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Tom's Guide
23-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
I just found my perfect summer Bluetooth speaker — ground-shaking bass and it only costs $129
The Tribit StormBox Lava speaker has blown me away. This speaker amplifies bass like no other I've tried and is an absolute steal compared to some of the best bluetooth speakers. While the speaker has the ground around me shaking (especially on the XBass preset), the crisp treble and punchy mids it produces are also awesome. Meanwhile the Companion app also allows you to customize the sound, and even rack the bass up higher. The sleek design and portable nature of the speaker means it is easy to take anywhere, and its IP67 rating means it's well protected for any scenario — from a sandy beach to the side of the pool. Admittedly, the battery is lower than previous speaker models by Tribit and if you want to use the True Wireless Stereo function you will need to purchase another speaker, but don't let that put you off because the volume that this speaker produces means you won't need the stereo function. To find out more about how I got on, you can read my full Tribit StormBox Lava review. Price $129 / £129 Dimensions 12.20 x 5.98 x 5.78 inches Weight 5.07lbs Water resistance IP67 Connectivity Bluetooth 5.4 The Tribit StormBox Lava is priced at $126 and is available for purchase from Amazon U.S., and from Amazon U.K for £126. For a similar price you could pick up the JBL Flip 6 ($129), which has the same waterproofing rating, but is much smaller and has half the quoted battery life. The speaker only comes in black, which I think makes it look pretty sleek. But if you are in the market for something that gives you a choice of colors, you could check out our favorite Bluetooth speaker for bass performance, the JBL Extreme 4 ($379), or the Sonos Move 2 ($449). But there is no doubt that the TRIBIT StormBox Lava is the most affordable of these options, while still offering plenty of bass, so sacrificing color may not be all that bad. The Tribit StormBox Lava is a very good-looking speaker. It may not have any flashing lights on it like the Tribit StormBox Blast 2 ($279), but its looks mean it will look good in any situation with a practical design. The Lava isn't too heavy, weighing only 5.07lbs, and is easy to carry around. Included with the speaker is a detachable shoulder strap that can be adjusted to make carrying it even more comfortable. I, however, opted to use the detachable woven handle (also included) during testing. I found this a more manageable option as the shoulder strap meant the speaker was swinging against my side. While it's objectively large, especially compared to the JBL Extreme 4, the StormBox Lava is pretty compact given the sound it produces. Measuring 12.20 x 5.98 x 5.78 inches, I got whole-house-filling sound with comparatively little bulk. As well as being easily transportable, it's built to be used anywhere, with a waterproof rating of IP67. This rating means the speaker is waterproof when submerged in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes, making it perfect for pool parties or rainy conditions. IP67 also means the speaker is completely dust tight, so you can take it to the beach and not worry about sand running the mechanics. However, it's only fully sealed when the rubber cover protecting the USB ports on the back of the speaker is closed. The Tribit StormBox is extremely simple to control, but there are quite a few options for how you can control it. There are controls on the top of the speaker which include the power button, volume controls, play/pause, Bluetooth pairing, XBass and True Wireless Stereo (TWS) pairing (more on that later). Frustratingly, the play/pause button needs to be double-tapped to skip a song, or triple-tapped to skip back. It wouldn't have hurt the styling to add two extra dedicated buttons for playback controls, and would've made the user experience a whole lot easier. When I wanted to skip songs, I simply used my phone, which proved easier. I also downloaded the Tribit companion app. You can control the volume from the app, but more interestingly, there are EQ presets and a 10-band custom EQ options. The XBass EQ preset is the signature of this speaker, though, hence why it has its own dedicated button on top of the unit. I'll discuss the EQ in more detail in the audio performance section. The Tribit Stormbox Lava can pair with another Lava unit in TWS mode, which is for dual speaker surround stereo playback. This is activated via the button on top of the speaker and then the two speakers will play music in unison — an awesome feature but then you'd be dropping $260. The speaker uses Bluetooth 5.4 which gives a more stable connection for Bluetooth speakers than previous versions. It also decreases any lag experienced with the speaker and has a 40ft Bluetooth range. The first thing I look for whenever I test out new audio equipment is how the bass performs, so I was excited to try out the XBass function on this speaker. XBass is an EQ preset, but there is a dedicated button on top of the device that lets you turn it on and off without needing the app. The Tribit StormBox delivers on all fronts, but excels with its bass performance. The low frequencies are very powerful — it had the floor literally shaking. The 30W neodymium magnetic woofers drive the bass with ease, and it's very impressive. I listened to Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy) by The 1975 which has some delicate high vocals but a driving bass throughout the song. It sounded absolutely epic and the bass in the song became so strong that it shook the table the speaker was on. I would argue this song is best listened to on speakers like this rather than earbuds so you get the full immersive experience, and the Tribit made me put the song on repeat. To test the range of the speaker, I listened to Gethsemane by Sleep Token. The song is truly varied, starting off gently, before lifting into driving hip-hop and then reaching a metal apex — it showed me the speaker can handle anything you throw at it with ease. The Tribit captured the delicate vocals with minimal tinniness, and kept them at the forefront even when the heavy mids and bass from guitar and drums began. Finally I listened to Simple As This by Jake Bugg, a mellow folk song. And yes, the speaker can even make a folk song's bass boom. Even without the XBass, the speaker still delivered awesome sound, it just didn't shake the floor. I tested out the 10-band Custom EQ on this song, lifting the low frequencies to enhance the kickdrum and raising the mids to compensate for the prominent vocals. This sounded great, although I lost some treble, particularly the track's violins. When I increased the high frequencies to bring them back, I experienced some tinniness, but overall the Lava put in a stellar performance. Tribit says that the StormBox Lava takes around 5 hours to fully charge and that it has a battery life of 24 hours. This is pretty impressive, although less than the StormBox Blast 2 which has a max battery life of 20 hours. The Lava's battery life specs rely on XBass being turned off and volume only being turned up halfway. I preferred to use the speaker with XBass turned on as this gave such a fuller sound to the music, but it did drain the battery faster. After 3 hours of listening at half volume with XBass, the charge had decreased by 20%, so I would expect to get something more like 14 hours with XBass on. If you listen with the volume higher though this will decrease further. The EarFun UBOOM X speaker ($189) has a rated battery life of 30 hours when not using any of the built in lights at low volumes, but this dramatically decreases to around 20 hours with use of all the features. So it isn't uncommon for speakers to underperform, just inconvenient. To conserve battery on the Tribit StormBox Lava as much as possible, you can enable auto shut down through the app which will turn off the speaker if nothing is played for a while. I found this feature great as I often pause my music and get distracted, so it meant I wasn't wasting battery unnecessarily. The speaker has ports under the rubber cover at the back that allow it to act as a portable charger. This is super useful for beach days where you're nowhere near power but still need your phone. I am seriously blown away by the StormBox Lava. It's cheaper than previous Tribit models like the StormBox Blast 2, but still packs one hell of a punch. The speaker looks sleek and is easily portable with the carry handle and strap, so you can take it with you on hikes or vacations. The waterproof protection makes it an incredible all-rounder, from beach days to getting caught out in the rain (piña colada not included). The XBass function is incredible, making the ground literally shake, even at half volume. At high volumes though, sound quality isn't compromised across the frequency range and there is hardly any tinniness — I only experienced this when I manually increased the high frequencies. With the Tribit StormBox Lava's booming bass and insane volume capability, I've just found my perfect speaker right in time for summer.
Indian Express
10-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Indian Express
Mother's Day 2025: Top 6 gift ideas to surprise your tech-savvy mom
Do you have brunch, chocolates, and flowers planned for your mom this Mother's Day? While those are classics, today's tech-savvy moms deserve a little more – something smarter, more stylish, and practical. Whether she's a working professional balancing meetings or a multitasker managing home and hobbies, every mother deserves a gift that complements her lifestyle. This Mother's Day, surprise your mother with tech-savvy essentials that will help her stay connected, entertained, healthy, and productive. Below are some gadgets you can choose this Mother's Day to make your mom smile. Any reader would appreciate a book as a gift, and if they are passionate readers who can be spotted with a book at all times, an e-reader can come in handy. Most e-readers are compact, come with a vast library of titles, are lightweight, and are often splash resistant, making them devices that can be used at all times. On this special occasion, if you plan to surprise your mother with something special, perhaps an Amazon Kindle Paperwhite can be an ideal gift. The newly launched next-gen 7-inch Paperwhite comes with 25 per cent faster page turns. It is ultra-thin, making it a comfy device to carry around with ease. With the absence of social media and notifications, Kindle is the perfect gift for an avid reader. The latest iteration features a glare-free screen and is priced at Rs 16,999. Speakers have moved beyond being mere audio devices; now they double up as intelligent assistants too. Amazon Echo and Google Nest can also be friendly everyday assistants who can let you look up everything from recipes to shopping deals. A portable Bluetooth speaker powered by Alexa or Siri can not only help you with your regular tasks but can also play your favourite tracks and podcasts on the go. If you are only looking for audio, the market is abuzz with brands that offer some of the most crisp audio experiences. Based on the budget, one can pick the most compact device that offers immersive audio experiences. Some of the noted brands are JBL, Boat, Tribit, A pair of earbuds has become a daily essential, as they let you multitask even while listening to music, podcasts, or even talking to your loved ones. Over the years, TWS earbuds have advanced, with many offering noise cancellation and access to voice assistants. Most smartphone brands, such as Samsung, Nothing, and Apple, have their line of earbuds. They offer crystal-clear sound and various other features for all-day comfort. The market is replete with earbuds of all sizes and shapes, and they can be a stylish addition to your mom's tech accessories. Another option could be wired headphones or neckbands. As our smartphone usage increases, we need more power on the go. Power banks have proven to be such reliable gadgets that keep our devices charged. Most power banks today come with fast charging; some even support multiple devices and also have compact displays indicating the charging status. Some of the notable brands one can opt for are Belkin, Ambrane, Portronics, U&i, etc. The capacity and the output of the power banks depend on the use of the individual. This is a practical and thoughtful gift for Mother's Day, especially for mothers who work or stream movies and shows. A laptop cooling stand is designed to reduce overheating and keep the laptop running efficiently while extending its lifespan. Most stands come with adjustable angles offering comfort, reducing neck and wrist strain during extended use. Be it catching up on your favourite show, cooking videos, or even working remotely, a cooling stand ensures a cooler and smoother experience. Zebronics, Dyazo, Kreo, and Portronics are some of the most sought-after names when it comes to laptop cooling stands. A smartwatch can be an elegant gift for mothers. Modern smartwatches come with features that offer everyday convenience. From health features such as tracking steps, heart rate, and sleep analysis to receiving calls and notifications, smartwatches today are designed to assist you in everyday life. Besides, most models come with women's health tracking, meditation apps, and customisable watch faces. Be it fitness or productivity, gifting a smartwatch to your mother can mean that you value her time and health. Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Google, and OnePlus offer smartwatches in different price ranges.
