REVIEW β Every time I get my hands on a Bluetooth speaker, thereβs only one question in my tiny little mind: Howβs the bass? TRIBIT has a model named the StormBox Lava, which to me, evoked images of explosive, molten sounds shattering windows and scaring small pets. Letβs heat this thing up and see what it can do!
β¬οΈΒ Jump to summaryΒ (pros/cons)
Price: $129.99
Where to buy: TRIBIT
What is it?
The TRIBIT StormBox Lava is a portable Bluetooth speaker with dual 30W woofers and dual 10W tweeters with a water rating of IP67 for outdoor listening.
Whatβs included?
- TRIBIT StormBox Lava Bluetooth speaker
- USB-C charging cable
- Hand strap
- Shoulder strap
Tech specs
- Bluetooth Version: V5.4
- Bluetooth Protocol: A2DPοΌAVRCPοΌHSPοΌHFP
- Codec Support: AACγSBC
- Output Power: 80W (2*30W-Woofer+2*10W-Tweeter)
- Frequency Response Range: 43~20KHz
- Frequency Band Range: 2402-2480MHz
- Maximum Transmission Power: β€6dBm
- Battery:43.2Wh
- Play Time: 24 Hours (At 50% volume with XBass Off)
- Charging Time: About 5 hours with 15W input
- Waterproofing Grade: IP67
- Voice Assistant integration: Support
- Broadcast Pairing: Support
- AUX Input: Support
- TRIBIT APP Support: Support
- Wireless Distance: 120ft (οΌ30mοΌ
- Weight: 6.13lbs
- Size: 12.2 x 5.8 x 5.9 inches
Design and features
The TRIBIT StormBox Lava felt substantial at over 6 lbs. I felt like I was carrying a dense, elongated football. All controls are on the top with no exposed mechanical buttons. The infinity button on the far right is for pairing a second StormBox Lava speaker. Each symbol gives a small tactile click when pressed, and the power button only requires one momentary push to turn on or off- no need to βpress and holdβ for a mystery number of seconds. I love that! Thereβs a semi-circular rubbery foot on the bottom.
On the rear, youβll find a flexible plug that covers the USB-C charging input, a USB-A output for charging your devices, making the speaker a large power bank (43.2 Wh). Finally, an honest-to-goodness 3.5mm aux in jack. The plug is connected to the speaker so you donβt lose it and the IP67 rating (meaning the device is dust-tight and protected against temporary immersion in water, specifically up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) for up to 30 minutes.)
The βbusinessβ end of the speaker. This isnβt actually a woofer, but a passive resonator that flexes, enhancing low frequency sounds. Still, it looks menacing.
Assembly, Installation, Setup
Iβm very happy to report that the speaker charges via USB-C. When charging, a tiny LED glows red above the power button, and the Bluetooth logo has a white LED when paired.
Pairing to a smartphone is straightforward. The speaker shows up as βTribit Stormbox Lavaβ which eliminates any confusion.
There is an app that is completely optional, but I recommend it. It turns out there was a firmware update for my speaker. The app even allows customization of what the XBass button does, such as different EQ settings.
Performance
The TRIBIT StormBox Lava speaker rocks. It produces powerful bass that is pleasant to listen to. Turn it up and you can see the passive radiators at work.
I pushed this to maximum volume- if there was distortion (which there probably was) I didnβt notice. I just enjoyed the music! Even with the XBass on, the low end was never distracting.
To test the effect of the XBass feature, I listened to my favorite bass test track, Dabeullβs βBody Heatβ. At the start of the track there is a very low frequency tone for the first 7 seconds. Without XBass on, I canβt really hear it. With XBass on, however, I can pick it out much easier.
Take a listen and see if you can hear it (first 7 seconds).
Hear it in action
Itβs time for hard data. To quantify the effect of XBass, I did some testing with REW software and my UMIK-1 calibrated microphone in my recording booth. Pardon the office chair!
Below is a sweep of the TRIBIT StormBox Lava from 25Hz to 20kHz. Lower βbassβ frequencies are on the left, and higher frequencies go to the right.
Baseline (no XBass) is the PURPLE trace, and XBass on is the BLUE trace.
There is a βbass bumpβ that runs up to 300 Hz, so I wasnβt hearing things. The XBass does put a little more thump in your tunes.
Final thoughts
Finally, a portable Bluetooth speaker that is not only built quite well but also produces that crowd-pleasing bass that makes music fun. The output is clean and powerful if you crank it high, and the IP67 rating means you can bring it almost anywhere.
What I like about TRIBIT StormBox Lava Bluetooth speaker
- Pleasant bass at a reasonable price
- Actual stereo (some brand/models are mono)
- Buttons have a tactile click to them
- To power on and off, just press once. No need to βholdβ the button down. Itβs the little things.
What needs to be improved?
- The power LED blinks red when less than 20%. A more incremental means to check battery level would be nice.
Price: $129.99
Where to buy: TRIBIT and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by TRIBIT. TRIBIT did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
Check out these other speaker reviews!
- Tribit StormBox Blast 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker review β Tribit gets louderβand better
- Tribit StormBox 2 Portable Wireless Speaker review β Two of them are more than the sum of the parts
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$50.00 (as of April 30, 2025 15:22 GMT -04:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
