3.5mm AUX IN. The sound quality is nice for the size. Volume is not bad either. I would have liked to hear a little more bass and I do get a little distortion at full volume. I have heard better sound from ‘Non’ Water, Dirt, Snow and Drop proof units. My experience is that when you purchase a unit that is waterproof you lose a little sound quality, but at this price I was hoping for a little more hence my 4 star rating. I absolutely love using this in our hot tub though; just put it on the edge with no worries if it falls in. (I actually did drop it in intentionally and it floats like advertised and kept working with no problems.) Below are my pros and cons: Pros: Quality made and good looking unit. Interactive light-up buttons Dry storage compartment Durable Built-In Mic for phone calls Charging port Water proof, Dirt Proof, Snow Proof, Drop Proof Floats Good Battery Life Nice Bluetooth range Cons: Would like more bass . Controls not accessible if strapping down Bottom line, Overall a very nice look and the size is great for portability. I found it to sound best when close by or in a contained area. If you are looking for loud music feel with bass, maybe look at the larger unit. With that said, the quality of the build is very good, and hey, it floats!
Posted by Mukman