Bluetooth audio system have develop into so ubiquitous and reasonably priced that you simply not have to depend on one and even two audio system to satisfy all of your cell audio wants. These days, there’s a Bluetooth speaker for practically any use case, from growth containers to energy your yard barbecue to ultra-portable fashions. Plus, the ever-important bathe speaker for jamming whilst you clear up.

If you’re after the latter, Skullcandy’s Kilo speaker is an attractive price range possibility. With sturdy water resistance, a sturdy clip-on design, and a full day and evening of battery per cost, the Kilo has the products for a stable toilet cling or a ride-along Bluetooth speaker. It will not get you best-in-class sound, because it struggles with definition on the prime and backside of the frequency vary, but it surely’s surprisingly properly balanced for a speaker from a model with a headphone line known as “Skullcrusher.” If your price range can stretch a tiny bit extra, JBL’s Clip 4 is the superior selection, however the Kilo will get the job finished.

A Good Hang

Carabiners could look cool in Bluetooth speaker advertisements dangling from a backpack, however in apply, they’re most helpful for affixing your speaker to a bathe basket or hook for a extra everlasting residency. In that respect, the Kilo’s compact carabiner clip works nice. It’s not as versatile because the bigger clips you’ll discover on JBL’s Clip 4 and even the smaller Clip 3, however its compact dimension makes it simpler to suit into tight spots.

It’s inconceivable to not examine the Kilo to JBL’s Clip line. Skullcandy’s mannequin is constructed like a direct response, proper right down to the rubberized bottom that helps diffuse it from surfaces for much less bass rumble once you lay the speaker flat. The Kilo’s IPX7 ranking means it lacks the Clip’s dust-proofing, but it surely’s just about waterproof, in a position to survive showers of every kind or perhaps a brief dunk within the pool.

The Kilo has related onboard controls, although it distills the JBL Clip 4’s 5 buttons into three multi-keys that deal with all the pieces from energy and pairing to quantity and track skipping. It took thumbing by the directions to determine the elusive skip controls, finished by holding down the quantity keys as an alternative of tapping. That’s particularly very important for avoiding podcast advertisements when your telephone’s out of attain. I most well-liked Skullcandy’s easier management format over time, offering all choices on the speaker’s accessible entrance face.

The Kilo’s function set is bare-bones in any other case. The lack of a devoted cell app means there’s no method to modify EQ or mix a number of audio system in “Party Mode” as on JBL’s newest audio system. You can pair two Kilo audio system collectively for stereo playback, however that is about it.

The greatest plus on this package deal is the Kilo’s distinctive 24-hour battery life, which greater than doubles related JBL fashions and meets or beats absolutely anything else I’ve examined. You don’t strictly want that a lot battery, but it surely makes charging a rarity, so you possibly can depart the speaker hung within the toilet or out on the deck for days and even weeks. An LED show on the Kilo’s decrease bezel lets when it’s time to seize the USB-C charging cable, which is a pleasant contact.

Podcast Special

If your main use case for the Kilo is barreling by the ever-growing checklist of podcasts in your Spotify or Audible library, you’ll be in wonderful form. The speaker does its finest work within the center frequencies, providing clear and current dialog out of your favourite comedy, thriller, and nonfiction casters. Detail is stable, with no offensive sharpness or sibilance to talk of, leaving little to complain about when listening close to.

It does a good job with music, as soon as once more shining within the midrange the place devices like vocals and guitar are rendered with crisp presence, but it surely readily reveals its price range standing when put too intently below the microscope. There’s a tinny, nickel-glaze to brighter devices like cymbals and high-register synths. On the opposite finish, the bass cuts off about as early as you’d count on from a contemporary price range speaker however presents sufficient heat and heft to reverberate by furnishings with out creating undesirable buzz. Pushing the quantity too laborious can result in some muddying at each ends of the spectrum, however sound stays clear within the middle, particularly in sparser mixes.

More completed (and pricier) audio system just like the Clip 4 and Sony SRS-XB100 provide higher readability and definition within the excessive frequencies and heftier punch down low. The older (and smaller) JBL Clip 3 is a better comparability. The Clip 3 supplied higher total definition and readability in my A/B testing, however the Kilo serves up a weightier soundstage. None of those audio system are going to blow you away, however you’ll get a large bounce in constancy for a bit more money.

If you’re choosy about your sound, I counsel stepping as much as one of many above choices, each of that are normally discounted. If you simply want a superb bathe speaker on a budget, the Kilo’s type, sturdiness, and battery life make it a stable choose, and certain a significantly better possibility than no-name Amazon specials.