One thing I like about electronics is their constant
evolving. I love my music, and always take it with me. Wireless speakers are
getting better with more features. That’s the case with the PowerBass SoundTube
BT-500. It's a wireless speaker shaped like a boombox and is loaded with features. Yet MSRP is only $149.
Features and specs:
Waterproof design IPX7
Bluetooth 5.3 Chip provides 30Ft. of wireless range
RGB Lighting with User Selectable Effects
User Selectable Equalizer
USB-A for use with Thumb Drive Music Storage
USB-A for charging mobile devices
3600mAh Rechargeable Battery provides 7 hours of music
playback
TWS True Wireless Stereo – connect 2 BT-500 Tubes together
for true wireless stereo sound
Shoulder Strap for easy carry
USB-C Charge Cable included
The PowerBass Sound Tube BT-500 came in a nice-looking color
printed box with photos and specs. Opening the box revealed a well-protected
speaker held in place by custom molded foam. Materials used in the construction
was mostly plastic with some metal, cloth and rubber. Quality of materials
used, as well as fit and finish was very good. Also included was the charging
cable and shoulder strap.
I’m very impressed with the design of the PowerBass
Soundtube BT-500. To start you get features that are common for these wireless
speakers. There’s Bluetooth 5.3, IPX6 water resistance, and 3.5mm aux-in port.
Also as is found on a lot of newer wireless speaker designs, there’s also a built-in
rechargeable battery (7200 mah) that can also be used as a power bank to charge
your smartphone.
PowerBass did not stop there. There are passive radiators on
both sides for improved bass response. The passive radiators also light up with
RGB’s that dance – very cool. There’s even a built-in mic so you can use it for
hands free calls. One of the coolest features though is it’s TWS, for True
Wireless Stereo. Linking two of them together, they act like a pair of stereo speakers.
They don’t get extremely loud. So if you have a larger get together, having two
of them would double the sound. Being able to have stereo sound is an added
bonus that improves the sound, very, very cool!
PowerBass also did not ignore the styling, which also helps its
functionality. I love the black cloth that wraps around the front and back to give
it an elegant look. The buttons are all on the top and are easy to use. There
are rubber feet on the bottom to help stabilize it. The ports on the back are
behind a rubber cover for water resistance. The handle on top is well made and
feels durable for ease of carrying it around. And on both sides of the top is a
metal re-enforced slot for the should strap.
The PowerBass Soundtube BT-500 is a great example of how all
the parts came together for a great product. The contacts and connections are
well placed for ease of use. The handle and carry strap slots are strong for a
lot of use. The black cloth that wraps around the front and back covering the
two tweeters and two woofers give an elegant look. And the two passive
radiators improve the bass output. It comes together well, let’s see how it
sounds.
Jessie J, Ariana Grande, & Nicki Minaj: Bang Bang –
snare drum and toms, had great dynamics and pitch definition of the pad and
midbass. Kick drum also was dynamic with good low-end extension. I was very
impressed with the resolution of the drums. Bass beats also had good output and
depth. But it was the aural feast of the vocals that stole the show. The
various vocal parts were so clean with amazing harmonics that gave me
goosebumps.
Nat King Cole: L-O-V-E – cymbals and hi-hat was really crisp
and clean. Piano sounded very natural. The bass had good smoothness of the
strings with good low-end extension and output. Violin strings were also
smooth. Vocals had very good resolution of the texture of the timbre. Trumpet
and trombone were both really clean with great dynamics and harmonics. I also
wasn’t expecting this good of imaging, and a sound stage that was fairly deep.
Tiesto & Sevenn: Boom – a good bass torture track. I was
impressed with what it did, and didn’t do. Bass beats were dynamic, clean and
good output. It also didn’t try to play what it couldn’t play, which would have
been muddy and distorted.
The True Wireless Stereo feature is really cool! The user
manual was worded very well and easy to follow. So entering that mode was
really easy. Once activated, one did function as the left speaker and the other
was the right speaker. While the imaging in TWS mode was not as good as a
traditional pair of wired stereo speakers, it still did sound really good. It
was quite amazing actually.
There’s a lot to like about the PowerBass Soundtube BT-500.
It’s not only a well-made wireless speaker with a lot of features that’s easy
to carry around. It also sounds really good. If you’re looking for a wireless
speaker, it deserves to be on your short list. Especially with its low $149
MSRP. That’s a huge band for the buck! Based on its design, features, quality
and performance. The PowerBass Soundtube BT-500 has earned our Editor’s Choice
Award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.powerbassusa.com.
