Best for: Glorious alfresco audio
Okay, hear me out. The British weather is about as predictable as Chaos Theory, but this year – at the time of writing – has seen an improbable number of decent days, meaning gaming in the garden has been a possibility. However, this generally means that you have to abandon all thoughts of acceptable audio to the indoors, while you strain and struggle with the sound under the sun.
But it doesn’t have to be this way – imagine if you could outsource your portable gaming console of choice’s audio to a device that comes packing dual 45W mid-range drivers, a devastating 80W subwoofer with diamond reinforcement ribs, and two 15W silk dome tweeters, for sensational 2.1-channel outdoor sound that will blow you (and everyone else around you) away in the great outdoors. Now stop imagining, and behold the TRIBIT StormBox Blast 2.
Very much a modern boombox, while the somewhat epic weight may see you not wanting to have to carry it too far, once you’ve downloaded the TRIBIT app and paired your device with the bulky beast over the latest, fastest and most stable Bluetooth 5.4, you’re off, with up to 200W of power at your fingertips.
Featuring TRIBIT’s X-3D algorithm, you can let the audio embrace you, hitting the XBass button to add even more low-end, or turning that and the pulse-timed, multicoloured dynamic light display off to enjoy up to 30 hours of playback from a single charge. Or, if you want the light display – as many gamers do – flip it back on and customise the colours on the app.
Sound quality is mighty. Bass-heavy but clear too, things may get a little muddy at the highest volume, but below that, everything sings smoothly and sweetly, adding an exciting audio dimension to alfresco Mario Kart World.
With an IP67 water-resistance rating, sudden summer showers aren’t an issue, so if you’re not going to let a bit of water spoil your fun, pop up an umbrella and play on.
Coming complete with an Aux port for wired connectivity, plus the nice addition of a USB-A port so you can charge your portable gaming console from the TRIBIT while you play, the StormBox Blast 2 wasn’t created with gaming in mind, but by god can it deliver. The only possible downside is the patience of your neighbours… or, rather, the lack of it.
- Bluetooth version: 5.4
- Output power: 200W (mains mode); 180W (battery mode)
- Battery life: Up to 30-hours
- Charging time: Around 5-hours
- IP rating: 67
- Wireless distance: 30m
- Weight: 7.15kg
- What’s in the box: TRIBIT StormBox Blast 2, mains charging cable