SOUNDBOKS Mix review: the party speaker that exceeded my expectations

The SOUNDBOKS Mix has been everything I expected from it, and then some. I was interested in it for the backyard and outings, where a substantial battery-powered speaker makes sense. The sound, the portability, and the overall experience have left me happy with that choice.

At $799, my expectations were high. A speaker at this price has to give me a reason to choose it over the many smaller Bluetooth speakers available. The Mix makes that case through a combination I appreciate: enjoyable sound, a removable battery, and a design built around taking the music with you.

Price: $799
Where to buy: SOUNDBOKS

The sound is why I like it

The Mix sounds great to me. I’m interested in a party speaker because I want music to be part of the gathering, and enjoying what comes out of it is the first requirement.

There’s substantial hardware behind that purpose: a 10-inch woofer, a 1.2-inch dome tweeter and two 72W RMS amplifiers. The rated maximum of 121 dB puts its intended output in perspective. For me, the more useful side of that ambition is having a speaker designed for a gathering that can spread beyond a small table.

For a backyard setup, I’d aim the speaker toward the main seating or gathering area. Putting it where people will hear its front makes more sense than treating it as a source that sounds identical in every direction. The app’s sound profiles and custom EQ offer another way to tailor the setup.

I like having that flexibility. A playlist over dinner and music for a larger gathering call for different choices, even when the speaker stays in the same place. The Mix gives you adjustment beyond simply turning everything up.

Portable still means carrying a real speaker

At a listed 21.4 pounds, the Mix is a deliberate addition to the trip. The handle gives you a way to carry it, but it still needs room in the car and a place at the destination. For the backyard-and-outings role that attracted me, that’s a reasonable category of product to consider.

The difference between carrying it across a patio and taking it on a long walk is worth thinking through before buying. “Portable” covers both on a product page. Your route decides how useful that portability will be.

The construction suits the intended job: an ABS and polycarbonate cabinet, silicone ball corners and a removable steel grille. SOUNDBOKS specifies an IP65-rated coating on the electronics. I’d keep that precise description in mind rather than assume the whole speaker can be submerged.

What appeals to me is the independence from a fixed installation. A battery-powered speaker can go where the people are without requiring a powered speaker setup or an extension cable across the gathering space. That freedom is part of what I wanted from the Mix in the first place.

The battery is a good reason to choose this design

I’m particularly positive about the removable battery. It gives you options after the purchase: bring the pack indoors to charge while the speaker stays in storage, replace a depleted pack with a charged spare, or replace the battery later without replacing the entire speaker.

That’s useful ownership flexibility.

The included pack is called The Battery. SOUNDBOKS rates it for up to 40 hours at mid-volume or eight hours at full volume with the Mix. The wide difference between those ratings is a reminder to plan around your listening volume. A spare is $199, so extending a session that way is an extra purchase to plan for.

Charging needs a little attention, too. The speaker doesn’t include a charger. The official one is $59, and full-volume playback while charging requires it or a USB-C PD supply rated for at least 65W. A suitable charger you already own may cover the job. The pack can also charge a phone, drawing from the same reserve that powers the music.

I’d factor that charger into the purchase from the beginning. It’s a practical detail to sort out once, then get on with using the speaker.

Know your connections, then enjoy the music

The Mix keeps its wired connection simple with a 3.5mm stereo input. It doesn’t have the Pro Panel’s XLR or quarter-inch connections. If your plan includes plugging a microphone or instrument directly into the speaker, choose hardware with those inputs. An appropriate mixer can provide a compatible feed, but that becomes a different setup.

Bluetooth playback and TeamUP work without opening the app. TeamUP can link up to five compatible speakers, while the app adds more control. That provides an expansion path if one speaker eventually becomes part of a bigger system.

Bluetooth 4.2 is an older specification at this price. I wouldn’t dismiss that limitation or the input limits. I also wouldn’t let them stand in for the whole experience.

Price: $799
Where to buy: SOUNDBOKS

For me, the Mix has delivered. I like the sound and the combination of a substantial speaker with a battery I can remove and replace. My recommendation is strongest for someone looking at the same kind of role I had in mind: backyard music, gatherings and outings where bringing a dedicated speaker feels worthwhile. For quiet background listening at a desk, the cost and size are harder to justify.

I went into this with high expectations. The SOUNDBOKS Mix exceeded them.