Tribit Stormbox

Make some noise

Bluetooth speaker for music on the go

WIRELESS SPEAKER ❘ £59 from Amazon www.snipca.com/35165

Before being renamed to something that might be unleashed on the universe as a superhero, this portable Bluetooth speaker used to be known as the X-boom or Maxboom, and it does look suspiciously similar to the pricier UE Boom 3 (£99 from Amazon www.snipca.com/30982, see our review, Issue 550, page 28).

The fabric-covered case is IPX7 waterproof, partly thanks to a chunky rubber flap over the microusb power port and audio-input jack, and has a silicone strap. The rechargeable battery will last up to 20 hours, but you’ll need a USB port or charger to connect to the supplied cable.

Like the Boom 3, the Stormbox has two speaker drivers that promise a bigger sound than you’d expect from a 7in (180mm) cylinder. We didn’t find it quite as loud, but it does at least go to its maximum volume without distortion, and we were impressed with the clarity of the mid-range and high end. As for the bottom, an Xbass button adds a bit of extra thump – visible in the movement of the end panels – without overdoing it. We preferred the sound with this turned on.

Features are limited to the big volume control buttons. There’s no companion app, and the claimed Alexa support just means you can use the basic built-in mic to launch Alexa on a connected phone or tablet, as well as for taking phone calls. Two units can be linked, but only for extra volume, not as a stereo pair.