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Just in case you weren't aware of how extreme Australia's weather can be, say hello to 2022. Thought the fires were bad? Try the floods! For those of you who love a life outside and want that life to have a soundtrack, a robust Bluetooth outdoor speaker that can handle such extremes is a must.
And if by soundtrack, you mean a music festival in a box with enough volume to keep an entire campground awake, then say hello to the EcoXGear EcoBoulder Max.
This is the top-of-the-range model in the EcoXGear party speaker range, which has more bells and whistles than an Austrian slalom. But does that mean it's the right fit for you? Let's dive into my EcoXGear EcoBoulder Max review.
Technically, you would classify the EcoBoulder Max as an outdoor Bluetooth speaker, but like Slurms Mckenzie, it only exists to party. Everything shouts "party speaker" in its features and design.
There are a few key bullet points to take note of that any Bluetooth speaker would be proud to boast. It's 3-way speaker can deliver 120W of power. This is brought about by an 8" full-range main driver, which sits alongside a 3" tweeter and an oval, passive subwoofer.
It has Bluetooth 5 support, which gives you a range of up to 30m for your wireless music source, depending on what's in-between. And you can wirelessly daisy chain up to 50 additional EcoXGear speakers and subs to it (which would be nuts!).
Additionally, it has a built-in FM/AM radio, an AUX port and a mic port (albeit for dynamic mics only, not condenser mics). There's a built-in mic, too. This may not be enough to deliver on your karaoke needs, but it can allow you to control your paired phone by voice. No getting out of the camp chair for you.
There's Qi wireless charging as well, so your phone won't go dead while it sits there playing.
Perhaps most impressive of all is its IPX7 rating. The EcoBoulder Max isn't just water, wind and dustproof – you can literally throw it in your pool or the ocean and it will keep pumping beats. Not only does it float, but it's locked up so tight that no water can get into the key components. A 3-year warranty backs that up.
If you ever dreamed of liloing down a river – to Pnau – it's on the cards with the EcoBoulder Max. However, there is no app, so you can't monitor the battery or control anything remotely.
With all that considered, it's a disservice to the EcoBoulder Max to call it just a party speaker. While that's the clear intent, it could easily double as a worksite audio solution or as a speaker at functions where you need to amplify someone talking (weddings, sports competitions or conferences).
The EcoBoulder Max looks like a beast. It's robustly built – as if modelled on the physique of Arnie. At its base are 2 large, all-terrain wheels. At its top, there's a telescopic handle that can be pulled upwards similar to what you might see on luggage. This allows you to easily move it around, even if you are going over grass and dirt.
On top of the device, there are cup holders, and there's a built-in bottle opener, of course. (All that's missing is a red cup dispenser!) The buttons are backlit, but there are also LEDs behind the speaker grill itself, which can be set to have a variety of modes to give you a light effect to go with your beats.
There are a number of buttons easily accessed from the top. They are big and rubbery in design and easy to find with drunk fingers. This includes some presets and an equaliser. The latter isn't the easiest to deal with on the small LED screen and with the limited input options. I do wish there was an app you could handle all of this through, but its absence is hardly a deal breaker.
The wireless charging does sit precariously between the cup holders. While it's a neat feature, I do wonder if a pocket that was more discrete would not only offer more security from not just 5-fingered fiends but also split beverages.
There's only one USB-A port and this is mostly due to the EcoBoulder Max angling to be submersible in water. All the ports are secreted away in a rubber-sealed compartment, so there isn't that much space to work with. Still, a USB-C port as well would have been ideal.
I've had the EcoXGear EcoBoulder Max party speaker for the best part of a year now and have used it on numerous occasions. Perhaps the most notable event was at a mate's 40th, which lasted 3 days. (Yes, us old dogs can still party.)
The speaker was a hit. First and foremost, it sounds great. I couldn't even come close to running it at full volume as it's so loud. I was running Spotify and SoundCloud mixes off my mobile phone – the likeliest scenario for most users – and was impressed by the clarity and depth offered by the 3-way set-up. Obviously, they're not the perfect formats for audio, but it was still very respectable – especially at avoiding distortion at high volume.
The bass is good, too, although ideally, you would pair with a sub. The light show did an admirable job of livening up the atmosphere and making sure the speaker was visible to drunken passers-by.
What amazed me most was the battery life. The EcoXGear EcoBoulder Max went for the best part of 2 days, just pounding beats with the lights on. I kept waiting for it to go dead, and in the end, the party concluded before it did.
Just note that this battery life does dwindle by at least half if you're charging phones or other devices from it at the same time. This is something to note if you're camping and just throw your phone down on top of it. Also, it's not quick to charge. It'll take the best part of a day to get full life back into it.
During my tests, the speaker got rained on and had beer spilt over it, which caused no issues at all. The handle and wheels certainly make moving it around easy. It is the size of an overnight suitcase, and while that isn't such a big problem once it's set up, getting to your destination and then storing it around your house can be a problem as a result.
I've been really impressed by my time with the EcoBoulder Max, which has to be one of the best party speakers in Australia. It has the versatility and ruggedness to be much more than just a DJ in a box for your next shindig. Feature-rich, smartly designed and powerful, it's good value for the price.
The EcoXGear EcoBoulder Max party speaker is available now and you can find it in most of the usual retailers across Australia. It retails for $549.99, which is a solid price in my opinion. That puts it under the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom and the JBL Partybox and only a bit above the Sony X-Series SRS-XP500.
If that's out of your price range, you will find lower-specced models through the EcoXGear range. These offer much in the way of the same rugged, outdoor features and party vibes, but take a hit to power and battery life.
Chris Stead is the innovations editor at Finder. He is a gaming, tech and sports journalist with more than 24 years of writing and editing experience. He has previously worked at Game Informer, GamePro, Maxim, MCV Pacific, Gameplayer, Grab It, the University of New South Wales, Krash, It Girl and Fortnite Magazine. He has contributed to IGN, GameSport, NBN, Rooster Teeth, Fandom, Sydney Morning Herald, FilmINK, Brag, Popular Science, Foxtel, PC World, Hyper and Red Bull. Chris has a Bachelor of Advanced Science in Biology from the University of Sydney. A father of three, Chris has a passion for travel, photography and surfing.
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