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This article was first published in the September 2015 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online
To put these waterproof Bluetooth speakers to the test, WIRED used the Lee Valley White Water Centre. We sought the skills of Lizzie Neave, K1 Canoe Slalom Olympic athlete and World Cup gold medal winner. Each speaker was strapped to Neave's canoe for successive runs through the centre's white-water course. Neave assessed speakers for sound quality, ruggedness and volume, and WIRED recorded the action using a GoPro Hero 4. WIRED separately tested speakers while submerged, and checked to see if they still worked properly afterwards.
IPX1: Dripping water IPX2: Dripping water tilted up to 15° IPX3: Spraying water IPX4: Splashing water IPX5: Water jets IPX6: Powerful jets IPX7: Immersion to 1m IPX8: Immersion beyond 1m
The BRV-X delivers on all its rugged promise. It was the only speaker to be clearly audible by Lizzie Neave throughout the entire course, and audio quality was excellent, especially the bass. Transmission range was also longest in test. The extra weight allows it to act as a smartphone charger, but it did affect the canoe's handling. 8/10 £150
Waterproof rating (WR) IPX7 Weight 8.36kg Battery life 12 hours
Despite being the most stylish speaker on test, the MegaBoom proved unsuitable for rugged use. The screw cap and rubber port cover didn't work well, making it difficult to ensure it was watertight. It did perform well in and out of the water, with a strong and clear response, but it shipped water heavily and nearly sunk. Two test units failed after immersion. 5/10 £250
WR IPX7; floats Weight 8.92kg Battery life 20 hours
The lightweight BackFloat was quieter than its rivals, but it delivered clean treble and measured bass. Although only being IPX6 rated, it handled the rapids and was audible throughout, surviving brief submersions. The only problem was its shorter battery life. 8/10£120
WR IPX6; floats Weight 2.91kg Battery life Seven hours
The Aqua was the most buoyant of the floating speakers on test. Its rubberised coating survived impacts well, but a big drawback was its sound -- a generally muted and flat response meant it was almost inaudible for Neave while out in the rapids. Back on dry land, switching on the EQ bass boost only highlighted its tendency to rattle at low frequencies. 6/10 £140
WR IPX7; floats Weight 6.23kg Battery life Ten hours
Large, fairly heavy and well-protected, at first glance the EcoXBT looks good. Get closer, though, and it disappoints -- the waterproof flap for the USB and aux-in ports is not permanently attached and the whole thing feels cheaply made. Sound quality was also weak, rendering it virtually inaudible to Neave while canoeing, and delivering rattly bass on land. 5/10 £90
WR IPX7; floats Weight 7.18kg Battery life Ten hours
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
