ECOXGEAR EcoBoulder Bluetooth speaker review

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EcoXGear EcoBoulder 11

Grace Digital must have adopted the slogan, “Go big or go home,” because the EcoBoulder Waterproof Bluetooth speaker from their ECOXGEAR speaker line is, well—B.I.G. This thing is huge—and heavy. The EcoBoulder comes with a retractable handle and wheels. From a distance, it could easily be mistaken for a small travel suitcase. It also doubles as an AM/FM radio, P.A. system and most importantly, is affordable. In fact, the EcoBoulder is one of the more wallet-friendly large Bluetooth speakers available. With all that going for it how does it sound compared to other large portable Bluetooth speakers?

EcoXGear EcoBoulder 1

Let’s get this out of the way first—I’ve reviewed a couple of larger (but not this big) Bluetooth speakers and both are more refined and richer sounding with sharper bass than the EcoBoulder. However, both the Monster Blaster and Braven BRV-XXL cost a LOT more than this monster (pun intended). And what you get for your money with the EcoBoulder is quite impressive.

EcoXGear EcoBoulder 7

EcoXGear EcoBoulder 8

EcoXGear EcoBoulder 3

The all-black shell of the EcoBoulder is hard plastic all-around. I was hoping for metal speaker grills for better protection, but those are plastic, also. Two carrying handles are rubberized for easy grip, but the less you have to carry the EcoBoulder, the better. It’s just easier to wheel it around. The top of the speaker has a non-slip rubber mat for setting a smartphone on as well as a rear slot for holding up a tablet, however, it’s too small for the larger iPad Pro. Even with all this plastic, the EcoBulder looks and feels durable for wet and dirty outdoor use.

EcoXGear EcoBoulder 2

Let’s go over some specs: The EcoBoulder is 100% waterproof and dust proof. It’s rated IP67—that means that it can be dropped into a pool or lake with no worries. And even though it weighs 27 lbs., it floats. It sports a 100-watt amplifier driving a 3” tweeter, 8” full range and 8” passive rear woofer speakers. There is 10 hours of rechargeable battery life built in and can charge a smartphone and/or tablet via two USB ports (charging devices will shorten battery life). Recharge time is about 7-8 hours.

The EcoBoulder’s 4.1 Bluetooth is rated at a max distance of 100 ft. This is a better dependable range than I ever got with the more expensive Braven XXL. Here’s something to keep in mind: I noticed that if I ran Bluetooth from my iMac, it sounded much weaker than if it was wired directly to the headphone out port. However, Bluetooth from my iPhone 7 Plus was much stronger and clearer than hard-wired using the lighting port with Apple headphone adapter. I can only guess that the iPhone’s newer Bluetooth is more compatible with the EcoBoulder than my older iMac is. If you plan to use the EcoBoulder for outdoor parties, Bluetooth should work great. Note that there is a built-in water-sealed compartment complete with extra AUX input and USB charging output than can hold and protect any connected smartphone. Not only is the speaker waterproof, but now your phone can be too.

EcoXGear EcoBoulder 5

The other side of the EcoBoulder houses two separate water-sealed areas for the main power port and AUX/USB/Mic ports. Note that all sealed doors must be closed to keep the waterproof rating.

The AM/FM radio is a nice addition. Even though sound quality from radio doesn’t approach wired or Bluetooth, it’s handy to have for any sports, talk radio or  other programming without using a smartphone’s battery. There’s also six digital presets for easy station switching.

EcoXGear EcoBoulder 12

Those radio presets—along with the rest of the EcoBoulder’s top buttons are backlit. That’s a good thing because it’s handy in the dark, plus there are a lot of buttons on this speaker: AM/FM switch, forward/reverse station search, backlit on/off, master volume toggle switch, source (Bluetooth, radio, AUX1, AUX2), Bluetooth pairing, master on/off, source pause/play and skip, and finally, a stereo button for pairing to a second EcoBoulder for true stereo Bluetooth (ECOXGEAR calls it EcoConnect).

Speaking of pairing for stereo Bluetooth—you can buy two EcoBoulder speakers for about the same price as one Braven XXL or Monster Blaster speaker. (Cosco price) That’s a lot of stereo boom for just a few bucks.

EcoXGear EcoBoulder 4

As I said earlier, the EcoBoulder resembles a small suitcase. Its wheels and retractable handle make it easy to take just about anywhere you want, especially since it’s heavy to carry.

EcoXGear EcoBoulder 9

EcoXGear EcoBoulder 6

Because the EcoBulder is designed for outdoor use, audio quality isn’t as good as some more expensive Bluetooth speakers. But let’s be fair: The EcoBoulder sounds absolutely fine for its purpose. What it lacks in sound quality, it makes up for in volume—perfect for outdoor parties and get-togethers. Understand that any audio nuances are lost in the open outdoors anyway, so why quibble about it? What you want is for everyone to be able to hear the music and that’s where the EcoBoulder’s 100 watts of audio power shines.

While 100 watts of volume will carry over a long distance, bass will suffer. Up close, the EcoBoulder has plenty of thump, but walk a few yards away and bass drops off significantly. That’s not the speaker’s fault—it’s physics. Lower frequencies need things to bounce off of to achieve that “bass” sound. When outdoors, audio has nothing to reflect its sound waves, so it just keeps going and going until it dies out.

With the EcoBoulder, ECOXGEAR has made a speaker perfect for its intended use. They didn’t try to fight the laws of physics with expensive gear or digital trickery that can compromise audio in a bad way. They just made a durable speaker that sounds good and loud for whatever excuse you can come up with to play music outdoors.

EcoXGear EcoBoulder 10

Think about it: here’s a good sounding speaker that’s weatherproof, will keep your Spotify enabled smartphone dry and charge it at the same time so the party can go on just about forever. Why try to do more?

Source: The sample for this review was provided by ECOXGEAR. It sells for $249.99. It’s available for Costco members for $179.99. Please visit their site for more information and check their Amazon store for other ECOXGEAR speakers.

 

Product Information

Price:$249.99 ($179.99 at Costco)
Manufacturer:ECOXGEAR
Retailer:Costco
Pros:
  • Inexpensive (from Costco)
  • Big and loud
  • Has retractable handle and wheels
  • Included AM/FM radio
  • Waterproof
Cons:
  • Bass not great over distance (but sounds good close up)
  • Plastic speaker grills
  • Heavy
  • Max volume can be harsh sounding

8 thoughts on “ECOXGEAR EcoBoulder Bluetooth speaker review”




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  2. First of all, let me state that imo, this is one of the better reviews I have seen on this product. 2 things I wanted to point out with this product, is that it seems many reviewers have missed a couple things with this speaker system. 1. This is a sealed, waterproof speaker, and it is extremely difficult to get the same sound staging in speaker or systems with this feature. I know there are other similar waterproof sealed speaker systems that may have better sound quality than this unit, but they still have to deal with the same problem. One thing that may have improved the sound staging of this product would be to have applied 2-3 layers of a sound dampening material. I don’t think it would be a compete fix, but I feel it would help improve upon it. 2. There is actually preset EQ setting on this speaker that isn’t discussed on any literature I’ve been able to find on this model, including Ecoxgears website and I have yet to see a video review where they demonstrate the different settings. From what I’ve read from a few commenters on other reviews elsewhere, you have to hold down the play/pause button and it will change to the next preset. The downfall to this is that there is no way to tell what setting it is on other than audible changes in the sound. I’ve also heard that the difference isn’t as noticeable in the lower frequency ranges as in the lower mid and mid ranges. Since this review, Ecoxgear has released the Ecoboulder Plus, which offers a few changes/additions. On the new model it appears they have removed the waterproof phone storage compartment and replaced it with a side pouch with an included waterproof bag so you can still store your device safely in it around water. They do state that the pouch itself is not waterproof and it must be in the waterproof bag to keep your device safe from water. I’m thinking there must have been some issues with possible leaks in the compartment, likely due to people not properly closing and securing the compartment door thus not creating the intended seal. Another thing that came to mind is the possibility that devices could potentially overheat while charging and playing while within the sealed compartment. I know a lot of device manufacturers actually recommend you remove protective cases from your devices while charging them so as to prevent overheating and damaging or shortening the battery life of said devices. The new model also has bass and treble adjustments as well as the previous presets. I still have read that these adjustments are not as noticeable in the lower range, but more so in the lower mid and mid ranges. What I would recommend to Ecoxgear, is that they develop an app that would allow you to more finely tune the sound, similar as to what Ion has created to use with some of their products. I’m sure it wouldn’t make a huge difference, but I feel it could still improve upon the adjustability of the sound. One last change I’ve noticed is that they have added a bottle opener to on side of the system, which could be an added perk for parties and BBQs. Thanks again for the great review and I am looking forward to testing the Ecoboulder Plus myself.

  3. I am so very upset about my two ECOXGEAR speakers. I have two 100 watt and one 50 watt ECOXGEAR speakers. One of the 100 watt speakers blowed the battery and the speaker isn’t working now. The 50 watt speaker isn’t charging and it isn’t working. They have a three year warranty. The company doesn’t want to replace these two speakers. They should replace them. I have almost 500.00 dollars in these three speakers. You would think this company would bend over backwards to satisfy me but no they haven’t. So I say to them to do the right thing and REPLACE THE TWO SPEAKERS. Wallace Earl Starks. 270 210 9005.

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