If you believe a portable speaker should be as rugged, and perhaps as good looking, as Bear Grylls then you may want to take a look at a new range from U.S. based DreamWave Audio.
If you have not heard of DreamWave Audio – it makes interesting portable, rugged, adventure/military/tank styled, audiophile standard, Bluetooth speakers - then look out for this brand at your favourite retailer because they are distributed in Australia by TEAC.
The range comprises:
- Venture – 5W, 360° sound, Walkie Talkie, IPX5, hands-free speaker/phone (HFC), 10-hour battery, A$169 (not reviewed)
- Bubble Pods – 5W, 360° sound, IPX5, HFC, 5-hour battery, A$79 (not reviewed)
- Harmony – 16W, 360° stereo, HFC, 18-hour battery, A$249
- Explorer – 15W, stereo, IPX5, HFC, 20-hour battery with bike handlebar mount, A$259
- Survivor – 30W, stereo, IPX5, HFC, NFC, 14-hour battery, 400A Car Battery Jumpstarter, 5V/1A power bank, 110 lumens flashlight and SOS, A$459
- Tremor – 50W, stereo, IPX5, HFC, NFC, 18-hour battery, 5V/1A power bank, webbing carry strap, A$559
The last three are serious speakers for those who want to get off the beaten track – they will look out of place in your lounge – unless you like Panasonic Tough Books or are Bear Grylls (note the use of his name is for illustration only and in no way implies endorsement).
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So let’s look at the brand and then each separately.
Brand
DreamWave states it is driven by a passion for music, style and adventure. “Ruggedly built with superior craftsmanship, our speakers are designed to weather the Aussie outdoors. Combined with audiophile Hi-Fi sound quality, they are the perfect companion for music lovers in any environment. Enjoy at home, the beach, or on your next big adventure – wherever you are, you’ll want to share your music with the world.”
After using these for a few weeks and testing in a number of different environments, I think its mission has been achieved.
Music Signature
Frequency response and signature are remarkably consistent across the range of speakers. Bass is solid, mid-range is fulsome and clear and treble, on the larger Survivor and Tremor can be a little rolled off on high pitched vocals.
If you use the “sound signature” rating these speakers provide an easy going, easy listening “warm and sweet” signature similar to what you find on Sony or TDK – think Beach Boys Still Cruising! In all cases, it meets or exceeds expected volume and clarity. All have Anti-distortion circuitry - lack of amplifier distortion is a hallmark.
DreamWave claim audiophile standard. I would simply add that when put in an IPX5 casing to resist water, snow, sand, and dust the quality of music is closer to adventurephile standards and that is pretty good.
HFC – Handsfree
Quite by accident my phone rang during testing. The speaker immediately swapped over to hands-free speakerphone mode, and it was clear, crisp and loud. At the time I was about 10 metres away, and the caller could hear me very clearly. There was no latency or lag as I have experienced with other brands.
Bluetooth/NFC/Controls
All have:
- Bluetooth pairing button and some have NFC - all were very easy to pair.
- A +/- volume button and power button. Missing is the ability to skip forward or back music tracks, but you can do that from your smartphone or music source.
- Bluetooth 4.0+EDR, A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile), AVRCP (Audio/Video Remote Control Profile) and importantly aptX for CD-standard, high definition sound.
- 3.5mm audio in
- Except Harmony have a USB 5V/1A power bank socket to charge another USB device
IPX5
All except the Harmony have an IPX5 rating that means dust, dirt, sand, snow and other particle protection and water ingress protection. They are water resistant but stop short of full immersion (rating IPX7). Regarding rugged, they will withstand drops of over 40cm, but the outer casing may be scratched. They are suitable for outdoors, extreme sports, and on worksites, etc.
Harmony The Harmony is more of a portable Bluetooth speaker like a Bose, Braven, or UE Boom. It has an angular design, “rust orange” (bronze on steroids) speaker grill (both sides) and a faux leather metal band. While elegant its more industrial in its look. It is also available in black.
It has a 4500mAh battery charged by a 15V power pack (supplied) – it does not use the usual micro-USB. This means quick charging of less than 2.5 hours. It has an 18-hour playback at normal volume and about 6 hours at full volume – frankly, you won’t need that level!
It has a 16W output – well above its competitors, and has two x 2.4” full-range speakers and two passive drivers. The sound and volume are pretty amazing for a small speaker and the 360° sound (from both sides) adds more of a spatial feel.
Size: 231.5 x 61.5 x 64.5mm x 1.76kg – it is pretty heavy
Explorer As the name suggests, it is all about music where ever you are. It has a standard ¼” tripod mount hole and comes with a solid handlebar mount.
The advantage here is that it is rugged and weatherproof so you need not be concerned about rain, mud, the occasional crash. A mountain bike friend offered to test it and commented that he could hear the music clearly, even through his full face helmet, when hurtling downhill at breakneck speeds. He was impressed at the volume, bass and mid-range.
It has a 15W output – well above its competitors, and has two x 2.4” full-range speakers. The sound across the spectrum was great – just a tad behind the Harmony due to the IPX5 cladding.
The 6,000 mAh battery – the largest I have seen on a similar sized speaker – will give 20 hours of normal play and six hours at full volume. It uses a standard micro-USB charge port (cable supplied), but no charger is supplied. Given the battery size it will take about 6 hours at 1A and 3 hours at 2.1A – don’t try to use a standard 500mA USB socket.
Size/Weight: 165x72x55mm x 650g
Survivor If you want to jump start up to a 7 litre V8, then this is for you. It has a 12V, 400A outlet and comes with a pair of jumper cables. While I did not try this feature, independent overseas reviews have and confirm it will indeed start a big V8. The only criticism was that there is not storage for the jumper cables onboard.
It has 30W – 20W less than the Tremor – but in tests in a small hall it was “almost” as loud. It did not lack in the loudness department but sounded a little less crisp than the Tremor.
It has 2 x full range speakers and 2 x tweeters. This exhibited good bass and midrange, but the treble was a little flat. A bit of adjustment of the smartphone equaliser helped.
The 12,000mAh battery delivers 14 hours at normal volume and 7 hours at maximum. It uses a 19V, 3.2A switching charger that will charge the battery in under 2 hours. It can also charge from a car cigarette lighter.
It has a rugged metal handle and an attractive pewter metal grill on both sides. As a bonus it has an 110 lumen LED flashlight and SOS signaller – to be honest, it is not much of a torch but useful in confined spaces like under the car hood.
Size/Weight: 390 x 174 x 130mm x 5.3kg.
Tremor It is my favourite – something resonates with its rugged look, webbing strap and huge sound.
50W for a Bluetooth speaker is almost unheard of, let alone the 20,800mAh battery for 18 hours play at normal volume and 8 hours at maximum. But the really interesting feature unique to this model is the ability to pair two for stereo that can fill a small hall (not tested)
This one has 2 x Full-range speaker, 2 x tweeters and 2 x Passive drivers giving it exceptional “grunt” and clarity – that anti-distortion circuitry really kicks in at this level.
It uses a 15V, 2.4A charger (supplied) and will fully charge in about 3 hours.
Size/Weight: 440 x 178 x 170mm and 5.7kg
This is the one you take to the beach or put at a worksite for the tradies.
Summary
DreamWave has done an excellent job in making a range of Bluetooth speakers with the same “warm and sweet” sound signature. Add to that Bluetooth aptX for CD-clarity, and you have a winning combination.
During testing my wife commented that “I was a very noisy person” because all of produce copious, distortion free volume.
If you are a rugged type, then DreamWave is the one for you. My favourites are the Explorer for personal use and the Tremor for large spaces – think outdoor BBQ or small halls.