I’ve a bizarre relationship with music. When I’m at my desk, I am unable to simply hit shuffle and play something from my library; I have to focus, so I often stick with instrumental tunes. Anything with vocals when I’m attempting to write down or edit appears like somebody’s speaking to me as I attempt to provide you with my very own phrases.

Ever since I began working from home in 2019, my days begin round 8:45 am, and I head straight to my desk after making a cup of espresso. Post-work, I be part of my associate in the lounge, and we watch one thing collectively (or I dip right into a online game). When I head to the fitness center, I play energetic songs to maintain me going. My pre-pandemic commutes had been full of two 30-minute journeys the place I might play my favourite artists and uncover new music on the subway right here in New York City. And once I lived in New Jersey, my outdated job required an hour-long drive the place I might hearken to burned CDs in my Dad’s 2006 Honda Accord. I’m not compelled to sit down nonetheless for a time period anymore—which is nice in a lot of how—however for me, it does imply much less music time.

One passion that is helped is a spiraling addiction to vinyl. I spin records when I’m doing mundane duties round the home, like cleansing on Sunday mornings. My secondary resolution? A Bluetooth speaker within the bathe. It’s not fairly the identical, nevertheless it lets me play tracks I have never listened to shortly for a couple of minutes a day. It’s the precise bathe speaker in query that has virtually re-created the expertise I’ve had from my commutes: Ampere’s Shower Power Pro routinely roars to life once I begin my bathe, and it is hydro-powered, so I virtually by no means should recharge it. 

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Hydro Power

Ampere obtained its begin making mobile charging accessories, and the Shower Power is certainly one of its first forays outdoors its wheelhouse. There are two fashions: Shower Power and the Shower Power Pro. I’ve been testing the latter since February. The Pro mannequin is barely greater, so it affords higher sound, or so Ampere says, and there is a ring of LEDs on the finish for a little bit of sparkle. 

The LEDs are impactful provided that your toilet is dimly lit (or when you’re showering in the dead of night), so I hardly use them. The Pro mannequin is slated to get an app that may allow you to monitor water utilization and temperature (the LEDs will flash crimson if the water is scalding sizzling and purple if it is actually chilly), however even after greater than 9 months, it is nonetheless not out (Ampere says it’s going to launch this month). Still, I’d follow the fundamental Shower Power to avoid wasting money. Just stick your hand within the bathe to see if the water is sizzling or not.

It feels well-built, and I like that it is made out of recycled ocean plastic (particularly, 16 recovered water bottles). Installation can be a breeze. I’ve examined it on three completely different showerheads, and I’ve had zero issues. Ampere has plenty of instructions that present the right way to set up it with completely different heads, however you are primarily attaching this hydro-powered speaker in between the bathe arm that stands out the highest of your toilet tiling and the showerhead. 

The water flows via the Shower Power’s turbine and generates energy for the Bluetooth speaker related to the aspect (you may hear the slight whir of the turbine). Don’t fear, the speaker has an IPX7 water-resistance rating, so it is protected. You can simply twist the speaker to disconnect it and tote it across the dwelling, so it isn’t restricted to your toilet.