REVIEW – Finally after what seems to have been a never-ending winter, the Spring season is in the air and it is almost warm enough to sit on the deck at night again warmed by the firepit and relaxed by my favorite smooth contemporary jazz playing in the background. For the past couple of years, I have been using really small Bluetooth speakers or my much heavier JBL 300 speaker. So, I think a nice and convenient compromise for size, sound, and weight will be this iLive Bluetooth Tailgate Party Speaker.
What is it?
The iLive Bluetooth Tailgate Party Speaker is a full-range speaker that features Bluetooth connectivity, a microphone input, a USB port for adding a drive with music, a line-in for playing from external audio devices, and LED lights for effects, and an ergonomic retractable handle and wheels.
What’s in the box
1 x iLive Bluetooth Tailgate Party Speaker
1 x USB Cable
1 x User Guide
Design and features
Features
- Color changing LED light effects
- Voice prompts announce speaker functions
- Retractable pull handle and roller wheels for easy transport
- Play/pause/pairing/LED lights button
- Power/source button
- Rotary volume control
- LED power/charging indicator
Specifications
Supports Bluetooth v5.0
Wireless range: 60 feet
8″ full-range speaker
FM scan
Aux in (3.5mm audio input)
USB port: supports audio file playback
Microphone input
Built-in FM wire antenna
DC battery power: built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Battery life: ~6 hours at 50% volume
Charge time: 4 hours
DIMS: 9.84 x 9.25 x 16.93″
The iLive Bluetooth Tailgate Party Speaker is lightweight and features the controls on the top of the front face and the speaker on the rest of the front surface. On the bottom back there are wheels and on the top a retractable handle, both designed to make this device very portable.
Performance
Once fully charged, the speaker is ready to go. Pairing to Bluetooth is straightforward and easy.
Once paired, you can then play music via your mobile device. As you can see from the controls on the front, you can play from a USB flash drive or choose line-in. I tested the USB for playing music and it works without any glitches. I also tested the mic port and it works albeit that the voice output is a bit tinny. The echo works like any echo. I am not a fan of that type of feature, but I do understand the fun factor. The volume is more than adequate for an outdoor get-together, and the full range sound does deliver bass, mids, and highs but not nearly in any manner for critical listening.
The following video is just a quick show-and-tell of some of the controls and the built-in FM radio feature which I really like.
Overall, the iLive Bluetooth Tailgate Party Speaker is a portable practical, convenient, and adequate entertainment system for summer barbeques and visits to the beach, etc.
What I like
- The features
- The lightweight build
- The telescopic handle
- The wheels
- The built-in FM radio
- The ease of use
- The ability to use external music sources other than via a Bluetooth connection
What I’d change
- Better audio representation albeit likely at the cost of making the speaker heavier
Final thoughts
The iLive Bluetooth Tailgate Party Speaker is a lightweight and relatively compact portable speaker that will provide an easy listening experience on the go. While it is more like just listening to a full-range speaker, it does the job as long as you are not expecting great audio separation and defined and incredible bass, mids and highs. It also has an FM radio built-in and with the USB port, you can save your mobile device battery if you have your music selections/playlist on a flash drive. Overall, I like it.
Price: $69.99
Where to buy: iLive Electronics website and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by iLive
