The Soundboks 4 Retains Its Title As The Loudest Bluetooth Speaker – But It Doesn’t Hit 126dB
The Soundboks 4 is a truly powerful speaker, with a great design and cool features and its title of the loudest portable Bluetooth speaker is justified. It is hands down the loudest portable Bluetooth speaker that we’ve tested, significantly outperforming the more compact Turtlebox 2.
The often-quoted 126dB output is also a topic that needs addressing, as there is some marketing going on here. I gave the speaker a proper sound test using a measuring microphone and what I found was fascinating.
It’s not just the immense volume that makes this speaker stand out though. Its rugged, waterproof build sets it apart from other party-centric speakers, which are often better suited for exclusively indoor setups.
Key Takeaways
- Solid grille that can take a beating. Can also be easily removed for cleaning.
- Extremely loud. Fills even large rooms with clear, but bass heavy sound.
- Long-lasting battery life that keeps the party going.
- IP65 water and dust protection, for outdoor use.
- While loud, the 126dB rating needs context.
What I Like:
- It gets really loud, without much degredation in sound quality
- While weighty, its still quite easy to move around
- Deep bass, but still sounds detailed and clear
- Long lasting battery life, particularly at lower volume
What I Don’t Like:
- It’s quite expensive
- No on-speaker playback controls
- Battery life drops quickly at maximum volume
Design: A Simple, But Effective Design
- Similar design to the older Soundboks models.
- Lacks the LED lighting effects often included in party speakers.
This speaker focuses more on practicality than on looking particularly modern. The new silver grille design does make it a bit more flashy than the Soundboks 3, but overall it has a similar silhouette. If you prefer a more discreet style, there is also the option of having the grille in black.
True to its name, the Soundboks is a box-style design that features carry handles on the side and some small compartment areas where the battery and controls sit.
You won’t find any fancy LED lights on the Soundboks, leaving it up to third-party strobes or color lights to create the atmosphere.
Each corner of the Soundboks has rubber stands which help keep it in place and prevent it from scratching the surfaces under it.
Durability: IP65 Weather Protection & A sturdy Grille That Can Take A Knock
- Water-resistant design.
- Improved grille design that can be removed for cleaning.
I often find that a lot of the party speakers on the market lack the durability required for safe outdoor use. Their grilles dent easily and often have little to no water protection. The Soundboks 4 is a bit more rugged with its thick, durable grille that can take a pretty solid knock without denting.
Additionally, it has a bit more waterproofing than most of its competitors. Granted, its IP65 rating falls short of smaller speakers, but who in their right mind would try submerging the Soundboks?
With an IP65 rating, it means the Soundboks can be used in light to moderate rain without damaging the components. The speaker is also protected from dust intrusion, which may not seem like much – but over time, dust accumulation can cause problems with a speaker’s internal workings.
Portability: At 33 lbs, The Built-In Carry Handles Make The Soundboks Relatively Easy to Carry
- Can be carried over short distances relatively easily.
At just over 33 lbs, the Soundboks 4 isn’t particularly lightweight or extremely heavy. I found that it was quite easy to carry it across a room, and it’s not really a problem carrying it to and from a car. However, it’s heavy enough for it to become challenging to carry over a long distance.
While it’s a lot lighter than some of the other party speakers I’ve been reviewing recently, like the JBL PartyBox 320, it’s worth noting that this speaker doesn’t have wheels to make the process of moving it easier. This means you’ve got to rely on strength, which may be limiting for those with physical disabilities.
Overall though, I think the Soundboks 4 finds an impressive balance in portability, especially for what it brings to the table. After all, more volume requires larger drivers, and larger drivers add weight.
Controls: With No On-Speaker Playback Controls, There’s Room For Improvement
- Volume dial that literally goes to 11.
- Easy-to-use multispeaker pairing buttons.
- Unfortunately, there are no playback controls.
Perhaps one of the more significant shortfalls of the Soundboks 4’s design is its mediocre control panel. Sure, the ability to turn the volume up to a literal 11 is a fun gimmick – but there are no playback controls on the speaker, meaning I had to frequently reach for my phone when skipping or pausing tracks.
With a fair amount of open area in this compartment, I’d have liked to have seen two additional buttons for track controls, and at its $999 price point, I wouldn’t have objected to an EQ preset toggle button too.
You are still going to get your basic power button, Bluetooth pairing, and multi-speaker pairing buttons. And while I didn’t have another Soundboks 4 to use for pairing, having a shortcut button for pairing more than one Soundboks together is really useful.
Multispeaker Pairing: Pair The Soundboks In Stereo Or Regular Group Pairing
- Can be paired together in stereo.
- Larger group pairings of up to 5 speakers, including other Soundboks models.
This speaker is built for demanding events, so I wasn’t surprised to learn that it has amazing group and stereo pairing options that are easy to use.
There are two options for multispeaker pairing: TWS (True wireless stereo) and general group pairing.
The first is great for improving soundstage, by splitting the left and the right channel audio between two speakers, creating a stereo pair.
The second is best for simply improving the coverage. The Soundboks supports up to 4 additional speakers being added, meaning you can fill a large area if you’re looking to throw a 100-person+ event.
Another cool feature here is that the Soundboks 4 is backward compatible and it can be paired with the Soundboks 3 too, and even the smaller Soundboks Go.
Because there are multispeaker pairing shortcuts on the speaker itself, it makes it easy to get the speakers paired, and one can also use the mobile app to do this.
Bluetooth Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 With Impressive Range and Stability
- Stable connections with around 40 meters of range.
- Latency is average, but reasonable given the type of speaker it is.
Bluetooth is a constantly evolving technology, with new speakers coming out with more modern versions regularly. The Soundboks 4 uses Bluetooth 5.0, which although not the newest, does perform impressively well in real-world applications.
I found it easy to connect to the Soundboks and didn’t have any issues with dropped connections. I found I could reliably get around 40 meters of distance with a clear line of sight, without any connection stutters.
To test the latency I played a YouTube video and observed the sync between the video and audio. I find that while the latency isn’t particularly great (I’d estimate in the 200 to 220ms range), it’s about par with other Bluetooth speakers, and to be frank – I don’t think many people are buying the Soundboks to watch YouTube with.
Sound Quality: Bass-Heavy Sound That’s Designed For The Outdoors
- Powerful, deep bass.
- Clear midrange frequencies, with elevated treble for more detail outdoors.
- The sound profile can be adjusted via the mobile app using EQ.
The Soundboks 4 has powerful bass that extends deep, creating a 1-2 combo of punchiness and low rumbles. At high volume, this deep bass can even be uncomfortable for some people. Bass heads, however, will love it. These deep lows are owed to the two large 10″ woofers.
Oftentimes, speakers with deep bass suffer from a lack of clarity in the mids, but that’s not the case with the Soundboks 4. The midrange, in which most instruments and vocals occur, is smoother, clear, and well-balanced.
This speaker was engineered with pristine precision, and the way it’s tuned is ideal for use outdoors.
The treble is tuned slightly upward so that the higher pitch frequencies can cut through the wind. This is an essential feature for outdoor-centric speakers, as a lack of highs can significantly reduce the amount of perceived detail.
There is only a single 1″ tweeter though, and I feel having two tweeters could improve the soundstage a bit.
Soundstage & Dynamics
Soundstage is limited when using a single speaker, as the Soundboks has a standard mono design which results in a somewhat narrow sound. However using two of these speakers in a TWS connection can greatly improve the amount of separation.
Dynamic range is a term used to describe the amount of detail the speaker can produce, and retain at higher volume. The dynamics of the Soundboks 4 are great, and a marked improvement from what its predecessor had. This dynamic range allows the Soundboks 4 to get really loud without losing clarity and detail, retaining the subtle variation between instruments and vocals in the mix.
Volume: Incredibly Loud, But Falls Short Of 126 dB In Tests
- Incredibly loud, while retaining clarity and detail.
- The 126 dB claim needs context, our measurements indicated 111.2 dB output
Here’s where things get really interesting…
The Soundboks 4 is renowned for its powerful volume, and if you open up any TikTok video on the Soundboks, chances are someone is talking about its whopping 126 dB output. But here’s the thing – when I listened to the speaker, I found it to be comparable with some of JBL’s larger PartyBox models.
Eager to do my own volume test, I hooked up a UMIK-2 measuring microphone, placed the Soundboks 4 exactly 1 meter away, and played pink noise through it at maximum volume, recording the output.
I got a reading of 111.2 dB, well short of the 126 dB claim. Don’t get me wrong, I was still astounded that a speaker this size could get as loud as it did. After all, 111 dB is a massive reading! Slightly higher than what I got on the JBL PartyBox Ultimate, a speaker that weighs almost 3 times as much as the Soundboks.
Curious about this discrepancy, I reached out to Soundboks for clarification.
The 126 dB rating that’s advertised, was measured using a line-level test, which is not uncommon for manufacturers to use for marketing. But these line-level tests are done by measuring the electrical current, rather than measuring the sound coming out of the speaker.
So while the 126 dB reading is accurate for a line-level test, for those listening to the speaker, they will hear about 111 dB of volume – not all 126 dB.
So with that said, at 111.2 dB – the Soundboks 4 truly does earn its title as the loudest portable Bluetooth speaker.
Battery: Plenty of Playtime And Quick Charging
- Days of playtime at low volume levels.
- When played at high volume, playtime ranges between 7 and 10 hours.
- Incredibly fast recharge time, taking under 2.5 hours.
- Replaceable battery pack that can extend playtime in seconds.
One needs to give the Soundboks respect for the approach taken to its battery design. It has a battery pack that can be swapped out at any point, an approach that has recently also been adopted by JBL on their PartyBox models.
In terms of playtime, this speaker is rated to last up to 40 hours, and at a low listening volume this is a reasonable estimate that aligned with my tests. However, when the volume is cranked up, as it would be in a party environment, the battery depletes relatively quickly, lasting between 7 and 10 hours when the power is above 85%.
With that said, this is usually longer than most parties last and given how loud it is, one has to acknowledge the limitations. Most speakers that get close to this volume don’t even support batteries and are AC-only speakers.
The charging time is incredible though. Given how much capacity the battery has, I was expecting a long recharge time. Instead, the Soundboks 4 recharges in around 2.5 hours, which is an achievement worthy of praise.
Conclusion
So, is the Soundboks 4 worth buying? If I had the money I’d happily scoop this speaker up and add it to my collection. I could see myself bringing it out for social events quite regularly and although my personal life doesn’t revolve around parties anymore, I can totally see this speaker excelling in those situations.
If you need a lot of power and appreciate a deep, powerful bass-heavy sound, the Soundboks 4 [Available on Amazon] may be exactly what you’re after. Just keep in mind that it is a relatively large and heavy speaker, so don’t expect to be carrying it around daily.
