I’ve been looking for a great wireless audio amplification device so I can play music in my FIT4MOM Front Range fitness classes. How would I know what would work best unless I bought several and tried them out? So, that’s what I did! I’m posting the results here so you can benefit from my work and avoid having to buy and return all of these audio amp products.
BOOST! NearField Audio Speaker by iFrogz
Price: $15.40 (Amazon), $39.88 (Walmart)
Amplification Method: NearField allows the device to amplify sound without using a mic. It syncs the audio signal from your phone or tablet and amplifies it.
From Frogz: “Patent pending NearFA™ technology actually syncs the
audio signal from inside your device before pumping it out the two
high-quality 2W x 2RMS speakers. Your tunes are then boosted with
room filling sound.”
Power Source: Batteries or USB plug-in 🙁
Power Longevity: 15 hours of continuous play, 6 months of stand-by
Volume Control: Phone
Volume Amplification: Loud, could be heard by everyone in a suburban backyard or in a
large inside room. Great for my fitness classes or for parties.
Sound Quality: Pretty clear.
Devices it can amplify: Most mobile devices with external speaker
Size: About the size of 5 iPhones stacked on top of one another. Won’t fit in most pockets, but will fit in a gym bag, stroller, or purse.
In-Depth Reviews on this Product: The Gadgeteer, Brighthand, TweakTown, Android Police
My Thoughts: Although it has a great sound quality and amplification, there are two things that could make this product a lot better for what I need to use it for: 1) if the phone stayed in place or had Bluetooth technology, and 2) if it was rechargeable! Spending money over and over on batteries, AND having to remember batteries does not sound appealing to me.
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HDMX GO XL Portable Speaker
Price: $12.99 (Amazon), $9.88 (Walmart)
Amplification Method: 3.5mm audio jack
Power Source: Batteries or USB connection 🙁
Power Longevity: 6 + hours (a product-user’s experience)
Volume Control: Phone. It also has a + and – on front, but doesn’t change volume effectively
Volume Amplification: Not very loud. Could be heard in a smaller inside room or in the
section of a backyard. It is ok for a fitness class if you walk around to the participants, but if there is a lot of talking, you won’t be able to hear the music well. Great for times when you want to contain the music amplification to a certain area (one room, the patio area as opposed to the whole backyard, etc.).
Sound Quality: Pretty clear, although there are sporadic breaks in the music.
Devices it can amplify: Audio devices with a jack, including laptops, cell phones, portable gaming devices, MP3 players
Size: About the size of 3 Androids sitting on top of one another. Won’t fit in most pockets, but will fit in a gym bag, stroller, or purse.
Reviews on this Product: Bed, Bath and Beyond
My Thoughts: It’s cheap, which is great! However, the sound quality, amplification, and the sporadic break in sound just won’t meet my needs. This is a great product for someone who wants to strap it on their belt and go for a walk. It isn’t necessarily for a group of people to enjoy. Also, the battery requirement is annoying.
Don’t mind my finger over the lens in the video. 🙂
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iHome iHM59 Rechargeable Color Changing Mini Speaker
Price: $23.98 (Amazon), $19.88 (Walmart)
Amplification Method: 3.5mm audio jack
Power Source: Rechargeable, no batteries!
Power Longevity: 8 hours + (a product user’s experience)
Volume Control: Phone
Volume Amplification: Loud, could be heard by everyone in a suburban backyard or in a large inside room. Great for my fitness classes or for parties.
Sound Quality: Slightly muffled at the highest volume level, but clear when lowered.
Devices it can amplify: Audio devices with a jack, including laptops, cell phones, portable gaming devices, MP3 players
Size: Collapses to the size of a Mandarine Orange as to fit in a baggy or flexible pocket, small purse, etc. Smallest of all I reviewed.
In-Depth Reviews on this Product: Josh Newman YouTube, Milton Brafado Yahoo!, Mrlfmjusttooawesome YouTube
My Thoughts: It’s a sleek and compact product. It would be my pick if it had Bluetooth capabilities. The fact that the phone needs to be wired to the speaker is annoying. It would be nice to walk away from my phone and carry around the speaker, or vice versa (like if I want to use the stopwatch feature on my phone while music is still playing.)
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HDMX Jam Classic Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
Price: $26.99 (Amazon), $39.88 (Walmart)
Amplification Method: Bluetooth, source can be up to 30 feet away
Power Source: Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery
Power Longevity: Up to 3 hours of continuous play
Volume Control: Phone. It also has a + and – on device.
Volume Amplification: Loud, could be heard by everyone in a suburban backyard or in a
large inside room. Great for my fitness classes or for parties.
Sound Quality: Slightly muffled at the highest volume level, but clear when lowered.
Devices it can amplify: Most all audio devices with Bluetooth, including tablets and phones
Size: About the size of an orange. The shape makes it difficult to fit in small spaces, but it will fit nicely into a gym back, large purse, or a stroller cup holder. Just make sure it doesn’t get stuck!
In-Depth Reviews on this Product: YugaTech, Time Tech, Gadget Review
My Thoughts: The Bluetooth is a winner, and the amplification is sufficient, although the sound quality at the height of amplification could be better. Also, it could be improved by making it easier to hold. It is an odd shape for holding in one hand, and it gets stuck in cup holders (the one in my car and on my stroller, which is where I keep it.) However, I found that this is the product that works best for me for use in my on-the-go fitness classes.
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