REVIEW – I love music. I listen to something every day, whether at my desk, in the car, in the kitchen, or even in the shower. The problem I have is when I’m grilling or working outside, I either have to use earbuds or a tiny little Bluetooth speaker I’ve had for years that just can’t pump up the jams. Along comes the Monster Blaster 3.0 Wireless Boombox which solves that problem. I can now play my tunes loud enough so that I can hear them and annoy the neighborhood at the same time.
What is it?
The Monster Blaster 3.0 is a Bluetooth and NFC wireless set of speakers delivering 120 Watts of power to four 15-watt full-range speakers and a 60-watt subwoofer.
What’s in the box?
- The Monster Blaster 3.0 Wireless Boombox
- Power supply for charging
- Manual
- Stickers
Hardware specs
- Durable plastic housing with anodized metal mesh speaker cover
- 5200 mAh battery
- USB A port for charging other devices
- Aux port
- Mic port
- IPX 5 water resistance rating
- 4- 15-watt speakers
- 1- 60 watt subwoofer
- Bluetooth and NFC connections
Design and features
The Monster Blaster 3.0 has an aesthetic similar to other competitors but whereas most are cylindrical, this one is a triangular tube. It looks cool, but I couldn’t help wondering if the shape is for more than that. Due to the triangular shape, the four speakers fire outward at an angle while the subwoofer fires straight down. It’s definitely got more of an omnidirectional sound than my old speaker.
The build seems to be very rugged without looking too tactical in nature. Think cyber sleek! The ports and buttons are situated on the ends of the unit and are covered with a soft, supple rubber covering.
Of course, the port end has a flap so you can actually access them, so be sure to seat the flap back into place properly before getting anywhere near water. It’s splashproof, not waterproof. The buttons are large and give positive clicks when pressed which I really appreciate. My son has his own little speaker that I’ve used in the past and it’s hard to tell when you’ve actually pressed them. They’re hard to press and give no indication that you’ve done so successfully, so thank you Monster.
Speaking of ports, you’ve got 3, not counting the power port. There’s an AUX input port so you can directly plug a source into it. There’s a mic input allowing you to have your own karaoke night or act as a DJ. Then there’s the USB A port which allows you to charge a device using the Blaster 3.0 as a large, loud battery bank.
Finally, on the button end, there’s a small bank of LEDs showing the current volume level along with separate LEDs showing the connection type being used and the mode it’s end.
Setup
The setup for the Monster Blaster 3.0 was a breeze. I started with NFC just because I liked the thought of it. You know, like paying with your phone? Just touch and go.
That’s pretty much what happened. I touched my phone to the NFC pad on the port end of the speaker, Bluetooth turned on automatically, and it paired instantly. I didn’t have to go through any pairing process, searching for devices, or any of that. I could just start playing my music from my phone with YouTube Music, but any service you use should work the same. There’s no Monster proprietary app to install on your phone either. Again, thank you Monster! I hate having to install yet another app for pretty much anything.
Performance
Monster says the Blaster 3.0 should last up to 12 hours on a full charge and I believe that to be accurate. I haven’t done any all-night music parties, but I’ve definitely used it a lot in short sessions while doing chores and such. It still has a little less than half a charge on it and that’s with blasting at a volume my wife finds distressing.
Yeah, okay, but how does it sound? One word. Great. Everything sounds equally balanced like it’s tuned with a flat EQ setting. I’m no audiophile but I can be picky about my music. I’ve got no complaints with the Monster Blaster 3.0. Vocals are forward enough without drowning out the highs. The highs are nice and crisp without being brash and the bass is deep without muddying everything else. And with the sound, there are 2 modes to select from, indoor and outdoor. Trying both of them, I couldn’t tell much difference between the two other than the outside mode is definitely louder, which will come in handy at the beaches here in Florida. We usually get a strong wind off the water, making listening to music almost impossible.
One thing I don’t like about it is the volume levels. When you press the button to increase or decrease it, it’s not a gentle slide. It’s like it’s going up or down steps if that makes any sense. Going from one level up in volume, there’s quite a noticeable jump. So much so that in smaller spaces, it can be a little difficult to set it like you’d want. It’s either too loud or too quiet. To get around that, I had to adjust the volume on my phone along with that of the Monster Blaster 3.0. So, Monster, if you’re reading this, please fix this.
The only other thing that might put someone off is the weight. It’s not exactly lightweight. On Monster’s website, they show a picture of a young woman holding this thing with one hand over her head. Now, I’m not saying this woman isn’t strong enough to do it, but either they got that picture in one shot or she went home with a sore arm after the photo shoot. Holding the Monster Blaster 3.0 over your head with one hand will get tiring pretty quickly. On the upside, you can feel secure when you place it down, it’s not going to tip over or roll off the table easily. So it’s a trade-off.
What I like
- Build quality
- Great sound
- Portability
What I’d change
- Volume control
Final thoughts
The Monster Blaster 3.0 isn’t cheap, but at $199 it’s about half the price of comparable units from JBL or Sony. Not to mention, you’ve two extra inputs and a USB charging port. For what you’re getting out of the Blaster 3.0, I’d say it’s a pretty good price. If you like your music loud and proud like me and want to take it with you wherever you go, then the Monster Blaster 3.0 deserves your consideration. It’s a great-sounding, well-built monster of a wireless speaker.
Price: $199
Where to buy: Monster and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Monster.
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This is absolutely inaccurate and incorrect this is not even remotely near 120 w output….. You know when there’s quality in an interview when they don’t add up the speaker capacities for a total of RMS wattage output which is absolutely retarded and absurd…. This has 26 Watts total peak output doesn’t matter what they say doesn’t matter what the speaker rating is….. This is what woke reviews look like the way crap has become….. 120 w output come on ???….. Idiots !!